The 5th edition of the Standards for Palliative Healthcare Services has achieved a major milestone: it has secured accreditation from the International Society for Quality in Health Care’s External Evaluation Association (IEEA).
This international endorsement reaffirms the commitment of the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) to deliver world-class palliative care.
As the only internationally accredited framework guiding palliative care institutions in South Africa, these Standards play a crucial role in ensuring quality, safety, and compassionate service delivery. Developed through a long-standing partnership between the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) and COHSASA, the Standards have been shaping palliative care excellence since 2005.
The 5th edition—available for free at APCC’s website—features:
✔A refined presentation structure for easier navigation
✔Removal of outdated or duplicated criteria to streamline compliance
✔Changes in terms of new legislation, particularly as it relates to the POPI act
✔ New essential elements to enhance care quality
Why accreditation matters
According to Warren Oxford-Huggett, National Accreditation Manager for the APCC, earning accreditation requires time, energy and commitment, but the rewards are far-reaching.
He highlights three key benefits:
· Optimal Community Engagement – Accredited palliative service providers gain increased community trust and support, strengthening relationships between institutions, families, and caregivers. “From a patient perspective, knowing that the organisation that is providing care is accredited puts your mind at ease.”
· Better Organisational Performance – Self assessments and internal peer reviews drive higher efficiency, sustainability, credibility and overall service quality. It revolves around the framework that COHSASA sets up.
· A Culture of Excellence – Accreditation fosters a mindset of continuous improvement, embedding best practices within healthcare teams.
Oxford-Huggett also has a role to encourage more palliative care organisations to join APCC’s current 68-member network, particularly as demand grows for structured palliative care in elderly care facilities. Of the five latest institutions that are currently in the process of joining the APCC, four of them are facilities for the aged.
“The market for new APCC members is increasingly swinging to more aged care facilities. What that will mean in terms of cost of care remains to be seen”, says Oxford-Huggett. “Many elderly care institutions advertise or market palliative care, but seldom is anyone adequately trained. It’s early days but we are looking at developing a collaborative model to help these frail care facilities implement structured, high-quality care at an affordable cost. With rising living expenses and an aging population, we must ensure end-of-life care remains accessible without imposing financial strain.”
Mentorship for success
To assist APCC members in meeting these high standards, APCC offers a structured mentorship programme, led by Oxford-Huggett. This initiative guides members through the compliance process, preparing them for COHSASA’s external review and international accreditation.
APCC member, Helderberg Hospice, based in Somerset West, has just achieved their 6th accreditation, with their first accreditation achieved in May 2006. Robert de Wet, the CEO of Helderberg Hospice comments: “In addition to focusing on clinical compliance, the accreditation process assesses criteria across the entire organisation, including areas relating to governance, fundraising, administration, and human resources. Subjecting your organisation to an intensive external accreditation process is important as it serves to both affirm the positive aspects of the work we do and simultaneously makes us aware of areas in which we require more focus.” They achieved a 97% score.
Setting the Standard for Palliative Care
Since 2005, 95 APCC members have undergone COHSASA accreditation, with 117 accreditation decisions issued—ranging from full accreditation to graded recognition.
Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for patients with serious illnesses such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and TB as well as conditions such as COPD, heart and organ failure. The APCC philosophy of palliative care is the activeholistic care of patients who have received a life-threatening diagnosis. The control of pain, of other symptoms and support for psychosocial and spiritual needs is paramount.
APCC members report that around 90% of palliative care efforts take place in patients’ homes, extending support to loved ones, from diagnosis to after bereavement.
Jacqui Stewart, CEO of COHSASA, affirms:“The international accreditation of this 5th edition confirms that the APCC standards align with global best practices. For over 20 years, the APCC and COHSASA have collaborated to ensure that South Africa’s palliative care remains internationally recognised. COHSASA is committed to driving ongoing improvements in palliative care services.”
The 5th Edition of the Standards for Palliative Healthcare Services is available free of charge from the APCC website: https://apcc.org.za/standards-for-palliative-healthcare-services/
For mentorship details, contact warren@apcc.org.za.
For membership details, visit: Become a Member.
