Health Improvement Programme for
Doncaster 2000 - 2003

Introduction

The concept of clinical governance is:

A framework through which NHS 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.

Strategic Direction

The strategic aim is:

To develop a clinical governance framework within the health community which will encourage identification and dissemination of best practice and will deliver improved quality of care.

General Commentary

Clinical governance is one tool by which the quality of care and service provision of the NHS is ensured. In turn, by raising quality, the best outcomes that health care services can provide will be attained. This will improve the health and health care experience of individual patients. Clinical governance is proceeding well in Doncaster and the appropriate action plans will be produced on schedule. Once these action plans are complete, Doncaster will be in a good position to be continually improving the quality of care for patients.

There are many initiatives and working groups involved in clinical governance related activity and a stock take to identify all relevant groups is in progress. A comprehensive action plan for clinical governance has been produced which integrates all aspects of governance responsibilities. Contact has been made with dentists, optometrists and community pharmacists with a view to involving them in the clinical governance framework. A comprehensive approach to clinical governance has been developed in primary care and each hospital NHS Trust has appointed a clinical governance lead, completed stocktakes and developed action plans.

Discussions are taking place to: "develop a shared vision for the integration of audit, research, commissioning, the role of public health observatories and strengthen and clarify the system for limiting the provision of particular medical and surgical interventions and other patient services."

Further information can be obtained by downloading the full text version of the Health Improvement Programme for Doncaster 2000 - 2003.

Any comments on this section should be submitted to the theme lead, Dr John Cornell, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at: Doncaster Health Authority, White Rose House, Ten Pound Walk, Doncaster DN4 5DJ. email: john.cornell@doncaster-ha.trent.nhs.uk