This document discusses quality assurance for NHS screening programmes in England. It provides the following information: 1. Public Health England leads the NHS Screening Programmes. The Midlands and East Screening QA Service ensures screening is performed to high standards of quality and patient safety through monitoring, visits, and sharing best practices. 2. The QA Service monitors screening programme performance, participates in management boards, advises on incidents, and undertakes visits to assess providers and ensure national standards are followed. 3. The objectives of QA visits are to examine quality of care, verify standards achievement, identify best practices, and contribute to national development through shared experiences.

1. Public Health England leads the NHS Screening Programmes

2. Who are the Screening QAService?
2 Midlands and East Screening QA Service
Department of Health
Public Health England (PHE)
Health and Wellbeing Directorate
Programme Improvement and Delivery Division
National Screening Committee and SQAS

3. Function of QualityAssurance
‘ doing the right things right’– Sir Muir Gray.
What does this mean –
• Screening is performed to acceptable standards.
• Patient safety
• Constantly striving to improve
3 Midlands and East Screening QA Service

4. How does QAdo this?
• Provide advice to programmes and commissioners
• Monitor performance of screening programmes using pathway standards
reports, referral trackers and other activity data
• Participate in programme management boards
• Advise on potential screening safety incidents and serious incidents in
accordance with national guidance
• Undertake QA visits to providers to assess the quality of the screening
pathway and to ensure that service is delivered in accordance with national
standards
• Share with the national programme learning and outcomes for incidents and
findings from QA visits to support service improvements
4 Midlands and East Screening QA Service

5. AAAQAvisits
• Prioritisation schedule - many East of England AAA programmes
were implemented in phase 3.
• All programmes will be subject to a full QA visit during the first cycle.
• Desktop review will be introduced from the second cycle.
• Midlands and East’s first visit was completed in February at
Birmingham.
• More professional/clinical advisors (PCAs) needed!
5 Midlands and East Screening QA Service

6. 6 Midlands and East Screening QA Service
Objectives of QAvisit
• QA led process with professional / clinical advisor support
• Examine quality of care
• Verify achievement of minimum standards
• Identify and disseminate best practice – gain knowledge & expertise
• Share experiences & understanding and contribute to national development

7. 7 Midlands and East Screening QA Service

8. 8 Midlands and East Screening QA Service

9. AAAQAvisit timeline
9 Midlands and East Screening QA Service
- 6 months
Agree date,
receive formal
notification
Visit day
+ 4
Draft report
issued
Receive
• contact list
• room agenda
• self assessment
questionnaire
Complete and return
• contact list
• room agenda
Familiarisation
visit
Return
self assessment
questionnaire
- 2 months
Return draft
report
- 5 months + 6
weeks
+ 8
Final report
issued
Action
plan
Complete questionnaire

10. After a visit
PCAs provide their report to SQAS
SQAS produces the draft report and issues to programme to check for factual
accuracy
Final report issued to programme
Executive summary of the final report is published on PHE website
Programme develops action plan to manage the implementation of
recommendations that is then monitored by the programme board
10 Midlands and East Screening QA Service