The aim of this Quality Assurance Policy is to affirm our commitment to maintain a high standard of quality in the way we work, the services we deliver, our relationships with staff and stakeholders and ensure continuous improvement.

“Quality Assurance” is what NBC and its stakeholders ensures, itscontrol has been effectively applied in the work of the organization. “Quality control” is the operational techniques, procedures and objectives that are used to fulfill the requirements of quality. The overall aim is to deliver the best service possible and to ensure continuous improvement.

NBC’s policy is to maintain an effective and efficient quality assurance process planned and developed in conjunction with all management and staff functions and stakeholders, outlined in a series of policies and procedures (including external contracts, regulations and codes of practice) which are designed to eliminate deficiencies and inaccuracies and to ensure high quality standards.

The assurance of quality is fundamental for all work undertaken by NBC and should be implemented by all staff in their work. To that effect NBC shall:

Maintain consistency in work method thought in accordance with set policies, procedures, regulations and codes of practice and without significant deviation.

Ensure that all policies, procedures, relevant regulations and codes of practice are implemented and systematically reviewed to reflect NBC’s values.

Regularly monitor and measure the quality of its work, methods, outputs, and outcomes with a view to ensuring high quality standards, best value and continuous improvement.

Adopt and adapt the European Foundation for Quality Management’s (EFQM) ‘Excellence Model” as the basis for monitoring and reviewing quality assurance in NBC.

NBC’s Managing Director has overall responsibility for quality assurance and will be supported in this role by QA/QC Department and the Quality Assurance Strategy and Consensus Groups. It shall be the responsibility of the Managing Director to report on quality assurance to the Board of Directors. The

Managing Director will be supported in this role by the QA/QC Department and Services as QA/QC Department lead on quality assurance.

It shall be the responsibility of QA/QC Department to approve NBC’s quality assurance strategy and to ensure its implementations throughout.

It shall be the responsibility of QA/QC Department to undertake the role of a Quality Assurance Strategy Group in order to consider recommendations of the Quality Assurance Consensus Group and to develop and approve an appropriate quality assurance strategy to address key areas for improvement. QA/QC Department shall also have responsibility for monitoring implementation and outcomes of the strategy. The strategy group will be composed of QA/QC Department members and representatives of the Consensus Group.

It shall be the duty of the Quality Assurance Consensus Group to meet at agreed times to undertake a self-assessment of NBC’s processes using the EFQM Excellence model with the aim of reviewing and determining key areas for improvement. The consensus group will be responsible to the Strategy Group and will be appointed to represent cross section of NBC. The Director of Communications and services will be responsible for coordinating the work of the consensus strategy groups.

NBC’s management including directors and unit managers shall be responsible for producing statements affirming commitment to quality assurance and the delivery of continuous improvement to their work and practices.

All line Managers will work closely with their staff to develop effective quality control procedures in order to achieve quality assurance.

This quality assurance policy requires commitment and ownership from all NBC staff