Educational aspects of medical audit.

Abstract

Working Paper 6' does not couch medical audit activities in an educational environment. The Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons, however, have highlighted the educational aspects of medical audit, stating that "education is the most useful product of audit"2 and that audit "is an important educational process for both seniors and juniors."3 Kenneth Clarke in a speech on 10 July stated that in his view, "Medical audit is about quality assurance in clinical work. As it entails a measurement of performance it must be a key part of continuing professional education." This echoes the theme of the report of the Alment Committee: "In our view it is a necessary part of a doctor's professional responsibility to assess his work regularly in association with his colleagues,"4 although in medical audit such reviews are considered educational. The approach of peer review ofpractice creates a "sympathetic environment" for medical audit.