Clinical Governance Policy

1. Reason for Policy / Purpose of Policy

The Clinical Governance Policy ensures that BloodTek UK maintains the highest standards of clinical care and continuously works to improve the quality of services provided. The policy outlines how risks to patients are identified, monitored, and managed to prevent any harm arising from the services offered.

This policy is designed to meet regulatory and legal requirements, providing a structured approach to managing clinical risks and improving patient safety.

 

2. Policy Statement and Aims

BloodTek UK is committed to providing safe, effective, and high-quality services. This policy aims to:

Ensure that all clinical practices, including blood collection, storage, and transportation, and the administration of IV therapies, are carried out to the highest standards.

Identify and manage any risks to patients arising from the services provided.

Continually monitor and evaluate clinical practices to identify areas for improvement and ensure service users' safety.

 

3. Scope

This policy applies to all clinical staff involved in providing services at BloodTek UK, including phlebotomists, nurses, and management.

The policy is relevant to all patient interactions, including blood collection, storage, and transportation, as well as the administration of IV therapies and vitamin injections.

 

4. Definitions

Term

Definition

Clinical Governance

The framework through which BloodTek UK manages clinical care, safety, and quality improvement.

Risk

The possibility of harm or adverse events arising from clinical services provided.

 

 

5. Procedure

BloodTek UK will implement procedures to ensure the clinical governance system works effectively:

Identifying Risks:

What can go wrong during treatments and procedures: Risks are identified through comprehensive risk assessments, which consider all possible points of failure in the treatment process. For example, blood collection errors, mishandling of samples, incorrect administration of IV therapies, or adverse reactions to treatments.

Risks will be analyzed based on past incidents, patient feedback, and input from clinical staff to identify potential hazards.

Understanding Factors Influencing Risks:

BloodTek UK will identify and evaluate the factors that influence clinical risks, including staffing levels, training, equipment reliability, and the clinical environment.

A risk management team will regularly review external factors such as updated health regulations, best practices, and medical advancements to adapt risk management strategies accordingly.

Learning Lessons from Adverse Events:

All adverse events or near-miss incidents will be investigated to understand the root causes. BloodTek UK will document these incidents and ensure lessons are learned to improve future practices.

Staff will be debriefed after incidents, and findings will be shared in team meetings to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Ensuring Action to Prevent Recurrence:

Based on the findings of any adverse event or risk assessment, corrective actions will be taken. These may include changes in procedures, additional training for staff, or the introduction of new equipment or tools to prevent recurrence.

A formal follow-up process will ensure the effectiveness of corrective actions, and further changes will be implemented if necessary.

Reducing the Chance of Identified Risks:

BloodTek UK will implement risk reduction strategies, such as comprehensive staff training, robust quality control measures, and the use of standardized procedures.

Systems like electronic patient records will be used to reduce human error and enhance accuracy.

Regular safety audits and checks will be carried out to ensure that procedures are being followed correctly and that all risks are minimized.

Monitoring and Measuring Effectiveness:

BloodTek UK will regularly monitor and measure the effectiveness of the systems in place by conducting audits, gathering patient feedback, and tracking incident reports.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as incident rates, error types, and resolution times will be tracked to measure the effectiveness of risk management strategies.

The Clinical Governance team will use this data to evaluate whether the systems in place are working and identify any areas that need improvement.

 

6. Responsibilities

Clinical Governance Lead:

Oversees the implementation of this policy and ensures clinical staff adhere to the required standards.

Regularly reviews clinical practices to identify risks and areas for improvement.

Clinical Staff (Nurses, Phlebotomists):

Ensure all clinical procedures are carried out in accordance with the standards outlined in this policy.

Report any adverse events or clinical incidents as part of the continuous improvement process.

 

7. Enforcement / Compliance

Failure to comply with the Clinical Governance Policy could result in an increase in risks to patient safety, non-compliance with regulatory standards, and potential harm to service users.

Continuous monitoring and evaluations will be carried out to ensure adherence to the policy.

Non-compliance will be addressed by management through retraining or disciplinary actions, if necessary.