Identification of the critical success factors involved in the implementation of clinical governance arrangements within primary care

Abstract

The study explores the theoretical grounding for clinical governance development as a quality improvement activity and an understanding and awareness of interactions between culture, power and leadership within primary care. The deepest and most difficult elements of culture to change are basic assumptions - 'the way we do things round here'. The study also explores the government commendation to adopt the EFQM Excellence Model as a framework for clinical governance. This research is based on a longitudinal study across two primary care groups, exploring the nature and origin of people's viewpoints, the reasons for them and subsequent consequences in respect to implementing clinical governance arrangements within primary care.