Clinical governance in gynaecological surgery

The main elements of clinical governance are defining standards of high-quality care and then achieving high-quality care by reviewing practice in relation to these standards and effecting change as required to improve services. This chapter examines the current framework for clinical governance in the UK. The roles of the various national organisations involved in the implementation of clinical governance are described. The role of audit, risk management, appraisals and inspections in this process are discussed. The application of national standards of care to gynaecological surgery is then considered, with a focus on relevant guidelines and on the legal concepts of consent and confidentiality.