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The Endoscopy Units at Heartlands and Solihull Hospitals have been officially accredited following a vigorous assessment by the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) of the Royal College of Physicians.

With JAG accreditation only awarded to the top performing endoscopy units in the country, this prestigious accreditation is formal recognition of the high standard of high-quality care provided by these two units.

The teams working across Heartlands and Solihull Hospital’s, comprising of Consultant Gastroenterologists, Endoscopists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and support staff, work together to perform over 19,000 endoscopy procedures across the two hospital sites to diagnose and treat a full range of gastro-intestinal conditions.

The Joint Advisory Group summarised in their follow-up report: “Rarely do we see such a well-led and organised team like this. There is great expertise in the team, demonstrating a highly organised and embedded approach. Overall, the service epitomises what a quality, safe endoscopy service is all about and there is no doubt that patients receive an excellent experience.”

The service was highly commended for the following:

• Being a highly effective patient-centred service that is exceptionally led by a dynamic clinical and management team
• The pride and passion in their work demonstrated by all the team who clearly care about the standards of patient care
• Policies and procedures adopted throughout the patient pathway that are of the highest standard
• Exceptional understanding and application of standards and safe processes

Ed Landon, Heartlands Hospital’s Operations Director said: “Receiving this accreditation is a tremendous achievement for Heartlands and Solihull Hospital. The team have worked incredibly hard to ensure the service is accredited to this high standard and to ensure that the best patient care is achieved.”

JAG is a national body that reviews the performance of endoscopy services across the country and helps to set and maintain national standards. Assessment involves an independent review of factors including patient feedback, staffing, quality of care, patient comfort, training, building layout and environment, quality of equipment, cleaning standards, and the length of time patients wait between referral and a diagnosis.