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Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Audit Committee and predecessors

IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 1538 RCOG/B7

Held at: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Title: Audit Committee and predecessors

Date(s): 1961-1999

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 66 boxes and 4 volumes

Name of creator(s): Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

In 1947 a Standard Maternity Hospital Report Committee was set up by the College to encourage maternity hospitals and departments to publish annual medical reports in order to maintain a high standard of practice. In 1948 it published a standard form for them to adopt in order that comparisons might be made over time. This was widely adopted in the UK and Commonwealth and revised in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1973 the Committee changed its name to the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Statistics Committee, and in 1977 to the Statistics and Epidemiology Committee. In 1978 the Committee became a sub-committee of the Scientific Advisory and Pathology Committee. It reverted to a full committee in 1983. During these years the Committee took an active role in the advent of computerisation in relation to the collection and analysis of maternity data and also in disease definition, classification and coding systems. After the collection and analysis of data from Fellows and Members of the College about laparoscopy in 1978, other statistical studies on particular topics followed. In 1990 the Committee was renamed the Audit Committee as it was envisaged that audit was likely to be an increasingly large component of its work. An Audit Unit, funded by the Department of Health and based at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester, was established in 1991 under the supervision of the Audit Committee. In 1999, despite the fact that some members felt that their original remit with regard to statistics and epidemiology would be sacrificed, both the Committee and Unit were wound up and their responsibilities transferred to the Guidelines and Audit Sub-committee and Clinical Effectiveness Support Unit.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' Audit Committee and predecessors, 1961-1999, comprising general correspondence, minutes and papers, 1961-1999; records relating to the Standard Maternity Information System and the National Perinatal Pathology Survey, 1980-1986, the Perinatal Definitions Working Party, 1968-1980, the Information and Computing Sub-committee, 1981-1987, and the Maternity Data-sets Sub-group, 1996-1998; records of the Audit Unit, Manchester, 1992-2007; records relating to particular projects overseen by the committee in the 1980s and 1990s including on the use of caesarean section for pre-term breech deliveries, late abortion and minimally invasive surgical techniques for the treatment of metrorrhagia; working group reports on standards in gynaecology, obstetrics and maternity care, 1995.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

As set out above in Scope and Content.

Conditions governing access:

Open, although restrictions apply for items containing personal information.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

RCOG/B3/2 have been indexed and the names of successful candidates will be found in the Index to the Guide to the College Archives.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

In 1999 a Disposal Agreement (DA/5) was made between the Administration Department and the College Archives to destroy unsuccessful applications.

Accruals:

No further accruals expected.

Archival history:

In 1985 a collection of papers concerning the elevation to Honorary Fellowship, Fellowship Ad Eundem, and Fellowship without Membership were found in a storeroom; these were all retained permanently and are at B3/2. Later records were transferred at various times by the Fellowship Selection Committee secretary. The minutes at B3/5 were transferred in 2003 by the Membership Services Department. In 2007 it was decided to move much of this fonds to A12.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Early transfers of records of the Committee and its predecessors are undocumented. From 1998-1999 the Committee's records were transferred at regular intervals by the Committee secretary.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Copy minutes of the Library Committee are at MR17 (1934-1961) and MR20 (1961-1973).

Related material:

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Imported from the RCOG catalogue and edited by Sarah Drewery.