Audit is only as good as the quality (specific questions), and the quantity (number of responses) of feedback submissions.
If you are a surgeon performing Surgery in Primary Care, whether that be vasectomies, any level of skin surgery, carpal tunnel decompression and/or other hand surgery, or other procedures that are performed under LA, then you should be collecting and collate a yearly audit on both patient complications and their experience.
Why undertake audit?
Audit is the bedrock from which any surgical association can increase their standing and credence in the local or wider surgical community, especially in respect to the sometimes skeptical secondary care surgical community.
For how else can you prove that Surgery undertaken in the Community offers as good (if not better), a more cost-effective service, and a significantly more positive patient experience when compared to Hospital based procedures if not than by AUDIT?
Audit thus….
For how else do you know if you need to improve your service other than reflecting on your audit results?
ASPC Questionnaires
We now have official ASPC questionnaires for
The ASPC Vasectomy audit is possibly the largest patient’s experience audit for ANY surgical procedure in the UK, whilst our Carpel Tunnel Decompression audit is (we believe) the largest audit for that specific procedure in the UK.
Every year the ASPC request the audit data collected by your clinic in respect to each of the 3 surgical procedures above and compile all these audit data to produce a spreadsheet showing both your audit figures, and everyone else’s. Meaning you see not only how you are performing, but how you are performing compared to other service providers.
Collection tools
The ASPC offers you already formatted collection tools such as SurveyMonkey, specific tailored Excel sheets, and Microsoft Forms for you to collect, collate and then present your data.
SurveyMonkey is our main tool of collection at present for the vasectomy, though Microsoft Forms has its own advantages, and both are free to use by becoming an ASPC member.
For Carpal Tunnel decompression and the Skin Surgery audits, whilst SurveyMonkey can be used, the ASPC have specially developed Excel sheets to collate and your Audit results.
For more details, please visit the Audits Documents in the membership only area of the website, then open the Audit Information folder, where you can access the document: ASPC Questionnaires Overview
Plus, expanded information about each of these 3 questionnaires:
All the latest versions for all 3 procedures Questionnaires can be found in the member’s area of the ASPC Website in their respective Audit years folder.
Otherwise, should you want any further information regarding anything related to Audit please contact Ashleigh for more details: Audits@ASPC-uk.net
All these benefits come from joining the ASPC.
Come on, join the movement!!!
Recent Publications
Abstract: Comparison of postal and non- postal post- vasectomy semen sample submission strategies on compliance and failures: an 11- year analysis of the audit database of the Association of Surgeons in Primary Care of the UK
Full Article: Comparison of postal and non- postal post- vasectomy semen sample submission strategies on compliance and failures: an 11- year analysis of the audit database of the Association of Surgeons in Primary Care of the UK
Abstract: Complications of vasectomy: results from a prospective audit of 105,393 procedures by ASPC members
Full Article: Complications of vasectomy: results from a prospective audit of 105,393 procedures by ASPC members
Abstract: Remember Vasectomy – Challenges and Successes One small snip for mankind…
Full Article: Remember Vasectomy – Challenges and Successes One small snip for mankind…
Abstract: Risk of Post-Vasectomy Infections: Audits of 133,044 Vasectomies from Large Vasectomy Practices in Canada, Colombia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom
Full Article: Risk of Post-Vasectomy Infections: Audits of 133,044 Vasectomies from Large Vasectomy Practices in Canada, Colombia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom
- ASPC Carpal Tunnel Decompressions Surgery Audit
-
We have finalised the questionnaires and process for undertaking a member wide, on-going Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) survey for all hand surgery being undertaken.
This uses the validated Patient Evaluation Measure (PEM) part 2 tool, which has been validated for all hand surgery.
We have dispensed with the PEM part’s 1 and 3, and instead have asked the questions we feel relevant to the patients experience and any complications.
It is very easy for patients to complete and for you and your staff to record the results.
There are 3 questionnaires, one pre-op, one on the day (including the requisite ‘Friends and Family’) and one 3 months post-op.
The audit cycle runs for 12 months covering the periods 1st Jan until 31st Dec, for presentation at the following years Conference
Details how to collate the scores will be sent out to all members.
Gareth James, Audit lead for ASPC Gtbvas@Yahoo.co.uk
- ASPC Vasectomy Audits
-
We offer two standardised questionnaires for vasectomy – both of which have been officially endorsed by the FSRH and can be accessed in the members Area
To set up as an audit data contributor, please email Gareth James, Audit Lead for ASPC at the following address - Gtbvas@Yahoo.co.uk
Once you start contributing to the audit, you will also be able to gain access to national audit results.
Here are some tips for audit data collection from Gareth James, Audit Lead for ASPC:
Audit is only as good as the quality (asking SPECIFIC questions) and the quantity (number of feedback submissions) of the questions asked….
What do we want to specifically ask the patients?
Did you experience any:
a) Infection – Who gave the antibiotics? What reason?
b) Swelling – How big? Was it painful, how long for?
c) Pain – How long, how bad, have you still got any?
d) Experience – Before, during, after…
The ASPC now uses two 2 different questionnaires
1) On-The-Day Questionnaire – Directly after the operation, before they leave the Clinic
This gives you quantifiable data focusing on the patients experience of the operation, doctors’ competence and manner, the operative environment, leading up to, and including the operation itself. Good for your commissioning body / CCG
2) The Post-Operative Questionnaire – asked usually between 1 to 4 months after their vasectomy (often sent with reminders to undertake tests, or with letter confirming test results)
This is your MAIN provider of audit data for complication rates, and provide a lot of information for learning feedback for your whole vasectomy service.
The audit cycle runs for 12 months covering the periods 1st April until 31st March, for presentation at the following years ASPC Conference
Details how to collate the scores are sent out to all members.
For the latest audit documentation please login to our members area.
- ASPC Skin Surgery Audit
-
This set of questionnaires offers surgeons and clinics a more patient centered set of questionnaires focusing more on the patients experience and their personal outcomes/complications.
It is very easy for patients to complete and for you and your staff to record the results.
There are 2 questionnaires, one on the day (including the requisite ‘Friends and Family’) and one post operation questionnaire
The audit cycle runs for 12 months covering the periods 1st Jan until 31st Dec, for presentation at the following years Conference
Details how to collate the scores are sent out to all members.