ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the key components of clinical governance and presents a model which sites the differing activities undertaken within primary care into a coherent and systematic framework. The White Paper makes provision for a system of quality assurance of the arrangements for clinical governance through the work of the Commission for Health Improvement. Clinical governance could ask for a demonstration that tools are being used within each domain to promote the management of primary care across all of the domains. Moving the clinical governance agenda forward will require considerable effort, time and resources for primary care groups (PCGs), primary care trusts and HAs. It is also important to recognise that clinical governance applies to all tiers within an organisation and should not only look at clinical and non-clinical activity and consider internal and external influences, but should also consider these at the individual, team and PCG level.
