The aim of Quality Assurance (QA) in the bowel cancer screening programme is to maintain minimum standards and continuously improve performance across all aspects of the programme ensuring that individuals have access to a high- quality service, regardless of where they live.
Quality assurance is a shared responsibility between:
- The Trusts that provide the service;
- The Business Services Organisation (BSO) that maintains and operates the bowel cancer screening IT system and provides a call/recall service;
- The Public Health Agency (PHA) that commissions the programme; and
- The Young Person and Adult Screening Team within the Public Health Agency who are responsible for ensuring quality standards are achieved and maintained throughout the programme.
QA Leads
The quality assurance function is underpinned by an organised structure of public health and professional leads, supported by programme managers, information staff and administrative staff.
Individual QA Professional Leads within the Bowel Screening Programme are appointed through a formal interview process with agreed job descriptions and dedicated sessions allocated to the role.
They are responsible to the Public Health Consultant Lead for Bowel Cancer Screening and accountable to the Assistant Director of Public Health, Screening and Professional Standards
The Role of QA Leads
QA leads are responsible for supporting the coordination of quality assurance activities within the Northern Ireland Bowel Screening Programme and for providing professional advice to the Public Health Agency on issues relevant to the commissioning of the programme within their area of expertise. They work collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders to support the quality assurance of the programme. This includes ensuring that relevant national and local standards are met and appropriate continuous quality improvement processes are in place.
Bowel Cancer Screening Programme QA Leads:
| QA Lead for Colonoscopy | Dr Kourosh Khosraviani, BHSCT |
| QA Lead for Radiology | Dr Chris Hutchinson, NHSCT |
| QA Lead for Histopathology | Dr Maurice Loughrey, BHSCT |
| QA Lead for Specialist Screening Practitioners (SSP) | Alison Armstrong, BHSCT |
For more information on the Quality Assurance Structure read our Northern Ireland Cancer Screening Programmes Quality Assurance Structures document (in process of being updated- not available to upload).