The anaesthesia department at Northern General Hospital, part of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has been reaccredited under the prestigious Royal College of Anaesthetists' Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) scheme, recognising its continued commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care for patients.
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The department is one of only a small number across the UK to have achieved ACSA accreditation for a third consecutive time, demonstrating sustained excellence in patient safety, clinical leadership and quality improvement.
The Royal College of Anaesthetists' peer-reviewed ACSA scheme promotes the highest standards of anaesthetic care across the UK. Accredited departments are assessed against rigorous national standards covering patient experience, patient safety, workforce wellbeing, governance and clinical leadership.
Dr Ian Shaw, Consultant Anaesthetist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and ACSA Lead Reviewer, said:
"As an early adopter of the ACSA process, we are extremely proud to be awarded ACSA accreditation and join the small group who have achieved this for a third time.
"The ACSA process has enabled us to measure our department, how we value our staff and the quality of care we offer our patients, against the highest National Quality Standards. It is a great source of pride to our staff recognising that we are a strong, well run, vibrant department.
"We recognise the significant work entailed in maintaining our standards over a protracted period, facing the challenges of the newly developed Standards, however this has given us a renewed impetus to all aspects of quality improvement within the Department. The Standards are challenging, however do offer an opportunity to facilitate business cases to get support to improve our patients' care."
The accreditation was formally recognised during a plaque presentation attended by Dr Satya Francis, Council Member at the Royal College of Anaesthetists, who said:
"Achieving accreditation once is a significant accomplishment in its own right. To achieve it for a third time demonstrates an exceptional and sustained commitment to quality improvement, patient safety, and excellence in patient care. This is no small feat, and I would like to congratulate the entire team on this remarkable achievement. I was particularly impressed by the emphasis the department places on staff wellbeing."
