Welsh reviewers seek to improve effectiveness

The Wales Concordat is a voluntary agreement between inspection, external review and improvement bodies working in health and social care in Wales. The Concordat aims to support the improvement of services for patients, service users and their carers through a more coordinated, targeted approach to external review.

 

Following a healthcare summit held in July 2008, work is continuing between external review bodies to develop and refine new ways of working which will lead to more effective inspection, review and improvement.

 

The report points to increasing examples of joint working and information sharing activities amongst external reviewers. This work is being supported by a Concordat Scheduling Tool which was re-launched in June 2008, an online directory for health and social care data and initiatives to reduce the burden of information requests on organisations working in health and social care.

 

Further progress is needed and external reviewers are currently working on developing a Concordat community website to share examples of Good and Innovative Practice. This new website is planned to come on line in 2009.

 

Collectively external review bodies are committed to make real progress in implementing the aims and principles of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Policy Statement on Inspection, Audit and Regulation. Over the summer external review bodies will be working together to take forward the Concordat and build on progress made already.