The CRABEL score--setting standards in maxillofacial medical note-keeping.

The CRABEL score (developed by Crawford, Beresford and Lafferty) was introduced for auditing medical note-keeping at Morriston Hospital in June 2001. Guidelines detailing the scoring system were issued to all clinicians in the maxillofacial unit. An auditor selected two sets of medical notes from each consultant's firm, giving an initial allocation of 100points/firm (50 points for each set of notes). The notes of the most recent in-patient admission were analysed using the CRABEL marking sheet to give a score out of 100 for each firm. The audit was repeated at 3-month-intervals. CRABEL scores within the maxillofacial unit improved from 70 to 97. The CRABEL score is simple, reliable and repeatable. It is a successful and objective measure for audit and for improvement in the quality of note-keeping. We propose that it be adopted in maxillofacial units throughout the United Kingdom.