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Videos, Podcasts, References and more

This page provides an assortment of webinars, videos, articles and references to learn more about quality improvement. Each link will open in a new window.

Articles

The team at Vets Now became Quality Improvement Champions in the RCVS Knowledge Awards 2022 with this clinical audit case example. Read the case example here (CPD: 32 minutes) and find out more about the Quality Improvement Awards here. 

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Articles accessible through Library membership

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Webinars

Our webinars can now be found on our new QI CPD page

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Podcasts

Rosemullion Veterinary Practice were named Quality Improvement Champions in the 2023 Knowledge Awards for conducting an audit aimed at improving infection control and cleaning methods in clinical and non-clinical areas. In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway speaks to Abi Redfearn from Rosemullion Veterinary Practice about the audit. 

Read the transcript 

Published March 2024

For this Knowledge Natter, our Farm Vet Champions Lead Fiona Lovatt spoke to Tonia Simms from the Farm Vets at Hampden Veterinary Hospital (VetPartners). Tonia won an RCVS Knowledge Award in 2023 for her work on auditing antibiotic use in surgical calf castrates, which reduced the use of antibiotics without compromising patient welfare.

Read the transcript

Read Tonia's case example

Published February 2024

The School of Veterinary Nursing at the Royal Veterinary College were named Quality Improvement Champions in the 2023 Knowledge Awards. In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway talks to Perdi Welsh and Niamh Clancy from the Royal Veterinary College about their winning initiative to incorporate QI within their post-registration qualifications, guiding students through a number of measures to carry out projects in practice, submit to peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences.

Read the transcript

Published December 2023

Pam Mosedale speaks to 2023 Knowledge Award Antimicrobial Stewardship Champions Paul Stanley and Emily Parr from White Lodge Veterinary Surgery in Exmouth. They conducted a prospective audit to review antibiotic use in cat bite abscesses and successfully treated 86% of their patients without antibiotics without compromising patient welfare. 

Read the podcast transcript

Read Paul and Emily's case example

Published September 2023

In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway speaks with David Charles, who was named a Knowledge Champion in the 2023 RCVS Knowledge Awards.

David conducted an audit across multiple UK practices to gather data on ovine lambings and caesareans, and implemented training and recommendations related to the use of analgesia, antibiotics, and adjunctive medications. The practices saw a reduction in prophylactic antibiotic use and an improvement in the provision of analgesia.

Read David's award-winning case example

Read the podcast transcript

Published July 2023

In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway speaks Leanne McLeod from Earlswood Veterinary Hospital, who was named a Knowledge Champion in the 2023 RCVS Knowledge Awards. Leanne introduced a hypothermia audit that focused on pre-warming patients before general anaesthesia. By implementing new warming protocols, her team reduced the incidence of hypothermia from 100% to 16%.

Read the podcast transcript

Read Leanne's case example

Published July 2023

Pam Mosedale speaks to VetTeamAMR Clinical Leads Angie Rayner and David Singleton about how this initiative provides companion animal veterinary teams with knowledge, resources and tools to make positive changes in their antimicrobial prescribing.

Read more about VetTeamAMR

Read to the podcast transcript

Published June 2023

In this podcast, Quality Improvement Clinical Lead Pam Mosedale talks to John Innes, honorary professor at Liverpool University, about new research that used data from RCVS Knowledge’s Canine Cruciate Registry (CCR) to determine its findings. The research provides estimates on the minimal clinically-important differences (MCIDs) for the two validated outcomes measures that are used by the CCR.

Read the transcript

Published June 2023

Pam Mosedale speaks to VetTeamAMR Equine Clinical Lead Tim Mair about how this initiative provides equine veterinary teams with knowledge, resources and tools to make positive changes in their antimicrobial prescribing.

Read more about VetTeamAMR

Listen to the podcast transcript

Published June 2023

In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway speaks to Eloise Collins, Head Veterinary Nurse at Beech House Veterinary Centre, who used checklists, auditing, benchmarking, team meetings and journal clubs to help improve patient care and outcomes and to improve practice culture. Eloise helped to create psychological safety amongst the team through her open and honest approach. Eloise became Knowledge Award Quality Improvement Champion for her work in 2022. 

