Clinical governance is the local component of the quality improvement system in the UK NHS. Each healthcare organisation—whether hospital, general practice, or community service—is required to have a clinical governance system in place. Getting to Grips with Clinical Governance has been written for the practising clinician in order to explain the justification for clinical governance and what it involves.

It is five years since clinical governance was introduced into the NHS so it is an appropriate time to reflect on what has been achieved. The book is evidence that clinicians, particularly doctors, have yet to be fully engaged. They still need to be …