The challenge of quality and patient safety (1 July 2008)

Summary

In 2008, Sir Liam Donaldson wrote an article looking at the history of the national health service in the UK and the development of clinical governance and a quality framework. He concluded the article by looking at the challenges ahead for the next decade. First, to make quality and safety the common currency of the NHS so that it is on an equal footing to money and productivity; second, to put clinicians in leadership roles with full responsibility for assuring and improving the quality and safety of their services; and third, to build the understanding, expertise and track record on safety in healthcare to the level of other high-risk industries.

Now in 2020, how far forward are we in meeting these challenges?