The GOLD Process is a robust process by which healthcare services are assessed to become a GOLD Forum Member.
It involves a significant commitment from participating healthcare services over a number of months to plan and gather evidence of high level performance, including having this performance validated at a regional or national level. This then entitles the health service to be nominated to participate in the international jury assessment process.
The key steps of the GOLD Process are outlined below.
PREPARATION
Participation in the GOLD Forum requires a considerable amount of planning and preparation. This is in addition to a healthcare service’s ongoing work to continually improve and address tobacco management according to the Global Standards.
Most healthcare services start planning for their involvement more than a year in advance in order to:
- Undertake a thorough self-audit
- Collect and collate the evidence of implementation of the Global Standards
- Arranged external validation / verification
- Ensure any gaps identified in the external validation are addressed prior to submission of the GOLD Forum application
A key aspect of preparation involves working with their national/regional Coordinating Institution, who will be able to facilitate and support the process, and will be required to nominate the healthcare service.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
A healthcare service can submit an expression of interest for participating in the GOLD Forum Process at any time. They can do this online by completing the online form, identifying themselves as well as their national/regional Coordinating Institution.
On receiving the Expression of Interest, the Global Network Coordinating Centre will send relevant information to both the healthcare service and the national/regional Coordinating Institution to assist them in preparing for their application.
NOMINATION
To participate in the GOLD Forum Process, the interested healthcare service must be nominated by their regional/national Coordinating Institution (or equivalent). This is to ensure that only healthcare services that are likely to be performing at the required level are involved.
To nominate a healthcare service, the Coordinating Institution completes the required forms and submits these, together with copies of the healthcare services previous self-audit tools to the Global Network Coordinating Centre.
The nominating Institution is responsible for providing information and data in the submitted forms, gather at the validation process, that demonstrates that high-level implementation has been verified.
EVIDENCE DOCUMENTATION
Once their nomination is accepted, the healthcare service candidate is invited to complete the prescribed forms, detailing how they meet the requirements.
PEER ASSESSMENT
The material provided by the healthcare service candidate and the regional/national Coordinating Institution is peer reviewed by an international jury comprising Global Network members who are not associated with the candidate.
The jury team in their review may ask for more information / evidence.
NOTIFICATION
The result of jury's deliberations is communicated to the candidate healthcare service and their Coordinating Institution.
Successful candidates are invited to participate in the GOLD Forum Event.
Unsuccessful candidates are provided feedback about their performance and encouraged to continue their efforts in relation to implementing the Global Standards.