Carrying out a quality assessment

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There are two ways of carrying out a quality assessment:

• self-assessment
• external assessment.

Even with external assessment, there is usually a strong element of self-assessment involved.

The importance of evidence in quality assessments

Reviewing evidence is central to self-assessment. Evidence can be in the form of:

• policies and procedures
• financial statistics
• monitoring statistics
• feedback from users
• evaluation reports.

Not all evidence will be written. Some of the evidence will be visual, for example, about the quality of the environment. Some evidence may be gathered from interviews.

Self-assessments of quality

Self-assessment is based around the questions asked by the quality standards. It can be carried out as a quick overview, or over a longer period of time. It can be done in a number of ways, for example:

• by one person, or by a small group
• through workshops or discussion groups
• by sending out a questionnaire
• through staff meetings or focused special meetings.

In each quality area, self-assessment will identify where the organisation is doing well and where improvements can be made.

The benefits of quality self-assessments

Self-assessment is a learning and development process. Going through the process of self-assessment will help people develop confidence in what they are doing well, stimulate new ideas, and develop a common purpose.

Support for quality self-assessments

Self-assessment is intended as an internal process, and external support may not be needed. On the other hand, a performance mentor or quality specialist could provide answers to questions, help to develop initial commitment, and speed up the process.

External quality assessment and recognition

External recognition is when an organisation gets a seal of approval from an outside body. A person or team from another agency reviews the organisation to find out how it measures up against the quality standards.

External recognition involves an independent assessment. This generally entails:

• a review of the organisation’s key documents
• an on-site visit
• a report on the organisation’s progress.

Quality awards

Organisations meeting the standards set by their chosen approach to quality are likely to receive an award – or certification. This may be in the form of a plaque or they may have the option of using a symbol (a ‘kitemark’) on their headed paper. They will need to re-apply for the award periodically, as it is not given for life.

Costs of external quality assessments

The costs of being externally assessed vary considerably. Frequently the costs are associated with the size of the organisation and the number of sites to be audited or assessed. Further costs will be incurred when organisations re-apply for awards, and this needs to be planned in when deciding on external recognition.

For more information, see Quality assurance models.

Have your say

What are your experiences of carrying out quality assesments? Could others learn from your experiences?

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