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National Clinical Audit

In 2006 the Chief Medical Officer’s report, Good Doctors, Safer Patients called for the reinvigoration of clinical audit to enable it to reach its potential as a rich source of information to support service improvement, better information for patients and other activities such as revalidation of clinicians.  In February 2007 the White Paper ‘Trust Assurance and Safety’ agreed with this analysis.

The National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP)

Overview of the role of NCAPOP and its key responsibilities.

The National Clinical Audit Advisory Group

The National Clinical Audit Advisory Group (NCAAG) has been established to drive the reinvigoration programme and provide a national focus for discussion and advice on matters relating to clinical audit. The NCAAG will also be the steering group for the expanded National Clinical Audit and Patients' Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP).

National Clinical Audit Forum

A wide and inclusive National Clinical Audit Forum (NCAF) is in development to assist the National Clinical Audit Advisory Group and ensure that all stakeholders’ views are heard. In particular, the Forum will be consulted on:

  • the annual priorities for the NCAPOP
  • plans for providing support to clinical audit

Members of the Forum will be able to raise issues of interest which the contractor and National Clinical Audit Advisory Group may, after appropriate consideration, wish to include in the Forward Plan.

More details to follow

DH clinical audit policy development

The various strands of the Department’s ongoing work that are contributing to the development of clinical audit policy.

British Cardiovascular Society conference: posters on cardiac audit

These posters were displayed at the British Cardiovascular Society's Annual Scientific Conference, 2008. They summarise the different audits of cardiac services. Audit is a critical driver of clinical improvement, and raising awareness and understanding of audit is needed to ensure buy-in from across the NHS - doctors, nurses, AHPs, management and administration. The authors of each of the posters are content for them to be used by local areas, where they might be useful

DH clinical audit enquiries

Dr Helen Lovell
Department of Health
Quality Strategy Team
Clinical Quality and Strategy
Area 423, Wellington House
133-155 Waterloo Road
London SE1 8UG

Telophone: 020 7972 4169 ext 24169 or email:

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