The anaesthetic department should have a comprehensive and collaborative programme of engagement with QI initiatives at national level,103 for example ACSA, the RCoA Raising the standards : QI Compendium,43 national audit projects such as NELA, PQIP, SNAP and GIRFT. This should include embedding learning and improvement from these national initiatives.
The anaesthetic team should be provided with time and opportunity to engage with these QI projects.103
A departmental lead, with time identified for the role within their job plan, may help to provide oversight of these improvement projects within the totality of clinical governance activity of the department.
The department should use QI methodology to design, test and implement changes in care and monitor their impact using continuous live data to provide sustained improvement, as well as, where appropriate, engaging in a more formal cycle of assessment against defined standards, improvement and repeated further assessment.103
Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound (SMART) QI initiatives and safety measures should be embraced to improve patient and staff safety and wellbeing and to develop perioperative anaesthesia services.104
Anaesthetists should participate in departmental audit and should adhere to the standards and principles outlined in the RCoA ‘QI Compendium.43
Anaesthetic departments should have a method for capturing and reviewing patient outcome data and quality metrics for their clinical service including patient feedback and complaints.103 QI plans should be developed based on the review of such metrics and data.
The department should engage with local networks, such as paediatric, simulation and safety networks, to ensure collaboration at regional level and that learning is shared.105
The anaesthetic department should agree a set format for staff to maintain contemporaneous detailed records of patient care. There should be periodic audits performed on the quality of record keeping to ensure that quality is being maintained.106
