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Quality Improvement

National Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures - Bronchoscopy and Pleural Procedures

In response to the need for NatSSIPs guidance on respiratory procedures, BTS has developed guidance to support the implementation of Local Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures (or LOCSSIPs). The main focus of this guidance is on the following procedure areas:

  • Diagnostic bronchoscopy - including flexible bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy (EBUS)
  • Pleural interventions - pleural aspiration, chest drains, pleural biopsy, local anaesthetic (or "medical") thoracoscopy and indwelling pleural catheters

This guidance is generic and each hospital will need to carefully assess its own staffing, procedure capability and resources to create a suitable LocSSIPs document. 

This resource was last updated in 2023 to reflect the latest standards National Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures (NatSSIPs2). Links to the updated BTS guidance and to NatSSIPs2 standards can be found below.