Background

Concordat – A definition:

A Concordat is a voluntary agreement created between two or more organisations which sets out a formal relationship, for collaborative or partnership
working. It sets out a number of principles and priorities to which all signatories can agree and defines their remit, relations and mutual responsibilities.
It will set out what the signatory organisations can expect from each other and from the group as a collaborative body. It will form the basis for international
collaboration. It can be developed over time as the group matures.

The completed document may contain:

  • An executive summary
  • The Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare’s terms of reference
  • An outline of the Concordat’s objectives
  • The overarching commitments towards collaborative working that those signatories make including
  • The jurisdictions and other limitations to which the Concordat is subject
  • An index of the signatories, both full and associate members

Each objective could then be further defined in terms of:

  • Scope
  • Remit
  • Restrictions
  • Outputs
  • Governance
  • Acknowledgements
  • Adherence to equality and diversity

The London Concordat in context
The purpose of the London Concordat is for the member organisations of the Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare to formally establish agreed ways of
working and to act as a set of guiding principles that informs and sets a framework for future collaborative or partnership working. The Concordat seeks
to establish basic ground rules agreeable by all. The Concordat has the explicit purpose of globally promoting the value and usage of simulation within
healthcare service and education.

The London Concordat for the Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare.

Executive Summary

The London Concordat captures the collective will of the founding organisations of the Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare. Subject to ratification by the
relevant governance structures of individual member organisations, the Concordat forms a memorandum of understanding and represents the aspirations and commitments of those same organisations made to each other when they met at the London Deanery during August 2010 and 2011.

Introduction
On 4-6th August 2010 twenty-seven individuals representing sixteen regional, national and international organisations with a substantive focus on simulation in
healthcare attended an international simulation leadership summit at London Deanery, UK. The meeting was intended to empower the global simulation
community to act collectively as simulation continues to expand exponentially.

The summit resulted in agreement by the representatives to form a Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare and the participants developed the following
mission statement:

“A global network of organizations, committed to enhancing patient safety and quality of healthcare by promoting the appropriate use of simulation through
collaboration, advocacy and support.”

On the 1-3rd August 2011 the organisation representatives came together again in London with the intention of formalising their collaborative working as a
network.

On July 2012, signatories of the London Concordat met in Lausanne, Switzerland and amended the above mission statement of the Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare. The amended mission statement and the signatories to the amended mission statement and the Concordat are shown in Appendix 3.

Objectives of the Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare

All signatory organisations have agreed

  1. to promote the appropriate use of simulation in healthcare to improve patient care and safety, clinical service, training, research and
    education
  2. that the network will act as a source of expertise
  3. that the network will act as a global resource
  4. through shared advocacy, to support and promote the use of simulation in healthcare
  5. terms of reference and ways of collaborative working

Agreed core beliefs, values and commitments underpinning the London Concordat:

All signatory organisations have agreed to work together to optimise and encourage the appropriate use of simulation in healthcare to achieve the
objectives outlined above. They declare a shared commitment to:

1) improve healthcare and patient safety
2) promote healthcare professional safety – safety in the workplace
3) promote service transformation and quality improvement
4) educational excellence
5) evidence-based practice
6) support and promote research
7) advocacy and dissemination of appropriate simulation-based practice
8) promote inter-professional education
9) encourage diversity in simulation methods

They also agree to work collaboratively by:
10) respecting the autonomy of membership organisations
11) valuing differences in approaches
12) respecting equality and diversity
13) promoting innovation
14) Conducting GNSH business in an open, transparent and fair way

An overarching commitment to collaborative working
Through this Concordat, we the undersigned organisations commit to explore collective working to develop, promote and disseminate the highest standards of
educational practice through the scholarly advancement and optimal operational usage of simulation-based training and educational methods for the benefit of
patients and healthcare.

Whilst respecting the autonomy of individual organisations, we undertake that in support of the greater good, we will seek to work in the best interests and
traditions of academic practice to build productive and valuable collaborations for the mutual benefit of constituent member organisations, patients, healthcare
systems and global population health.

London Concordat Signatories:

Associação Brasileira de Simulação na Saúde, Brazilian Association for Simulation in Healthcare
Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare (ASPiH)
Association for Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE)
Australian Society for Simulation in Healthcare (ASSH)
Canadian Network for Simulation in Healthcare (CNSH)
International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL)
International Pediatric Simulation Society (IPSS)
Japanese Society for Instructional Systems in Healthcare (JSISH)
London Deanery
Polish Society for Simulation in Healthcare (PSSH)
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
Spanish Society for Simulation in Healthcare
Swiss Standardized Patient and Simulation Group
Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH)
Society in Europe for Simulation Applied to Medicine (SESAM)

Appendix 1
An index of the signatories, both full and associate members

GSNH 2010 and 2011 Attendee organizations
– Associação Brasileira de Simulação na Saúde, Brazilian Association for Simulation in Healthcare
– Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare (ASPE)
– Association for Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE)
– Australian Society for Simulation in Healthcare (ASSH)
– Canadian Network of Simulation in Healthcare (CNSH)
– International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL)
– International Pediatric Simulation Symposia (IPSS)
– Japanese Society for Instructional Systems in Healthcare (JSISH)
– London Deanery
– Polish Society for Simulation in Healthcare (PSSH)
– Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
– Spanish Society for Simulation in Healthcare
– Swiss Standardized Patient and Simulation Group
– Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH)
– Society in Europe for Simulation Applied to Medicine (SESAM)

Appendix 2
Proposed initial organizational structure

Appendix 3
London Concordat mission statement as amended 11 July 2012

All signatory organisations listed below have agreed to this mission:

A global network of organizations, committed to enhancing patient safety, healthcare quality, research and education, by promoting the
appropriate use of simulation through collaboration, advocacy and support

Signatories to the 2012 Amended London Concordat