Estimated study time: 8 minutes

Learning objective: Evaluate evidence for authenticity, currency, mapping, reflection, confidentiality and readability.

Good evidence Weak evidence
Specific activity with context and personal contribution. Generic essay with no workplace connection.
Anonymised, annotated and easy to navigate. Raw screenshots, printouts or documents with no explanation.
Clear mapping and justification. A list of standards with no link to the evidence.
Credible and current sources. Unsourced claims, random websites or invented references.
Shows learning, judgement and patient-safety impact. Only describes what happened.

Evidence should normally be current enough to represent present practice. Current IBMS guidance states that evidence must be within three years of verification. Local changes to procedures, equipment or guidance may mean an item needs updating sooner.

Confidentiality check

  • Remove patient names, NHS numbers, dates of birth, addresses and other identifiers.
  • Check screenshots for hidden identifiers, accession numbers, barcodes and metadata.
  • Avoid uploading confidential local documents unless approved.
  • Use extracts or redacted copies only when local policy permits.
  • State what was anonymised and why.

Learner activity

Evaluate one potential evidence item using the six-point checklist: authentic, current, relevant, mapped, reflective and anonymised.

Key points

  • Evidence should be selected, not dumped.
  • Current practice and confidentiality must be checked.
  • The verifier should be able to understand the evidence trail quickly.
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