Accreditation Standards

We have been at the forefront of developing and implementing accreditation systems for health and care facilities for over 25 years.  

These standards cover the core principles of healthcare delivery including patient safety, quality improvement, leadership, governance and effective management, developing staff and managing risk.

Transformation and development in quality assurance and improvement programmes nationally and internationally have influenced changes to the standards. Similarly change occurs in response to important feedback from our client organisations, surveyors, and other stakeholders.  These changes ensure the CHKS standards are suitable for health and care organisations globally, and that they continue to be at the forefront of quality improvement and excellence.

The philosophy that continues to inform our work and which is reflected in our standards is that quality of care for patients and service users is best assured when:

• There is a strong commitment to leadership, staff engagement and continuous improvements in patient and service user safety.
• Accountability and responsibility are managed through effective clinical and corporate governance arrangements.
• Resources are well used in a physical, technical, and organisational environment.
• Staff providing and delivering services are fully supported and engaged in multidisciplinary working and influencing and achieving desirable change.
• Innovation is encouraged through service transformation and sustainability.
• Risk based thinking is embedded in everyday practice.
• High quality outcomes are measured through patient and service user experience. 
   

The CHKS library of standards includes:

• Leadership and management
• Risk and safety
• Patient focused care
• Facilities and site services
• Service governance
• Specialist and clinical services
• Support and rehabilitation services
• Specialist bespoke standards

Clients have the opportunity to develop bespoke packages of standards that reflect the individual services provided by their organisation.

External Accreditation
CHKS seeks external accreditation for its standards through ISQua’s (International Society for Quality in Healthcare) External Evaluation Association and their International Accreditation Programme.  This process is a mechanism for external evaluation to assure that CHKS standards and the process for standards development, meet international best practice requirements, demonstrating to clients and stakeholders a robust and rigorous process.

Download a full list of the library of standards

The CHKS standards we believe are demanding but realistic and arise from global policy developments, research evidence, professional guidance and extensive consultation with people working in healthcare.

The revised standards for 2024 include:

• Leadership and management
• Infection prevention and control
• Environment, equipment and facilities management
• Chemotherapy
• Clinical haematology
• Pathology
• Telehealth
• Termination of pregnancy services
• Residential care

Our standards

The CHKS Health and Care Standards apply to a great range of providers of health and care services including, but not limited to: acute hospitals, care homes, hospices, oncology centres, radiotherapy and radiotherapy physics departments, addiction treatment centres, mental health providers, providers of primary care services, diagnostic and specialist ambulatory care providers and cruise ship medical services.