8.1: Clinical governance and leadership

What's clinical governance?

Clinical governance is a combination of activities and relationships that connect governance with management in the four core health areas. It includes much of the positive quality and safety work already underway in general practice, and its flexible framework allows for the adaptation of clinical governance systems within practices of all shapes and sizes.

New Zealand’s Health Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC) have newly published ‘Collaborating for quality: a framework for clinical governance | He mahi ngātahi kia kounga: He anga hei whakahaere whare haumanu'.

This document provides high-level guidance for implementing clinical governance in health and disability services in Aotearoa New Zealand and intends to replace the previous clinical governance guidance released in 2017.

The 2024 framework document may be used as a resource when developing clinical governance processes and can be adapted to the context of the practice, to improve quality and safety of care.

Clinical governance is a framework designed to ensure accountability for the quality of care and to improve patient outcomes and experiences. It focuses on building a learning, safe, and equitable health system that responds to the needs of all communities, particularly through partnership with Māori, whānau, and consumers.

The 2024 framework includes four quality domains supported by system drivers that promote accountability, learning, transparency, and relationship-building. Listening and collaboration are central to this approach, with clinical leaders and managers working together to set priorities, support the workforce, and address challenges.

A consistent and well-resourced application of clinical governance across all levels of health services is essential, with clear pathways for escalating unresolved issues. Recognising the complexity of health care systems, the new Collaborating for Quality framework supports a tiered, adaptive approach to managing quality and safety.

Practices can adapt the framework to suit the character and construct of their business, for example, large or corporate style practices will have a different way of practising clinical governance to small or solo GP practices.

Roles and responsibilities for the clinical governance member, along with a policy and procedure will assist with defining a practice’s clinical governance system and help their team to achieve the practice’s mission, goals, and values.

Clinical governance roles and responsibilities

The four core elements of clinical governance described in indicator 8.2 should give you an idea of which team members would be best suited to which responsibilities. Depending on the size of the practice, there may be one or more people in each role or one person adopting multiple roles.

Signed role descriptions could be included in the HR files of the individual team members or added as an appendix to their original role description.

Equity champion

While equity is a practice-wide responsibility, it's important to designate one practice member or a team of people on site to drive equity and Māori health initiatives, and consistently provide an equity perspective. The practice's equity champion could be in a leadership role or another team member with a specific passion for equitable health outcomes for all patients. An equity champion is knowledgeable on and advocates for equity in health care.

The equity champion’s signed role description needs to be included in their HR file or added as an appendix to their original role description.

Clinical governance policy

A clinical governance policy and procedure must include:

• a policy statement
• identification of a Chairperson
• Representation on the clinical governance team from the practice team and the inclusion of the equity champion
• roles and responsibilities of the clinical governance team members
• description of the frequency of meetings
• the process for team members to add items to the agenda
• inclusion of a standing agenda covering core elements of clinical governance (including Māori health, patient safety and quality and effectiveness of care)
• responsibilities and timeframes for documentation of meeting minutes/summary, including the process for sharing with wider practice team
• description of the management of the quality plan
• an actions register, with assigned responsibilities and timeframes.