Read Eloise's case example

Read the podcast transcript

Published May 2023.

In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway, Clinical Lead RVN, talks to vets Sophie Gilbert and Lucy Leicester from Vets Now about their award-winning project using audit and guidelines for the management of dystocia cases. Knowledge Natters are friendly, informal discussions with our Knowledge Award Champions and those who are empowered by Quality Improvement in their work. (Recorded March 2023)

The team were awarded Knowledge Champions in 2022 for their work.

You can read the transcript here.

You can read the Vets Now Ltd case example here.

Published April 2023.

Lou Northway, QI Clinical Lead at RCVS Knowledge chats to Elizabeth McLennan-Green, Hub Clinical Lead at CVS about her team's audit on the optimisation of the use of ear cytology in veterinary primary care.

The team were awarded as Knowledge Champions in 2021 for their work.

Read the award winning case example here

Read the transcript

Published December 2021

Samantha Fontaine, became a Knowledge Champion for implementing a new course that teaches QI to veterinary nurses, including those in practice and education, at the University of Glasgow. Our RVN QI Clinical Lead Lou Northway, chatted to Sam and three of her students, Sarah, Molly, and Megan, about the course, taking the leap to implementing QI and their future QI plans.

Read Samantha's award winning case example 'Teaching QI to veterinary nurses'

Read the transcript

Published September 2021

In this podcast, Helen Ballantyne, who is a dual-qualified medical and veterinary nurse, draws upon her experience in human nursing to explain to Pam Mosedale why veterinary teams should be implementing care bundles to save time, promote teamwork, and improve patient outcomes. 

Read the transcript

Access all of the content from the first series of the QI Boxset here

Published July 2021

Most veterinary surgeons and nurses working with small animals will have experience in treating canine cruciate ligament ruptures. However, there is not a strong evidence base to know which surgical techniques have the best outcome. The new Canine Cruciate Registry (CCR) is RCVS Knowledge’s answer to this knowledge gap in veterinary care. In this podcast, hear Mark Morton, Canine Cruciate Registry Clinical Lead, talk to Pam Mosedale about the registry, why it's important, and why we need as many vets as possible to get involved. 

Find out more on our website: caninecruciateregistry.org

Read the transcript

Published July 2021

Evidence suggests that incivility can increase errors and have a knock-on domino effect that impacts the whole team. In this podcast, Dr Laura Playforth discusses how incivility can impact patient care and outcomes with Pam Mosedale, QI Clinical Lead.

Read the transcript

Published July 2021

In this podcast, in a first for the veterinary profession in the UK, we will hear from Jesse McCall, who co-leads the Joy in Work Results-Oriented Learning Network at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, as he discusses the factors that diminish joy in work, and practical steps that teams can take to work together to nurture their workforce and address the issues that drive burnout and sap joy in work.

Read the transcript

Published June 2021

In this episode of the QI Boxset series, Melissa Donald, Chair of RCVS Standards Committee and RCVS Junior Vice-President, explains why Clinical Governance is a Code of Conduct requirement for vets and nurses, in a chat with Pam Mosedale.

Read the transcript

Access all of the content from the first series of the QI Boxset here

Published April 2021

In this episode of the QI Boxset series, Rachael Bacon RVN, explains the benefits of group chat journal clubs.

Read the transcript

Access all of the content from the first series of the QI Boxset here

Published April 2021

In this episode of the QI Boxset series, Lizzy Whiting, Highly Commended in the 2020 Knowledge Awards, chats to Pam Mosedale, our QI Clinical Lead, about her experiences of setting up QI in practice. 

Read the transcript

Access all of the content from the first series of the QI Boxset here

Published April 2021

In this episode of the QI Boxset series, Pam Mosedale, our QI Clinical Lead, chats to Professor John Williams, National Surgical Lead at Vets Now, about systems and meetings to aid communication in practice. 

