Quality assurance

Quality monitoring and the gaining of assurance  is part of overall contract management and aims to ensure that service users receive the highest quality and safety of service, which meets contractual standards and is continuously improving.

Quality monitoring should enable key risks to be better managed and is central to continuous improvement: it measures the providers’ and the services’ performance and how this changes over time. The information from quality monitoring can both change and influence practice, from the specific care for an individual service user to Herefordshire Public Service’s (HPS) procurement and commissioning decisions.

Quality monitoring is the regular process undertaken by the HPS to ensure that providers comply with the quality requirements of their contract(s) and are performing effectively and would seek to confirm and establish the following:

A Quality service; outcome based results and all other key performance indicators contained in the service specification and contract are achieved; follow up actions are identified in service improvement action plans.

Better outcomes for service users; Services that are committed and can demonstrate continuous Improvement; Services that make a positive difference to peoples’ lives.

Value for Money and compliance with contract terms; that services are delivered as described/commissioned; service is ‘fit for purpose’ and continues to meet the accreditation criteria and stated objectives.

Quality Assurance visits are one part of the HPS Quality Assurance Framework and are carried out by a team of commissioners with the relevant skills and knowledge to give assurance about the quality and safety of services in Herefordshire.

HPS wish to be open and transparent about its quality monitoring processes. The documents to be found on this site are designed to provide information to service providers with regard to the tools used to monitor their service. You can view our current assurance visit protocol and audit tool.

Information is also provided with regard to relevant policies and training events for service providers.