The development of clinical governance in New Zealand has been pivotal to the country's health policy since 2009. Some of the key findings from one component of a national assessment project, which involved interviews with health professionals and managers at 19 of the country's 20 district health boards, are reviewed here. Key lessons for clinical governance are that: clinical governance needs to be clearly defined; it requires robust management-clinical partnerships along with a multi-layered developmental strategy and investment in training; and it also requires organisational arrangements such as a clinical board. The New Zealand emphasis on clinical governance has been positive for health professionals but, at this stage, it is not possible to assess its broader impact.
Keywords: HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT.