Mental health services accreditation in Italy

Rationale, aims and objectives This paper deals mainly with health services peer accreditation in Italy, but a preliminary brief description of governmental accreditation is done, inasmuch as peer initiatives must take into account - and build upon - institutional accreditation requirements and practices. In Italy, no independent agency, such as the 'Commission for Health Improvement' or the 'Health Advisory Service' is operating. Methods In the field of mental health services, two major peer accreditation programmes have been carried out. The paper focuses on the most original features of both programmes and reports examples of standards belonging to the more recent accreditation manual. Results In the manual, because of a lesser need to reach a consensus between services with widely different outlook, professional standards are more detailed and the importance that they should be based on the principle of evidence-based mental health is more stressed. Conclusions The Italian peer accreditation approach in mental health may raise interest also in other countries.