WHEN Bradley Viner started a Masters degree course in veterinary general practice, he found himself taking a close look at the process of clinical audit – how effective it is, how it can improve practice performance and help deliver better services to clients, and how best to collate and compare data. Further research in veterinary clinical audit is under way, but, as he explains in this article, now is an opportune time to summarise veterinarians' understanding of the process of clinical performance monitoring, and the hopes and concerns that surround it.

CLINICAL audit is a useful method of measuring and improving clinical effectiveness. In 2005, Bradley Viner examined the process as part of his Masters degree course in veterinary general practice and shared some of his findings (In Practice, 2005, vol 27, pp 215-218). He went on to research its application for his PhD, establishing an MSc group to assist with the process. Here, he provides an update gleaned from the results of his research and the work of the group.

The use of such clinical management tools requires development of the necessary skills and protected time to apply them, but, as discussed, they can bring a broad range of benefits to the practice and its patients.

Clinical audit – a process of improving patient care by reviewing performance against a set of criteria and bringing in changes where they are indicated – has become increasingly important in human medical practice over the past two decades. Bradley Viner and Chris Jenner argue that its application in veterinary practice could have many advantages, and that vets can benefit from doctors’ experience

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