CECOPS Webinar (9th April 2020, 2pm-3.30pm): Hospital Discharge Arrangements

In the current COVID-19 pandemic it is important to free up as many hospital beds as possible by safely discharging people back into their home or another suitable place within the community.

Hospital discharges are complex, and require good co-ordination between hospital and community staff to arrange clinical assessments, equipment deliveries, care packages etc.

The current crisis also adds additional considerations such as access to food and medicine, the equipment supply chain, care staff shortages, capacity within the system, Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and patient’s mental wellbeing.

In view of COVID-19, NHS England has produced Hospital Discharge guidance: ‘COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements (NHS England 19^th March 2020: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/covid-19-discharge-guidance-hmg-format-v4-18.pdf)

CECOPS is running this webinar to discuss the issues arising from the need for urgent hospital discharges and how systems and processes can be improved to enable the sector to rise to the challenge.

The webinar will include a panel of experts working within the health and care space including:

• Professor Mike Bewick (Chair, CECOPS CIC, former Deputy Medical Director of NHS England)
• Kenny Gibson (National Head of Safeguarding, NHS England)
• Shane Tickell (Vice Chair, Tech UK, Health and Social Care)
• Julie Clatworthy (Clinical Member, Governing Body, Gloucester CCG)
• Tim Andrews (COO, ORCHA)
• Sarah Tibbott (Consortium Lead Officer, London Community Equipment Consortium Team and Bi Borough Integrated Commissioning)
• Dom Cushnan (Special Advisor AI and Digital Health, NHXS)
• Brian Donnelly (CEO, CECOPS CIC)
• Helen Hughes (CEO, Patient Safety Learning)
• Rachel Seabrook (Clinical Services Director, NRS Healthcare)
• Taz Aldawoud (Clinical Board Member & CCIO, NHS Bradford Districts CCG)
• Paul Gaudin (CEO, CareRooms)
• Sarah Lepak (Director of Governance & Policy, British Healthcare Trades Association)
• David Calder (Knowledge Transfer Manager Life Sciences – Health and Care – Knowledge Transfer Network)
• Geraint Williams (Director, Greensleeves Care)
• Guy Gross (Consultant, Laingbuisson)

The emphasis of the webinar will be on a practical and innovative approach, and how we can encourage widespread adoption of proven improvements to the safe discharge of patients to often unconventional care programmes.

Outcome

Following the webinar CECOPS will compile a comprehensive list of issues to be considered when discharging patients, any solutions/technologies that might be available to help with the process, and helpful information provided by delegates. This will be made available as a checklist (or spine) for use when discharging people from hospital. We will subsequently set up a working group to explore the interfaces between the spine and existing systems and processes, including interoperability related issues.

Agenda: Themes for discussion:

(The following list is not exhaustive and is not in any rank order):

The webinar discussion will take a risk assessment approach to a number of subject areas. For each of these areas we will discuss what can go wrong and what needs to be in place to manage or mitigate the risk relating to:

1. From the hospital

2. Assessment of the home or other environment

3. At the receiving facility/community services

4. Oversight, leadership, culture, communication and effectiveness

5. Patient/family engagement

6. Specialist needs/services

7. Funding

8. Staff and Patient Safety

9. Industry and the supply market

10. Resource and capacity

11. Other issues

Following the webinar, further suggestions can be sent to: support@cecops.org.uk. There will also be opportunity for people to make recommendations during the webinar.

Additional Information

To help with hospital discharges, CECOPS has developed various Codes of Practice including:

‘The International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services’. This will be useful when deploying digital solutions: http://www.cecops.org.uk/code-of-practice-scheme/scope-of-technology-enabled-care-services-code/

The ‘Code of Practice for Disability Equipment, Wheelchair and Seating Services’. This will be useful when deploying assistive technology services, including the clinical and technical assessments: http://www.cecops.org.uk/code-of-practice-scheme/the-official-code-of-practice-book/

Joining information for attendees

Attendees will be able to view the webinar and use the Chat feature to ask questions and make suggestions to panel members. The webinar can be viewed by following the information below:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/881389730?pwd=aGx2Z0lDS1k1eCtYMjNLZEVqRVZTQT09

Password: 238132

Or iPhone one-tap :

    US: +16465588656,,881389730#,,#,238132#  or +16699009128,,881389730#,,#,238132#

Or Telephone:

    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

        US: +1 646 558 8656  or +1 669 900 9128  or +1 253 215 8782  or +1 301 715 8592  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 346 248 7799

    Webinar ID: 881 389 730

    Password: 238132

    International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcAVzJQ3xf

If you would like to discuss any of the above, please get in touch.