Read the transcript

Access all of the content from the first series of the QI Boxset here

Published April 2021

In this episode of the QI Boxset series, Pam Mosedale, our QI Clinical Lead, chats to Angela Rayner, Director of QI at CVS, about why QI is so important in practice.

Read the transcript

Access all of the content from the first series of the QI Boxset here

Published March 2021

Bill Lucas, Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning and Professor of Learning at the University of Winchester, shares the habits of mind that can help to develop a culture of continuous improvement in health, education and other sectors - and how you can help cultivate those in yourself and your team. This is a recording of a presentation sponsored by RCVS Knowledge at the SPVS-VMG Focus on Leadership and Management Virtual Summit on 1 December 2020. 

Download the presentation slides and the transcript.

In this Audio Summary Veterinary Evidence authors, Tom Ling and Lucy Hocking share the findings of their study, co-written with Ashley Doorly and Chris Gush, and conducted to explore Quality Improvement in the veterinary sector. Read the full Knowledge Summary here. 

Getting the whole team on board is often harder than it seems. Amelia Poole, RVN and QI Project Officer at RCVS Knowledge, chats to QI Champions Helen Silver-MacMahon, RVN, and Kelly Tillett, ERVN, about how to introduce new concepts and changes to your team in a way that will encourage uptake, and what to do if others in your team don’t share the same passion for change.

This podcast is taken from a session for BVNA's This Is Us online event, in October 2020, the webinar can be viewed here.

Read the transcript

Published January 2021

Richard Killen, former Director of Clinical Services at CVS and RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisor, and Angela Rayner, Clinical Services Manager at CVS and current RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisor, discuss how to embed ‘systems thinking’ into a practice team, and what CVS have been doing to improve quality and safety. This session was recorded at SPVS VMG Congress, Newport in January 2020, as part of the Quality Improvement stream.

Read the transcript

Published December 2020

Amelia Poole, RVN and RCVS Knowledge Project Officer, chats to Meghan Conroy about her aural cytology audit, including the original idea, trials and successes, and how her audit has changed the way they practise.

The written discussion can be read here and the transcript can be accessed here.

Published November 2020

Meghan Conroy, RVN discussed her case example, which looks at the prevalence of ear cytology performed before and after antibiotic treatment across her practices. This case example was highly commended in the Knowledge Awards 2020.

The written case example can be read here and the transcript can be accessed here.

Published November 2020

Samantha Thompson, RVN and Post-Registration Programme Manager for the Linnaeus Group, discusses her post-operative hypothermia audit and how the team used the results to make changes within practice. Samantha was awarded Highly Commended in the 2020 Knowledge Awards for her QI initiative. Read her case example here.

Download the transcript. 

Published August 2020

Getting started with quality improvement in practice can be daunting if you don't know where to start, and continuous quality improvement can often seem overwhelming. In this webinar produced for BSAVA 2020, Louise Northway, RVN, discusses why quality improvement is a staple in practice, how to get started with clinical audit and what your results might indicate for patient care.    

Based on practical examples, including Lou's award-winning small animal neutering audit, find out how to use evidence to improve standards of care, and how QI can help promote a just culture.  

- Louise Northway VNCertECC NCert(Anaesth) RVN

Download the transcript and presentation.

Published July 2020.

How can we express evidence in a way that means people will engage with it and understand it? How do team dynamics and individual context influence whether evidence is used appropriately and fully? What can we learn from the experience in human medicine?

These questions and more are explored in this roundtable discussion featuring:

- Trish Greenhalgh, Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford
- Dr Zoe Belshaw, internal medicine specialist, Centre for Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine at the University of Nottingham/PDSA
- Dr Louise Buckley, RVN and Lecturer, University of Edinburgh/Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
- Laura Playforth, Veterinary Surgeon, Vice-Chair of RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board and Professional Standards Director at Vets Now
- Adewole Adekola and Imogen Schofield: Veterinary Surgeons and PhD students at the Royal Veterinary College

Download the transcript.

The Knowledge Sessions bring together specialists from across the industry to examine the landscape, propose potential approaches to complex problems, and provide practical advice on a range of subjects.

Published July 2020.

CKD is a common diagnosis, especially in elderly cats, and results in shortened lifespan and reduced quality of life due to weight loss, variable/poor appetite, vomiting, polyuria and polydipsia. A successful outcome depends on an individualized approach, which is developed with the involvement of the cat’s owner. Monitoring visits are very important to ensure that owners are supported and that clinical problems are identified and treated promptly.

Introducing new concepts and best practice into a busy clinic can be challenging. This podcast discusses the best available treatment for CKD and how getting the team involved in the development of practice specific clinical guidelines can drive the standard of medicine at which we practice.

Featuring: -

-Paul Pollard MVB Cert AVP(VC) Pg Dip Vet Ed FHEA MRCVS: RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisor.

-Dr Sarah Caney BVSc PhD DSAM(Feline) MRCVS: CEO of Vet Professionals.

View the accompanying resources and webinars on our QI CPD Page.

Download the transcript and the presentation.

Published June 2020.

Part 5 in our infection control series focuses on the use of audits in veterinary practice, and the role of auditing in benchmarking and monitoring infections and progress. It is delivered by:

- Pam Mosedale: Chair of the RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board, Lead Practice Standards Scheme Assessor (RCVS) and Bella Moss Clinical Advisor

- Dr Tim Nuttall: Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh; RCVS Knowledge Infection Control Advisor and Bella Moss Clinical Advisor

View the accompanying infection control resources and webinars on our QI CPD Page.

Download the accompanying presentation and transcript. 

Published June 2020.

This guide to disinfectant types for veterinary professionals is Part 4 in our infection control series.

- Sairéad Wild BSc (Hons), PgDip, RVN. RCVS Knowledge Infection Control Working Party; Course Director: University College West Anglia, Access to Veterinary Science; Lecturer: Veterinary Nursing (Higher Education)

- Pam Mosedale: Chair of the RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board, Lead Practice Standards Scheme Assessor (RCVS) and Bella Moss Clinical Advisor.

View the accompanying infection control resources and webinar on our QI CPD Page.

Download the accompanying presentation and transcript.

Published June 2020. 

Part 3 in our series on infection control: infection prevention, and control policies and procedures in routine practice by:

- Liz Branscombe DipAVN(Surgical) RVN: RCVS Knowledge Trustee and Training Manager, Davies Veterinary Specialists

- Pam Mosedale: Chair of the RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board, Lead Practice Standards Scheme Assessor (RCVS) and Bella Moss Clinical Advisor

View the accompanying infection control resources and webinar on our QI CPD Page.

Download the accompanying presentation and transcript.

Published May 2020.

Lizzie Lockett, CEO of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, provides a personal take on quality improvement, why it's important for all people working in a practice to be alive to change, and RCVS initiatives that support the adoption of quality improvement.

Download the transcript and find free quality improvement resources.

The Knowledge Sessions is a series that brings together specialists from across the veterinary industry to examine the landscape, propose potential approaches to complex problems, and provide practical advice on a range of subjects.

Published May 2020.

Audio version of an RCVS Knowledge webinar, part 2 in our series on infection control: organisms of concern and modes of transmission by:

- Dr Tim Nuttall: RCVS Knowledge Infection Control Advisor; Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh; and Bella Moss Clinical Advisor

- Pam Mosedale: Chair of the RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board, Lead Practice Standards Scheme Assessor (RCVS) and Bella Moss Clinical Advisor

View the accompanying infection control resources and webinar on our QI CPD Page.

Download the accompanying presentation and transcript.

Listen to Part 1: Infection control and biosecurity during COVID-19.

Published May 2020.

Pam Mosedale (Chair of RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board and Acting Lead Assessor and Veterinary Advisor for the Practice Standards Group) and Charlotte Hartley (RVN and Practice Standards Advisor for North West) advise on getting started with clinical audit in practice, discussing topics, benefits and barriers.

