ESTATE COMPLIANCE
“I am now using the Quiqcare tool,” explains MGPS Services’ Steve Goddard, “and find it a really useful tool for requesting information in advance of an audit, and for carrying out the audit itself.”
Liam Casey, SHSC, says: “A number of other NHS Trusts are going down the same road, and we are collaborating with IHEEM to continue to develop the content in line with best practice and new legislation.”
same road, and we are collaborating with IHEEM to continue to develop the content in line with best practice and new legislation. It is good to hear that new areas are being proposed, and we see this expanding exponentially in future years.” Steve Goddard IEng, FIHEEM, runs MGPS Services,
which provides a professional and independent training and medical gas consultancy service. He shared his expertise and knowledge to help develop the IHEEM- approved AE Audit for medical gases and pipeline services, and has embraced the system. He said: “Digital is the only way forward, and having a consistent approach to audits will provide certainty for Trusts and AEs that all of the key questions are being asked and answered. I am now using the Quiqcare tool, and find it a really useful tool for requesting information in advance of an audit, and for carrying out the audit itself. I have been able to feed back suggestions for consideration, and this approach will help develop the system going forwards. “I would encourage Trusts and AEs to take a look
for themselves, and with the option for Trusts to take responsibility for their own compliance by completing PAM and the new HTM toolkit, this will help shine a light on issues in estates, and ultimately lead to a safer system as action plans are implemented and can be reported on.”
The future So what might the future hold? By collecting data in a standardised format it will be possible to compare compliance across multiple locations. There are opportunities using digital tools to carry out ongoing self-assessment at hospital or unit level, as well as across the entire Trust. This could give a much clearer picture of compliance for the Trust, but by comparing common data, this leads to opportunities for comparing performance at ICB, regional, or even national level. In a similar project (iQAAPS) involving aseptic
pharmacy units in Trusts and health Boards across England and Wales, the NHS has now implemented a consistent approach to auditing, and is using data collected monthly to assist in planning and resource allocation. They now have a real-time picture that has addressed a pressing need for visibility of quality assurance in pharmacy services. There are already new areas being considered
by IHEEM for inclusion on the Quiqcare platform. In conjunction with WSP, a multidisciplinary engineering
WSP’s Anisha Mayor said: “This self- assessment tool is the first step in the process to becoming ISO 55001-accredited.”
and strategic advisory practice with strong healthcare expertise, work is under way in the area of PFI asset management. With 150 healthcare PFIs being handed back over the next 17 years, having a structured approach to asset management is imperative to ensure that the PFI facilities being absorbed back into the NHS estates of Trusts and Boards continue to operate for as long as required. Commenting on this, Anisha Mayor, WSP’s Director and Head of Healthcare, said: “This self-assessment tool is the first step in the process to becoming ISO 55001-accredited. Designed to cover all aspects of asset management, this PFI question set tool covers strategy and planning, decision-making processes, lifecycle, asset knowledge, staffing, and assessing levels of risk.” “By having responses and evidence at their fingertips,
Trusts’ and Boards’ SROs and Estates teams are able to review easily their maturity and readiness for making sure the PFI asset they are handed back is actually an asset, and not a liability.”
Adoption
Quiqsolutions and IHEEM are trying to encourage adoption by delivering affordable solutions for Trusts and AEs. IHEEM AEs have exclusive access to the digital audits, and it is hoped that other AEs will seek IHEEM accreditation so that they can have access themselves in future. The more AEs who use it, the greater the likelihood of acceptance within the system as a whole, and as data starts to become more available, this is likely to prick the interest of NHS England and other stakeholders like the CQC and HSE. It is hoped that the combination of a proven software provider and IHEEM will be compelling, and – coupled with a low implementation and licence cost for Trusts – this will be something that can only grow in future.
IHEEM and Quiqsolutions are jointly promoting the tool at this month’s Healthcare Estates 2024 conference in Manchester, and at other regional events throughout the year, and it is likely there will be more adopters as word gets around. Pete Sellars, CEO of IHEEM, said: “I am immensely
proud of this new governance toolkit that we have produced in partnership with Quiqsolutions. It is the culmination of a lot of hard work and significant input by many of our Platform and branch members. I want to thank everyone who contributed and gave their time and expertise to this programme.”
Quiqsolutions and Paul Kaye
Paul Kaye is Business Development director, Health and Care, at Quiqsolutions, which was acquired by the Citation Group in September 2024. Established in 1995, with offices in the UK, Australia, and Canada, Citation Group offers a broad service offering ‘centered around helping build safer, sustainable, and successful businesses’. In addition to Quiqsolutions’ Compliance and Audit Software, its services include HR and employment law, health and safety, e-learning and training, background screening, ISO certification, SSIP accreditation, and cybersecurity solutions.
October 2024 Health Estate Journal 101
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