Brian Donnelly, CEO, CECOPS

brian@cecops.org.uk | 07511667330

AJM Healthcare gains CECOPS Corporate Accreditation for its Community Equipment and Integrated Wheelchair Services, nationwide!

AJM Healthcare has gained the highly regarded CECOPS Corporate Accreditation for its Community Equipment, Integrated Wheelchair Services and Approved Repairer Services. AJM is a growing organisation providing 20+ services nationwide.

AJM delivers a range of mobility equipment solutions to the NHS, Local Authority partners and individuals across the UK, providing good quality, outcome-led services in wheelchair and community equipment to increase independence, choice and control, whilst offering commissioners a cost effective and efficient solution.

CECOPS CIC is the leading independent standards and accreditation body for all assistive technology services, now working with over 200 services across the UK.

Uniquely, CECOPS has developed standards which not only cover the planning and commissioning of services, but also the delivery of services including the clinical and technical aspects.

 CECOPS accreditation is a regular feature in service specifications for assistive technology services, and is a way of assuring commissioners that services are meeting the best outcome-based quality and performance related standards in this sector

Stephen Peck, Managing Director, AJM Healthcare, says:

“Our main aim is to deliver a good quality service on behalf of our stakeholders, service users and carers. Gaining the prestigious CECOPS Corporate Accreditation has helped us immensely in achieving our aim and it provides external validation on our commitment to continuously improving. The CECOPS assessment process was very thorough and commendable and we gained a lot from the experience.”

CECOPS CEO, Brian Donnelly, says:

“It is very encouraging to see the growing interest in our Corporate Accreditation programme and the value that it brings to services. It is great news that AJM has achieved Corporate Accreditation status for its community equipment and integrated wheelchair services contracts. Their commitment to quality and improving standards is impressive. Well done!”

If you commission or provide assistive technology services (e.g. digital health, telecare, wheelchair service, community equipment service, adaptations) and you would like to find out the CECOPS corporate accreditation programme can support you, please get in touch: support@cecops.org.uk | 01494 863398

New CECOPS grading system to drive up quality of assistive technology services

CECOPS is building on its widely used and respected accreditation model by introducing a new grading system for assistive technology services throughout the UK.

The new system aims to drive up quality, safety, performance and user experience, and has a continuous improvement focus.

Providers who are delivering excellent services will benefit from the new gradings system by being able to distinguish themselves and win new business. It will also be helpful for procurement and commissioning leads when evaluating and awarding contracts, and it will enable the public to see how well providers are performing.

From 2020, any provider gaining CECOPS accreditation status will be awarded one of the following grades:

The grading system applies across all assistive technology services covered by CECOPS e.g. digital health, telecare, community equipment and wheelchair services.

To date, the CECOPS accreditation model has sought to ensure organisations were compliant with the CECOPS standards, thereby meeting quality outcomes; it did not distinguish between a compliant and an excellent service.

The CECOPS grading system is centred on alignment with 10 themes, each of which are indicators of quality and performance at the heart of an organisation.

Grades will be awarded based on how well a service performs against each of the following themes:

Theme 1: Organisational Learning & Continuous Improvement

Theme 2: Compliance with CECOPS Standards

Theme 3: Customer Experience

Theme 4: Leadership

Theme 5: Governance & Risk Management

Theme 6: Quality, Safety and Performance

Theme 7: Staff Competence

Theme 8: Efficiency & Effectiveness

Theme 9: Innovation

Theme 10: Integration (where applicable)

Alignment with the themes will be determined as part of the CECOPS accreditation assessment process.

The grade will be public and will appear on an organisation’s CECOPS profile page.

