Earlier this year the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT), a division of the Disabilities Trust (and the means by which the Disabilities Trust provides its brain injury services), became the first brain injury rehabilitation service in this country to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
The three year accreditation - running through to March 2009 - is awarded to BIRT's long-term residential services and rehabilitation programmes at
Daniel Yorath House in Leeds,
Redford Court in Liverpool,
York House in York and to its
Community Services in the North of England.
The achievement represents the culmination of 15 months' detailed preparation in meeting rigorous standards laid down by CARF.
Followng this success BIRT is now preparing for CARF to survey its services in the Midlands and South of England.
The units who will be surveyed in May 2007 are
Thomas Edward Mitton House in Milton Keynes,
Kent House in Aylesbury,
West Heath House in Birmingham,
The Woodmill in Devon,
Kerwin Court near Horsham,
Fen House in Ely, Bristol Road Birmingham, and
Community Services.
A range of activities to support BIRT services prepare for the survey next year have already started taking place.
These include away days and roadshows to raise awareness of CARF, bi-monthly Core Project Team meetings (for Managers and Clinicians), weekly CARF Team meetings in each unit, and regular visits by BIRT’s CARF Compliance officer.
CARF is an independent, international non-profit body founded in the US in 1966. It provides accreditation in the human services field, focusing on the areas of rehabilitation, employment and community, children and families and ageing services.
Commenting on the accreddition BIRT's North of Engalnd services, Barrie Oldham, Director of Operations, said: “I am delighted that CARF has made a particular recognition of the skills, excellence and commitment shown by our staff. The award is a testimony to their immense contribution in earning this award, which singles BIRT out as a provider of accredited quality brain injury rehabilitation."
