6 Sep 2026
Jack Hiscock, an NHS-based Clinical Audit and Effectiveness Coordinator and member of the HQIP-hosted National Clinical Audit and Clinical Effectiveness Collaborative (NCA-ACE), explains why he believes that a ‘skills passport’ for clinical audit professionals would deliver value for the healthcare sector, for patients and, of course, for the professionals themselves…
“In the current NHS environment, with increasing financial pressures, the need to professionalise clinical audit has never been more urgent. Establishing a structured progression pathway would help us standardise what should be expected of individuals working in our sector at different levels, including those moving into senior roles. It would also create clearer opportunities for people to gain experience and develop into recognised specialists within our field. One of the most effective ways to achieve this, I believe, is through the development of a ‘skills passport’.
Skills passports? What are those?
Skills passports are used widely across the healthcare sector, with clinical competency passports now either established, or being established in nursing, pharmacy, and allied health professions. They are also increasingly common outside healthcare – in fields such as archaeology and energy where they enable individuals to move between organisations while clearly demonstrating their suitability for a role.
There are, however, important differences between types of passports. Clinical skills passports tend to be highly explicit, with competencies broken down into discrete tasks that require formal sign‑off by trained and competent staff. This is not something we are likely to replicate in our sector, given the limited opportunities for formal qualifications and the nature of our work. Our skills are not always granular in the same way. For example, while many of us support colleagues in developing project proposals, these types of skill are not processes that can naturally be reduced to step by step, technical actions in the way that changing a drug giving set can.
As a result, our approach aligns more closely with the skills passports used in non‑healthcare sectors, which emphasise broader capabilities and areas of experience. This may be more beneficial, particularly as data‑focused roles continue to grow, where demonstrating experience in handling large datasets is often more meaningful than outlining the specific steps used to do so.
How might this look for us?
The mention of the archaeology skills passport given above is no accident. As someone who in a previous life (over 15 years ago) was in the archaeological sector just prior to the release of the Archaeology Skills Passport, I’ve seen how role expectation has become more consistent and supported by more structured workplace development. By aligning with professional standards produced by the Chartered Institute of Field Archaeologists, the passport provides a common framework for recording competencies, supports professional development, and can evidence progression towards professional accreditation.
By using a similar structure to the archaeology skills passport, with skills grouped from Primary through to Tertiary, we could start to map out the wider capabilities needed in clinical audit roles. Primary skills could be anchored to the HQIP four‑stage model which comprises preparation and planning, measuring performance, implementing change, and sustaining improvement. Relevant secondary and tertiary competencies could then be woven into each stage.
For example, the planning and preparation stage could include ‘understanding sources of projects’ – which could be further separated into learning around requirements for NICE compliance audits as well as audits that link in with national and regional priorities and strategies (such as the 10 Year Health Plan for England and NHS Quality Strategy).
As part of the measuring performance stage, acquisition of more hands-on skills could be demonstrated via apprenticeships in data analysis or via in-house Excel training offerings, dependent on your Trust’s development opportunities. The passport could also bring in learning on understanding coding as part of obtaining patient data, and understanding patient experience to assist with patient involvement in projects and programmes.
The implementing change stage may be a good place for Quality Improvement (QI) skills to fit into the passport. While some QI techniques are already commonly included in clinical audit roles (such as root cause analysis using fishbone diagrams and the 5-whys), others such as PDSA cycles and testing changes could also be aligned here.
Action planning and implementation following successful tests-of-change might better align with the sustaining improvement stage alongside continued measurement and re-audit.
Specific alignment of audit and QI skills may help to explain the relationship between them and better articulate how they work together across assurance and improvement.
Next steps
I’ve floated this idea before with colleagues in other Trusts, and the reaction has been mixed. The concern, understandably, is that a skills passport might lead to revisiting job bandings—especially if we begin mapping skills against banding levels or move toward more standardised job titles. That is a possibility. But given the current climate, where the number of clinical audit roles are shrinking and bandings are already being considered, it may be more important than ever to have a clear framework that evidences the skill requirements of our sector. Something that sets out what our roles involve, the skills we bring, and the experience we’ve built up.
And finally
In the end, we must look for ways that can help us give new colleagues starting out in this field a framework in which they can develop and get the most out of what can be a rewarding career in helping to improve care for patients and families. We also need to demonstrate the value of the experience we have developed – often over many years. The skills passport is just one way that we can begin this journey.”
This article reflects the author’s personal perspective and is intended to prompt discussion among clinical audit and clinical effectiveness professionals.
Have your say
If you have would like to share your thoughts about Jack’s article, please do so on the NCA-ACE workspace on the NHS Futures platform (open to eligible professionals).
Further information about NCA-ACE
The National Clinical Audit and Clinical Effectiveness Collaborative (NCA-ACE) is a national forum for local NHS trust clinical audit and clinical effectiveness professionals, hosted by HQIP. Monthly virtual meetings feature guest speakers, thematic presentations, Q&A and shared learning. Members are supported through the NCA-ACE workspace on NHS Futures, with discussions and sharing of information and materials.
For more details about NCA-ACE, and details of how to join, email HQIP.