The grading system will be introduced as a staged process from January 2020, with providers currently working with CECOPS being awarded a grading when their next assessment for accreditation is due.

We believe this exciting new development will help shape the future of assistive technology services by driving up service standards and enabling providers to demonstrate the quality of their service.

Assistive technology services are vital for the health, wellbeing and independence of many people, and it is important these services are provided as best as they possibly can be to ensure good quality outcomes. Our standards set the baseline for providers, and the grading system will help drive up quality and aspiration to aim to be the best. Prof Mike Bewick MB, BS, FRCP, FRCGP, MIPH, Chairman, CECOPS

 We have been asked on a number of occasions by commissioners and providers if we were going to introduce a grading system. Now that we are working with over 200 organisations, we feel the time is right. Offering this unique approach in the assistive technology space demonstrates our commitment to improving the quality and performance of these services. Brian Donnelly MSc, CEO, CECOPS

If you commission or provide assistive technology services, and are interested in how the CECOPS grading system might support you, please get in touch: info@cecops.org.uk or call 01494 863398

CECOPS and BHTA join forces to deliver a much needed Assistive Technology Conference

CECOPS is set to run its first assistive technology (AT) conference in June 2020 and will be working in association with the respected organisation British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) to deliver this exciting new venture.

The main aims of the conference are to help shape the future of AT services, and to ensure products and services are accessible, fit for purpose in the 21^st century, and provided in a coherent, integrated and person-centred way, with the needs and outcomes of people requiring services being paramount. This is crucial in view of the growing elderly population, the need for people to be more independent, and for those wanting to manage their own lifestyle and care.

The conference will look holistically across all AT services e.g. digital health, telecare, community equipment and wheelchair services, communication and sensory equipment, smart homes, home adaptations and environmental controls, and across all sectors in line with the interoperability of these types of service. The conference will be strategic, pragmatic and solutions-focused, and will cover all aspects of provision including the planning, commissioning, procurement, service delivery and clinical and technical aspects, with the needs of users and carers at the heart.

This exciting AT conference will gather people from across all sectors including, for example, policy leads, commissioners, service providers, clinical and technical staff, innovators and industry.

There will be excellent and meaningful national and international speakers. Some topics will be crowd generated before the event, to ensure the conference content is directly relevant.

If you are in any way involved in the assistive technology space, this is a not to be missed event.

CECOPS CEO, Brian Donnelly, says: ‘This unique conference will consider all assistive technology services at policy, planning, commissioning and delivery levels, as well as the future design, demands and requirements of these services. Given the crisis in health and care, nationally and internationally, addressing these issues now is critical. It is exciting therefore to be running this event with our colleagues at BHTA. Their industry knowledge is second to none in the UK and will bring a lot of expertise to the table. This combined effort will help to shape the marketplace, and support organisations in the planning and delivery of assistive technology services both now and in the future.’

BHTA Director General, Andrew Stevenson, says: ‘It is an exciting time with all of the new products, technologies and innovations coming into the marketplace;  however we need to ensure these are ready to be adopted and people know how to access them. Proper planning and delivery of assistive technology services is key to solving many health, care, wellbeing and accessibility issues. It is exciting to work in association with CECOPS on the delivery of this much needed conference, especially given their expertise and commitment to improving quality and outcomes in the AT space.

If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at the event, please get in touch: support@cecops.org.uk

The CECOPS Corporate Accreditation Programme

Assistive technology providers are signing up to CECOPS’ Corporate Accreditation Programme. What is it and how does it work?

CECOPS is the independent standards and accreditation body for assistive technology (AT) services e.g. digital health, telecare, and community equipment and wheelchair services.

CECOPS has developed outcome-based quality frameworks for the procurement and provision of the various assistive technology services, and is working with approximately 200 AT services, UK-wide.

CECOPS aims not only to ensure services deliver quality outcomes, but that organisations strive to continuously improve.

When assistive technology services are being commissioned, it is often a requirement within tender specifications for providers to be accredited by CECOPS. Accreditation is gained via an assessment of services, undertaken by our independent ISO qualified team.

