Partnership
Testing products
for informed choices
Until now there has been no formal process across the NHS or private sector for reliably testing or assessing products’ suitability for use in mental health environments.
This means that clinicians have had to rely on manufacturers claims – or take the responsibility of testing themselves.
To solve this problem, DIMHN has partnered with Building Research Establishment (BRE) and worked with over 100 experts from the field during the past 7 years to create a global testing method for all products used in mental health.
This is not a pass or fail test. It’s a way to grade products for their suitability for a range of different clinical uses so that teams can make INFORMED CHOICES.
INFORMED CHOICES ON THE BRE WEBSITE
INFORMED
CHOICES -
THE NEW TESTING STANDARD FOR SAFETY
FOUNDING MEMBERS of INFORMED CHOICES
The new standard is being adopted by forward thinking firms, practitioners and founder members. We are adding to our number commissioning bodies who are taking the INFORMED CHOICES pledge.
Download a copy of the pledge, and if you would like support in advocating for your company to sign, please drop us an email.
We have also developed an info pack with a template board paper for organisations that sign the pledge, to make sure that it is effectively implemented.
The following organisations are pledged to adopt and we are working hard to build a consensus across the mental health community that will see many more join us.
INFORMED CHOICES PLEDGE
We will ask suppliers to provide DIMHN/BRE Informed Choices product performance assessment going forward. Initially this will be encouraged, with preferential consideration given for products backed by independent performance assessment.
No minimum performance will be required, but performance of different products will be compared.
We commit to trialling the new standard with the intent that this will become a mandatory requirement for supply to our organisation by 2025, to allow time for all suppliers to test their products.