WARRINGTON and Halton Hospital has been rewarded for its ‘impressive’ high-quality patient care.

The trust’s commitment to patient safety and excellence of care has been demonstrated by its accreditation under the prestigious Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) scheme.

ACSA is the RCoA’s peer-reviewed scheme that promotes quality improvement and the highest standards of anaesthetic service.

And to receive accreditation, departments are expected to demonstrate high standards in areas such as patient experience, patient safety and clinical leadership.

There are more than 100 standards covering equipment, facilities, staffing, training, and clinical governance.

After a formal inspection in March 2022, notification of accreditation as received in August 2022 and the award was presented last week.

Dr Dan Edwards, consultant anaesthetist, said: “It has been a massive team effort and collectively touches on one of our largest teams, in anaesthetics and theatres across both our hospitals.

“The ACSA process has been of great benefit to our department and hence our staff and patients.

“It has empowered us to make improvements in our processes, equipment and training that have created a safer and more resilient environment.

“It has also been a great tool for self-improvement, supporting us to achieve our quality improvement objectives, encouraging innovation and focusing our attention on new challenges.”

ACSA lead reviewer Ian Johnson said: “I would like to congratulate the Anaesthetic Department at Warrington and Halton Hospitals on all the work they have undertaken in preparation for their ACSA accreditation.

“This is more commendable given that a significant part of this work was done during the COVID-19 pandemic.

““The department has worked for a sustained time in ensuring all elements required for an ACSA visit were in place.

“There was good evidence that the anaesthetic department functions within a supportive management structure that extends all the way to the Chief Executive.

“Patients will benefit from all the work that has been undertaken in achieving this accreditation.

“As the lead for the accreditation team, I would like to thank everyone in Warrington and Halton for facilitating the ACSA process, the warm welcome and the receptive nature of their approach.”