What is a clinical audit?
Reviewed September 2026 · Written by Complys and checked against published guidance (sources below).
A clinical audit is a way of checking whether care is being delivered to the standard it should be, and improving it where it isn't. It is one of the core pillars of clinical governance and a routine part of quality improvement in healthcare.
The definition
Clinical audit is widely defined as a quality improvement process that seeks to improve patient care and outcomes through systematic review of care against explicit criteria and the implementation of change. In short: measure against a standard, then act on what you find.
The key words are 'explicit criteria' (a clear standard to measure against) and 'implementation of change' (an audit that changes nothing is not complete).
Why it matters
Audit turns 'we think our care is good' into evidence. It shows where practice meets the standard and where it falls short, gives a basis for improvement, and — repeated over time — demonstrates that care is getting better. It is central to assurance and to demonstrating quality to a board or a regulator.
How it differs from research and service evaluation
These are often confused. Research asks what the right thing to do is (it creates new knowledge). Clinical audit asks whether we are doing the right thing (measuring against an existing standard). Service evaluation asks what a service is currently achieving, without measuring against a predetermined standard.
The distinction matters because it affects governance and ethical approval: audit and service evaluation generally do not need research ethics approval, whereas research usually does.
Run audits that actually close the loop
Complys manages the audit cycle end to end — standard, findings, action plan, evidence and re-audit.
Sources
This guide is general information, not clinical or regulatory advice. Always check the current guidance that applies to your organisation.
What is a clinical audit? — FAQs
What is a clinical audit in simple terms?
Checking whether care meets an agreed standard, and improving it where it doesn't — a systematic review of care against explicit criteria, followed by change.
What is the difference between clinical audit and research?
Research creates new knowledge about what the best care is; clinical audit measures whether existing best practice is actually being followed. They serve different purposes and have different governance requirements.
What is the difference between clinical audit and service evaluation?
Audit measures care against a predetermined standard; service evaluation describes what a service is currently achieving without a preset standard to judge against.
Does a clinical audit need ethical approval?
Clinical audit and service evaluation generally do not require research ethics approval, whereas research usually does — but always follow your organisation's governance process.