Handbook

Ensuring safety and providing quality care are fundamental principles used by health care professionals to guide and structure practice. This subject provides an overview of emerging health policy with particular attention to clinical governance. Clinical governance is one framework through which healthcare organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care. In analysing a clinical governance framework, students will firstly consider healthcare design, analysis and improvement, error reporting and investigation, public accountability and open disclosure. In addition, students will discuss and apply the tools needed for healthcare improvement and examine the risks faced by health service managers and leaders. International approaches to safety and quality in healthcare delivery are also discussed with an emphasis on error reduction and meeting national quality and safety standards within health services settings.