Clinical governance in community health care settings: Evidence and issues

Abstract

This paper identifies clinical governance frameworks within the literature that are applicable to community health care settings. The paper focuses on three main topics: the importance of developing a clinical governance framework within a community health service; the main elements of a clinical governance framework; and the process of implementing a suitable framework. Although research for primary care is more limited, the available evidence suggests that, as with hospitals, there are significant opportunities for improving the safety and quality of clinical practice in primary care through improved clinical governance. Frameworks for clinical governance, key elements for implementation, and methods of implementation are also identified.