Audit of necropsy reporting in East Anglia.
OBJECTIVE
To establish criteria for the information to be included in a necropsy report, and to improve the quality of necropsy reporting in the Anglia Region.


METHODS
Discussion between Anglia histopathologists, based on the guidelines of the Royal College of Pathologists, led to a consensus about the ideal content of a necropsy report. Fifteen consecutive necropsies subsequently undertaken by each consultant were assessed against agreed standards. Reaudit was undertaken nearly two years later, without prior announcement.


RESULTS
The initial standards achieved for demographic details (70%), history (87%), external examination (43-97%), internal examination (76-95%), organ weights (73%), cause of death in OPCS format (94%), and conclusion (90%) were discussed by the group. Changes to necropsy reporting documentation were proposed. Reaudit showed improvement in nearly all categories.


CONCLUSIONS
Necropsy reporting in East Anglia is currently carried out to a reasonably high standard, and improvements have occurred as a result of the audit. There was no evidence that reports on coroners' necropsies were of a lower standard than those done for the hospital. Improvement in the format of the documentation increases the likelihood that all relevant and important data are recorded.
Williams
J O
JO
East Anglia Regional Clinical Audit Team, Clinical School, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
Goddard
M J
MJ
Gresham
G A
GA
Wyatt
B A
BA
D001344:Autopsy / Q000592:standards*; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners; D004739:England; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies