Quality service charter proposed for Radiology Department

A research proposal on a quality service charter for the Radiology Department was among the many research projects being carried out by the students at the Institute of Health Care.

Miriam Mangion, an M.Sc. in Health Services Management student, will be assessing the current service quality standards in the Radiology Department at St Luke's Hospital. The data collected can then be used to develop a Quality service charter for the department.

No matter the size of any department and irrespective of the number of customers, providing a quality service should always be a priority. The emphasis of the Maltese Government on providing a quality service to the public has increased in the last few years.

In fact, in 1999, at the Permanent Secretaries' Forum, it was agreed that the Public Service Change Programme was to focus on better service delivery to the public. Following this forum, it was decided that each ministry was to launch two quality service charters.

A Charter Support Unit was established within the Office of the Prime Minister to manage the Quality Service Charter initiative and to assist public service entities that provide a direct integral service to the public to develop quality service charters.

More than 30 quality service charters have been launched up to now; seven of these involve different departments in the health sector. However, no quality service charter for the Radiology Department exists. This has prompted the researcher to take up such an area as a research project.

A quality service charter for the Radiology Department will play an important role in controlling the quality of service delivered to those making use of the department.

Furthermore, a quality service charter provides radiographers with opportunities of role and responsibility extension. This will have a direct influence on the quality of service they provide for their customers.