ABSTRACT
There have been many changes in the National Health Service in recent years, but perhaps the most dramatic change is the impact of clinical governance on the day-to-day work and professional development of everyone employed by the service. The government has responded to notorious cases of malpractice by establishing the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), which sets standards of service through the National Health Service Frameworks. Accountability to patients, organizations and the profession is currently a high priority for all clinicians. It is through clinical governance that organizations ensure good practice, by making individuals accountable for setting and monitoring performance standards.
