This year the Quality Standard for Imaging (QSI) will undergo a routine external review led by the Quality Review Service (QRS).
A joint initiative between the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) and the College of Radiographers (CoR), QSI sets national quality criteria for all diagnostic imaging provision. While accreditation to the standard is recognised and recommended by NHS regulators and the Care Quality Commission to show good quality service.
Why now?
This is a routine review. Quality standards are required to evaluate their contents every three or four years and as QSI was last updated in 2017, we are now due a review.
Who are QRS?
The Quality Review Service (QRS) have been appointed as the external assessor. As part of the NHS, QRS (who are UKAS accredited) have over 10 years’ experience of developing quality standards and leading peer-to-peer reviews.
Taking a collaborative approach to reviews, QRS and the colleges plan to engage with a broad range of imaging stakeholders from across the UK, as well as ensuring patient representation, and the patient voice is clearly incorporated.
What will change?
The refresh of the quality standards may include a move towards an outcome-based approach where possible. The Colleges believe outcomes based standards describe more accurately the benefit of achieving a particular quality standard, and therefore can be more meaningful to those using them.
What happens next?
In spring 2021, QRS will run an open consultation with the wider imaging community and you will be invited to share your comments and feedback on the draft revision of the new standards.
Following this consultation, we envisage our revised Quality Standards for Imaging will be published in late 2021, with an outlined transition process for those who hold accreditation to our current QSI.
For more information about the Quality Review Service, please visit their website. Questions about the standard, the forthcoming revision or to request a copy of the consultation document when ready can be sent to [email protected].