The BTS Quality Standards for the investigation and management of pulmonary nodules how now been published on the BMJ Open Respiratory Research website (athttp://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/) and on the BTS website (at https://www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/standards-of-care/quality-standards/bts-pulmonary-nodules-quality-standards/)

First published in 1989, The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has produced the referral guidelines, Making the best use of clinical radiology services, to help clinicians, radiologists, radiographers and other healthcare professionals to determine the most appropriate imaging investigation(s) for a wide range of clinical problems. They provide practical guidance based on the best available evidence, together with expert opinion where evidence is lacking or conflicting.

The report of the second phase of the independent review of NHS pathology services in England has been published together the Department of Health's response to recommendations made by the review..

How doctors close the gap

Tackling the social determinants of health through culture change, advocacy and education.

Medical Record Keeping Standards

With funding from Connecting for Health, the HIU has been co-ordinating a project to develop medical profession-wide standards for the content structure of hospital admission records, handover and discharge communications. For more information please visit the RCP website

In response to recent requests, a copy of the PowerPoint presentation on this topic given at the Spring 2004 BNMS meeting has been made available for us.

Members should note that this has been prepared by an independent management consultant and does not therefore have the formal endorsement of the BNMS.

Click here for access to the presentation..

External Quality Assessment (EQA) is designed to provide objective evidence of the quality of individual investigations and analyses and is essential for clinical laboratories.EQAS's have developed over the past 20 years and are now available from a range of providers covering most clinical laboratory services. From the outset, British EQAS's have had the objective of maintaining high clinical laboratory standards by providing help, support, and education to participants in a confidential setting.In this way, the professions within pathology have kept their own house in order and have taken responsibility for maintaining high standards and, in doing so, have avoided a licensing system for laboratories.

EQAS's are available which cover Schilling tests and Red Cell Volumes.

Further details can be obtained through the UK NEQAS website.

The British Nuclear Medicine Society would strongly encourage any centre carrying out non-imaging tests for which there is and EQA scheme available to join such a scheme to ensure quality and best practice.

Disposal facilities for solid radioactive wastes