This section provides information on the following steps to guide assessing your level of implementation for each standard and to support an understanding of your strengths as well as opportunities for improvement:
- Understanding why the self-audit is important and general guidance on completing the self-audit and planning process
- Downloadable self-audit forms available in a number of languages
- A link for member healthcare services to submit their audit results to the Global Network's Coordinating Centre
The Global Network Self-audit Tool is a resource for the implementation of a tobacco-free healthcare service and is central to the Global Network Concept (see diagram right).
Assessment using the self-audit tool is an important step for understanding your healthcare service's current status in relation to the Global Standards. It provides a robust process for assessing performance and planning for ongoing systematic improvement, including establishing priorities and allocating appropriate resources.
The self-audit further supports improvement by providing a means of benchmarking with other healthcare services.
Performance is self-assessed for each of the implementation criteria within the eight standards and each is scored from 0 (no implementation) to 3 (full implementation). The maximum possible score is 144.
The tool guides the audit process by providing space to record information about the status of implementation for each criterion, including any relevant evidence and any gaps identified. Based on this information, the status of implementation and score is decided.
It is very unlikely that one person within the organisation will have all the information needed to effectively complete the audit process. It is therefore important that personnel responsible for the various aspects of implementation have input. This may include senior executives and policy makers, clinical leaders, those responsible for signage and environmental management, educators, those responsible for staff health including occupational health and safety personnel, communication personnel, health information personnel etc.
The person(s) mainly responsible for the tobacco management policy should however take the lead in facilitating these inputs and ensuring understanding of the audit process to support a robust process. It may therefore be appropriate for this person to undertake an initial audit before engaging with the broader team.
The tool also provides space to record a general statement about planning actions resulting from the assessment of any particular criteria. Such actions can then be explored in more detail in the planning process.
It would be expected that completion of the audit may therefore take a number of meetings and significant investigation, particularly when conducted for the first time. This is time is very well spent as it is an investment in future improvement.
Member healthcare services are also encouraged to complete the self audit and submit their scores online here: