Clinical governance for public health professionals

Abstract

This paper examines the issues specific to clinical governance for public health professionals. It highlights three levels at which public health is capable of promoting clinical governance: within the specialty of public health, across other National Health Service (NHS) organizations and as part of the public health responsibilities of health authorities. Current work is reviewed, and its focus on hospital and community NHS Trusts is noted. Current thinking on the introduction of clinical governance into clinical practice is interpreted to provide a framework for its development in public health professional practice.