National Infection and Sepsis Audit for Acute NHS Hospitals

HQIP is seeking a provider to design and deliver the National Infection and Sepsis Audit for acute NHS hospitals in England and Wales. This clinical audit will track infection and sepsis care pathways in hospital emergency departments and inpatient settings, covering both community-acquired and hospital-onset infections for all patient ages. The audit will use existing digital data sources where possible (such as Hospital Episode Statistics and Electronic Patient Records) combined with targeted sampling to manage costs across a cohort of approximately 1 million annual emergency admissions. The successful provider will develop quality indicators aligned with NICE guidance, deliver timely benchmarked data at multiple organizational levels, ensure strong patient and clinician engagement, and support healthcare improvement through accessible reporting. The initial 3-year contract is valued at up to £1,146,300 excluding VAT (£1,375,560 with VAT), with a potential 2-year extension worth approximately £743,300 excluding VAT. Additional aspirational measures may be added if funding becomes available. Suppliers should plan for robust data governance, statistical rigor, stakeholder engagement, and timely delivery of audit outputs to drive service improvements across the NHS.