NCEPOD

Dear BSIR member,

I would like to commend to you, and suggest taking a few minutes to read, the attached.

This is the NCEPOD Themes and Recommendations Common to all Hospital Specialties.

It is a review of the most common recurring themes seen in the many NCEPOD Reports.

The entire document is relevant, but I would draw your attention specifically to 2 themes:

Theme 5 – Consent. Among the notes there is a very clear support of the GMC guidance on taking consent and who should do this. In elective cases a deferred two stage process is recommended and also that consent on the day is not seen as appropriate. This is a very clear statement of need for IR clinics for non-emergency care.

Theme 9 – Managed Clinical Networks.  Again it has been clear that formal network arrangements need to be in place to allow patients to have access to the appropriate treatment. Ad-hoc arrangements are not considered suitable, and that Trusts need to have a clear refer and transfer policy. Again, I’m sure that this will ring in the ears of all of you, both in hubs and spokes, as there often in not a clear process for referral and transfer, leading to unnecessary delay (or even denial) of important IR procedures.

I am sure that there are a number of other areas in this document that you might find helpful in supporting your quality improvement programmes.

Best wishes

Trevor Cleveland

BSIR President 2017-2019

A review of the quality of care provided to adults with acute limb ischaemia (ALI)