Improving the child's experience of healthcare: the implementation of clinical governance

Abstract 

The concept of clinical governance and the philosophy of quality-centred care is being implemented throughout the National Health Service. Clinical governance integrates the activities necessary to ensure high-quality care for patients. It is about identifying standards, robust systems of inspection, local innovation and enabling patient empowerment; all themes that build on the lessons of the inquiry into children's heart surgery at Bristol. This paper explains how clinical governance as a framework for quality underpins and supports the delivery of child-centred, safe and high-quality care. It also recognizes the importance of teams, organizations and systems in delivering this care. In addition, it presents a case study which offers an insight into how clinical governance can be applied, day to day, in children's services.

Keywords:  clinical governance, quality, children, healthcare, Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry, multidisciplinary teams, case study