Introduction
Delivering the strongest and most effective Quality and Safety Management System requires reliable information regarding the organisational compliance status.
The higher the quality of the information the more focused and hence potentially āeffectiveā will be the decision making of those involved.
A Quality System is Quality Control (QC) plus Quality Assurance (QA)
QC being the delivery of the process and procedures required to demonstrate compliance and QA being the validation of this process through oversight & audit to ensure full compliance with all regulatory and company requirements.
Quality Assurance should reach into every corner of the organisation and when this is the case, organisations can excel in the delivery of their product and service, additionally being well placed to react quickly and efficiently to any identified challenge.
The role of QA is two-fold. As described, it is to demonstrate that the organisation complies with all regulatory requirements. However, there is a more fundamental role: to share with the post holders and the Accountable Manager the deviations within the system from the company processes and procedures, as well as discrepancies as a result of non-conformity with regulatory requirements.
What if we go for a system which satisfies the Competent Authority and nothing else ā means we are compliant!
Some organisations develop what could almost be considered a bolt-on, (rather than an integrated solution), driven primarily by the need to satisfy the regulator that a compliant Quality System is implemented.
Such organisations miss the opportunity to benefit from the savings which arise from a truly effective Quality System.
Note ā Whilst a ābolt-onā arrangement often complies with the minimum of regulatory requirements, it often falls far short of a system that is fully supportive of, and provides tangible benefits for, the organisation.
Effective system
To deliver the most effective quality system requires a fundamental understanding and a recognition of the differences between QA, QC and Safety Management, as well as someone who is responsible for both managing & delivering the various elements.
The key to QC success is to set and manage the company standards, making regulatory compliance an easier goal to achieve.
There are three steps to achieve this.
The first is the management of the documentation to ensure the procedures are necessary, effective and efficient;
The second, but just as important, is the understanding of these procedures by the workforce to include, where necessary, appropriate training;
The third is the management of competencies to ensure the staff is qualified, capable and, indeed, motivated to deliver the process required in an effective way.
It should also be accepted throughout the organisation that to promote effective QC, the process and procedures must belong to the post holder or line manager, even though the Accountable Manager holds ultimate responsibility.
Whilst this ensures the independence of the Quality Assurance (Compliance) audit, It recognises most importantly, ownership of the procedure is an intrinsic element of delivering effective Quality Control (QC).
Please see more than 60 Aviation Quality Assurance Courses covering all aspects of the Compliance Process at this link.
Next Steps
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Tags:
aviation, Compliance, EASA, QMS & SMS, Quality Assurance, Quality Management System, Safety Management System, Compliance Management, Quality Control