This presentation was recorded at Ashbrook Equine Hospital during the RCVS Knowledge Equine Roadshow in 2019, kindly sponsored by the Horserace Betting Levy Board and accredited by the British Equine Veterinary Association.

Download the full transcript and presentation.

View the clinical audit case examples.

Published May 2020.

Recorded by VetPodCasts. In conversation with Nicky Paull (retired vet, ex BVA President and Chair of the VDS Board), Pam Mosedale (Chair of the Quality Improvement Advisory Board) and Cornish vet Lizzie Whiting (Quality Improvement Advisor) describe how the ‘whole team’ approach to problem-solving which is an integral part of successful QI,” a huge help and believes adopting QI can be of benefit to any size or type of practice. Recorded 6th May 2020.

Audio version of an RCVS Knowledge webinar providing an introduction to the evidence base on COVID-19 and the patient/client journey, featuring:

- Pam Mosedale: Chair of the RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board, Lead Practice Standards Scheme Assessor (RCVS) and Bella Moss Clinical Advisor

- Alan Radford: RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisor and Professor in Veterinary Health Informatics at the University of Liverpool

- Dr Tim Nuttall: RCVS Knowledge Infection Control Advisor and Bella Moss Clinical Advisor; Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh.

Download the transcript. For more COVID-19 guidance, visit the RCVS Knowledge COVID-19 resources hub.

Published May 2020,

Tim Mair, President of the British Equine Veterinary Association and Equine Veterinary Director of CVS, looks at the challenges and benefits of introducing clinical guidelines into equine practice. Real-life examples demonstrate how to create your own guidelines and monitor their effect in practice.

This session was recorded at Ashbrook Equine Hospital as part of the RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Equine Roadshow in 2019, kindly sponsored by the Horserace Betting Levy Board and accredited by the British Equine Veterinary Association.

Download the transcript and the presentation.

Published May 2020.

Rachel Dean of VetPartners and Ulrika Gronlund of AniCura share views and experiences of the clinical benefits of corporatisation - capturing and sharing data and knowledge at scale, quality improvement approaches, benefits for the animal owner, and more.

Download the transcript.

This podcast is part of the Knowledge Sessions, a resource that brings together specialists from across the veterinary industry to examine the landscape, propose potential approaches to complex problems, and provide practical advice on a range of subjects.

Published May 2020.

Chaired by Dan Tipney, VetLed, the panel featuring Louise Northway, Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre; Alison Thomas, Blue Cross; Pam Mosedale, RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board; and Richard Byrne, West Bar Hospital, discuss their experience of quality improvement in practice.

Areas of discussion include topics to start with, how to record, tips to engage your team, as well as the benefits and barriers they have experienced.

Download the full transcript.

This presentation was an Adapt, Improve, Achieve session by RCVS Knowledge recorded at SPVS-VMG Congress 2020 in Newport as part of the Quality Improvement stream.

Published May 2020.

What can we learn from the NHS's approach to patient safety over the past 20 years?

Suzette Woodward, a paediatric intensive care nurse who is now a Professor in patient safety, discusses the latest safety concepts and science that are sweeping the NHS - as well as what we could do differently.

Download the full transcript.

This presentation was an Adapt, Improve, Achieve session by RCVS Knowledge recorded at SPVS-VMG Congress 2020 in Newport as part of the Quality Improvement stream

Published April 2020.

Shobhan Thakore, Clinical Lead for the Scottish Quality and Safety Fellowship Programme, gives an approachable and personal perspective on how to get your team on board to deliver quality improvement.

Shobhan discusses recent NHS initiatives to help manage expectations, engage and work with the team to respond to change, and deal with fear of blame. 

Download the full transcript.

This presentation was an Adapt, Improve, Achieve session by RCVS Knowledge recorded at SPVS-VMG Congress 2020 in Newport as part of the Quality Improvement stream.

Published April 2020.

