Clinical governance--watchword or buzzword?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Medical Ethics
• Health Policy

Background:

• The National Health Service (NHS) reform emphasizes quality achievement and maintenance.
• Clinical governance mechanisms are being established to ensure quality.
• The precise role and understanding of clinical governance require clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the concept of clinical governance within the NHS.
• To explore the potential role of clinical ethics committees in clinical governance.
• To differentiate the function of ethics committees from managerial roles.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of clinical governance.
• Examination of the Socratic and critical appraisal functions of ethics committees.
• Discussion of the relationship between ethics committees and institutional policies.

Main Results:

• Clinical governance involves management aligned with defined objectives.
• Ethics committees should focus on fundamental ethical questions and policy appraisal, not direct management.
• Properly understood, ethics committees can contribute significantly to effective governance.

Conclusions:

• Clinical governance requires a clear understanding of its aims and mechanisms.
• Clinical ethics committees offer a critical, ethical perspective essential for robust governance.
• Integrating ethics committees' critical appraisal function can enhance the meaningfulness of clinical governance.