Surgical Quality Considerations in the United Kingdom

An overarching goal for surgery is to deliver high-quality care, which is safe, timely, effective, efficient, patient-centered, and equitable. However, there is still evidence of preventable complications and mortality, inefficiencies, disparities, and variability in surgical care provided in the UK. Over the last two decades, there have been important developments to address quality deficits in surgery through targeted quality improvement efforts. Enhancing outcomes and mitigating the risk of adverse events require effective monitoring and quality control systems to be in place. Here, we describe how quality can be measured on a national system, along with the measurement and assessment of short-term and long-term treatment outcomes. Furthermore, we reflect on national quality improvement efforts to improve outcomes in surgical patients, as well as the quality and access to healthcare.