The organisation provides quality improvement support to hospitals, primary care practices, NHS Boards, patients, carers and communities. A particular emphasis is to encourage patient involvement and shared decision making in an effort to improve the effectiveness, safety and patient-centredness of care. A key aim of the Inspectorate is to reduce health care-acquired infections through the promotion of infection prevention and control. Between 1 October 2013 and 31 December 2014, it conducted 51 inspections, of which 41 were unannounced.