This unit aims to provide a broad understanding of governance, clinical governance and risk management within the field of health and human services covering the relatively recent development and changes that have occurred in these areas. The Unit will also illustrate some aspects of the practical implementation of governance and risk management as the basis for workplace action for improving the safety and quality of patient/client care and service provision. You will be asked to reflect on the implications of these on your professional practice in leadership and management within health and human service systems. Whilst clinical governance work arose principally following major events within the acute health service and care setting, concepts are constantly evolving and their application is increasingly expanding to other service areas. Many of the principles and practices are suitable for creative adaptation across the wider health and human services sector and are being progressively taken up as the public, providers, funders, standards & accreditation agencies and governments seek reassurance that services are provided safely and are of appropriate quality. Risk management has a longer history across all sectors and businesses to the extent that there are national and international standards. We will be examining, in varying degrees of depth; current concepts, trends and barriers in risk management and governance. In particular, this unit seeks to explore some of the issues and complex relationships between medico-legal issues; clinical error; consumer rights and services; occupational health systems; quality of service strategies; the systems and structures for the management of the law/medicine interface; and its governance in pursuit of reliable delivery of safe, high quality care and services.