Audit and Quality Improvement Committee (Clinical Oncology)
The Clinical Oncology Quality Improvement and Audit Committee (COQIAC) is chaired by Dr Matt Williams. Membership of the Committee comprises the College Officers (the President, the Vice-President CO, the Medical Director, Professional Practice and the Medical Director, Education and Training) ex-officio, up to six appointed members and up to five co-opted members.
The Committee reports to the Clinical Oncology Professional Support and Standards Board (CO PSSB).
Members are responsible for implementing an annual programme of audit work; to advise on and organise education on audit; to be aware of clinical standards and national audit policies; to act as a reference centre for Fellows and members on matters of audit; and to ensure Audit Library templates are up to date and reflect current practice.
If you have any queries regarding the Committee please write to the Committee Chair, Dr Matt Williams, via the Projects Co-ordinator, Audit and Surveys at The Royal College of Radiologists.
Members
- Dr M Williams
- Dr K Halliday (President)
- Dr T Roques (Vice-President, Clinical Oncology)
- Dr N Thorp (Medical Director Professional Practice, Clinical Oncology)
- Dr A Challapalli
- Dr P Closier (ORF Representative)
- Dr S Garikipati
- Dr P Gkogkou
- Dr S Vivekanandan
- Dr R Muirhead
- Dr C Scrase
- Dr A Stewart
- Dr M Varughese
- Mr M Gilham (SoR Representative)
- Dr J McAleese (lung cancer audit)
Terms of reference
Terms of Reference
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In alignment to the Faculty-wide annual plan and objectives, to produce an annual programme of planned audit and quality improvement (QI) projects and activities for approval by the Clinical Oncology Professional Support and Standards Board (CO PSSB) at its first meeting of each Council year. This may include multi-centre audits and joint audit work with other Royal Colleges, Faculties and other groups as appropriate.
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The Committee will be accountable to CO PSSB and will report regularly to CO PSSB on the implementation and progress on its annual programme of audit and QI projects and activities.
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To produce an annual plan of audit and QI professional learning and development activities for Fellows and members of the RCR, including contributions to the CO Scientific Meetings Programme and running an annual audit event.
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Where appropriate, to utilise national and other large data sources when conducting audits and QI projects.
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To maintain, develop and promote the Audit Library.
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To collaborate with Guideline Review Working Parties and contribute to the guideline consultation process, including but not limited to production of audit templates for all guidelines.
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To promote the benefits of audit and QI activities to the faculty, as a means to encourage involvement of departmental Audit Leads, and members and Fellows more widely, to audit and QI projects and activities undertaken by the RCR.
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To identify through the annual programme of work exemplar audit and QI initiatives for promotion to members and Fellows, and more widely, by the RCR.
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To advise and represent the RCR and Faculty on matters related to audit and QI.
Members
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All members are appointed by the Medical Director - Professional Practice, CO in consultation where necessary with the Chair of the committee and/or others as appropriate. Letters confirming appointments will be signed by the Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO.
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All clinical members of the committee shall be in active clinical practice at the time of their appointment, and throughout their term of service. If during their term a member retires, their term of membership would cease at the end of that RCR year.
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There shall be no more than six members, one of whom should be a representative of the Oncology Registrars’ Forum (ORF).
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Members usually serve for a term of three years, renewable for one further term of up to three years. However, if at the end of two three-year terms the member is leading an ongoing project, membership can be extended until the completion of the project or for one further year, whichever is shorter.
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The membership of the committee should reflect the diversity of the profession as far as possible and where appropriate to the work being done. It should also reflect the geographical spread of members and the sub-specialisation of clinical oncologists.
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There shall be no more than five co-opted members who should be identified to fill areas of practice or geographical representation or other specific, relevant needs among the membership of the committee. Where a specific audit or survey may benefit from lay input, the committee should seek the advice of the Lay Member Network.
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All co-opted members are appointed by the Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO in consultation where necessary with the Chair of the Committee and/or others as appropriate. Letters confirming appointments will be signed but the Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO.
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The term of appointment of any co-opted member will usually be for the amount of time that their assistance is required for an audit/project, and will be reviewed annually.
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The following shall serve ex officio: President; Vice-President, CO; Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO; and Medical Director – Education and Training, CO.
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If a member of the committee does not attend for two consecutive meetings, enquiries shall be made as to whether the member wishes to resign and any recommendation that the period of office should be terminated as a result shall be made to the Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO.
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Members must abide by any stated or implied confidentiality that attaches to the work of the committee during and after any period of membership. (See Appendix A, The Audit Data Policy.)
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Members must comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 as regards processing and disclosure of any personal data where it is made available to them as part of the work of the committee.
Chair
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The Chair will usually serve for a term of three years renewable for a further term of up to three years and no more. A committee member who is subsequently appointed as Chair of the committee will not have counted against his or her term of office as Chair any period of service as member of that committee.
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The Chair will serve as an appointed member on the CO PSSB.
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The duties of the Chair will include the following.
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Working with the Audit & QI Officer and Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO jointly to review the current and planned work of the committee in June each year, to ensure cohesion with the wider College strategy and annual planning. Seek the wider views of the committee at its spring meeting.
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Chairing all meetings.
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Ensuring that the Terms of Reference are observed.
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Engaging all members of the committee in the work being done.
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Reporting to the Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO where a member fails to be active or fails to attend meetings so that the Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO can form a view as to whether a member should be invited to vacate his or her place.
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Attending and ensuring regular reports are made to the CO PSSB; and attending CO Faculty Board (CO FB) meetings when invited to do so by the Vice-President, CO.
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Ensuring that relevant matters are drawn to the attention of the Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO.
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Ensuring that links and liaison are established and developed with relevant external bodies.
Operation
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The quorum shall be not less than three appointed members.
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The committee will not express any opinion or make any statement publicly or to the media that is held out to be a view from the RCR without first consulting and agreeing the approach with the Medical Director – Professional Practice, CO.
Approved by COQIAC April 2018
Approved by CO PSSB May 2018
Due for review: September 2018
Governance
Find out more about how the Royal College of Radiologists is governed.