What an external assessor described as ‘effervescent praise from patients’ is just one of the reasons why Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital has been re-accredited with Investors in People (IIP) Gold status and the Customer Service Excellence (CSE) standard.

Having first gained IIP status in 2005, the hospital was awarded the coveted Gold status in 2013. In addition the hospital was validated under the UK’s CSE standard for the first time last year.

IIP aims to help organisations improve organisational performance by developing and harnessing the skills of its people, while CSE assesses organisations against five customer service criteria.

Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, said: “These re-accreditations speak volumes about the standard of care and the team spirit at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital. Every member of staff can rightly be proud of this achievement. Initiatives such as IIP and CSE help to assure quality, independently measuring organisations against set criteria devised at a national level in the UK.”

Other comments from the external assessor included witnessing ‘a total dedication from all staff… in relation to providing excellent care at all times’ and a ‘palpable pride’ from staff who ‘put the patient at the heart of everything’.

Service Lead for Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital, Ginette Hattersley, said: “I really am very proud of the team for this achievement. They have made this possible because they’re so passionate about delivering excellent care for patients.

“Gaining and retaining accreditations such as IIP and CSE takes a great deal of work but it pays dividends in terms of improving patient care and staff morale.”

Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital provides a variety of Island-wide services, including inpatient facilities, Minor Injuries Unit, renal unit, consultant clinics, wound management, physiotherapy, and podiatry services.