ABSTRACT
Audit has been described as ‘the method used by health professionals to assess, evaluate and improve the care of patients in a systematic way, to enhance their health and quality of life’. The report Modernising NHS Dentistry: clinical audit and peer review in the General Dental Service described clinical audit as a ‘central pillar of clinical governance’ and outlined the requirement to undertake a total of 15 hours in each successive period of three years. Performance is often broken down into the three aspects of structure, process and outcome for the purposes of audit. Structural audits might concern resources such as equipment, premises, skills, and people. Process audits focus on what was done to the patient, such as clinical protocols and guidelines. Audits of outcomes consider the impact of care or services on the patient, and might include patient satisfaction, health gains, and effectiveness of treatment or services.
