MEDIA RELEASE

Monday 22 May 2006

Walking the talk: leading health care accreditation body achieves accreditation

The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) has been reaccredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) until December 2009.

The ACHS commitment “to quality and willingness to be assessed by international peers is to be commended and reflects the ACHS position as a world leader in the (health care accreditation) field,” commented the international surveyors in their report.  

The survey, conducted in the second half of 2005, included a week long peer review at the ACHS offices in Sydney and interviews with management and staff of a local hospital that had undergone an ACHS accreditation survey in the past year.  The ISQua surveyors not only review ACHS accreditation processes but look into internal systems, such as information and human resources management.

ACHS Chief Executive, Mr Brian Johnston commented today, “As with the majority of Australian health care organisations that participate in ACHS accreditation, the ISQua program forms an important part of our own internal systems for monitoring and guiding ACHS performance.

“While the surveyors commended many areas of our performance, the most useful aspect is their recommendations for improvement. The full report, together with our responses to these recommendations will be published on our website in early June 2006.

“There is a significant increase in the number of organisations participating in this unique international program focused only on health systems. The ACHS is proud to have been involved since its inception,” concluded Mr Johnston.

All ACHS sets of accreditation standards are also submitted for separate assessment within the ISQua International Accreditation Program.

ACHS member organisations represent 84% of public beds, 94% of private beds and 87% of all available beds in Australian health services.* The ACHS is Australia's leading health care accreditation agency. Our Council represents governments, consumers and peak health bodies from throughout Australia.

Further information: Megan Taylor, Manager, Communications, ACHS on 0416 280 826.

The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards

5 Macarthur Street Ultimo NSW Australia

t 61 2 9281 9955  f 61 2 9211 9633 e achs@achs.org.au w http://www.achs.org.au