QUALITY ASSURANCE A PATHWAY TO EXCELLENCE

IN THE 1997 WHITE PAPER "THE NEW NHS, MODERN, DEPENDABLE" THE GOVERNMENT SET OUT ITS PLANS FOR A NEW NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE WITH QUALITY AT ITS HEART (A VISION SHARED BY MANY HEALTH PROFESSIONALS). THIS STUDY EXPLORES THE APPLICATION OF THE VARIOUS APPROACHES TO QUALITY ASSURANCE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUBJECT, FROM ITS EARLY DAYS TO LATER INITIATIVES INCLUDING GUIDELINES, INTEGRATED CARE PATHWAYS AND THE CLINICAL GOVERNANCE INSTRUMENT "PROBE", IS EXPLORED AS IS ITS RELEVANCE TO THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE.