The ESR is proud to announce the launch of the ESR Basic Patient Safety Standards and the ESR Audit Tool. Together, these services provide clear guidance on how to perform effective audit against 18 Patient Safety Standards that the ESR considers represent essential good practice in any imaging service. These standards encompass all aspects of patient safety, but particularly focus on radiation protection of the patient. To support departments in auditing their practice, the ESR Audit and Standards Subcommittee has produced a set of templates which will help radiologists and radiographers to assess their compliance with each of the standards. The Clinical Audit Tool is designed to improve the quality of patient care, experience and outcome through formal review of systems, pathways and outcome of care against defined standards, and the implementation of change based on the results. Furthermore, it has been created in tandem with the 18 ESR Basic Patient Safety Standards and can therefore be used to assess compliance with those standards. Luis Donoso, ESR President, said: “Clinical audit is now required under the Euratom Directive and is therefore mandatory. The ESR Audit Tool will aid departments in carrying out audit, thereby implementing the directive, and assuring the protection of their patients.” The ESR aims to build on this initial publication by developing further standards with supporting templates. These standards will aim to address the following questions: Is your service safe?
Is your service responsive?
Is your service caring?
Is your service effective?
Is your service well led? E. Jane Adam, Chair of the ESR Quality, Safety and Standards Committee, said: “Clinical audit is an essential process to assure and improve safety and quality in an imaging service. The ESR Audit Tool will be incredibly valuable to all imaging departments, particularly those that are in the early stages of developing an audit programme.” The Audit Tool is available on the myESR website for free, and can be downloaded as a complete file or as separate individual audits. The ESR Audit Tool document fully explains the motivation, aim and basic ideas of clinical audit and how such audits work. Source & Image Credit : myESR | 
