This article describes how an endoscopy service should run during the site assessment, to support a successful assessment.
Leadership team
The leadership team (medical, nurse and management leads) should be available for the whole of the site assessment. They will not be able to dial in or only attend part of the day (the assessors will work around the leads other commitments where possible).
Workforce/interviewees
The workforce should be available for their agreed interview slot. These are mainly conducted face to face and assessors will comply with all infection control measures.
Some interviews may be conducted via telephone or Microsoft Teams during or prior to the site assessment. This will be agreed with the lead assessor ahead of the site assessment and may include when:
- Decontamination services are off site or the authorised engineer for decontamination/decontamination lead is based off site.
- Medical trainees have recently left the service and cannot attend in person.
- Medical staff in independent services have other commitments in the NHS.
- Staff availability is limited or are supporting lists in very small services
- Patients/carers find it easier or safer to attend interviews remotely
This is not an exclusive list and can be agreed with the lead assessor ahead of the site assessment.
Endoscopy lists
The service should function as normal or as close to normal with patient activity during the site assessment. Lists can be reduced as below or could commence slightly later to facilitate the service tour.
Assessors will not enter a scoping room when a procedure is being undertaken but will observe the flow of patients and how they are managed.
|
Number of rooms |
Acceptable list activity |
|
1 |
Keep as normal GI list. May be reduced or commence slightly later to facilitate the patient pathway/walkthrough. This is particularly relevant in very small services where the list may not be full. |
|
2 |
At least one full GI list. The other list may be reduced or non GI |
|
3 or more |
At least two full GI lists. Other lists may be reduced or non GI |