What does "clinical governance" ensure?

Clinical governance is a systematic approach to maintaining and improving the quality of patient care within a healthcare system. It focuses on ensuring accountability for the quality of healthcare services, emphasizing the responsibility of healthcare providers to continually monitor and improve the standards of care delivered to patients. This concept encompasses various aspects, including clinical effectiveness, patient safety, risk management, and the governance of the clinical workforce.

The emphasis on accountability means that healthcare organizations are required to establish mechanisms for evaluating the quality of their services, learning from any incidents or adverse events, and implementing changes to improve care. This establishes a culture of transparency and responsibility, which is essential in fostering trust and enhancing patient outcomes.

The other options, while important aspects of healthcare organizations, do not directly capture the essence of what clinical governance entails. Financial soundness pertains to the financial stability of organizations, marketing strategies focus on promoting healthcare products, and inventory management deals with the logistics of medical supplies—all important, but not central to clinical governance.