About the Approved Provider scheme

The Headway Approved Provider Scheme supported by the Department of Health and recognised by the Care Quality Commission sets out to recognise those Care Providers who place the needs of people with an Acquired Brain Injury and their carer's central to their service provision. It also recognises Care Providers who have a culture of continuous service improvement in a safe environment.

For each Unit, the process involves being able to demonstrate that they have met each of the required standards through a variety of evidence including feedback from People who use services and their carers, together with an assessment visit by 2 assessors. Each assessment visit lasts for around five hours, during which time the assessors will have spoken to staff, and when possible with Service Users and visiting family members. Additionally day to day practice of care taking place in the home will be observed, together with access to additional information. This includes, but is not limited to, examples of care plans, samples of weekly menus, examples of leisure / recreational opportunities available to Service Users.

All specified standards must be fulfilled for a Unit to be granted Approved Provider status. Any Unit failing to fulfil some or all of these standards is given an action plan with a time frame for implementation. It subsequently requires full reassessment to determine Approved Provider compliance.

All Units granted Approved Provider status must apply for reassessment every 2 years, to ensure that standards have not deteriorated in the interim, with an unannounced assessment taking place during this period to ensure continued compliance with the standards.

The Approved Provider Directory provides details of all facilities that have currently successfully undergone Approved Provider assessment. Service Providers themselves have welcomed the opportunity to strengthen and improve their services against the Headway standards.