A Taunton hospital has been awarded gold for its commitment to patient safety by the National Joint Registry.
Nuffield Health Taunton Hospital received the coveted 'NJR Quality Data Provider' certificate after successfully completing a national programme of local data audits.
The National Joint Registry (NJR) monitors the performance of various joint replacement procedures, collecting high-quality orthopaedic data to ensure patient safety and provide evidence for the quality of care and value in joint replacement surgery.
The NJR certificate scheme was introduced as a blueprint for hospitals striving for superior patient safety standards, offering recognition to those who achieve set registry targets.
To secure the award, hospitals must hit six ambitious goals during the audit period 2022/23, including comprehensive compliance with the NJR's compulsory national audit.
This audit assesses data completeness and quality, comparing the number of joint replacement procedures submitted to the registry against the number carried out and recorded in the local hospital Patient Administration System.
Another goal for NJR targets is attaining a high level of patient consent for inclusion in the registry, allowing for efficient future contact if necessary.
Heidi Finney, director of clinical services at Nuffield Health Taunton Hospital, commented on the achievement.
She said: "Improving patient safety is of the utmost importance and something all staff take very seriously.
"We fully support the National Joint Registry’s work in facilitating improvement in clinical outcomes for the benefit of joint replacement patients and we’re delighted to be awarded as an ‘NJR Quality Data Provider’."
Mr Tim Wilton, the National Joint Registry medical director, also offered his congratulations.
He said: "Congratulations to colleagues at Nuffield Health Taunton Hospital.
"The Quality Data Provider Award demonstrates the high standards being met towards ensuring compliance with the NJR and is often a reflection of strong departmental efforts to achieve such status.
"Procedure data provides an important source of evidence for regulators like the Care Quality Commission, informing their judgments about the quality of health services."
Full details about the NJR’s Quality Data Provider certificate scheme can be found online at: https://www.njrcentre.org.uk.
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