The difference between audit and research was neatly encapsulated by the subheading to a leading article by Smith: “Research is concerned with discovering the right thing to do; audit with ensureing that it is done right.” Penney et al have reported an audit of the management of induced abortion in hospitals in Scotland, comparing the results obtained in a first round of six months in 1992 with those obtained in a second round of two months in 1993. 2The authors conclude that four statistically significant improvements were detectable when all 10 hospitals were taken together and that no overall deteriorations occurred in any elements of care. A rather different picture emerged when individual hospitals were considered. Considering 15 of the 16 criteria of care, giving 150 comparisons of the two rounds of audit, it was concluded that major improvements occured in 31 comparisons and significant deteriorations occurred in 11. Despite acknowledging that some of the improvements recorded …