To coincide with the changes to the Republic of Ireland JAG website, we spoke to Dorothy Murray (Accreditation and Training Officer HSE Acute Operations Endoscopy Programme) and Lucy Byrne (Nurse Lead HSE Acute Operations Endoscopy Programme) to hear their views on JAG and the updated self-assessment pathway.

What does JAG mean to you?

JAG is a means by which an endoscopy unit can assess how it performs against an agreed set of standards. It is a useful tool to measure how effectively a unit is working.

JAG accreditation provides a sense of pride for an endoscopy service in being able to show that it offers a high quality and safe service. Accreditation demonstrates an endoscopy unit is delivering a quality assured, standardised, and safe service to patients from a competent, dedicated, and caring team.

By participating in accreditation, services are enrolled on an ongoing programme of service and quality improvement. It also means that patients can feel confident in their endoscopy service and be assured of receiving high quality consistent care.

Why participate in the JAG Accreditation process?

The endoscopy programme encourages all units in Ireland to engage in the JAG accreditation process to assess their current performance and benchmark it against best practice. It highlights areas of excellence and gives the opportunity to promote quality improvement initiatives locally. It can spotlight areas where improvements may be required and can assist in future service development and planning.

JAG accreditation is the pathway in Ireland for endoscopy units to measure the quality of care provided to patients and ensuring that units are adhering to best practice endoscopy standards both nationally and internationally.

A number of the Global Rating Scale (GRS) standards and evidence requirements are also transferrable to other assessments and audits nationally e.g., Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Decontamination audits, the annual Dangerous Goods and Safety Audit (DGSA). Accredited endoscopy units can also be more attractive to new staff.

What’s new with the revised GRS standards for Ireland?

The HSE Acute Operations Endoscopy Programme has worked closely with JAG to review and update the GRS standards for 2022 for Ireland. There is now a strong focus on national ROI guidelines linked to JAG quality assurance e.g., National Quality Assurance Intelligence (NQAIS) Endoscopy, National QI Endoscopy Programme, HSE Acute Operations Endoscopy Programme guidance, HSE Decontamination standards, Competency model for skills training for GI endoscopy in Ireland and Skills Training for Endoscopic Procedures (STEPS) training.

The aim of this update is to simplify the process for services and to streamline the process for applying for JAG assessment.

It’s an exciting time for ROI and JAG, with the new website updates launching on October 1, what would you say are the benefits of the new self-assessment pathway?

The new self-assessment pathway means services can start the GRS at any stage. For endoscopy units this means they can be tracking the progress of standards for which they have evidence, highlight areas where they may need to focus and update their action plan as they work through the standards.

The revised standards are more streamlined and condensed which will reduce the time it takes to complete the assessment.

What would you say to services in Ireland that are looking to become accredited?

The endoscopy programme would encourage all units to engage with the JAG process. Completing the GRS as a starting point. The programme is available for advice and 1:1 support to units in ROI, including undertaking site visits to assist units if required. You will be surprised at how many of the standards you are already achieving daily and the high standard of quality care you provide to patients.

By providing and submitting the evidence on the GRS you will be achieving recognition of the quality assured service you provide through the accreditation process. The GRS standards are a valuable resource to measure the quality of the care provided.