The West Suffolk CBT Service clinical governance framework

 

The purpose of clinical governance is to ensure that service users receive the highest quality of care possible. As a supplier to social services and the NHS, the West Suffolk CBT Services’ organisation’s systems and processes for monitoring and improving services comply with clinical governance remits. The Integrated Governance Handbook (Department of Health 2006) recommends a move towards integrated governance arrangements and accordingly the West Suffolk CBT Service continuously upgrades its systems, processes, skills and reporting mechanisms.

 

The West Suffolk CBT Service has established controls for Healthcare Standards, risk and performance management supported by a number of strategies and action plans for user and carer involvement, clinical engagement, clinical information, employee and practice development. The West Suffolk CBT Services arrangements for integrated governance now encompass assurance for clinical governance through the structures, processes and outcomes that are summarised below.

 

• The Directors of the West Suffolk CBT Service are responsible and accountable for the strategic direction and governance of the West Suffolk CBT Service.

 

• Integrated governance is assured through the West Suffolk CBT Services’ quality framework which is based around the core healthcare standards, six monthly integrated performance reports and the West Suffolk CBT Service risk register which is continuously updated with exceptions reported. The West Suffolk CBT Service Directors oversee and monitor all West Suffolk CBT Service systems and processes. An annual audit plan incorporates audits of clinical governance arrangements.

 

Directors of the West Suffolk CBT Service are responsible for; contributing to the strategic direction and management of the West Suffolk CBT Service, monitoring services and providing operational management of the West Suffolk CBT Service. Directors of the West Suffolk CBT Service provide corporate direction and system monitoring. Directors meet monthly. User and carer groups have been and will continue to be invited to attend these meetings, (although at the current time user groups view the West Suffolk CBT Service as too small an organisation to attend). Within these meetings Directors adhere to the following –

 

Performance and Assurance Tasks. Directors of the West Suffolk CBT Service are responsible for an annual planning process incorporating the quality framework, risk register and improvement plans, performance, activity, corporate risk, clinical risk, clinical policy, race equality, safeguarding, Health and Safety, mandatory training, fire, security, infection control, back care, resuscitation, and health care records.

 

Finance and Business Development. This involves directing and monitoring service development plans, budgets, contracts, capital expenditure, marketing, new business, facilities and information technology.

 

Organisational Development and Human Resources. This involves directing and monitoring processes for organisational learning, leadership, education, research and innovation, clinical engagement, practice development, equality & diversity, and national HR initiatives.

 

Listening to Service Users. In practice, The West Suffolk CBT Service is too small an organisation to be able to encourage user forums groups. Instead the West Suffolk CBT Service implements a procedure that on a regular basis collates anonymous feedback from service users. This feedback is regularly reviewed and changes are instigated based on this feedback.