What is "clinical governance" about? I mean, really? What does it tangibly change in my patients' world?
There's a pervasive assumption that it's always right, always good, always clear, always happening and always helpful to patients.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.
But this is heresy and I shall be burnt. So it goes.
5 comments:
Clinical Governance is a way of attempting to control the actions of people.
A little like the GMC use of the word 'probity' which means departing from the narrow path of true faith.
Move the wood along, as there are more heretics to be burnt - Latimer and Ridley of our era?
Absolutely JD. Whatever the original intention Clinical Governance is used to try and dictate the clinical practice of doctors.
And "probity" is like the military "conduct unbecoming an officer" which is used when no specific defined misdemeanour has been committed.
I worked for a clinical governance manager. I still can't tell you what it is, though I do remember there were lots of meetings. Meetings and audits. BG
When I started my first house job we had a one week (!) induction where we were lectured on clinical governance on no less than three separate occasions.
At no point did anyone discuss such peripheral issues as: antibiotic prescribing policy, blood transfusion, management protocols (e.g. neutropenic sepsis), lab procedures (where the ABG machine is, what sample bottles for the lab, where is the lab), job responsibilities, how to escalate problems up the chain of command, what to do when the shit hits the fan (e.g. where to find the defib) or, indeed, anything practical at all.
And the reason for this is because in the NHS it is easier to tick a box - yes, told about clinical governance - than it is to actually implement the whole point of clinical governance in practice.
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