All four of the surgeons in the Brain and Spine Clinic believe very strongly in transparency of surgical results. This provides prospective patients with evidence to make an informed decision about their care, but also ensures maintenance of a high quality of care through a process of review by our surgical peers. As part of this we subject our surgical results to the following processes:
• Neurosurgical National Audit Programme (NNAP)
This programme was set up by the Society of British Neurological Surgeons to audit outcomes for both neurosurgical units and individual surgeons, and is seen as a key element to improve quality of care and patient safety. Individual surgeon data for each of the four surgeons in the Brain and Spine Clinic can be found via the following links:
Scott Rutherford https://www.hed.nhs.uk/SBNS/ViewMedic/Details/91776265344
Andrew King https://www.hed.nhs.uk/SBNS/ViewMedic/Details/87687700064
Hiren Patel https://www.hed.nhs.uk/SBNS/ViewMedic/Details/91872466880
John Leach https://www.hed.nhs.uk/SBNS/ViewMedic/Details/94854714496
• Quality Assurance Programme of NHS England
NHS England’s Quality Surveillance Team are involved in surveillance and review visits of all specialised and cancer services. The surgeons of the Brain and Spine Clinic are closely involved in this process as part of their roles in the Skull Base and Neuro-oncology Multi-Disciplinary Teams at Salford Royal Hospital. Our practices within these subspecialties are subject to annual self-assessments, internal validations or external peer review.
• National Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Audit
• National Vestibular Schwannoma Audit
Professor King and Mr Rutherford have been instrumental in setting up a national audit of vestibular schwannoma management in the UK through their roles in the British Skull Base Society. This is now integral to the assessment of quality of care for this condition, and these results are regularly published at the British Skull Base Society’s Annual Meeting.
• Spine Tango
All of the surgeons of the Brain and Spine Clinic participate in an audit programme of all spinal operations carried out at Salford Royal Hospital, known as the International Spine Registry or Spine Tango. This is run under the auspices of EuroSpine and allows patient-reported outcome data to be collected in an objective fashion.
• British Spine Registry
For spinal operations at The Alexandra Hospital and Spire Manchester, Mr Leach may ask to collect data for the British Spine Registry which is an alternative database to Spine Tango. You will given a patient information sheet and consent form
• Local Practice Databases
- Mr Rutherford and Professor King maintain a surgical database of all skull base operations (including vestibular schwannomas, meningiomas, other rarer skull base tumours and microvascular decompressions). This allows us to regularly perform audits of all aspects of this surgical practice.
- Mr Leach participates in a local database of all brain and spine tumours which collects outcome data for audit and research.
- Mr Patel has set up and maintains a database of all vascular cases treated at Salford Royal Hospital to ensure all aspects of care of this group of patients is of the highest standard.
• Publication of surgical results in international peer-reviewed publications.
Over the past decade, Mr Patel, Mr Leach, Professor King and Mr Rutherford have regularly published aspects of their surgical practice in neurosurgical journals, allowing scrutiny of their practice and outcomes by others.
Specific surgical results will be elaborated on in the treatment section of respective conditions. Should you require further information about our surgical results, we will be happy to provide these on request.