In some quarters, sensitive to any encroachment in the freedom hitherto enjoyed by medicine, it is gloomily asserted that assessment of quality is likely to become part of some bureaucratic monitoring, the effect of which will be deleterious to the clinical freedom deeply rooted in the historical development of medical practice.
This is an over-facile distortion of the responses to some critical questions which hang over medical practice at present. There may indeed be a threat of bureaucratic influence but it should not be allowed to obscure the realities of some of the issues.
It is hoped that this book will lead to a better perspective and an appreciation that despite the elusiveness of the meaning and implication of the broad concept there are several aspects of quality which are already being monitored, and that a number of authorities and bodies certain of which have statutory responsibilities are already concerned with the achievement and maintenance of standards. It also challenges the medical profession to explore the means to quality control in a more systematic way than hitherto.