Clinical governance

Clinical governance describes the systems, processes, leadership and culture at the core of healthcare that is:

• safe
• effective
• accountable
• person-centered.

Achieving good clinical governance

Safer Care Victoria's Clinical governance framework helps health services achieve good clinical governance and instill continuous improvement.

Download our framework: Delivering high-quality healthcare

Under the framework, you must:

• review your clinical governance structure to ensure it is consistent with the framework
• frequently evaluate your clinical governance systems and processes to drive continuous improvement
• ensure adequate internal documentation in line with the framework.

The five domains of good clinical governance

Reviewing your clinical governance 

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards

The newly updated NSQHS Clinical Governance Standard describes the requirements for your health service to:

• review and strengthen your current clinical governance arrangements
• consider the high-risk times in your service context; it may be helpful to review existing structures and processes to determine whether they meet the organisation’s needs
• address gaps by collaborating with consumers and leaders throughout the organisation to develop or adapt structures and processes.

Organisations will be assessed against the new standards from January 2019.