Applying Clinical Audit for Quality Improvement in a UK Primary Care Emergency Practice Setting: A Dystocia Case Study

Key takeaways

In this award-winning case example, the team at Vets Now identified room for improvement in the care of dystocia cases. A working group was created to support clinicians with decision-making and improve patient welfare by using audit and benchmarking data to inform guidelines and resources relevant to care provided by Vets Now Ltd. The level of engagement in the audit highlighted team-wide commitment to improving patient outcomes.

• Measurable improvements in patient care: The clinical audit led to clear improvements in dystocia care, including increased use of diagnostic imaging (from 27.3% to 72.5%), better foetal heart rate monitoring (from 27.3% to 48.7%), and more consistent bodyweight recording alongside safer oxytocin prescribing.
• Collaborative team engagement enhances Quality Improvement: Engaging a multidisciplinary team, which included vets and nurses in the audit and training process, fostered ownership and enthusiasm. This helped embed QI into daily clinical life and increased uptake of the guidelines and resources across multiple sites.
• Data-driven decision-making supports better outcomes: The use of structured data collection and analysis enabled benchmarking and identification of areas for improvement. This helped guide clinical decisions between medical and surgical interventions, ultimately enhancing patient safety and welfare.
• Team training and resource creation: The development and dissemination of checklists, guidelines, infographics, and live discussion panels provided accessible, practical tools to support clinical decision-making and encourage inter-professional learning. This helped improve both maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Download the PDF and read the case example to get deeper insights into the methods and outcomes, and to apply these strategies in your own practice to enhance patient safety and care.