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Willow Burn Hospice achieves prestigious healthcare accreditation

Willow Burn Hospice has achieved a prestigious healthcare accreditation as it continues to raise funds to build a new hospice and develop its services across Derwentside and County Durham.

Hospice services already comply with the high standards set by the the Care Quality Commission but  has achieved industry accreditation by meeting 33 exacting standards of the CHKS Accreditation Programme.

CHKS Accreditation programmes are tailored to all aspects of healthcare provision from acute hospitals, mental health hospitals, care homes and hospices to specific services such as radiotherapy and short-stay surgery.

Based on published international guidance and established best practice, including Government White Papers, Department of Health guidance, and developed in consultation with Royal Colleges, professional bodies, and consumer groups, the programme helps to drive, assure and demonstrate quality of patient care, and by focusing on quality, risk management and patient safety, the programme incorporates all aspects of healthcare provision from corporate and clinical governance to support services and administration.

Helen Mills, Chief Executive of Willow Burn Hospice, said achieving CHKS Accreditation now is an important development for the hospice and its staff as it raises funds to build the new facility on the former Maiden Law Hospital site.

“We were very keen to work towards CHKS accreditation to ensure that we are functioning as a hospice to the highest possible standards,” she added.

“By its nature the process was developmental and voluntary, but by undertaking this programme we are in a position to ensure and evidence that our standards of service delivery meet with best practice.

“For voluntary sector organisations such as our hospice, the challenge is meeting national quality standards and legal obligations on a limited budget.  We have an ongoing commitment to doing so, and to effective governance and clear leadership which are essential to ensuring continued high quality services for patients and the wider community, maintaining financial stability and retaining the confidence of donors, funders, volunteers and staff.”

The CHKS Accreditation Programme is already widely used by individual hospitals seeking external validation and recognition of the quality of care they provide, and private healthcare groups to ensure that all hospitals consistently apply corporate policies and procedures. It guarantees that participating health organisations work towards the best standards.