Chapter 1
Guiding principles and approaches
Access to quality client-centred and rights-based care for all people is critical to sexual and reproductive healthcare delivery and programming.
The International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) quality of care framework provides guidance for ensuring quality of care in delivery of sexual and reproductive healthcare by IPPF Member Associations and partners. The framework underpins IPPF’s guiding principles and values, and identifies key elements and components that are essential for ensuring quality of care. It incorporates IPPF’s Charter of Client Rights and Provider Needs, which requires that all Member Associations:
- Ensure the rights of clients to accurate and up-todate information; easy access to healthcare; choice of healthcare and methods; privacy, safety, comfort, and dignity when receiving healthcare; confidentiality; continuity of healthcare; and right of opinion.
- Ensure healthcare providers have access to continuous learning and training; accurate and up-to-date information; proper infrastructure to provide high-quality healthcare; guidance and backup from managers and supervisors; and support, respect, and encouragement.
Additionally, IPPF has standards and principles that all IPPF Member Associations need to uphold and promote to be part of the Federation, including an overarching assessment of an association’s quality-of-care practices. These new Client-Centred Clinical Guidelines update the previous guidance from IPPF published in 2004 – the Medical Service Delivery Guidelines.
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