Quality Imaging Service Accreditation

Helping diagnostic imaging services ensure their patients consistently receive high quality services, delivered by competent staff working in safe environments.

The quality standard for imaging (QSI) has been developed by The Royal College of Radiologists and the College of Radiographers to set out the criteria that defines a quality Imaging service.

UKAS accreditation of imaging services is a patient-focused assessment that is designed to give stakeholders, service users, patients and their carers, confidence in their diagnosis and all aspects of their care. The QSI provides a framework for the NHS and private sector to provide consistently high quality services delivered by competent staff working in safe environments.

UKAS assesses imaging services to ensure that the standard’s requirements are maintained through regular monitoring. Accreditation to standards is supported by NHS England, NHS Northern Ireland and NHS Wales, and recognised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

“NHS England, NHS Improvement and the CQC are committed to, and strongly endorse, participation in accreditation schemes for diagnostic services. CQC will consider the accreditation status of diagnostic services as part of their assessment. It will use a Trust’s participation in these accreditation schemes, and their performance in these schemes, as evidence of quality and of the Trust’s commitment to quality improvement.” (October 2018)

QSI 2021 was published in October 2021 by the Royal College of Radiologists and the College of Radiographers.

Services wishing to apply for UKAS accreditation should now start working to ensure compliance to this standard. Services in the current initial assessment phase will receive advice from their Assessment Manager depending on their booked assessment dates. All current accredited customers will be transitioned to the new standard over the next eighteen months and will also receive advice from their Assessment Manager.

Further information and training will be available from UKAS in early 2022, but if there are any queries please direct them to [email protected].

How to apply

Complete the application form relevant to your application – this will include details of what to submit, including key policy and procedure documents and proof of legal status, to ensure swift processing.

Please download and complete the relevant application form(s) to apply for accreditation here.