Many of the organisations which have become accredited under the CECOPS scheme have started out by achieving accreditation for a single service or contract, often because a commissioner has required it for their specific contract. This is also the standard approach for in-house and smaller providers.

However, for larger providers which deliver a number of services across the UK, to have CECOPS assess their services on a piecemeal basis can become time consuming and involve duplication, especially where corporate policies are in place across all an organisation’s services. For this reason, there is growing interest in the corporate programme among the large providers, with some having already opted for the programme. The corporate programme helps to enable a coherent and synergised approach to gaining CECOPS accreditation for all relevant services.

What does CECOPS Corporate Accreditation involve?

The CECOPS Corporate Accreditation Programme is designed to deliver a robust certification process which appropriately balances an adequate level of scrutiny against the ability to take assurance from the application of corporate policies and processes.

As always, quality is our main aim, so we ensure that all services covered by the corporate programme receive an on-site visit prior to accreditation being awarded. This is necessary to provide us, commissioners, providers and the people using the services with the assurance that each service we are awarding accreditation to is meeting our quality standards; it is virtually impossible to ascertain this otherwise. In our experience, local variances in how a service is commissioned and funded can result in considerable variation in how a service operates, even within an organisation with robust corporate systems in place.

Each local service area receives its own full assessment report which highlights findings, evidence submitted, plus any non-conformities. The comprehensive report also suggests improvements to the service or system, where relevant. In addition, a corporate report is produced which summarises themes and trends from across all operations  and suggests improvements which could be made to corporate systems, processes and policies.

The service-specific reports can be shared with local commissioners (where this is a requirement of the contract); whilst the corporate report is ideal for board oversight and scrutiny.

We have been asked why we don’t just look at head office operations and take sample checks at some of the local services. While this may be applicable in some settings, we don’t believe this is appropriate with these types of services, not only because the lack of adequate scrutiny could allow poor practice to hide under the radar, but also because AT services are often provided to vulnerable people, and the risks involved demand a more serious outlook to be taken than a brief tick-box exercise. Also, commissioners often want reports for their individual service.

For the CECOPS Accreditation badge to maintain its respect and be meaningful, to commissioners, providers and citizens using services, it is important that we don’t compromise on quality.

It is heartening that some of the largest and best-known providers of AT services in the UK agree with us on this, and have embraced the CECOPS Corporate Accreditation Programme.  For example, two of the largest assistive technology (AT) providers, NRS Healthcare and Medequip, became the first companies to receive corporate accreditation from CECOPS.

NRS Healthcare have gained corporate accreditation for all of its community equipment and wheelchair services contracts throughout the UK, and Medequip likewise has gained corporate accreditation for all of its community equipment services.

Jerry Benson, NRS’ CEO, says the CECOPS corporate accreditation will help it to deliver “the highest possible standard of service to its customers”. He comments: “Working to the CECOPS outcome-based quality framework across community equipment and wheelchair services, and being independently assessed against this, has helped us immensely.

Meanwhile, Marie Martinalli, head of SHEQ and governance at Medequip, says: “Working with CECOPS across all our community equipment services has assisted Medequip in developing and enhancing good practice within our organisation. It is very customer outcome-based and has enabled us to demonstrate assurance, that we deliver a safe and quality service.”

If you are a provider of assistive technology services e.g. telecare, community equipment, wheelchair services, digital health, across multiple locations, and you are interested in gaining CECOPS’ Corporate Accreditation, please get in touch.

info@cecops.org.uk

01494 863398 or 07511667330

CPD Certification for all CECOPS training courses!

CECOPS has gained the prestigious CPD Certification for all of their training courses!

The CECOPS training courses cover the various assistive technology related services including digital health, telecare, electronic assistive technologies, community (disability) equipment, and wheelchair and seating services.

Uniquely, there are courses for: Planning and Commissioning; Service Provision and; Clinical and Technical aspects.

The training is outcome-focused, meaning it can apply in different settings and countries.

