How are primary care groups approaching clinical governance? A review of clinical governance plans from primary care groups in London.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate how primary care groups (PCGs) were implementing clinical governance in their first year.


METHODS
A structured review was carried out of clinical governance plans of 57 PCGs in London.


RESULTS
There was considerable variation in content of the plans. Priority areas were generally based on national service frameworks and local health improvement plans. The most commonly included clinical topic was coronary heart disease. Plans tended to focus on quality improvement rather than on dealing with poor performance. There was generally little information on how quality would be monitored, the data required and methods to change clinical practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical governance plans provide the main public record of PCGs' attempts to improve quality but there is considerable variation in the content of these reports. Plans should provide reliable and comparable data on progress in implementing quality improvement strategies and dealing with poor performance.
Godden
Sylvia
S
Health Policy and Health Services Research Unit, School of Public Policy, University College London, 29-30 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9QU. uctqsyg@ucl.ac.uk
Majeed
Azeem
A
Pollock
Allyson
A
Bindman
Andrew B
AB
D006123:Group Practice / Q000592:standards*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008485:Medical Audit / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D016730:Program Development; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D017749:Total Quality Management