National standards developed by Heath Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) aim to help drive improvements in the quality and safety of health and social care services in Ireland. National standards help the public, people who use these services and the people who provide services to understand what a high-quality, safe service looks like.

National standards:
• offer a common language to describe high-quality and safe care
• are a resource for people using services to know what ‘good’ looks like and what they should expect from a service
• create a basis for services to improve by identifying areas of good practice and highlighting where improvements may be required
• enable a person-centred approach to care and support by focusing on the people using a service
• promote practice that is up to date, effective and consistent.

HIQA also develops guidance to assist staff working in health and social care services to implement national standards, or as a guide to making improvements in a particular area. A consistent approach is used to develop all national standards and guidance. In 2018, HIQA’s Standards Team carried out an international review examining how organisations with a similar remit to HIQA develop standards and guidance. The review aimed to inform the revision of HIQA’s methodology for developing national standards and guidance for health and social care services in Ireland.

This document sets out the findings from the international review of how other organisations approach the development of standards and guidance for health and social care services. A desktop review identified 13 organisations in nine jurisdictions which have a similar remit to HIQA in developing standards and guidance. Teleconference calls were held with key personnel from 12 of the 13 organisations included in the review. It was not possible to arrange a teleconference with one of the organisations; communication was via email in this instance....

1. Introduction p.15
2. England p..21
3. Scotland – the health and social care setting p.46
4 Scotland – the healthcare setting p.54
5 Ontario – the healthcare setting p.61
6 Australia – the healthcare setting p.72
7 Australia – the social care setting p.89
8 Wales – the healthcare and social care setting p.107
9 Wales – the social care setting p.116
10 Northern Ireland – the health and social care setting p.130
11 Sweden - the healthcare setting p.139
12 Denmark - the healthcare and social care setting p.146
13 Denmark - the social care setting p.155
14 New Zealand – the health and social care setting p.163
15 Conclusions and next steps p.177