Primary Care Trusts “improving quality and
safety”
Summary
Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are responsible at the local NHS
level for the statutory “duty of care”, largely through implementing clinical
governance.
“Clinical governance” involves improving the overall
standard of clinical care, reducing variations in access to services, and
ensuring that local decision-making is based on the most up to date
effectiveness principles.
Clinical governance, when used effectively, provides PCT Chief
Executives with assurance that healthcare is safe and of good quality.
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How does it affect me?
If you work in a PCT, or are or have been a
PCT patient, this may be of interest to you.
This Report finds that,
while processes for clinical governance have largely been put in place,
progress varies both within and between PCTs.
PCTs that are showing good
progress are characterised by availability and accessibility of information to
support evidence-based medicine, a system whereby staff are appraised against
an agreed work and development programme and underperformance by clinical staff
addressed by clear management procedures, a system whereby service users are
involved in service development, and clear action plans developed in response
to clinical risks.
The Report concludes that more needs to be done to
provide assurance about the performance of General Practitioners and the
systems which protect the safety of patients.
Find out more about
clinical governance on the Department
of Health’s website.
