ABSTRACT
Overall health service priorities, in the form of National Service Frameworks and local Health Improvement Plans, should also inform the practice professional development plan. Cases receive attention from many primary care teams in significant event auditing. A total of 15 practices in Warwickshire used significant event audit in a study of experiences of cancer care. The use of a structured significant event audit form proved successful in eliciting views from practices. The practices utilised the significant event audit summary sheets to varying degrees, but some common themes could be identified from the aggregated data. Workshops can be conducted for members of the primary healthcare team to help them to improve their communication skills. The team can discuss treatment goals in order to set audit standards, and then use the audit results to plan care changes. Team members can consider organisation, communication and risk management.
