Patient safety in sonography; the role and influence of statutory regulation.

Key reports and incidents in the last thirty years have highlighted lapses in patient safety as a serious issue. These raised the question of whether regulatory mechanisms in place at the time were sufficient in protecting patients. In response, regulatory frameworks governing healthcare across the world have shifted from a self-regulation model to independent statutory oversight. Despite this shift in regulation of healthcare practice there is little research, especially in sonography, exploring the relationship between statutory regulation of healthcare practitioners and its impact upon professional practice and patient safety. This PhD addresses this gap by exploring the intersection of statutory regulation of practice and its impact on professional practice and patient safety in sonographic practice.