The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh: Teams Based Quality Review for Clinical Practice (TBQR)

Team Based Quality Reviews (TBQR) provide a structured, evidence-based approach to team learning in clinical practice. Building on existing processes such as morbidity and mortality (M&M) meetings and significant event analyses, TBQR supports whole-team reflection from the point of an event through to shared learning, meaningful actions, addressing unintended consequences and follow-up for improvement.

This one-day course, developed in partnership with NHS Education Scotland, RCSEd and the GMC, equips healthcare professionals with the tools, frameworks, and strategies needed to embed TBQR into clinical practice. Participants will gain practical skills in implementation strategies, analysing events, identifying meaningful actions, and overcoming barriers—such as time, resources, and system alignment.

Designed for colleagues leading or interested in safety reviews, or seeking to improve daily work practices, this course provides an opportunity to enhance the understanding, and application of Human Factors and Systems Thinking into practice.  It explores how TBQR can be used not only to learn from harm, but also from success, innovation, and complexity in care delivery. This course provides delegates with an opportunity to join a wider network of professionals and learn from areas of good practice across the globe.

By supporting collective learning and psychological safety, TBQR strengthens team performance, staff wellbeing, and organisational resilience, ultimately advancing safe, effective, and sustainable healthcare.

Learning style

There are two components to this course, as follows:

• Online / e-Learning training module. This pre-workshop module supports the learner in their understanding of the TBQR process, its underlying principles and provides an overview of designing quality and safety review pathways.
• Face-to-face workshops which will involve interactive lectures on core topics relevant to safety reviews and practical work.

Aims & Objectives

To equip surgeons and the healthcare workforce with the knowledge, skills, and implementation strategies to design, lead, and participate in Team Based Quality Reviews (TBQR), grounded in contemporary safety science and Human Factors principles. The course complements existing national safety review policies and frameworks, fostering a culture of learning, improvement, and understanding of resilience in systems.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the purpose, principles, and practical relevance of Team Based Quality Reviews (TBQR) within health and care settings.
• Describe and map a TBQR process tailored to their own team or organisation, applying Human Factors principles to enhance learning and safety.
• Apply Systems Thinking and appropriate analytical frameworks to review cases in TBQR, M&M meetings, or similar review and reflective practices.
• Demonstrate the use of the TBQR process in a simulated scenario to identify system strengths, vulnerabilities, and strategies to build resilience within the system.
• Evaluate, plan, and apply implementation strategies to embed TBQR in their workplace in order to:
• Enhance learning and innovation
• Advance training
• Focus resources where required
• Improve staff wellbeing
• Promote psychological safety
• Engage patients and families.

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