Pam Mosedale, Chair of RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Advisory Board, shares valuable lessons about how checklists have reduced errors in human healthcare and other industries, and how checklists can be applied successfully in a veterinary setting.

This presentation was recorded at Ashbrook Equine Hospital during the RCVS Knowledge Equine Roadshow in 2019, kindly sponsored by the Horserace Betting Levy Board and accredited by the British Equine Veterinary Association.

Download the full transcript and accompanying presentation.

Published April 2020.

Alice Bird, Senior Clinician in Anaesthesia at the Animal Health Trust, talks through the significant event audit of a postoperative complication that occurred in equine practice, including how a blame culture was avoided, lessons learned and resultant processes put in place.

The session formed part of the RCVS Knowledge Equine Roadshow recorded at Ashbrook Equine Hospital in 2019, sponsored by the Horserace Betting Levy Board and accredited by the British Equine Veterinary Association.

Follow along with the presentation.

Published March 2020.

Checklists have been used in aviation and human medicine for decades, given their proven power to reduce avoidable errors and significant events.

Amanda Boag (Clinical Director at Vets Now, RCVS Knowledge Trustee and Vice-President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) discusses the state of play with checklists in the veterinary industry, why checklists are liberating rather than constraining, and how a simple piece of paper can save lives.

Download the full transcript, the accompanying presentation and RCVS Knowledge's new Surgical Safety Checklist Manual.

Published February 2020.

Doing research as a veterinary practitioner is easier and more rewarding than you think. But what kind of research can you do? What are the benefits of doing research in practice, and what skills and resources do you need? Where do you get started, and what kind of impact can you make?

Dr Marnie Brennan, Dr Zoe Belshaw and Hannah Doit from the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine provide an approachable step-by-step guide, with tips on making research in practice useful and fulfilling, and some inspiring examples.

Download the full transcript and the references.

This podcast is part of the Knowledge Sessions, a resource that brings together specialists from across the veterinary industry to examine the landscape, propose potential approaches to complex problems, and provide practical advice on a range of subjects.

Published January 2020.

This roundtable discussion looks at the controversial area of patient values and ethics in evidence-based veterinary medicine. What are patient values and do they matter? How does animal sentience affect the notion of informed consent? Who should have the final say in potential treatment?

Peter Cockcroft, Editor-in-chief of Veterinary Evidence, chairs this fascinating and wide-ranging podcast recorded last year featuring experts in the field: Carol Gray, David Mills, Siobhan Mullan, Francoise Wemelsfelder and James Yeates.

Download the full transcript.

This podcast is part of the Knowledge Sessions, a resource that brings together specialists from across the veterinary industry to examine the landscape, propose potential approaches to complex problems, and provide practical advice on a range of subjects.

Published December 2019.

For World Antibiotic Awareness Week, UK Chief Vet Christine Middlemiss chairs a roundtable discussion on challenges presented by antimicrobial resistance and ways to tackle it, with guests Ian Battersby (Davies Veterinary Specialists/Mission Rabies), Steve Howard (PDSA), Kristen Reyher (Bristol Veterinary School) and David Singleton (Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network). (November 2019).

Download the full transcript.

Published November 2019. 

Margaret Mary Devaney, Assistant Director for Quality and Risk at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, and Anita Malana, Team Leader for Trauma, Orthopaedics and Private Theatres at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, draw on personal experiences to give a thought-provoking overview of quality improvement, approaches to safety and a learning culture in the NHS. This emotive presentation was made at RCVS Knowledge's National Summit for Supporting Quality Improvement in Veterinary Care 2019.

Follow the visual presentation while you listen →

Published May 2019.

Dr Bill Taylor gives a captivating plenary on 'Quality Improvement and the NHS', outlining some of the basics of quality improvement and its history (December 2017). 

Follow Bill's visual presentation while you listen →

Matt McMillan, Principal Clinical Anaesthetist and Critical Care Co-ordinator at Queens Veterinary School Hospital, delivers his talk on checklists, revealing the underlying reason why they are necessary and delving into their war-time history (December 2017).

