I am very excited about the new revision to our Code, which will now cover all disability equipment services across the UK, specifically including wheelchair and seating services. It is hoped the new Code will be available early February 2015 either as an eBook or a hard copy.

 

About the Code of Practice

The new Code of Practice covers the commissioning, provision and clinical and technical aspects of services. It is made up of 47 measurable outcomes. It focuses on what needs done, with
suggestions for how to do it.

 

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, has written
a foreword for the new Code of Practice.

 

The Code covers everything relating to
statutory provision of disability equipment and wheelchairs, including for
example, user involvement, governance, joint working, eligibility criteria,
funding, operational management, performance, training, assessments and risk
management. It also includes peripheral issues like hospital discharges.

 

“HSE
recognises the need for guidance, and welcomes the Code of Practice…” Health
and Safety Executive

 

(Include CECOPS Pic here 9482.jpg)
About
CECOPS CIC

CECOPS is a not for profit community interest
company and is the responsible ‘body’ for administering the Code of Practice
registration and accreditation scheme. CECOPS is completely independent from
suppliers and central government. Currently approximately 30 NHS organisations
and local authorities are working with us. We also have suppliers and
independent therapists registered with us.

 

“National Wheelchair Managers Forum is very excited to be working with Brian to develop the Code of Practice for Wheelchair Services. This is long overdue and will further enhance the Healthcare Standards for NHS Commissioned Wheelchair Services developed by the NWMF, creating a benchmark and evaluation process to ensure patients are receiving a good standard of care and service delivery.” Krys
Jarvis, Chairperson, NWMF

 

How CECOPS
works

Organisations can register with CECOPS either
voluntarily or as requested by commissioning authorities (in tenders for
example). Registration is an organisation’s public declaration that it is adhering
to the principles of our Code of Practice.

 

Organisations can also become accredited.
This is via an external assessment by DNVGL Healthcare, world leaders in
quality and risk management. Again this can be voluntarily or in response to commissioning
requests.

 

We also run an approved training scheme; you can
become a CECOPS Approved Trainer yourself and train your staff or colleagues,
or organisations can have their staff trained by another CECOPS Approved Trainer.

 

All of this is in place already for most
disability equipment services, and will be extended to wheelchair and seating
services from January/February 2015.

 

New
self-evaluation software iCOPS®

CECOPS is supporting the development of
self-evaluation software iCOPS® for commissioning, provision and clinical
aspects of disability equipment, wheelchair and seating services. This simple
tool helps to measure and improve the overall effectiveness and performance of
services. iCOPS® is a powerful tool for building on strengths and looking at
why there might be weaknesses, helping drive continuous improvement. iCOPS®
will be ready early February 2015 and will be available at: www.icops.co.uk  or
from the CECOPS website.

 

(Include picture of little disabled girl here iStock000005912789Medium.jpg) The benefits
of working with CECOPS and the new Code of Practice

Because the Code covers the activities of
commissioners, providers and clinicians, the benefits are far reaching, and
include:

 

ü
Addresses
age long inherent problems with services e.g. rigid eligibility criteria, restrictive
assessments

ü  Puts ‘levers’ into the system to drive
improvements e.g. links with public health to understand underlying need,
funding matching activity, joint working

ü  Helps to identify and locate the specific
whereabouts of where weaknesses might be within the whole system

ü  Provides a common benchmark for services
throughout the UK, and provides a standard service users can expect to receive

ü  Promotes a holistic and  person-centred approach, and allows
anticipatory needs to be met

ü  Breaks down artificial ‘silos’ and supports
seamless care pathways across equipment related services

ü  Involves service users in decisions and
service design

ü  Enables legal, regulatory, welfare duties and
obligations to be met in one place

ü  Provides the necessary safeguards

ü  Provides a ready-made template for
commissioners & providers

ü  Generates efficiencies by avoiding costlier
secondary episodes of care, and smarter procurement

ü  Provides a tool for tendering and managing
contracts

ü  Provides assurance that staff at all levels
are competent

ü  Allows quality, safety and performance improvements
to be driven at local level

ü
Allows
services to be able to withstand constant change and become sustainable

 

I am pleased
to have been personally involved in NHS England’s current wheelchair review; I
am confident the work of CECOPS and the new Code meets the objective of this
review to improve outcomes, and of all the other reviews carried out over
recent times in other parts of the UK.

We aim to
work with all organisations in the UK which commission, provide or assess for
disability equipment or wheelchairs, to drive up standards and improve service
user experiences nationally. Join us!

Brian Donnelly MSc

Brian is the
founder and chief executive of CECOPS CIC. Brian has also recently been invited
to sit on the PMG Education and Training Committee.

 

To find out more information and to keep up
to date with developments please contact us:

e: brian@cecops.org.uk

t: 01494 863398

m: 07511 667 330

w. www.cecops.org.uk