Quality assurance

Ensure that the system is operating effectively and providing quality care in line with standards, guidelines and policy. This can be undertaken internally or externally.

It includes:

• Looking across the whole organisation
• Identifying gaps against purpose and patient or service user need
• Reviewing quality assurance data retrospectively (rather than in real time as in quality control).

A good place to start is to map system-wide assurance requirements. A Quality Management System (QMS) then provides an opportunity to consolidate multiple external requirements into a single assurance framework and process. See Q’s Great Ormond Street case study which echoes wider evidence that, as a QMS becomes more established, assurance activity can be streamlined.

Supporting resources

• NHS Wales Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF).
• Healthcare Inspectorate Wales approach to inspections.
• NHS Wales National Policy on Patient Safety Incident Reporting & Management.
• NHS Wales guidance on Risk Management.
• NHS Wales national clinical audit and outcome review plan 2025 to 2026.