Scottish Multiprofessional Maternity Development Programme (SMMDP) Quality Assurance Framework Information

Quality assurance documentation

The quality assurance documentation has been produced by the Scottish Multiprofessional Maternity Development Group (SMMDG) on behalf of the SEHD Maternity Services Co-ordinating Group. The Scottish Multiptofessional Maternity Development Unit (SMMDU) Administrator will be responsible for ensuring that the relevant documentation is sent out and completed in an acceptable manner.

Course centres

New course centres will be approved provided they satisfy the criteria laid down in the course descriptor. Centres will be assessed via the Candidate evaluation forms (Click download this document). Where a cause for concern is identified, the SMMDU Administrator will notify the Chair of the appropriate Working Group who will decide what action, if any, to recommend to the SMMDG.

Course Leaders

Course Leaders are experienced instructors who are approved by the SMMDG (SMMDP Instructor assessment / recertification form ).

Course Leaders must submit a Course Notification Form to the SMMDU Administrator at least 4 weeks before the course is held. The form must show that the Course criteria with regard to the facilities, resources and number of instructors has been met. At this stage the candidate index fees should be sent to the Administrator.

Course Leaders are responsible for ensuring that candidates are sent the Course information pack before the course starts. Course Leaders are responsible for the conduct of the course in line with the Course Leader Role Specification .

Candidates

Candidates are asked to complete an evaluation form for the relevant course. The evaluation forms are returned to the Course Leader at the end of the programme and forwarded to the Course Administrator, together with the Course Report form . The Course Leader provides successful candidates with a letter that indicates that they have successfully completed the course. The Administrator receives the candidate evaluation sheets and Course Leader’s report and makes them available for scrutiny by the appropriate Working Group. The Administrator updates the relevant course database with details of the successful candidates.

Instructors

Instructors have a responsibility to adhere to the Code of Conduct  and the Instructor role specification . All instructors are reassessed every 3 years using the Instructor Assessment form. A satisfactory rating means that the instructor can continue to instruct on the relevant course. An unsatisfactory rating means that the instructor must undertake a further assessment. Where an instructor fails to complete the reassessment, they must retake and successfully complete the full programme of instructor preparation.

Working Groups

The Administrator will provide the Working Group with a summary of the course statistics and summaries of the candidates’ evaluation forms and Course reports. The Working Group is required to produce a report for the SMMDG which provides details of course activity and quality assurance issues. The Working Group should also provide a critical review of the curriculum and detail any changes which should be made to the course.

Internal consistency

It is crucial internal consistency is ensured and that this process is transparent and all courses provide the same quality learning environment and opportunities. The quality assurance processes outlined in this document are enhanced by the periodic review of courses undertaken on behalf of the SMMDG. The periodic review assesses the quality of the Course and Course Leader using the Course Assessment Form . The internal assessor is appointed by the SMMDG and is accountable to them. The course assessment report, together with the Course Report and the candidates’ evaluations, ensures that that the quality assurance procedure is robust.

Externality

In order to enhance the quality assurance process the SMMDG will appoint external assessors, who must be non-SMMDG members to carry out a review of the programme and the courses comprising the programme. The external assessors will report directly to the SMMDG. The criteria for external assessors follows and will be reviewed regularly by the SMMDG.


Criteria for External Assessors

External Assessors are appointed by the SMMDG to carry out an external review of the courses comprising the Scottish Multiprofessional Maternity Development Programme. One assessor will take responsibility for evaluating the overall functioning of the programme. The report of the External Assessors will form part of the SMMDG’s annual report to the SEHD and NHS Education for Scotland.

REFERENCES
(To view a document on-line, please click on the title)

Scottish Executive 2001 A Framework for the Maternity Services in Scotland . Edinburgh, Scottish Executive.

Scottish Executive 2002 Report of the Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services . Edinburgh, Scottish Executive.

Documents for Download

The following documents are provided for download in Microsoft Word format. To download a document please click on the resource(s) you require.