BMUS introduces comprehensive new audit guidance for members

BMUS has launched the Clinical Audit in Ultrasound: Guidance Document as a member-only resource to support high-quality, evidence-based ultrasound practice. The guidance has been developed to help departments and individuals plan, conduct and evaluate clinical audits in a structured and meaningful way.

Clinical audit remains central to ensuring that ultrasound practice is safe, effective and aligned with national standards. By providing a framework for evaluating diagnostic accuracy, guideline compliance and reporting quality, audit serves as a mechanism for continuous improvement and professional development.

The new guidance document takes users step by step through each stage of the audit cycle – from defining a topic and establishing standards, to analysing results, developing an action plan and undertaking re-audit. Each section explains the rationale behind the process, helping practitioners not only to complete an audit, but to understand its purpose within a wider culture of quality assurance.

A wide range of example audits are provided, including assessments of hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, thyroid nodule reporting, gynaecological ultrasound completeness, and probe decontamination practices. These examples demonstrate how audit can be tailored to both general and specialist areas of practice.

The guidance also outlines professional roles and responsibilities, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration between sonographers, radiologists, governance teams and data analysts. By embedding audit within departmental structures, ultrasound teams can ensure that outcomes are monitored, learning is shared, and improvements are sustained.

In addition to the guidance itself, BMUS members will gain exclusive access to a library of downloadable audit templates designed to simplify audit design and data collection. These templates are adaptable to different clinical contexts, supporting consistency in how audits are recorded and reported.

The Clinical Audit in Ultrasound: Guidance Document reinforces BMUS’s commitment to promoting safe, high-quality and accountable ultrasound practice. It complements existing BMUS and RCR frameworks by offering members a practical toolkit to strengthen governance, enhance service delivery and support lifelong professional learning.

BMUS members can access the full document and related templates through the Members’ Area of the BMUS website.

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