Home > Get help > Online community > Beat Blog > What is ‘Beat Assured’? - Lawrence Brown, Engagement Officer

October 13, 2011 at 11:35 AM

My turn to contribute to Beat’s new blog – a great idea, having a rota so all staff can contribute in turn - seemed to come around while I was still lost in contemplation, waiting for a flash of inspiration. In lieu of any revelatory insight into the field of eating disorders, or the kind of incisive political voice that might lend itself to a compelling opinion piece, I thought I’d wisely choose this as an opportunity to say a little more about my work at Beat.   

Beat Assured is my current focus. What is Beat Assured? Essentially it’s a quality standard for eating disorders services – and for those services that achieve accreditation, it means endorsement by Beat and crucially, by our volunteers. This is really the key aim of Beat Assured:  volunteers with experience of eating disorders - experts essentially - helping us facilitate discussions with patients and their carers,  to get a true picture of each service, and in turn, help services to listen to their users.

We’re looking for evidence of good practice throughout the treatment experience. The Beat Assured Standards – devised by an authoritative group of individuals with experience of eating disorders, carers and professionals – are our guide to what we should expect to see at each stage of contact with a service. Then there are recommendations, suggested developments for the service which are included in the report of each assessment:  sometimes plain to see; sometimes demanding further insight.

Our aim in the long-term is simple: to become the national standard. With a growing portfolio of reports (see the Beat Assured section of the website) and the constant refinement of the assessment process, the short-term aim is equally simple: to ensure that this important collaborative work continues with as many services as possible. Accreditation means award of the Beat Assured Quality Mark, valid for three years, the significance of which is likely to develop considerably in that time. Whether you’re a professional interested in putting your service forward for accreditation, or someone with links to a service you think should be assessed, I’d like to hear from you.       

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