Clinical governance is about counting. It is about efficiently collecting and acting on reliable data. It is about valuing good evidence. It is about understanding the difference between competence and capacity. Back to Contents Preventing, not punishing Incompetence has no place in the care of patients and those who are incapable should never be asked to take the reins in clinical care.
Clinical governance is about protecting patients.
It is about ensuring that life is neither at risk nor lost because of negligence. Most under-performance arises from a failure to meet the needs of the practitioner. The question is when and how can those needs be met while the professional continues to work with the most vulnerable in the NHS, the patients. Clinical Governance is about learning. It is about valuing information especially when it leads to better care for patients.