Clinical governance is a system through which NHS organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care will flourish. It is at the heart of the current government's plans for reform of the NHS. This account of clinical governance is, in particular, aimed at giving a practical guide to doctors and medical students as to how the topic is integrated into their day-to-day medical work. It aims to relate what sounds an abstract concept to the practice of clinical medicine. This book is an important and timely work which deserves to be widely read. - Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health.