I think the heart sink response to audit is because the concept of
improving care is one that we all know we should subscribe to, but it is
hard work genuinly changing the way we practice. Improving the care of
patients almost always involves more work for somebody, and the only
reward we get is that little warm feeling we get inside when we know we
have done something well. And we all know that that lasts no longer
than the next hell of a surgery.
In Somerset we are moving away from straight number crunching audit, and
looking at improving the overall package for patients, and for
clnicicians. We are promoting significant event auditing, and we have
developed a "quality portfolio" with quality indicators that different
practices can pick and choose from. Practices that are already
achieving high levels of care can still find indicators they can improve
on. And practices that have barely enough time to lift their eyes from
the legions of their patients can start from a simple base and work up.
We do also subsidise doctors and practices applying for Fellowship by
Assessment, although this takes little from the overall budget. We are
aware of the new RCGP quality award based on the North West Scotland
Faculty, but it is expensive, and much of it duplicates what we are
already doing.
In addition to this we organise two free study days per year, run two
county audits per year and help run a half day a week curriculum for new
partners.
Perhaps I am biased (I'm a member of the MAAG!), but I think limited
resources can be used to improve healthcare.
Paul Scott
D Young <[log in to unmask]> writes
>What do GPUKers think about Audit? Is this a heart sink term, as I suspect,
>invoking emotions of
>anxiety and boredom? If so, please feed back. The local GP Quality Group
>(formally MAAG) has money to spend on Quality Initiatives for which
>individual practices can bid. Trouble is nobody's doing very much Audit so
>it aint getting spent.Other ideas are to allow grants to Practices where
>a partner is sitting College Fellowship by Assessment. Is this a good idea?
>Might it not be better to dole the money out, ring fenced for the
>"consumers". Perhaps funding Practice -Patient associations, patient
>satisfaction surveys, and Team Building days for entire practice (trial by
>cleaner!) Do you folks have Quality groups/MAAGs and what are they doing
>for you?
>Dave Young, Derby.
--
Paul J Scott, United Kingdom
Fax 44 (0)1935 410188
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