EQUIP (Education and Quality in Practice) was formed in 1996 by the amalgamation of the North Essex components of the Essex Medical Audit Advisory Group (MAAG) which had been in existence since 1990 and GP Education in Essex, which had been in existence since 1992.
Prior to April 1996, the organisation had worked across the whole of Essex, but with the division of Essex into North and South Health Authorities, EQUIP took the lead role in co-ordinating audit and education programmes in primary care in North Essex working within the NHS family.
In August 2017 EQUIP was incorporated and is now Essex EQUIP Limited.
EQUIP Strategic Aims
- To work closely with the Primary Care Organisations and Strategic Health Authority to support the implementation of their strategic aims. To improve the quality of care to patients through audit, anticipatory care and education.
- To provide and support opportunities for professional development for all members of the Primary Health Care Teams and allied professions and the EQUIP team.
- To have an administrative structure in place to support the Primary Health Care Teams and ICBs in delivering evidence based practice in line with the Clinical Governance agenda and Health Improvement Programmes.
- To work closely with other stakeholders, such as the LMC, in developing and retaining the primary care workforce.