A new accreditation programme has been launched by RSPH which is designed specifically for smaller enterprises in the Third Sector which offer training to their staff, supporters or the general public.

As the health and well being sector enters a period of tremendous change, it is vital that all the participants are able to identify high quality training that is relevant to their needs. Our Accreditation Service offers an independent evaluation of public health training programmes to verify the quality of their content, implementation, outcomes and the value they deliver.

As the responsibility for delivering healthcare moves away from large organisations, and towards a more local structure, we have adapted our service to suit the needs of charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations which provide training on a regional or occasional basis in topics that support health, hygiene and safety.

Professor Richard Parish, chief executive of RSPH, commented: "In the light of the Government’s recent White Paper and the forthcoming changes to the way in which our healthcare is managed, it is essential that everyone involved has access to high quality training which is fit for purpose. Our accreditation will provide reassurance that training meets the high standard required in this time of change."

Organisations whose training programmes meet our criteria for accreditation will be able to display our accreditation kite mark, which demonstrates that its public health training programmes have been closely examined and approved by an independent assessor.

Third Sector organisations that are interested in accreditation for their short courses should contact Anna Zilnyk at the Royal Society for Public Health for more information.