At Developing Healthy Communities, we have been working with the Public Health Agency (PHA) since 2010 to develop and tailor a framework of Quality Standards within which any service providing mental and emotional wellbeing support and suicide prevention across Northern Ireland should operate.

Improving governance within organisations

The Quality Standards focus on improving governance arrangements within organisations to provide safe and effective practice for service users. They are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with changing legislation or best practice. 

There are three main areas of the standards:

• Setting minimum standards to strengthen services, practice and improve outcomes for service users
• Improving governance arrangements and improve the way in which service providers across all sectors manage their business
• Improving the way in which service providers are held to account for the services they provide

Previous organisations that have completed the Quality Standards framework have said:

“We owe it to the people we help and support to provide the best possible service and this framework is an excellent way of giving our service users the confidence in choosing where to seek help and our staff the guidance in how best to run an agency and deliver the services to a high standard.” Conor McCafferty, Zest

Setting a minimum standard of service

All organisations – public, private or charitable – funded by the PHA and who are supporting people with their mental and emotional wellbeing or engaged in suicide prevention should complete the Standards. These will set minimum standards of service, practice and improve outcomes for service users.

“The standards are a quality stamp achievement which in turn demonstrates an organisations’ professionalism, credibility and good governance which are essential elements in obtaining funding and contracts.”

A self-assessment process

The Quality Standards framework is completed as a 'self-assessment' process. Self-assessment means that you will complete your own evaluation of how the standards apply to your organisation and particular areas of expertise.

• It requires you to read and apply the standards to your unique organisational goals. As you work through each step, online guidance will be provided.
• The completed assessment forms are for the use of your organisation. Although they remain on this portal for reference, you do not need to submit your self-assessment forms unless you are chosen for an independent assessment.

Each year, a number of organisations are chosen at random for independent assessment.

• Should your organisation be selected for an independent assessment, the assessor will contact you directly.
• Independent assessments are in place to ensure the high quality of services provided.
• Organisations chosen for independent assessment will have the ability to upload their supporting documentation to the portal.
• The independent assessment involves an assessor accessing the information that you have submitted to the portal and requesting further evidence of how this information was gathered. This information and evidence will then be reviewed against the self-assessment requirements.

Core & additional standards

All organisations will complete the self-assessment on the ‘Core Standards’. These standards apply to all PHA funded Emotional Well Being and Suicide Prevention Projects and other services where considered appropriate. They cover:

• Management & organisational governance
• Employment & volunteering structures
• Organisational practice & service delivery
• Monitoring & evaluation
• Communication processes

Depending on the nature of the projects you are working on, it may also be useful to complete some or all of the ‘Additional Standards’. These provide specific frameworks on:

• Training
• Self-harm services
• Counselling
• Complementary therapies
• Bereavement support services
• Bereavement support groups

Link to PHA Quality Standards 

PHA Quality Standards Website

Alternatively, Copy & Paste the following link into your browser:- https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/quality-standards-services-promoting-mental-and-emotional-wellbeing-and-suicide-prevent

Find out more

If you think your organisation could benefit from the Quality Standards, let us know and we will support you through the process:

Get in touch by:

• Email
• Call us