This document summarizes the results of an audit of multi-disciplinary operational group meetings across several NHS cancer screening programs. The audit found variability in adherence to standards, with only two of five programs meeting monthly as required. Meeting attendance was incomplete, and one program did not take minutes. The audit recommendations include holding monthly meetings according to guidelines, establishing terms of reference, and regularly minute-taking and auditing meetings to improve adherence to standards.

1. CST and Screening Technician
Workshop – 10 November 2016
- Learning from Audits
Public Health England leads the NHS Screening Programmes
Paola Beresh, QA Advisor, SQAS (London)

2. Audit
 Last study day held in November 2015, we had a presentation by Dr
Louise Wilkinson, Director of Screening/Consultant Radiologist for the
South West London Breast Screening Service on the importance of audit
within screening programmes
 Audit can be used to assess, evaluate and improve standards
So what learning have we done so far?
2 Learning from Audit

3. For example
Screening Centre Meetings Audit
3 Learning from Audit

4. Standard/Service Specification
Audit should measure current practice against a defined (desired) standard:
Standard/Service Specification:
NHS England’s NHS public health functions agreement 2016-17 service
specification No.23 states that:
• an internal multi-disciplinary operational group is established
• this group meets monthly as a minimum.
• this group will ensure robust operational processes are in place between
individuals delivering the services
4 Learning from Audit

5. Audit Methodology
5 Learning from Audit
Each of the five AAA screening programmes were asked to complete a proforma
confirming:-
 terms of reference
 how often meetings are held
 who is invited
 are minutes taken
 dates of meetings held in the last 6 months.

6. Results
Terms of Reference
Yes
No
No
- 4
Yes
- 1
6 Learning from Audit
 Only 1 out of 4 screening
programmes had a terms of
reference

7. Results
0 1 2
Weekly
Monthly
Twice in 6 months
Once in 6 months
Meetings Held in last 6 months
Screening Programme
7 Learning from Audit
 Variable
 2 out of 5 screening programme are
achieving the standard of meeting at least
monthly outlined in the service specification

8. Results
Invited
(Attendance% in
last 6 months):-
Clinical
Lead
Programme
Manager
Screening
Technician
CST Vascular
Nurse
Specialist
Admin
Screening Centre 1 No
(0%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(100%)
No
(0%)
Yes
66%
Yes
(100%)
Screening Centre 2 Yes
(0%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(33%)
Yes
(0%)
Yes
(100%)
Screening Centre 3 Yes
(0%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(0%)
Yes
(0%)
Yes
(0%)
Screening Centre 4 Yes
(0%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(100%)
Yes
(100%)
Screening Centre 5 Yes
(Unknown
– not
minuted)
Yes
(Unknown –
not minuted)
No Yes
(Unknown
– not
minuted)
No No
8 Learning from Audit
 3 out of 5 screening programme invited all screening
programme personnel
 No attendance by Clinical Lead
 Only 1 in 5 had a CST present
 Variable attendance by VNS and Admin

9. Results
Yes - Typed
3
Yes –
Not Typed
1
No
1
Minuted
9 Learning from Audit
 4 of 5 of the screening programmes took minutes
from their meetings
 However 1 of those took minutes but were not
typed

10. Recommendations
 To hold meetings once a month in accordance with service specification
 To produce a Terms of reference outlining quorum and attendance to
meeting by key representative of the screening programme
 To minute and audit meetings on a regular basis
10 Learning from Audit

11. Next time…..
Could it be……
11 Learning from Audit
….. to present an audit