Governance

Governance has been defined as:

"A framework through which organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care will flourish"
(A First Class Service, Department of Health, 1998)

The Government's White Paper, A First Class Service, proposed improving the delivery of consistent, high quality care through three initiatives:

Standard setting through National Service Frameworks and the National Institute for Clinical Effectiveness
Dependable local delivery of care through Governance
Monitoring through the Healthcare Commission, Mental Health Act Commission, NHS Performance Assessment and national patient surveys

In order to be fit for purpose and develop robust protocols for the future, St George Healthcare Group Ltd have an effective risk management system in place, which is monitored by the organisation under its Governance arrangements. The overall aim is to provide explicit guidance for the actions that are taken in order to achieve effective Clinical Governance.

St George Healthcare Group Ltd believes that Governance provides a framework for managing and improving the quality of both its clinical and non clinical services and care. The organization is committed to the implementation of an Integrated Governance Strategy throughout its hospitals utilizing the structure of the 7 Domains as depicted in the Standards for Better Health (as follows):

Safety (Strategic Regulation Consultant)
Clinical and Cost Effectiveness (Medical Director)
Governance (Strategic Regulation Consultant)
Patient Focus (, Clinical Director)
Accessible and Responsive Care (Clinical Director)
Care Environment and Amenities (Strategic Regulation Consultant)
Public Health (Hospital Director)

In order for the Organisation to provide leadership at the appropriate level, each of the Domains has an Executive Lead.

The temple paradigm is a model that illustrates the seven pillars of Governance.

The peak of the temple is the patient-professional partnership which is at the heart of Governance; this is supported by the processes represented by the seven pillars, the effectiveness of which can be measured with specific tools.

The foundations for the pillars are cultural components of: systems awareness, teamwork, communications, ownership and leadership. Shared beliefs, attitudes, values and norms of behavior around these components can provide a sustainable enabling culture where quality can flourish. Partnership between patients and professionals must lie at the centre of Governance. Patient information is vital and the provision of this must run through all stages of patient care. Patient feedback can "tell it how it is," guide service review, and demonstrate service effectiveness. In this respect St George Healthcare Group Ltd receives feedback from extensive patient questionnaire surveys and patient complaints/suggestions for improvement.

St George Healthcare Group Ltd recognizes the importance of quality healthcare as the key to achieving its aim of meeting the present and future healthcare needs of its patients. This is achieved through the Organisation's Values, which are:

Patient and customer focus
Confidence
Respect and Empathy
Innovative thinking
Benefit to society

Governance is the mechanism by which all of these values are brought together in a framework, which seeks to:

Apply the principles and systems of Quality Assurance and quality improvement to the process of clinical treatment/care
Establish clear accountability for the Quality of clinical care.

St George Healthcare Group Ltd is committed to manage and lead within this framework as an integral part of its business, in such a way that avoids unnecessary bureaucracy, makes the best use of clinicians' time, and recognises the relationship between the patient and St George Healthcare Group Ltd, as a critical success factor in its business.

Please visit the St Mary's Hospital website to find out more about this high quality facility.