title: Assessment of paediatric clinical audit.
abstract: Consultant paediatricians in Ireland were surveyed to evaluate their perceptions of the hospital audit environment and assess their involvement in the audit process. Eighty nine (77%) replied of whom 66 (74%) had an audit department and 23 (26%) did not. Sixteen (18%) felt their hospital was well resourced for audit and 25 (28%) felt the culture was very positive but only 1 (1%) had protected time. For 61 (69%) consultants audit was very important with 38 (43%) being very actively involved in the process. The most frequent trigger for audit was non consultant hospital doctor (NCHD) career development, cited by 77 (87%). The new Professional Competence Scheme and the National Quality and Risk Management Standards will require the deficiencies identified in this survey be addressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar, Co Mayo.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Perrem
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: O'Neill
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D010372:Pediatrics; D012308:Risk Management