Moorfields earns UK’s first UKAS accreditation for ophthalmic and vision science (IQIPS)

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) has granted the first accreditation for Ophthalmic and Vision Science to Moorfields Eye Hospital.

The award was made to the electrophysiology department at Moorfields under the Improving Quality In Physical Services (IQIPS) programme.

IQIPS is a professionally led accreditation scheme, designed to improve the quality of care, safety and service for patients undergoing physiological tests, examinations and procedures. Accreditation for IQIPS is assessed against standards which address five quality domains of Patient Experience, Clinical, Safety and Facilities, Resources and Workforce, and Leadership and Management.

On receiving the award, Louisa Wickham, Moorfields medical director and national clinical director for eye caresaid: “Moorfields Eye Hospital recognised as a world leader in ophthalmic research and healthcare provision. Achieving UKAS accreditation against the IQIPS standard reflects the Electrophysiology department’s hard work, expertise and dedication to delivering high standards of care to all our patients.  Considered a professional badge of honour, UKAS accreditation adds an important layer of independent and impartial evaluation of our services, increasing patient confidence in the quality of care they receive.”

Kerry Tinkler, director of clinical support services, added:

“Achieving IQIPS accreditation for our electrophysiology department is another milestone in our journey to provide the highest of standards for our patients across all of our clinical support services. 

“Being the first vision science service in the UK to achieve this is testimony to the hard work and dedication of the team and our quality manager. I am so proud of what they have achieved, truly a world leading service.”

Electrophysiology team, men and women, standing in Moorfields hospital.

In addition to Ophthalmic and Vision Science, the IQIPS programme encompasses Clinical Neurophysiology, Audiology, Cardiac Physiology, Gastrointestinal Physiology, Respiratory & Sleep Physiology, Urodynamics and Vascular Science.  The important contribution IQIPS makes to improving healthcare provision and the quality of patient outcomes is recognised by NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission.

Congratulating Moorfields on its achievement Laura Booth, Senior Assessment Manager and Technical Focus Person for IQIPS at UKAS said:  “UKAS accreditation already underpins the quality of a wide variety of healthcare services in both the public and private sector.  This first award for Ophthalmic and Vision Science completes the roll out of the IQIPS programme to cover all eight physiological science disciplines.  68 health care providers are currently accredited under the IQIPS programme, with over 100 differing disciplines participating in the scheme, improving the quality of physiology services for hundreds of thousands of patients each year.”

5 July 2024