KARACHI: A senior medical expert has underscored the need for establishing clinical governance at hospitals and said such mechanisms had greatly helped developed countries improve patient care at healthcare settings.

“Clinical governance was introduced in the UK hospitals to audit healthcare services without naming, shaming and blaming (anyone),” said Dr Salman Kidwie, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist practicing in the UK, during his lecture held at Patel Hospital on Wednesday. Senior gynaecologists and postgraduate students in obstetrics and gynaecology attended the lecture in a large number.

In clinical governance in obstetrics every incidence had to be noted, from unavailability of porter to delay in the ambulance service, and clinical mishaps related to anaesthesia and medical care, he added.

“Every incidence is analysed, shared and examined in the light of guidelines and the hospital has to act as per recommendations by the governing committee,” he noted.

Obstetrical units in the UK, Dr Kidwie said, could not work without the active participation of midwives, who conducted 70 per cent of normal deliveries.

“Midwives are very active in prevention of disasters in obstetrical devices and are playing a very positive role in clinical governance. They are also responsible for maintaining the dashboard in the labour room,” he said.

A dashboard, he explained, was a new concept representing all activities in the labour room in a graphical form.

“This concept has helped in decreasing morbidity and mortality due to early diagnosis, immediate action and active management of life-threatening conditions,” he said, regretting that Pakistan continued to have unacceptably high cases of maternal mortality and morbidity, including cases of infection after normal delivery, bleeding in pregnancy and increase in the rate of caesarean section.

Sharing other important features of the UK healthcare system, Dr Kidwie said it acted in favour of patients especially for the dignified care of pregnant women whose privacy could not be compromised.

“Doctors, midwives, nurses and healthcare workers should be trained to respect and love the patient. The modern obstetrical care is not just about electronic monitoring of the patient, it is also about tender loving care of pregnant women, neonates and the whole family,” he pointed out, adding that the community and midwives were playing a very important role in this regard.

He also answered questions regarding new laws related to postgraduate education and training in the UK.

Earlier, Dr Shershah Syed introduced Dr Kidwie and said he spent most of his time in the labour room and training midwives, apart from doing research.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2019