Clinical Governance
HQSC have updated their high-level clinical governance framework "Collaborating for quality: A framework for clinical governance". RNZCGP advise that general practices should continue to use the 2017 guidelines (linked below) while they work with HQSC on a transition to the 2024 guidance.
Clinical governance is a "framework through which organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care, by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care will flourish." Source: National Health Service UK (NHS). |
Policy
See HQSC: Clinical Governance Framework 2017: Guidance for Health and Disability Providers.
We follow a clinical governance framework to connect and coordinate all patient safety and quality improvement initiatives at our practice.
We are committed to following a structured, organisation-based approach to improving the quality of our service and standard of care.
We apply an equity lens to all clinical governance activities.
To deliver clinical governance, we:
- designate time and resources to clinical governance oversight
- have designated roles to support clinical governance, and include these responsibilities in position descriptions.
Our clinical governance team ensure:
- audits are completed within required timeframes
- compliance activities are carried out
- meeting actions are followed up
- results and feedback are shared with the wider team.
We identify our quality and safety goals in a quality plan and check progress against this at meetings.
Delivering clinical governance
We have designated roles to support clinical governance:
Our team plan, organise, and prioritise activities in the core elements of clinical governance. This ensures governance and management are connected and accountable.
1. Patient engagement and participation
2. Clinical effectiveness, including equitable outcomes
3. Quality improvement/patient safety/infection control
4. Engaged, effective workforce
Clinical governance procedure
The team who oversees clinical governance includes:
- [role at practice]
- [role at practice]
- [role at practice]
- [role at practice]
The standard agenda includes the core elements of clinical governance.
- The clinical governance team meets monthly.
- Meetings are chaired by the clinical lead.
- Any staff member can add agenda items by notifying the practice manager in writing by the Friday before the meeting.
- Practice participation is discussed with the wider team at the next team meeting.
- Minutes are emailed to all attendees, and a paper copy is placed on the shared staff noticeboard within 7 days.
Clinical governance documents
Our quality plan is compiled by the clinical governance team and contains goals for all the core elements of clinical governance. Progress is checked at each meeting, and the plan is reviewed annually.
Our quality plan contains all our quality improvement projects and actions, allowing us to map progress.
The Quality Plan must include all the requirements from the RNZCGP Foundation standard.