EQUIP

EQUIP (Education and Quality in Practice) was formed in 1996 by the amalgamation of the North Essex components of the Essex Medical Audit Advisory Group (MAAG) which had been in existence since 1990 and GP Education in Essex, which had been in existence since 1992.Prior to April 1996, the organisation had worked across the whole of Essex, but with the division of Essex into North and South Health Authorities, EQUIP took the lead role in co-ordinating audit and education programmes in primary care in North Essex working within the NHS family.Dr John Guy, MAAG Chair since 1990, remains Clinical Lead for EQUIP and Linda Grimstead, who managed both previous organisations, remains Manager of the organisation.The majority of active Board members have also been with the organisation since its inception. North Essex Health Authority (NEHA) agreed a delegated budget for the management of an agreed programme of activity and the original partnership was in 1997.