Second cycle
The audit cycle is now almost complete, but without re-evaluating the care it will be impossible to see if recommendations have been implemented and the level of care improved
- You may at this point wish to revisit your criteria and see if they need changing or refining (changing criteria at this stage may have a direct effect on the ability to compare the first audit data collection with the second, in reality you may be re-starting a new first audit cycle. Careful consideration should therefore be made of any proposed change to criteria).
- You may want to raise the standards (or rarely lower them if you feel the previous standards are unattainable in the light of new findings) raising or lowering standards has no effect on the ability to compare the first data collection with the second as long as the criteria remain unaltered.
- Practice action plans should always include a date for re-audit.
The second audit cycle will be essential for audits presented at appraisal for the purposes of revalidation. The second audit cycle should take place at an appropriate time distance from the first audit cycle, the time chosen will depend on the subject being studied and should be at an appropriate length to allow meaningful change to have happened. In relation to the appraisal year any audits presented may initially be five stage audits (including only the first audit cycle) which may then stimulate an entry into the PDP with a plan to complete the second audit cycle in a subsequent appraisal year.