Best practice using Excellence in Practice Accreditation Scheme.

This article describes how the University of Teesside School of Health and Social Care practice development team, in partnership with local professional colleagues and organizations, have addressed the issue of providing continuous quality evidence-based practice within the context of clinical governance. The newly devised Excellence in Practice Accreditation Scheme (EPAS) measures the standard of practice for a given health and social care setting by providing objective data indicating the level of clinical excellence obtained for the team or organization. The EPAS differs from other organizational accreditation schemes by facilitating excellence based upon a comprehensive set of measurable core standards: working in organizations, collaborative working, user-focused care, continuous quality improvements, performance management, and measuring efficiency and effectiveness.

Clinical supervision and clinical governance.

This article looks at the relationship between clinical governance and clinical supervision, and explores their relevance to promoting continuous quality improvement and lifelong learning. The example provided demonstrates the association between clinical governance and clinical supervision. The article also highlights potential barriers to successful implementation and discusses how these can be overcome.