Glasgow Royal Infirmary has been rated as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for its care and treatment of Rheumatology patients.
The accolade follows an inspection by the British Society for Rheumatology at the end of 2019 at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary rheumatology service.
NHSGGC North Director Isobel Neil said: “This is great news and confirms what we already knew about our Rheumatology Service – that it is indeed excellent!
“The expert team is made up of a doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists as well as pharmacists and they care for patients from a number of different Boards, including Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Inverclyde and the Highlands and Islands.
“One strength which was highlighted was Team cohesion and it said staff present as a coherent, motivated and competent team working for the benefit of the patient.”
The inspection was carried out by five assessors: two consultants, one specialist nurse, one patient and one British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) staff member. They toured the facilities and spoke with the management team, non-managerial clinical staff as well as patients to determine if it met the QRS standards.
The inspection report highlighted: “a strong staff team in place with clear leadership. Processes ensure the team offers a balanced skill set for the care of the patients and opportunities for professional development. The team works well together and there are clear channels of communication between all levels of staff.”
Other areas of strength included:
* a strong awareness of and commitment to infection control and hygiene in all areas of their work.
* facilities to offer patients a range of specialist services in one location
* a strong skill mix – giving patients the ability to visit “one-stop clinics”
* access to clinics before and after standard working hours
Isobel added: “This is not the first time the team has been recognised for its work and I’m sure there will be many more accolades to come. Well done to everyone involved.”