The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7470 p320
22 September 2007

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Paucity of clinical governance in primary care

Clinical governance is not as well established in primary care as it is in secondary care, a report by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee concludes.

On the basis of a National Audit Office report published earlier this year (PJ, 13 January, p39), the PAC examined the Department of Health’s progress on implementing clinical governance in primary care in England. It concludes that there is uncertainty between primary care trusts and contractors with regard to accountability for ensuring quality and safety.

The PAC report recommends that guidance for PCTs should tell them to include clear outcome measures on quality and safety in their contracts so that the performance of health care providers can be monitored and evaluated.

The report also says that PCTs should train professional executive committee members in management and leadership skills so that they can play a strategic role in embedding quality and safety.

The report is available from the PAC website