FSSA Surgical Forum discussion 'Surgical Audit: who owns the data?' has now been published

08 February 2017

The NHS will soon be 70 years old.  It is only in the latter part of the 20th-century that the profession has begun to take an interest in the collection of data aimed at improving outcomes, informing progress in research and providing evidence for the efficacy of what we do.

Now that society and government are keen to publish individual surgeons’ outcomes, there is increasing concern on the part of surgeons about the accuracy of the data that is used to make these judgements.  On the other hand, there are multiple specialty and individual audits for whom the same concerns are expressed.

There is no doubt that the public are justified in seeking to ensure that individual clinicians that treat them are competent and up-to-date.  It is equally certain that the profession has a desire to move increasingly towards evidence-based treatment so the interests of all parties agree that data collection and analysis should be carried out.  The questions arise over who collects the data, how reliable is the data and who owns the data?

This document explores some of the issues that were discussed at a meeting of the Surgical Forum in Dublin on 18 July 2016.

 

Click here to download the article