All training is based on CECOPS’ Codes of Practice:

 ‘International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Provision of Technology Enabled Care Services’

‘Code of Practice for Disability Equipment, Wheelchair and Seating Services’

National and International recognition

Our training already has widespread recognition as, for example, it was included as a requirement for staff to be trained by us in a recent national NHS Supply Chain Framework Agreement for Electronic Assistive Technology, Lone Working Devices and Telehealth.

The CECOPS framework, standards and training were also recommended in a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) Position Paper on Assistive Technology: ‘Enabling appropriate personnel skill-mix for progressive realisation of equitable access to assistive technology’.

The following CPD Certified training courses are now available:

Technology Enabled Care Services

These courses are for everyone involved in the planning, commissioning and delivery of technology enabled care services e.g. digital health, telecare, electronic assistive technology services.

COURSE 1: Planning and Commissioning

COURSE 2: Service Provision

Community Equipment Services

These courses are for everyone working in the planning, commissioning and delivery of community equipment, including clinical and technical aspects. The training covers all equipment services provided by health, social care and education. The training also applies in other settings where equipment is assessed for and provided e.g. care homes, home improvement agencies.

COURSE 3: Commissioning and Governance

COURSE 4: Service Provision

COURSE 5: Clinical and Technical Responsibilities

Wheelchair and Seating Services

These courses are for everyone working in the planning, commissioning and delivery of wheelchair and seating services, including clinical and technical aspects. The training covers all wheelchair and seating services provided by health. The training also applies in other settings where wheelchairs are assessed for and provided e.g. care homes.

COURSE 6: Commissioning and Governance

COURSE 7: Service Provision

COURSE 8: Clinical and Technical Responsibilities

CECOPS will be running training courses around the UK. Check our ‘Events and Training’ page on the CECOPS website for regular updates.

If you would like training provided on any of the above courses at your premises, please get in touch. +44 (0) 1494 863398 or email: info@cecops.org.uk

A tribute to Sir Bert Massie CBE, DL: Goodbye friend, mentor, chair and inspiration

It is with sadness that I write this tribute to Sir Bert Massie CBE, Chairman of CECOPS, who sadly passed away on 15/10/2017.

I first approached Sir Bert in 2009 to write a Foreword for a paper I was writing on national minimum standards for disability equipment services; he was very obliging and interested in my work. I kept in close contact from that time, and in 2012 I approached Sir Bert to see if he would be interested in chairing CECOPS, the not for profit standards and certification body for assistive technology services. Bert was delighted with the CECOPS concept and agreed to help me to establish the organisation.

Sir Bert said at the time that the main reason he took on the role of CECOPS Chair was that he believed in its aims and saw it as a vehicle for helping to improve services for disabled and older people, a cause close to his heart.

Sir Bert’s role has been very instrumental in establishing CECOPS; he has been a real champion for the cause. CECOPS’ growth over recent years is largely due to Sir Bert’s wisdom, experience and passion.

Bert was a true campaigner, but he was never a complainer. He only asked for what was right and nothing more. He had a wonderful art of guiding conversations in a way that made others feel that they had made decisions themselves.

Bert’s view was that a good cause is always worth fighting for. He always maintained a cheerful and happy spirit, and had a great sense of humour.

Bert was much more than a chairman, he was also a friend. As well as wanting CECOPS to succeed, he was also genuinely interested in my wellbeing and that of my family.

Bert was a mentor, giving me a positive outlook amidst the gloom. Lastly, he was an inspiration, not just in his role within CECOPS, but more as an individual. He overcame many personal barriers in his life, and more, he worked tirelessly to remove barriers others couldn’t remove for themselves. Thank you for your selfless labour Bert, you will be greatly missed.

Your friend

Brian

Shaping the future of the digital health marketplace

I was recently asked to explain the digital health marketplace in the UK and how providers are supposed to access the market. This marketplace includes, for example, telehealth, telemedicine, eHealth and mHealth products, as well as telecare.

A marketplace is formed where there is demand for a product or service, and when this demand is supplied. Of course then, markets grow and evolve over a period of time.

Within the digital health space, on the supply side there is a vast range of products and services, but the demand side is unclear. The need is there, but organisations responsible for planning and commissioning services are often unsure of how best to engage with some of the technologies available and to procure these. What works? Where do we start? Is it cost effective? How can we assess service impact?

