Wednesday 23rd February 2011 - Published by Kelly Jackson - Communications Executive
A UK First for Health Exchange
A social enterprise in the Midlands is celebrating after becoming the first UK organisation to successfully undergo an audit by independent healthcare quality body QISMET.
Auditors from QISMET (the Quality Institute for Self Management Education and Training) were impressed with Birmingham-based Health Exchange's free Chronic Disease Self Management Course (CDSMC) programmes to help those with a long-term health conditions learn how to manage these conditions, which in most cases cannot be cured.
Rachel Humphries, Self-Managed Services Manager at Health Exchange said: “The audit process included a full review of our processes as well as interviewing members of our staff involved in delivering our CDSMC programmes. They had access to all aspects of our Self-Managed Services and were very complimentary about our people and processes”.
QISMET, which is partially funded by the Department of Health (DH) audits providers of self-management programmes across England to ensure that they are delivering them to a high level of quality.
Jennifer Jones-Rigby, Intervention Services Manager at Health Exchange explained: “Our Self-Managed Services are an essential part of the total package of services we offer to people, helping them take control of their health and make positive choices to adopt a healthy lifestyle. We want our services to provide the best possible quality, and we welcome external assessment to help ensure we deliver them to the highest possible standards.”
Health Exchange’s vision is that everyone should be able to make their own informed, positive choices for a healthier lifestyle. It offers a wide range of services designed to help people take control of their health and wellbeing and, as a result, to feel better about their lifestyle and themselves.
To find out more about Health Exchange's work to improve individuals' health and wellbeing, or to access its services, visit:
www.healthexchange.org.uk . Information about QISMET can be found at www.qismet.org.uk.
QISMET Audit Inspection - a pr2go story
