Health services

Tender description

The overarching aim of the Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Audit is the collection, analysis and effective reporting of robust comparative data on the quality of care and patient outcomes for newly referred rheumatoid and inflammatory arthritis patients being cared for in NHS secondary care rheumatology services in England and Wales. The audit should be a mechanism to drive improvement within the NHS for the benefit of patients, their carers and those working to deliver care. Engagement with clinicians, patients and commissioners (both local and national) and regional networks is therefore essential in order to support improvements. The overarching aim of the Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Audit is the collection, analysis and effective reporting of robust comparative data on the quality of care and patient outcomes for newly referred rheumatoid and inflammatory arthritis patients being cared for in NHS secondary care rheumatology services in England and Wales. The audit should be a mechanism to drive improvement within the NHS for the benefit of patients, their carers and those working to deliver care. Engagement with clinicians, patients and commissioners (both local and national) and regional networks is therefore essential in order to support improvements. The successful provider will build on the experience of the National Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Audit to provide a national clinical audit of NHS funded rheumatoid and early inflammatory arthritis care. Suitable providers will need to be able to demonstrate: Effective and fully integrated clinical leadership; The ability to engage actively with all relevant professional disciplines; The ability to engage actively with patient and carer groups; experience of patient and public involvement; Robust project management skills; Methodological and statistical expertise and experience to inform, data collection, data cleaning, analysis and interpretation of the data; A commitment to quality improvement; Information security/management skills including understanding/ experience of patient level data linkage and sound knowledge of information governance and procedures for gaining permissions for data processing; Capacity and experience to successfully deliver the above requirements; Sound economic and financial standing.