So we could reasonably conclude that the marketplace for digital health is not well defined and has not yet matured. This is discouraging for providers, especially SMEs, and there is confusion about the best approach for accessing the market. This could even cause a provider, particularly a smaller one, to ‘give up’. This would be a shame if they had an excellent product which they were struggling to sell.

It is important for those on the demand side to be clear about what it is that they want to procure or commission, and that they are ready for adopting the technologies and services. Organisational readiness is often an area overlooked; yet this is such an important issue to address to ensure the marketplace matures and thrives.

While there are some pockets of excellent working in getting products to segments of the market e.g. acceleration programmes, processes are not the same across different geographical areas and sectors. These issues are not limited to the UK. From conversations I am having with people overseas, the situation is pretty much the same internationally.

The imbalance between the supply and demand sides of the market cannot continue.

So, what can be done?

FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL CODE OF PRACTICE FOR PLANNING, COMMISSIONING AND PROVIDING TECHNOLOGY ENABLED CARE SERVICES

 To help shape the marketplace, CECOPS has developed the first ever International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services. This is an outcomes-focused quality framework for procurement and provision of services. It offers an end-to-end solution which addresses all aspects of the marketplace.

This new framework for the first time provides structure to the marketplace and is set to become the recognised benchmark.

Working with the Code will help to create and shape a more balanced marketplace. Following it will also help to ensure an organisation’s readiness before engaging with digital health. The Code can also act as a framework to support providers coming into the space, so that they have a clearer understanding of what might be required of them.

Using the Code within tender specifications simplifies the procurement process. As the Code is outcomes-focused, it encourages providers to be innovative. It will also help to achieve sustainable economic growth in the space; as growth for some providers is currently minimal and short-lived.

As the standards and certification body for these services, CECOPS is also able to accredit services via an external assessment.

Some of the many benefits of this new approach include:

• Marketplace development and maturity
• Brokering improved relationships in the marketplace
• Accelerating organisations to a state of readiness
• Achieving sustainable economic growth for the sector
• Simplifying procurement, commissioning and contract management processes
• Better chance of realising benefits from providers’ products and services
• Saving time and cost (by providing a ready-made framework)
• Improved quality and performance
• Local, regional, national and international benchmark and platform for sharing good practice and having a community building approach
• Improved clinical, wellbeing and financial outcomes

Copies of the International Code are available from here. The Code is free to organisations registered with CECOPS.

To find out more about CECOPS accreditation scheme or the Code, please get in touch.

Brian

Brian Donnelly MSc, CEO, CECOPS CIC

E: brian@cecops.org.uk | +44 (0) 7511 667 330 | T: +44 (0) 1494 863398 | www.cecops.org.uk

Technology Enabled Care Services: Overcoming barriers and organisational readiness – by Ruth Agbakoba

Understanding the landscape of the readiness to adopt technology enabled care services in practice is a key factor in ascertaining the likelihood for successful service transformation.

There is renewed pressure to act on the opportunities that digital technologies present with the publication of government documents such as ‘Personalised Health and care 2020’ and ‘Make or Break: The UK’s Digital Future’. Emphasis is focused on the ability for organisations to proactively adapt their products, services and operations in order to embrace transformative change. Many organisations that embark on projects incorporating TECS fail at this point as they underestimate the significance of evaluation.

Organisations need to be able to assess their own readiness in order to address barriers to adoption. Barriers impeding progress include but are not limited to a lack of stakeholder engagement, insufficient strategic planning, under-developed IT infrastructure and resource limitations.

How do you know if your organisation is ready to maximise the full potential of technology?

CECOPS can help your organisation to address this transformational gap by working closely with you to identify barriers early on before there is a significant investment in time, resources and finances. We provide you with our accredited CECOPS readiness framework and iCOPS evaluation tool for continuous improvement.

We will work with you to ensure that your organisation understands its current position whilst equally accelerating it’s state of readiness to enable successful uptake, fidelity and sustainability of TECS. We also provide added value in providing a platform sharing best practice for large scale innovation.

Our work in the TECS space is based on the International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services.

