Quality Improvement

Our Quality Improvement (QI) work aims to facilitate and strengthen delivery of comprehensive improvement and safety programs aligned with College professional standards, accreditation and education. 

QI is a formal approach to the analysis of performance and the use of systematic efforts to improve it. Improvement comes from the application of knowledge and a thorough understanding of the system you are trying to improve.

Anaesthetic audit and quality improvement is embedded in what we do as clinicians. Through quality improvement projects we have achieved real change, such as reducing mortality and improving care for some of the highest risk patients, those undergoing emergency surgery for laparotomy and hip fracture. 

Take a look at our QI strategy which sets out the vision for the College's QI programme for 2025-2028 and our agreed priorities.    

Get involved 

• Start a conversation with your Quality Network Regional Lead about local QI and develop connections. The Quality Network fosters links in QI and safety across the UK. Enabling RCoA members to collaborate on projects, and share learning and resources to enhance QI efforts and training.
• Apply to join the Quality Network as a Regional Lead - find out more about the role, the vacancies and how to apply
• Join the QI Compendium editorial team - find out more about the role and how to apply
• Subscribe to the RCoA QI newsletter for news from the Network and updates on resources and events of relevance to anaesthetists with an interest in QI
• Register your free place at our next QI virtual session - open to anyone with a QI role in their Trust/Health Board  
• Read our QI education guidance for the 2021 curriculum for information on planning your QI project and learning, assessment of learning outcomes, examples of evidence and more. This guidance complements existing 2021 curriculum information
• Each department should have at least one designated QI lead - Take a look at our indicative job description here. 

Strengths of Quality Improvement 

• QI benefits the specialty. QI principles are well-respected within the anaesthetic community. It will ensure we continue to have high performing, robust anaesthetic services, and excellent patient care. To deliver safe and effective care with a decreasing resource, anaesthetists must adopt continuous improvement to maintain the reputation of our services.
• QI enables anaesthetists to provide leadership for the national and international quality improvement agenda.
• It promotes health and wellbeing by improving job satisfaction though embedding good practice and continuous learning.
• It has led to improved culture and ethos in departments engaged in continuous quality improvement.
• It promotes the routine collection of quality metrics allowing us to demonstrate the impact of anaesthetic QI initiatives and the value of co-operative, anaesthetic led change.
• The ability to use improvement skills to innovate, adapt and rapidly test changes ensures that anaesthetists are well equipped to work in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.
• QI enables the College to engage with members at the frontline to tackle the challenges they face in delivering the highest standards of care. It enables us to learn from members about major issues of quality and safety that should be addressed by the specialty.