Lizzie Locket, the CEO of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, presents a plenary session about the importance of adopting a learning culture (December 2017).

Dr Bradley Viner, discusses the importance of embedding quality improvement in the profession and introduces our Quality Improvement Project (December 2017).

Embracing EBVM as a concept is an important first step, but is of little value unless it is translated into an improvement in patient care. This session will discuss how EBVM can be incorporated into clinical guidelines at a practice level, using a team-based approach to maximise concordance (January 2017).

Follow the visual presentation while you listen →

In human medicine, the management of care to ensure safety for the service-user constitutes an important element of the patient journey. The name given to this discipline is patient safety. It is founded upon those elements of good medical practice which help avoid or mitigate human error. (November 2016).

Follow the visual presentation while you listen →

The Q&A from Mark Turner's session on patient safety (November 2016).

Gillian Leng illustrates the highs and lows of using evidence in the healthcare setting, drawing on experience from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) relevant to veterinary medicine (November 2016).

Follow the visual presentation while you listen →

The Q&A from Gillian Leng's presentation illustrating the highs and lows of using evidence in the healthcare setting (November 2016). 

This podcast discusses how a significant event can lead to the practice examining what happened, looking at the evidence base, revising protocols and auditing implementation of the new protocols. A significant event is an event thought by anyone in the team to be significant in the care of patients or the conduct of the practice (November 2016).

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Facebook Live Videos

A discussion with Louise Northway, Lou the Vet Nurse, and Jill MacDonald, VN Futures, for a chat about Quality Improvement (QI), leadership and expanding the role of the Veterinary Nurse. Jill will be joining us from VN Futures to talk about how they are supporting VNs to develop and maintain a rewarding and sustainable career. Lou will then discuss how Quality Improvement can benefit these areas, and how to get involved and take the lead in your next QI project.

A panel discussion featuring Pam Mosedale, QI Clinical Lead, Amanda Curtis, RVN, Angela Rayner, CVS Director of Quality Improvement, and Amelia Poole, QI Project Manager, discussing their own personal experience of clinical audit, the benefits they bring. Find inspiration for your own audits and how to get help along the way. (Recorded November 2021)

A panel discussion and Q&A with the co-chairs of the RECOVER initiative. Focusing on their creation and maintenance. Covering the trials, successes and lessons learned. Taking an in-depth look at how the available evidence was used (recorded 16th October 2020). Chaired by Amanda Boag, Chair of RCVS Knowledge Board of Trustees, and discussion with Dr Jamie Burkitt, Dr Daniel Fletcher, Dr Manuel Boller and Amelia Poole RVN: QI Project Officer.

Knowledge Award 2020 Champion Louise Northway (Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre) joins Knowledge Award 2020 Highly Commended Sam Thompson (North Downs Specialist Referrals/ Evolution VN Development) to discuss the audit cycle relating to intravenous catheter care, and how you can use this to improve patient safety (recorded 19th May 2020).

Resources mentioned:

Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Care checklist [Word 144KB] (Updated September 2019).

Peripheral catheter care and phlebitis score checklist [PDF 662KB] (Updated September 2019).

Can I Hang? Ideal Time to Replace Isotonic Crystalloid Intravenous Fluids and Sets to Prevent Fluid Contamination and Blood Stream Infection: a Knowledge Summary (CPD: 10 minutes)

Ward, A. 2018. Introducing the Ward Phlebitis Scoring Chart 2018: A reflective and personal practical review and approach. Veterinary Nursing Journal. 33:11, 313-318 [Subscription required] (CPD: 15 minutes)

Veterinary Evidence

Infection control webinar series

Knowledge Award 2020 Champions Helen Silver-MacMahon (Animal Health Trust) and Louise Northway (Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre) join RCVS Knowledge via Facebook live to discuss the benefits of using checklists. Using common emergency procedures as examples, they give ideas of how to adapt your checklist for use in practice (recorded 5th May 2020).

Resources mentioned:

Checklist examples

Surgical safety checklist manual [PDF 1529KB] (updated December 2019) (CPD: 60 minutes).

