• Welcome to the Standards for Health Services in Wales online toolkit
• Part 1: Introduction to the Standards
• Part 2: Using the Standards
• Part 3: The Standards in Powys

The Standards for Health Services in Wales are a set of 26 governance standards which provide a framework for quality and safety in health services.  They were published in April 2010.  All NHS services and NHS funded services should use and meet the Standards for Health Services in Wales.

This page brings together both national and local resources and information about the Standards for Health Services in Wales and guidance on how to use them so that you can improve the quality and safety of the services that your organisation provides and improve your commissioning position with the Health Board.

Part 1:  Introduction to the Standards

Part 1 provides introductory information about the Standards for Health Services in Wales.  You can download the following resources:

• Standards toolkit:  This toolkit will help you understand the purpose of the Standards and what they are about.  It is tailored to the needs of third sector organisations in Powys.
• Easy Read leaflet:  This leaflet lists all of the Standards and explains them very briefly and simply. It has been written for service-users and the public, but it may also be useful as an introduction to the Standards for volunteers and staff of third sector organisations.

Part 2:  Using the Standards

Part 2 provides you with resources to support you to adopt and use the Standards within your organisation including:

• The How to Guide for third sector organisations:  This Guide has been developed by WCVA to help you create a Self Assessment Portfolio demonstrating your use of the Standards and includes templates for doing so.
• Supporting Guidance:  The Supporting Guidance document includes comprehensive information about each Standards and links to relevant legislation and technical guidance.
• NHS Wales Governance E-manual:  This manual has been designed to assist NHS organisations in Wales develop robust governance and assurance arrangements. As well as a section devoted to the Standards for Health Services in Wales, it also contains further resources related to the good governance of health services which may be useful to some third sector organisations as they work through the Standards.
• Mapping the Standards for Health Services in Wales against other standards:  To make adopting the Standards easier, we are mapping them against other standards commonly used within the third sector.

Part 3:  The Standards in Powys

Part 3 will be regularly updated with information on the adoption and use of the Standards within Powys including:

• How Powys teaching Health Board and other partners are using the Standards when commissioning and monitoring contracts. 

• Information on local events and training sessions.

This part provides you with introductory information about the Standards that is appropriate for third sector organisations.

Standards toolkit: Introduction to the Standards for the Third Sector in Powys

Safonau ar gyfer Gwasanaethau Iechyd yng Nghymru: Pecyn cymorth i'r trydydd sector ym Mhowys

This 15-page Introduction to the Standards will help you understand the purpose of the Standards and what they are about. It is tailored to the needs of third sector organisations in Powys, and goes through each of the Standards offering some initial questions to get you thinking about how well you are currently doing.

• About this toolkit
• What are the Standards for Health Services in Wales?
• How are the Standards useful?
• Making the Standards appropriate and proportional for the third sector
• An introduction to the Standards for third sector organisations
• Where to go for training and support in Powys

_{Easy Read leaflet:}
This leaflet lists all of the Standards and explains them very briefly and simply. It has been written for service-users and the public, but it may also be useful as an introduction to the Standards for volunteers and staff of third sector organisations.

This part provides you with resources to support you to adopt and use the Standards within your organisation.

The How To Guide for third sector organisations:

Helping You to Use “Doing Well, Doing Better, the Standards for Health Services": A "How to Guide" for Third Sector Organisations has been developed by WCVA to help you create a Self Assessment Portfolio demonstrating your use of the Standards.

Supporting Guidance:

The Supporting Guidance document includes comprehensive information about each Standard and links to relevant legislation and technical guidance.

NHS Wales Governance E-manual:

This manual has been designed to assist NHS organisations in Wales develop robust governance and assurance arrangements.  As well as a section devoted to the Standards for Health Services in Wales, it also contains further resources related to the good governance of health services which may be useful to some third sector organisations as they work through the Standards.

Mapping the Standards for Health Services in Wales against other standards:

The Standards for Health Services in Wales have been designed to be used alongside other standards – both voluntary and compulsory.  They are not intended to replace them or to add wholesale to them.  To make adopting the Standards easier, we are mapping them against other standards commonly used within the third sector.

The NHS Wales Governance E-manual contains mapping with other standards commonly used within the NHS.

To access these, go to: http://www.nhswalesgovernance.com/display/Home.aspx?a=426&s=2&m=130&d=0&p=0.

This part will be updated with information on the adoption and use of the Standards within Powys.

Working on the Standards with local and national partners:

Third sector organisations in Powys have been able to pilot the How to Guide and to feedback third sector views about the adoption of the Standards to PAVO, WCVA and the Welsh Government. PAVO is current working with local and national partners to:

• ensure that quality assurance priorities within health and social care are aligned together       
• ensure appropriate support is available for third sector organisations using the Standards for Health Services in Wales
• encourage the development of a quality mark or other form of external validation

PAVO regularly attends meetings of the Standards Steering Group and will bring you information from these meetings here.  We will also update the sector through the Health and Social Care Network. 

Statement from Powys teaching Health Board (2012):

The Standards for Health Services, April 2010 are embedded within Powys teaching Health Board at all levels; all staff are aware of the standards and see them as a quality framework which helps contribute to service improvement.

It is important that all partner organisations are aware of the standards and understand it is not a "tick box" exercise that you either meet or don't meet.  The standards provide a framework for quality and safety which enables you to understand how you are performing against the standards in your everyday work.  We appreciate that using them for the first time might be daunting, particuarly for smaller organisations.  The templates provided in the "how to guide" should help you carry out your own self assessment against the standards.  It will help you develop a self assessment portfolio (Powys teaching Health Board will not expect a folder of evidence as the location of evidence should be recorded on the self assessment and improvement templates) to plan for continuous review, learning and service improvement to demonstrate how your service meets the standards and ensures effective provision for the people of Powys.

_Training :

PAVO offer regular courses on a range of topics including:

•     Staff Development
•     Introduction to Tendering
•     Supervision and Appraisal
•     Volunteer Recruitment, Selection and Induction
•     Introduction to Trading
•     Roles and Responsibilities of Trustees and Management Committee Members
•     Business and Strategic Planning

To find out more about upcoming training sessions offered by PAVO and other training providers in Wales, visit http://www.pavo.org.uk/support/pavo-training-courses.html. PAVO can also offer bespoke courses for your organisation.  Please contact the PAVO Helpdesk on 0845 009 3288 or
info@pavo.org.uk