Clinical governance
Clinical Governance is the framework for continuously improving and safeguarding the quality of care we give our patients. It highlights that delivering a quality service and monitoring clinical performance is as important for NHS Trusts as monitoring finances. At Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust we work to promote clinical governance through the seven areas of Standards for Better Health:
Safety- Clinical and Cost Effectiveness
- Governance
- Patient Focus
- Accessible and responsive care
- Care environment and facilities
- Public Health
Who is responsible for Clinical Governance?
Clinical Governance is the responsibility of all those who are involved in patient care, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and managers. Everyone has a part to play in developing, delivering and monitoring a high quality service. The Trust's nominated lead for clinical governance is the Trust's Medical Director.
What is the role of the Care Quality Commission in monitoring Clinical Governance?
The Care Quality Commission is an independent body which was set up to improve the quality of NHS healthcare. They have three aspects to their role:
Inspect - To inspect the quality and value for money of healthcare and public health
Inform - To equip patients and the public with the best possible information about the provision of healthcare
Improve - To promote improvements in healthcare and public health
The Care Quality Commission assesses the management, provision and quality of NHS Healthcare and reviews the performance of each NHS Trust and awards an annual performance rating through a new system called the "annual health check", which looks at two key areas: Getting the basics right and making and sustaining progress.