Lou the Vet Nurse takes over the RCVS Knowledge Facebook site for a discussion about clinical audit, how to get started in practice, how to keep engaged and get help along the way (recorded 5th November 2019).

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Videos

Learn more about the RCVS Knowledge Canine Cruciate Registry by following Albert through his journey. The RCVS Knowledge Canine Cruciate Registry aims to improve canine cruciate patient outcomes and minimise complications, by supporting clinicians to evaluate which surgical techniques and implants are most effective and advance their quality of care.

Find out more about the Canine Cruciate Registry (CCR)

In this Knowledge Natter, Lou Northway, Clinical Lead RVN, talks to vets Sophie Gilbert and Lucy Leicester from Vets Now about their award-winning project using audit and guidelines for the management of dystocia cases. Knowledge Natters are friendly, informal discussions with our Knowledge Award Champions and those who are empowered by Quality Improvement in their work. (Recorded March 2023)

You can read the transcript here.

You can read the Vets Now Ltd case example here.

A handy how-to guide for those working within the veterinary professions on using the National Audit for Small Animal Neutering. Find out more and download the spreadsheet via vetAUDIT. For more information on auditing visit our clinical audit page. 

(Recorded September, 2022)

Louise Northway talks about the importance of a learning culture and continuous quality improvement when it comes to keeping your team motivated and working together. This presentation was given at The College of Animal Welfare at Clinical Coach Congress 2019. Image credits: The staff at WHVC and Canva.com. (Recorded 18th March 2019).

      • Systems Thinking (Human Factors and Complex Systems Research Group, 2017) (CPD: 4 minutes)

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Recommended publications

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Other materials

      • Quality Improvement discussion guide poster: Use this poster to display your Quality Improvement projects, plan further projects and track their progress. You can use this poster as a focal point for your Quality Improvement discussions. This poster is designed to be professionally printed, and laminated, on A2 paper. To order your professionally printed and laminated A2 discussion guide, copy and paste the URL into your internet browser or visit https://www.serviceprint.net/product/qi-discussion-guides/ [PDF 61KB] (Published November 2022)
      • National Audit for Small Animal Neutering (NASAN) discussion poster: Use this poster to display your National Audit for Small Animal Neutering results and compare them with your practice and the national benchmark. You can use this poster as a focal point for your Quality Improvement discussions. This poster is designed to be professionally printed, and laminated, on A2 paper. To order your professionally printed and laminated A2 discussion guide, copy and paste the URL into your internet browser or visit https://www.serviceprint.net/product/qi-discussion-guides/ [PDF 73KB] (Updated June 2024)
      • What matters to you? A conversation guide for leaders: Adapted from the original IHI framework, this resource is intended to support leaders within the veterinary sector in introducing the Joy in Work concept to their teams. The conversation guide will support you in setting up initial and continuing conversations with your team to identify any workplace frustrations, or ‘pebbles in your shoes’, and to engage and empower the team to identify potential solutions. [PDF 374KB] (Published February 2022)
      • Conversation guide for discussing contextualised care: Contextualised care is an approach to cases which takes into consideration factors such as the animals circumstances and owner values. The ability to have a conversation around a challenging decision can help to evaluate such cases, reducing stress for veterinary teams and facilitate communication with owners. This conversation guide is to help the veterinary team identify any areas of support that the pet owner may require when diagnosing and treating their pet. [Word 53KB] (Published October 2022)
      • Quality Improvement Glossary: A glossary of the common terms in quality improvement. (CPD: 5 minutes)
      • Consensus Guidelines: A list of consensus guidelines that may assist you in creating your own practice guidelines.
      • Safe Surgery (World Health Organisation, 2020).
      • Always Events toolkit (Institute for Healthcare Improvement, 2016) (CPD: 45 minutes)
      • Civility saves lives: A website run by health care professionals aiming to raise awareness of the power of civility in medicine.

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UK Based organisations involved in quality improvement

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International organisations

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Last updated 30/04/2021

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