Get in touch today to find out how we can support you.

T: +44 (0) 1494 863398 | E: info@cecops.org.uk

Ruth Agbakoba, Digital Health Consultant, CECOPS CIC. View Ruth’s profile HERE

Technology enabled care services (TECS) see first International Code and support tools

The first ever Code of Practice and support tools covering all aspects of planning, commissioning and providing technology enabled care services (e.g. telehealth, telecare, eHealth, digital health) have been developed by CECOPS, the independent standards body in the UK for assistive technology services.

Uniquely, this new Code, which sets out standards covering every aspect of services, offers an end-to-end and whole-system approach, ranging from the early planning stages through to post-implementation of services. It can be looked at as a value-chain solution that interlinks those responsible for planning and commissioning services with service users, through the activities of clinicians and providers.

‘…this is more than a Code of Practice; it is a map, a guide and a chaperone. It is thought provoking and a source of inspiration.’

Roy Lilley, leading expert and analyst in healthcare

The Code is complemented by a unique and powerful self-evaluation and continuous improvement tool iCOPS®, which helps organisations to self-evaluate services, assess readiness before engaging with TECS and drive their own quality and performance agenda.

 It is anticipated the Code and support tools will encourage wider adoption of TECS and set the benchmark and framework for all organisations in the sector to work to.

 Following the Code enables the longstanding barriers to adopting TECS more widely to be overcome, ensuring projects and initiatives are delivered with the best possible outcomes, with the ability to measure their success and embed sustainability.

 These latest developments offer a quality framework for the procurement and provision of services, with the ability to assess, influence and improve outcomes, as well as streamlining the whole contract management process.

 The introduction of this Code means that CECOPS can now extend its accreditation scheme across all assistive technology related services (e.g. telecare, telehealth, wheelchairs, electronic assistive technology, disability equipment), nationally (UK) and internationally.

The new Code and iCOPS® tool incorporate the following subject areas:

PART ONE: PLANNING AND COMMISSIONING

1. Strategic Planning and Preliminary Considerations
2. Involvement of Stakeholders, Users and Carers
3. Partnerships, Joint Working and Integration
4. Governance, Ethics and Risk Management
5. Business Case Development
6. Investment and Funding
7. Procurement
8. Service Requirements and Specifications
9. Contractual Arrangements
10. Eligibility Criteria and Self-funding
11. Legal & Regulatory Obligations and Standards
12. Information Technology and Information Management
13. Marketing and Promotion
14. Implementation
15. Performance Management and Continuous Improvement
16. Measuring and Evaluating Service Impact

PART TWO: SERVICE PROVISION

1. Governance, Risk and Ethics
2. Legal & Regulatory Obligations and Compliance with Standards
3. Managing Referrals and Assessments
4. Procuring Technologies, Equipment and Services
5. Implementation of New Technologies and Services
6. Trialling, Assembling, Installing and Demonstrating Technologies and Equipment
7. Involving Patients/Service Users and Carers in Decision Making
8. Management of Medical Devices/Technologies
9. Management of Assets and Inventory
10. Monitoring and Alerts
11. Quality Management Systems
12. Health and Safety Management
13. Staff Competence
14. Information Technology, Management and Governance
15. Collaborative Working
16. Third Party Contractors
17. Marketing and Promotion
18. Contract and Performance Management, and Continuous Improvement
19. Measuring and Demonstrating Service Impact

The new Code is currently available to organisations working with the CECOPS scheme.

A published hard copy and eBook version of the Code will be available to purchase in the coming weeks.

The iCOPS® tool is available for purchase now. A FREE 30 day trial is available.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the Code, becoming CECOPS accredited or trying out the iCOPS® tool, please get in touch.

E: info@cecops.org.uk

T: 01494 863398

M: 07511 667 330

W: www.cecops.org.uk

Note to editors:

CECOPS CIC is a UK-based independent, not-for-profit, standards body for assistive technology services. CECOPS is widely supported by regulators and professional organisations. CECOPS is often cited as a requirement in tender specifications, and, although relatively new, is already working with approximately 80 organisations in the UK, with growing international interest.