The Quality Assurance Project was set up at the end of 1984 to stimulate the assessment and promotion of quality in health care in Britain. This report presents the findings of a survey undertaken to identify what practical steps were being taken by individual professional organisations (colleges) and to make these available to other colleges. Thirty-three medical, paramedical and related colleges were surveyed. Most colleges were able to give examples of initiatives with which they were associated. These fall broadly into categories of:- research; guidelines; standards; education; communication; and quality control.