Code of Practice for Endorsement Initiative

Purpose

The Code of Practice has been developed to lay down principles of good practice to inform and guide the work of the Endorsement Initiative in relation to organisations seeking endorsement for educational courses and training programmes related to stroke care and related conditions.

It is informed by Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health Professions Council, Royal Colleges and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education’s (QAA) (2001) Code of Practice – quality and standards in HE.

Terms of Reference

·        All those seeking endorsement, or working on behalf of the Endorsement Initiative are required to comply with this Code of Practice. This includes applicants, reviewers, UKFST staff and Committee members.

 ·        If there are any changes to Department of Health local or national policy we reserve the right to terminate any pertinent endorsement. Every effort will be made to continue an organisation’s endorsement until renewal is due.

Removal of Endorsement

The UKFST considers it unlikely that it will remove endorsements from individual organisations whose applications have been successful. If it emerges that endorsements have been awarded based on the submission of false or inaccurate information, the matter will be passed to the appropriate body (e.g. the Police) to be dealt with.

The SSEF’s mission is:

‘To promote quality education to improve knowledge and skills for all health, social, voluntary and independent care professionals and carers thereby enhancing quality care in relation to stroke and TIA’

The Stroke Association and UKFST Endorsement Initiative will add value to an educational initiative by:

·        Providing an inter-professional and multi disciplinary approach

·        Reflecting national initiatives in relation to stroke

·        Adopting flexible and work based learning approaches

·        Ensuring training and education is quality assured and relevant

·        Providing a recognised continuing professional development (cpd) pathway.

Values

The Endorsement Initiative is guided by a defined set of values, which characterise our relationship with clients and our responses to them. These values encompass courtesy, respect, professionalism, accountability and efficiency, clear and transparent communications, valuing of diversity and ensuring equal opportunities in our dealings.

Material submitted for endorsement must:

·        fit with the SSEF’s mission and purpose

·        fit with The Stroke Association’s equal opportunities policy and ethical stance

·        be clearly focussed on quality provision

·        be patient/client and stroke focused

·        be evidence based

·        avoid bias

·        meet all SSEF designated standards and competences.

In our processes we endeavour to:

·        be responsive, open, fair, honest and accountable for our decisions

·        be developmental in our approach and add value to that which is to be endorsed

·        be consistent  in our dealings with customers

·        ensure that, as far as possible, our processes ultimately add benefit to stroke patients and their families

·        evaluate the maintenance and development of the competences and professional standards used for assessment

·        design, approve, supervise and review our assessment strategies which underpin the processes of endorsement

·        be consistent in the implementation of rigorous assessment practices which ensure that the professional standard for everything that it is endorsed is met and maintained at the appropriate level, and that all applications are properly measured against this framework.

·        ensure that information and guidance on endorsement is clear, accurate and consistent and accessible to all staff, applicants and reviewers.

·        ensure that all Reviewers declare any personal interest, involvement or relationship with any organisation, practitioner or bodies seeking endorsement.

·        ensure that assessment decisions are recorded and documented accurately and backed up electronically as appropriate, with due regard to confidentiality and data management

·        ensure effective mechanisms to deal with breaches of endorsement criteria and the resolution of appeals against any decisions

·        ensure that timescales for considering applications for endorsement are adhered to.

 All staff associated with the Endorsement Initiative will strive to:

·        respect the rights and dignity of all persons with whom there is contact

·        respect the confidentiality of all information obtained during the endorsement process

·        identify and communicate areas of potential conflict or interest promptly

·        refrain form using their position  for financial or personal gain

·        refrain from either giving or receiving gifts which  may be perceived as influencing the Endorsement Initiative’s decisions

The UKFST is not liable for any loss (financial or otherwise) incurred through delays in granting endorsement, where those delays fall outside of timescales established by UKFST. UKFST will endeavour to avoid unnecessary delays where at all possible.

Quality of Education or Training

The UKFST will endorse only the specified content of education or training it is asked to assess. It is not responsible for, and does not endorse, the quality of the delivery of this training. The UKFST can only endorse on the basis of the information supplied by applicants, which has been certified by them as accurate. Any complaints about the quality of the delivery of a course should be directed to the organisation itself or an appropriate regulatory body (if applicable).

However, it will be possible for individuals to submit feedback and comments on courses or events they have attended which via the UKFST website which will be visible only to UKFST staff.

Any comments on the quality or delivery of a course received by UKFST will be passed on to the relevant organisation with a requirement for them to demonstrate within the re-endorsement process that they have addressed these issues prior to re-endorsement being granted.

Your commitment to us

Digital signing of the Endorsement Initiative application form for endorsement signifies acceptance of this Code of Practice. If the Code of Practice is subsequently breached, a decision on the continued validity of that application will be taken by the UKFST Committee and the right to reject the application outright remains.

In the case of Reviewers, their acceptance of a review allocated to them by UKFST represents acceptance of this Code of Practice, and any subsequent breach of this Code will result in their role as a reviewer being terminated.

It is a requirement of participation on the Endorsement Initiative that:

i)                    The person or organisation seeking endorsement is responsible for upholding the integrity and values of the Endorsement Initiative.

ii)                  When an organisation is seeking endorsement, the Endorsement Initiative requires a named individual to be identified as the point of contact.

iii)                Applicants seeking endorsement are responsible for ensuring good practice and must not engage in plagiarism, collusion, obstructing, cheating, impersonation or using or providing fraudulent information including that downloaded form electronic sources such as the internet.

Failure to obtain endorsement

Where an application for endorsement initially fails to be approved the applicant will be advised in what areas the application has failed to meet the set standards when measured against the SSEF. When UKFST informs applicants of the decision we may provide anonymous versions of Reviewers' comments, and/or may summarise the conclusion reached by the Panel of Reviewers[1]. 

Endorsement pending minor amendments

Where UKFST advise the applicant that minor amendments are required to the course application and/or documentation prior to UKFST Endorsement being granted, the applicant by re-submitting the application declares that all minor amendments have now been actioned and are evidenced by the re-submitted application and/or documentation.  If it is later found that some or all of the minor amendments have not been actioned endorsement will be rescinded.

[1] A "Panel of Reviewers" consists of two Professional Reviewers and one Lay Reviewer.