Standards for Radiology Events and Learning Meetings [QSI Ref: XR-704]

Audit of the organisation of the Radiology Events and Learning Meetings held within a Department over a 12 month period.

Taken from the RCR Publication Standards for Radiology Events and Learning Meetings ¹

A positive culture to develop learning is vital to improve outcomes and comply with the recommendations of the Francis report.² Reviewing and learning from excellence, discrepancies and adverse events can provide evidence of reflective practice, improve outcomes and if performed in a supportive learning environment, can contribute to the evidence for providers and users of the safety of service.  

The updated RCR Standards for radiology events and learning meetings document details standards and gives guidance on how shared learning may be used.  The document emphasises the educational role of the radiology events and learning meetings and provides guidance on how such meetings should perform part of the radiology Q A programme. This template should be read and used in conjunction with the RCR document which provides much more detail and describes alternative practices used in some departments. Personal standards such as reflection and recording in appraisal documentation have not been included in this template.

The standard: 

Clinical engagement: all Radiologists should attend a minimum of 50% of departmental radiology events and REALMs and should contribute at least one case to their REALM per year

Organisation: a minimum of 6 REALMs per year

Chair: should be appointed fairly and remunerated appropriately. They should be able to demonstrate duties performed and output.

Cases: Cases should be anonymised and discussed in a respectful manner for education purposes only. 

Documentation: 

- standard emails should be sent to radiologists involved in submitted cases prior to meeting

- learning points should be summarised and disseminated

- attendance and contribution should be recorded and distributed for appraisal

Links with RCR: The REALM chair should be identified to the RCR REAL Panel and ensure submission of one case per year to the REAL newsletter.

Target: 

Compliance with the above standards

Indicators: 

Attendance record

Dates of meetings 

Emails sent to individual reporters prior to meetings indicating their involvement in a case to be discussed

Minutes with Learning points for each meeting

Records of individual Radiologist's contribution of cases

REALM Chair appointment, job plan time allocation, notification to RCR REAL Panel and evidence of case submission for consideration by REAL newsletter

Data items to be collected: 

Dates of meetings with Attendance records for a 12 month period

Review of documentation of meetings: – 

Emails sent prior to meeting to involved radiologists

Conduct of meeting –all cases anonymised and appropriate ie learning point

Minutes of meeting with summary of learning points and evidence of dissemination to all reporting staff

Records of individual contributions and attendance kept and sent to all radiologists

REALM Chair  - Evidence of fair appointment and remuneration eg time in job plan, and identification to RCR REAL panel, REAL newsletter submission.

Suggested number: 

12 months data

Review of Resources available to run the meetings – is there sufficient administrative support? 

Is there a chair who has been appropriately appointed chair with sufficient time to organise and run the meetings?

Is the process supported by all Radiologists? – ie submission of cases, attendance, participation in discussion of cases

The REALM chair is likely to be best placed to conduct this audit but will require assistance from administrative staff and other colleagues, and the Clinical Director. The time required will depend upon the size of the Department, the number of meetings and the number of cases. Dedicated and skilled administrative support to maintain records, disseminate emails, take and distribute minutes and individual radiologist records, who can then summarise and document these components of the process will greatly reduce the time needed by the REALM chair or other staff  conducting this audit.

1. Standards for Radiology Events and Learning Meetings RCR 2020 https://www.rcr.ac.uk/system/files/publication/field_publication_files/bfcr201-standards-for-radiology-events-and-learning-meetings.pdf

2. Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry. Chaired by R Francis QC 2013 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-of-the-mid-staffordshire-nhs-foundation-trust-public-inquiry

K. A. Duncan