Clinical governance in UK commercial occupational health providers.
BACKGROUND
Clinical governance has been introduced into health care in the United Kingdom as a means to improve quality. At present there is no legal duty for commercial occupational providers to implement this model.


OBJECTIVE
This preliminary study examined how commercial occupational health providers had implemented clinical governance.


METHODS
The senior clinical manager of commercial occupational health providers completed a questionnaire.


RESULTS
Fourteen of 17 organizations asked to participate completed the survey. Most of these had implemented some form of clinical governance. Patient and public involvement was attributed the least importance of potential components of clinical governance. Organizations were more likely to have systems to address poor clinical performance than encourage excellent performance.


CONCLUSIONS
Commercial occupational health providers have implemented clinical governance. Its focus appears to be avoidance of failures rather than clinical excellence and patients. However, further work is needed to explore this more fully.
Preece
Richard
R
Atos Origin, Norcliffe House, Station Road, Wilmslow, SK9 1BB, UK. richard.preece@atosorigin.com
D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D017149:Private Sector / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom