Good Practice Papers

Good Practice documents, produced by the Patient Safety Committee, provide practical guidance to clinicians and managers on workplace issues identified through repeated requests from service providers and managers.

Browse Good Practice Papers published by title using the section navigator or by year in the list below.

In this section

Advice on Returning to Clinical Practice after a Period of Absence (Good Practice No. 1)
Cardiac Disease and Pregnancy (Good Practice No. 13)
Classification of Urgency of Caesarean Section – a Continuum of Risk (Good Practice No. 11)
Disposal following Pregnancy Loss before 24 Weeks of Gestation (Good Practice No. 5)
Gynaecology: Emergency Services Standards of Practice and Service Organisation (Good Practice No. 9)
Improving Patient Handover (Good Practice No. 12)
Labour Ward Solutions (Good Practice No. 10)
Management of Women with Mental Health Issues during Pregnancy and the Postnatal Period (Good Practice No.14)
Maternity Dashboard: Clinical Performance and Governance Score Card (Good Practice No. 7)
Minimum Standards in Respect of Elective Work Performed During a Consultant’s Absence (Good Practice no. 3)
Reconfiguration of Women's Services in the UK (Good Practice No. 15)
Registration of Stillbirths and Certification for Pregnancy Loss Before 24 Weeks of Gestation (Good Practice No. 4)
Responsibility of Consultant On-call (Good Practice No. 8)
The Role of Emergency and Elective Interventional Radiology in Postpartum Haemorrhage (Good Practice No. 6)
Pain Relief and Informed Decision Making for Outpatient Hysteroscopy (Good Practice Paper No. 16)
Maternity Triage (Good Practice Paper No. 17)
Managing Events Surrounding a Maternal Death and Supporting the Family and Staff (Good Practice Paper No. 18)

Good Practice Papers by year

Managing Events Surrounding a Maternal Death and Supporting the Family and Staff (Good Practice Paper No. 18)

This document provides operational guidance for all healthcare professionals in maternity services, and all other specialties supporting partners, families and staff following a maternal death, with the intention of making the process compassionate, consistent and straightforward for all those involved.

Published 07/02/2024

Maternity Triage (Good Practice Paper No.17)

This guidance highlights the challenges in maternity triage departments and defines their role as emergency portals into maternity units for unscheduled attendances.

Published: 04/12/2023

Pain Relief and Informed Decision Making for Outpatient Hysteroscopy (Good Practice Paper No. 16)

This document provides guidance to those who are involved in providing outpatient hysteroscopy, with the aim of achieving optimal outcomes for women.

Published: 07/02/2023

Reconfiguration of Women’s Services in the UK (Good Practice No. 15)

This document has been archived. Please refer to the RCOG's Better for Women report.

Updated: 01/12/2019

Registration of Stillbirths and Certification for Pregnancy Loss Before 24 Weeks of Gestation (Good Practice No. 4)

This document provides guidance on the interpretation and implementation of the registration law where it is known that a fetus had died in utero before 24 weeks but is expelled from the mother after 24 weeks.

Published: 23/11/2011

Cardiac Disease and Pregnancy (Good Practice No. 13)

This document has been archived. Please refer to the European Society of Cardiology guideline Cardiovascular Diseases during Pregnancy (Management of) Guidelines.

Updated: 21/10/2021

Management of Women with Mental Health Issues during Pregnancy and the Postnatal Period (Good Practice No. 14)

This document provides guidance on the diagnosis and management of postnatal depression.

Published: 09/06/2011

Improving Patient Handover (Good Practice No. 12)

This guidance shares good practice on effective handover of teams.

Published: 29/12/2010

Advice on Returning to Clinical Practice after a Period of Absence (Good Practice No. 1)

This document has been archived. Please refer to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Return to Practice Guidance.

Updated: 28/04/2022

Classification of Urgency of Caesarean Section – a Continuum of Risk (Good Practice No. 11)

This document has been archived. Please refer to NICE guideline [NG192] Caesarean Birth.

Updated: 21/10/2021

Labour Ward Solutions (Good Practice No. 10)

This document provides guidance for those responsible for implementing the expansion of consultant presence on the labour ward.

Published: 26/01/2010

Gynaecology: Emergency Services Standards of Practice and Service Organisation (Good Practice No. 9)

This guidance sets out the principles for service organisation and delivery of emergency gynaecology.

Published: 15/06/2009

Responsibility of Consultant On-call (Good Practice No. 8)

This document has been archived. Please refer to its replacement workforce report Roles and Responsibilities of a Consultant.

Updated: 10/06/2021

Maternity Dashboard: Clinical Performance and Governance Score Card (Good Practice No. 7)

This document has been archived. Please see NHS Digital Maternity Services Dashboard for England and Public Health Scotland Scottish pregnancy, births and neonatal data dashboard for Scotland.

Updated: 11/01/2024

The Role of Emergency and Elective Interventional Radiology in Postpartum Haemorrhage (Good Practice No. 6)

This document advises obstetric units on the use of early or prophylactic interventional radiology to manage postpartum hemorrhage and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

Published: 01/06/2007

Disposal following Pregnancy Loss before 24 Weeks of Gestation (Good Practice No. 5)
This document has been archived. Please see the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) guidance on the disposal of pregnancy remains following pregnancy loss or termination (PDF)

Updated: 09/03/2022

Minimum Standards in Respect of Elective Work Performed during a Consultant’s Absence (Good Practice No. 3)
This document has been archived. Please see General Medical Council (GMC) Good medical practice Domain 2: Patients, partnership and communication – Helping in emergencies, and Domain 3: Colleagues, culture and safety – Contributing to continuity of care; as well as GMC Professional standards for doctors Leadership and management for all doctors: Working with colleagues and Delegation and referral.

Updated: 12/06/2024

Enquiries and proposals

For enquiries about Good Practice Papers, contact Michelle Sadler, Guidance Editorial Manager, at msadler@rcog.org.uk. To propose a new Good Practice Paper, please complete the topic proposal form and email it toclinicaleffectiveness@rcog.org.uk.