Clinical governance standards
Document Type
Standards
Summary
NHS Scotland has a statutory duty to ensure and improve the quality of care that it delivers. Clinical governance is an integral and essential part of the NHS governance framework. We are developing clinical governance standards, which will provide assurance that organisations are providing high quality and safe healthcare in line with best practice, national policy and legislation. Standards can support internal and external quality assurance.
The standards will apply to all clinical services planned, commissioned or delivered within the health and social care system in Scotland.
Clinical is defined as any healthcare intervention or service requiring assessment, planning, provision, evaluation or oversight by a registered healthcare professional.
The consultation on the draft standards is now closed. We are currently reviewing consultation feedback and finalising the standards. We expect to publish the final version of the standards in February 2026.
A summary of the responses to the consultation will be made available on request. You can request them from the project team at his.standardsandindicators@nhs.scot