title: Eight years' experience of regional audit: an assessment of its value as a clinical governance tool.
abstract: Strengthening clinical audit is crucial for improving the quality of healthcare provision. The West Midlands Rheumatology Service and Training Committee coordinates an innovative programme of regional audits and the experience of rheumatology healthcare professionals involved was surveyed. This was a questionnaire-based study in which respondents rated statements relating to regional audit on Likert scales. Out of 105 staff, 70 replied. There was consensus that results of regional audit have been robust, valid and reliable; regional audits benefit patients and units; provide educational opportunities for specialist registrars (SpRs); and are more efficient than local audit by allowing comparison between units. Opinion was divided about how well informed respondents were and how effective they are at closing the audit loop. Many units reported changes in practice. Regional audit is widely perceived to be a valuable clinical governance tool supporting significant changes to clinical practice, and an excellent training opportunity for SpRs. Recommendations for a successful regional audit scheme are described in this article.
authors.affiliation: Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Dudley.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Paskins
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassell
authors.forename: I F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Rowe
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D054976:Clinical Governance; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom
references.citation: Rheumatology (Oxford). 2003 Jul;42(7):856-9
references.pmid: 12730544
references.citation: Rheumatology (Oxford). 2002 Sep;41(9):1021-4
references.pmid: 12209036
references.citation: Clin Med (Lond). 2007 Dec;7(6):579-84
references.pmid: 18193705
references.citation: QJM. 2007 Nov;100(11):685-9
references.pmid: 17938143
references.citation: Diabet Med. 2008 Apr;25(4):496-500
references.pmid: 18294220
references.citation: Clin Med (Lond). 2005 Jan-Feb;5(1):7-11
references.pmid: 15745189
references.citation: Int J STD AIDS. 2007 Mar;18(3):212-4
references.pmid: 17362558
references.citation: Rheumatology (Oxford). 2005 Jul;44(7):921-4
references.pmid: 15827035
references.citation: Emerg Med J. 2006 Feb;23(2):128-32
references.pmid: 16439742
references.citation: Rheumatology (Oxford). 2008 Aug;47(8):1252-4
references.pmid: 18573801
references.citation: Qual Health Care. 2000 Mar;9(1):23-36
references.pmid: 10848367
references.citation: Clin Med (Lond). 2006 Mar-Apr;6(2):183-7
references.pmid: 16688979
references.citation: Clin Med (Lond). 2010 Feb;10(1):20-5
references.pmid: 20408300
references.citation: Clin Med (Lond). 2002 Jul-Aug;2(4):294-6
references.pmid: 12195852
references.citation: Clin Med (Lond). 2009 Jun;9(3):225-30
references.pmid: 19634383
references.citation: J Laryngol Otol. 2007 Dec;121(12):1189-93
references.pmid: 17908346