Medical Quality Assurance: Research in Brighton Health Authority Available to Purchase

Steps take in Brighton Health District, with the help of CASPE Research (Clinical, Accountability, Service Planning and Evaluation), to build and maintain an approach to Quality Assurance (QA) are described. The system is based on co‐ordination of — and assistance to — voluntary peer review by clinicians and other professionals. The joint work has two aspects: first, implementation of microcomputer‐assisted trials of QA in a small number of clinical departments and professional/ non‐medical departments which aim to provide a productive environment for development of new indicators of the quality of care, and systems for their use, that are practical and economic for local use in the NHS. Second, the indicators are provisionally evaluated, and, where successful, related to service planning and resource management in the district. Indicators that are successful in Brighton will also be tested in other districts where CASPE is working.