The government should increase funding for national clinical audits to improve the quality of care and cost effectiveness in the NHS in England, says Nick Black, chairman of the Department of Health’s National Clinical Audit Advisory Group.

Speaking to the BMJ, Professor Black called on the government to increase funding for national audits, which he said were “absolutely central” to improving the quality of care.

His comments come after the announcement on 15 September of six additional national clinical audits in the NHS’s national clinical audit and patient outcome programme.

Professor …