Nuffield Health Brighton celebrates prestigious accreditation

Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital has achieved the prestigious Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) Accreditation, reinforcing its commitment to providing patients with the highest standards of safety and quality in theatre care.

Widely regarded as the gold-standard, the accreditation recognises hospitals that demonstrate excellence across all aspects of their surgical care, helping to ensure patients receive safe, consistent and high-quality care before, during and immediately after surgery.

The achievement means patients undergoing treatment at Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital can be reassured that the hospital's theatre services have been independently assessed against nationally recognised best-practice standards, including the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist and National Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures (NatSSIPs).

The process supports theatre teams to reflect on practice, recognise what is working well and identify opportunities for improvement. This  gives staff confidence that they are delivering care to a consistently high standard and helps build a culture of continuous improvement.

Christine Hunter, Director of Clinical Services at Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital, said: "Receiving AfPP Accreditation is a significant achievement for our hospital and reflects the dedication of our theatre teams.”

"For patients, this provides additional confidence that they are receiving care that meets some of the highest standards in perioperative practice. Every day, our focus is on delivering safe, high-quality care and the best possible patient experience."

Alex Duke, CEO at the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP), said: "Achieving AfPP Accreditation is a significant accomplishment and demonstrates Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital's clear commitment to delivering safe, high-quality perioperative care. Accreditation provides reassurance that robust processes, recognised best practice standards and a culture of continuous improvement are embedded throughout the theatre environment. Patients should know that when they choose a hospital with AfPP Accreditation, they are receiving care from a team that has been independently assessed against nationally recognised standards of perioperative practice. We congratulate the team on this achievement and the dedication they have shown in putting patient safety and quality at the heart of everything they do."

 The achievement forms part of a national partnership between Nuffield Health and AfPP that was launched earlier this year. Through the partnership, all 35 Nuffield Health hospitals are working towards AfPP  Accreditation by the end of 2027, helping to further strengthen consistency, quality and patient safety across the UK's largest not-for-profit healthcare provider. Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital is the first new hospital in the network to achieve the Gold standard as part of the programme, reflecting its commitment to delivering the highest standards of patient care.