Audiologists at Queen Mary’s Hospital are among the first in the country to receive accreditation from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

In order to achieve such prestigious recognition, the audiology team submitted evidence regarding its facilities, safety, service users’ experiences and the quality of service they received.

Four assessors then visited the audiology services provided across all St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust sites over a three-day period to review how the service operates.

Following the visit, a report was produced highlighting caring and empathetic staff, good team work, strong internal and external peer review processes and management of lone worker risks.

Due to this, the service gained a ‘satisfactory’ rating under the Royal College of Physicians’ Improving Quality in Physiological Services programme.

The service is one of only six in the country to receive accreditation for providing paediatric services, and one of seventeen for providing adult services.

Justine Sweet, Head of Audiology Services said: “I would like to thank each and every member of the audiology team for their dedication, passion and professionalism which they demonstrate each and every day. They have proved to the country they are a flagship service.”