Why clinical governance can heal the health sector

President Uhuru Kenyatta. PHOTO | FILE 

 

By MAINA WANJIHIA

When the Jubilee Government came to power, it made certain pledges to the wananchi.

These included increasing healthcare financing; increasing the number of healthcare facilities; setting up and equipping diagnostic centres; encouraging medical research, including alternative medicines; and better remunerations for healthcare personnel. It was the declared desire of the government to “ensure all Kenyans get quality and affordable healthcare”.

Other than the free maternity package, the government has not done very well on these pledges. Every which way you look, something is rotten in this country’s healthcare services.

A documentary aired by the media recently highlighted gross medical malpractices. There is one major problem in this country that can be summarised as lack of accountability and responsibility.

In the healthcare sector, it is best addressed by vital components of clinical governance. What is clinical governance? It encompasses activities that promote, review, measure and monitor the quality of care given to patients.

The health sector cannot be divorced from governance issues. Clinical governance is a quality assurance scorecard designed to ensure that standards of care are maintained and improved and that the health authorities are accountable to the public.

Clinical governance in health is what corporate governance is in the private sector. Financial controls, service performance and quality must be integrated at every level.

Clinical Governance addresses those structures, systems and processes that ensure proper management of organisations’ operations and delivery of service.

Why should the health sector pursue clinical governance? By placing quality at the heart of healthcare, patients’ experience is improved, thus securing the confidence of the people. In order to meet their responsibility to the patients, health workers strive to avoid mistakes.

An open and participative environment is created when commitment to quality is shared by all professionals and managers in the health sector, supported by clearly identifiable resources – both human and financial.

What does Clinical Governance include? Several countries have introduced Clinical Governance in their health sectors as the framework for managing, developing and implementing quality care services.

Clinical governance therefore provides the platform on which health workers can develop Accountability and Responsibility for the quality of care they offer. It also encourages continuous quality improvement and provides the framework for audit purposes.

The Health ministry must take ownership and provide the leadership required; the roadmap for change; a total lateral shift.

The author is a medical doctor.