NSQI Annual Conference 2025: Driving meaningful change through clinical audit and quality improvement
The National Specialty Quality Improvement (NSQI) Annual Conference drew over 200 participants in person and online on 26 November 2025.
Driven by the theme ‘Driving Meaningful Change Through Clinical Audit and Quality Improvement,’ the conference highlighted the pivotal role of clinical audit and quality improvement in advancing healthcare, enhancing patient safety, and improving care. Discussions focused on practical strategies to foster and sustain these activities amid the demands of a busy healthcare environment.
This year marked the second publication of patient and public-friendly versions of the three national annual data reports, developed in partnership with patient and public interest (PPI) representatives. Health literacy is essential to patient-centred care, and presenting information in a clear, accessible format empowers patients to navigate the health system with confidence and dignity.
The National Radiology Quality Improvement Programme published its 6th national data report, covering 2024 data from 48 public and voluntary hospitals. The combined workload in participating hospitals exceeded 3 million cases for the third consecutive year, reflecting a sustained increase in diagnostic demand. Significant work has been undertaken to review key quality indicators and establish explicit targets for report turnaround times, which were presented at the conference.
The National Histopathology Quality Improvement Programme released the 12th annual national data report, presenting findings from data collected from the National Quality Assurance and Improvement System (NQAIS-Histopathology) from 1 January to 31 December 2024 from 28 laboratories, in public, voluntary, and private hospitals. The report highlighted that many of the laboratories are achieving targets across a number of key quality indicators. Capacity challenges remain a key focus of this year’s findings.
The National GI Endoscopy Quality Improvement Programme released its 10th national data report. The report presented 2024 data submitted to NQAIS-Endoscopy by 51 public, voluntary and private hospitals relating to 313,106 procedures completed by 944 endoscopists. The data analysis revealed that over the past five years, there has been a consistent rise in the proportion of endoscopists achieving all key quality indicator targets.
The National Bronchoscopy Quality Improvement Programme shared an update on the considerable progress made over the past year. The key step in its evolution was the contribution of the working group and programme management team to the development and validation of the new national electronic records system (ERS), which will be introduced across bronchoscopy units. This system will enable quality improvement data collection for the programme.
The conference was also an opportunity to hear how the data have been used in clinical audits, including some real and measurable benefits achieved through the QI initiatives undertaken by teams from four different hospitals. A poster exhibition offered insight to over 20 further clinical audits and other quality improvement projects completed across the country.
Other topics presented and discussed included:
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The complexities of change management, effective strategies and practical tools that empower teams to adapt with confidence, maintain momentum, and foster an environment where continuous improvement is embedded as standard practice.
The insights and discussions shared during the event provide a strong platform for meaningful progress. By continuing to collaborate, embracing innovation, and ensuring that patients remain at the heart of decisions, we can shape a healthcare system that is safer, more responsive, and firmly rooted in quality.
Image: Mr John Farrelly, Dr Diarmuid O’Shea, Prof Trevor Duffy, Dr Karen Hartery, Dr Jan Leyden.