The potential impact on care and professional development is sufficient to merit investment in clinical supervision. Clinical supervision assists practitioners to develop skills, knowledge and professional values throughout their careers. This enables them to develop a deeper understanding of what it is to be an accountable practitioner and to link this to the reality of practice more easily than has previously been possible. Clinical supervision is not to be a statutory requirement for nurses and health visitors. This position may be reviewed if the need arises.
Clinical supervision is an integral part of the role of the supervisor of midwives.
Potential benefits are not thought to be limited to patients, clients or practitioners. A more skilled, aware and articulate profession should contribute effectively to organisational objectives. Clinical supervision should, therefore, contribute significantly to an organisation's ability to meet such a priority. Lifelong learning The European Commission has designated 1996 as the European Year of Lifelong Learning. It is pertinent, therefore, to link clinical supervision with lifelong learning.