Quality Imaging Service Accreditation

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

UKAS accreditation of imaging services provides 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. UKAS accredits to a recognised standard and this 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)

NHS/UK applicable standards 8.1. – All services should be working towards accredited standards for their respective pathways and will be required to have those standards and have gone through relevant accreditation processes within two years of operation as a CDH. – Service Specification for NHS Community Diagnostic Hub Framework – September 2022

Quality and Safety • Ensure all diagnostic (and supporting) services gain formal accreditation – Diagnostics Recovery and Transformation Strategy for Wales 2023 – 2025

UKAS accredits against QSI 2021 which is a publicly available standard published in October 2021 by the Royal College of Radiologists and the College of Radiographers.

Services wishing to apply for UKAS accreditation should use the self assessment tool to ensure compliance to this standard. Please contact [email protected] with any queries, or to register your interest and be included in regular communications and webinars.

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.