Two members of the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) have received their re-accreditation against the Standards for Palliative Health Care Services in the Western Cape, as both Drakenstein Palliative Hospice and Helderberg Hospice remain at 5-Star level.

Drakenstein Palliative Hospice achieved its first accreditation in June 2004, marking a significant milestone in their commitment to quality care. In August 2024, they successfully completed their 6th accreditation, achieving an impressive 97%.

“Ongoing training, audits, and adherence to procedures throughout the year form the foundation of our efforts” says Elizabeth Scrimgeour, CEO of Drakenstein Palliative Hospice.

“While we rely on a dedicated champion to lead the accreditation process, the collective buy-in from our staff has been instrumental in our success.”

This is also Helderberg Hospice’s 6th accreditation, with their first accreditation achieved in May 2006.

“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,” says Robert de Wet, CEO of Helderberg Hospice.

“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. We are very pleased with our 97% score.”

“The APCC is the only organisation in South Africa that has developed accredited Standards for Palliative Healthcare Services,” says Warren Oxford-Huggett, Accreditation Manager at the APCC.

“Since the release of the national Policy Framework and Strategy for Palliative Care, there has been a mushrooming of Service Providers that are not accredited. Our members are all accredited and constantly working to improve their accreditation statuses with our mentors. We are extremely proud of these two members for their ongoing commitment to absolute excellence.”

“The accreditation is both necessary, and of immense value, and I encourage other hospices to take the time to invest in this important process, “ says Mr De Wet.

“We will continue to promote our full accreditation status when engaging with donors both locally and abroad and to highlight the importance of our full accreditation status locally with our care partners and patients as a means of promoting our quality of care. “

“Maintaining accreditation is non-negotiable for us—it is a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy,” says Ms Scrimgeour.

“Although the process of meeting standards and gathering supporting data is time-intensive, a well-structured plan that involves as many staff members as possible helps distribute the workload and fosters engagement. The results are immensely rewarding; the staff are proud of their achievement.

"As NGOs explore private-public partnerships to ensure sustainability, accreditation strengthens our position by affirming our expertise in palliative care.”