Hospital Visiting and Accreditation Programme

Accreditation

Application

The Hospital Visiting and Accreditation Programme (HVAP) is offered on a voluntary basis to the academic departments of anaesthesia which apply for teaching accreditation in accordance with European training guidelines. An application is sent by the Head of a Department or Institute to the ESA Secretariat. The HVAP Joint Committee will decide whether the visit is warranted and appropriate. A questionnaire outlining the structure of the hospital, the composition of the staff and the organisation of teaching and training is then completed by the applicant and submitted to the ESA Secretariat.

Visiting Team

This comprises three individuals that are appointed by the HVAP Joint Committee: one from the ESA, one from the EBA and one from the country in which the hospital visit will take place. The latter is appointed by the national anaesthesia society of the respective country.

The Site Visit

The visit consists of a detailed presentation of the staff and organisation of the hospital, the department (or the institute) and the structure of training. This forms the basis for a discussion and evaluation of all aspects of the teaching and training process with the staff members involved, to complement and build upon the strengths and to encourage development and change to address areas of weakness. This is followed by an interview with trainees at different levels of training and in the absence of supervising staff.

The Report

The visiting team should formulate its conclusions, conditions and recommendations in a fully agreed and dated report. There should be two aspects to this recommendation: duration of approval and conditions for re-accreditation. The draft report from the visiting team is discussed within the HVAP Joint Committee and then sent to the visited centre to correct any factual errors. The final report is sent to the ESA and EBA Boards, the Chairperson of the Education and Training Committee and archived in the ESA Secretariat. Following approval by the ESA and EBA Boards, the report is sent to the visited centre and the national visitor. The finalised report must be available to all parties within six months of the visit.

Certificate of Accreditation

Any department that has submitted an application for certification and has subsequently been visited and approved will receive a certificate of accreditation. Accreditation may be valid for up to five years depending on the visitor’s recommendations and the decision of the HVAP Joint Committee.

Fees

Costs incurred by the visit itself are met by the visited institution. The host or the National Society will cover the cost of an independent translator should the visitor(s) request it.