Is there a role for audit in continuous professional development?

The aim of audit is to improve patient care by examining practice and unmasking areas requiring improvement. It is endorsed by professional bodies and health service management, and often linked, albeit perhaps indirectly, with further professional development. Audit utilizes significant health care resources; therefore, its use ought to be subject to critical evaluation and demonstrable effectiveness. To influence change, audit is inevitably linked to a method of feedback and motivation. Despite the long history and many published studies, there remains considerable debate and uncertainty as to its effectiveness and, consequently, cost–benefit. Published literature suggests the need for further research to determine in which areas audit will be beneficial and also to determine what factors influence the efficacy of audit and feedback. Given this uncertainty, the role of audit in continuous professional development remains speculative.