Clinical Record Reviews
Invited clinical record reviews assist healthcare organisations by providing independent, expert advice on whether the management of a specific case or series of cases has met the expected RCS England or specialty association standards.
This process has been designed to provide a fair, independent, professional review which will support - but not replace - existing local procedures for dealing with such issues.
Some example of where a clinical record review may be of assistance include:
Single case review
Purpose: Providing an independent, external analysis of a single, index case. May be prompted by a patient complaint, a serious incident report or other similar indicator.
Areas considered: Can include consideration of key questions posed by a complaint or the outcome of a local investigation.
Review arrangements: Case will be reviewed by two surgical experts, working together to produce a single report. Typically, the clinical records will be reviewed remotely as a desk-based exercise off site.
Typical cost: Approx. £3,000 plus reviewer fees and VAT.
Multiple case review
Purpose: Providing an independent, external analysis of a number of clinical cases. May be prompted by patient complaints, serious incident reports or other similar indicators.
Areas Considered: Can include consideration of key questions posed by complaints or the outcome of local investigation(s). The review can provide a view on the standard of care provided to individual patients and, where possible, identify any common themes. The review can advise on where steps need to be taken to offer patients further clinical care and/or fulfill the requirements of the duty of candour.
Review arrangements: Records will normally be reviewed by a minimum of two surgical experts, working together to produce a single report. Typically, the clinical records will be reviewed remotely as a desk-based exercise or will include a one to three day visit to look at cases on side, depending on the number and scope of records to be reviewed.
Typical Cost: From £5000 plus reviewer fees and VAT depending on the number and scope of records to be reviewed. Please contact the invited review team to discuss further.
Retrospective quality review
Purpose: Providing a view on the quality of care previously provided to patients
by an individual surgeon or a surgical service.
Areas considered: The review can provide a view on the standard of care provided to individual patients and, where possible, identify any common themes. The review can advise on where steps need to be taken to offer patients further clinical care and/or fulfill the requirements of the duty of candour.
Review arrangements: Records will normally be reviewed by a minimum of two surgical experts, working together to produce a single report. The clinical records will be reviewed remotely as a desk-based exercise or will include a one to three day review
visit to look at cases on site, depending on the number and scope of records to be reviewed.
Typical cost: From £5,000 plus reviewer fees and VAT, depending on the number and scope of records to be reviewed. Please contact the invited review team to discuss further.
How to request a clinical record review
To request a clinical record review, please complete and return an invited review request form.
Alternatively, if you would like to first discuss a situation which the invited review team may be able to assist with, please call us on 020 7869 6220 or email irm@rcseng.ac.uk.