NSAR has again received full marks in an audit of its quality assurance services by BSI (the British Standards Institution).
The NSAR Quality Assurance team assesses the quality of training and assessment centre management, quality improvement systems and premises for regulatory training across the UK – measuring against industry standards, rules and requirements.
Our Quality Assurance process is subject to its own industry standard. The process was recently audited by BSI, the UK’s national standards body. BSI’s role is to help improve the quality and safety of products, services and systems by enabling the creation of standards and encouraging their use.
BSI conducted a desktop review and observed an NSAR quality assurance visit, including observing the closing meeting and interrogating the supporting processes. NSAR’s quality assurance process received marks of 100% across all four sections of the audit.
In 2024, the NSAR Quality Assurance team listened to feedback from training providers and made changes to assurance visit processes that allow for a more collaborative approach. The audit was complimentary about these process changes, with the report stating: “The audit conducted by the BSI auditor included sampling at both NSAR offices and also on location with a training provider. The training provider was positive about the transition from an ‘inspection’ to an ‘assurance’ approach by NSAR. The provider stated they had seen the benefit.
“The NSAR auditor who was observed in action by the BSI auditor, received very positive feedback from the training provider in relation to the benefit they were bringing to the audit process… In terms of the auditors (QAMS – Quality Assurance Managers) their approach, behaviour, client interactions, technical knowledge and auditing methods shone through in a positive light.”
NSAR has achieved similarly high BSI audit results in the past – proving the long-term excellence of our quality assurance services. NSAR-assured training programmes, and corresponding Rail Training Assurance Scheme (RTAS) scores, help the industry buy training with confidence and support the safety of rail workers and railways.
NSAR Chief Executive Neil Robertson says: “The outcome of the audit reflects the outstanding work done by our Quality Assurance team to collaborate with training providers and assess their programmes – ensuring a high quality of training programmes in the rail industry.”