What does JAG accreditation mean? 

JAG accreditation means that patients can have increased confidence in their endoscopy service and be assured of the same quality of care no matter where their endoscopy takes place, provided it is JAG accredited. For the service it means a sense of pride in being able to show that they offer a high quality and safe service. It also increases opportunities for investment, growth and development of services.

JAG accreditation is awarded to endoscopy services who have been assessed and have demonstrated that they meet the JAG quality standards. These cover all aspects of an endoscopy service, ensuring that they:

• continually improve the quality and safety of the care provided
• maintain a strong focus on ensuring patients have a positive experience
• provide excellent training and development opportunities for all staff
• uphold a safe and comfortable environment for patients and staff. 

What does not being JAG accredited mean?

Not having JAG accreditation does not mean that the service is of a poor quality or is unsafe. Some services have to work hard with JAG to secure the funding and support they need to meet the required standards for accreditation and JAG makes a clear distinction between services that are engaged in the process and those that are not. Some services meet the JAG standards in many ways but are unable to get accreditation as they are unable to meet certain aspects of the standards which may need a large amount of investment.

If I have a concern about a JAG accredited unit, what should I do?

The first thing you should do is take up your concern with the endoscopy service itself. Each organisation will have a complaints policy which will detail how you can raise concerns and who to escalate your concerns to if you are not satisfied with the response from the organisation. Some hospitals may also have a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and they can often help you with your concerns.  JAG does not typically investigate individual patient complaints.

How can I get involved?

Most hospitals will have a patient user group which will provide opportunities for patients to support their hospital. Your hospital may also have volunteering opportunities. You may also want to look into becoming involved with a patient charity; further information on relevant charities is available on the British Society of Gastroenterology website.

Our lay assessors

Find out more about our lay assessors and the incredible work they do in ensuring safety in patient pathways in all JAG accredited services.