CECOPS is extending its work to include Care Homes and Hospices. This is the first time any comprehensive standards for equipment have been available for these service areas to follow.

 Disability equipment is regularly assessed for and used in care homes and hospices e.g. hoists, life support ventilators. We sometimes hear stories in the news of serious incidents and fatalities involving equipment failure, with heavy fines for care home owners, suggesting that sometimes equipment issues are not well managed in these settings. Our work is aimed at supporting care homes and hospices by preventing these incidents from arising in the first place, and by ensuring there is clear guidance to follow.

 Although there are many health & safety and regulatory obligations applicable to care homes and hospices, we feel there is a lack of clear and comprehensive guidance available for the assessment and safe use of equipment. Also, to date there has been little equipment related training made available for staff working in these areas.

 Working with CECOPS will support care home providers and hospices in meeting all their equipment related health & safety and regulatory obligations in one place, whilst ensuring safe and good quality outcomes are experienced by the end user.

 How does CECOPS work for Care Homes and Hospices?

Quite simply, organisations can register with us for £150 per home/hospice (group discounts apply). This includes a copy of the Code of Practice, certification and a listing on our website. Accreditation is also available from our external assessment partner DNV Healthcare (current assessors for NHS Litigation Authority and Macmillan Cancer Support). Accreditation involves an assessment of your services. Unlike regulation, the assessment processes is to facilitate you through a process. It enables you to drive your own quality standards. Costs for accreditation are agreed directly between you and the assessment team. You can contact the assessment team here to find out more: cecops@dnv.com 

 Why work with CECOPS?

There are many aspects to managing equipment effectively within the care home and hospice setting, ranging from proper assessment to provision, use, decontamination and maintenance etc.

 Many organisations have been prosecuted with regards to unsafe and misuse of equipment, with very costly fines imposed. Besides the fines and reputational damage, there have been lives lost because of the misuse of equipment which could have been prevented. Equipment issues are also looked at by CQC inspectors.

 Working with CECOPS helps an organisation reduce risks significantly, and ensures better quality and safer services are provided.

 Contact us today to find out more: info@cecops.org.uk or call us 01494 863398