This paper describes the procedure and outcome of an audit exercise de
signed to identify the equipment of choice from among the nasogastric
(NG) tubes available on the UK market. In order to assess some of thes
e in a systematic way, a working party of dietitians and nurses was es
tablished. Standards expected from a NG tube were set and agreed. Thes
e were then used to evaluate seven tubes to see which reached the agre
ed standard. This was not an exhaustive survey of all available tubes
on the market, but a selection of those commonly available. Among the
seven tubes investigated, the Corslo(R) Merck tube was found to be the
NG tube of choice in Oxfordshire. Future reassessments will be requir
ed as new NG tubes become available.