ISCAS has developed, with the Patients Association, information for people to help signpost them to guidance that can inform conversations about the reintroduction of private healthcare and cosmetic services. This is a very fast-moving position and information is being updated regularly. The COVID-19 recovery strategy means that people should be returning to work where they … Continue reading Patient Information COVID-19: Reopening private services

Subscribers to ISCAS handle complaints as set out in the Code of Practice for Complaints Handling. Standard 2 of the ISCAS Code states that Independent Healthcare Providers (IHPs) shall: Ensure that the procedure for handling complaints is well-publicised and readily available. For example, IHP websites should include information on ‘how to complain’ and confirm their … Continue reading Patient Information – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

During these unprecedented times ISCAS, like so many others, is adapting to the circumstances in order to maintain services and support the wider public health agenda. The priority is that everyone follows the Government’s latest guidance. Here are some of the actions that we, and other organisations we work with, are taking: The ISCAS London … Continue reading Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson highlights how patients were let down time and time again. It is difficult to read given the heart-breaking details of the brave patients who came forward to provide their account. ISCAS would like to extend an apology to all those affected by Ian Paterson who … Continue reading Paterson Report recommends improvements in complaints handling

Professor Ted Baker, in Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) January update for those working in healthcare, reminds providers and professionals that only NHS-funded patients have the right to take their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) for an independent review. This includes NHS-funded care that is delivered by both NHS and independent sector … Continue reading ISCAS welcomes CQC Professor Ted Baker’s January blog

ISCAS is pleased to be working with the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman (PHSO) on the Complaints Standards Framework. The aim is to ensure that there is clarity on what constitutes ‘good practice’ in complaints handling, that staff are trained to deliver the defined ‘good practice’, and that there is a focus on learning from complaints.  … Continue reading Working with PHSO on Complaints Standards Framework

ISCAS welcomes the Independent Healthcare Providers Network’s (IHPN) new animation for patients on what to expect from independent healthcare.  ISCAS believes it is important that patients have the choice to either self-fund their care or to use private medical insurance. It is also evident to us that patients need more information on the similarities and differences between the … Continue reading ISCAS welcomes IHPN animation to help patients

ISCAS is extremely disappointed to see that the new Health Service Safety Investigation Bill (HSSIB) is moving forward without the inclusion of the independent sector. In our written evidence submission in 2018 to the Joint Committee on the draft HSSIB, we included: “ISCAS considers that the HSSIB will only command the confidence of patients and their families … Continue reading ISCAS – Patient Safety Bill must include private patients

ISCAS and Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) have signed an updated agreement to share appropriate information for reasons of public interest, in order to ensure high standards of quality and safety of health care. The new agreement with HIS is based on the Scottish Information Sharing Toolkit and recognises that the exchange of information is helpful … Continue reading ISCAS and HIS update agreement on information sharing

A key feature of promoting patient safety and high-quality healthcare is working in an environment of openness and transparency. It is within these principles that Health Inspectorate Wales (HIW) and ISCAS have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the exchange of information, where either party encounters a concern, which is relevant to the remit … Continue reading ISCAS links with Welsh regulator and ombudsman