Proposed National Safety and Quality Framework

The Australian Health Ministers’ Conference asked the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) to develop a national safety and quality framework, which they have now done.

The proposed framework is intended to guide action to improve the safety and quality of the care provided in all health care settings over the next decade. The ACSQHC says that the proposed framework would:

• be used as the basis of strategic and operational safety and quality plans;
• provide a mechanism for refocusing current quality improvement activities, reviewing investments for safety and quality and designing goals for health service improvement; and
• promote discussion with consumers, clinicians, managers, researchers and policy-makers about how they might best contribute to safety and quality improvement.

The Commission has also published a discussion paper on the proposed framework, and is now inviting professional bodies, health services and other interested organisations to answer the following questions:

• What do you consider most important for safe, high quality care?
• How do your current activities align with the strategies described in the discussion paper?
• How could your future activities align with the strategies described in the discussion paper?
• What have been the biggest improvements in safety and quality in the last five years?
• What are the main barriers in your work to improve safety and quality? Could any of these be addressed by national coordination?

Submissions are due by 11 September 2009, and member input to ADA submissions (State and Federal) would be welcome, addressed to garry.pearson@adavb.org

In outline, the framework proposes the following broad strategies:

Strategy 1.1: Develop service models which improve access to health care for patients
Strategy 1.2: Increase health literacy
Strategy 1.3: Involve patients so that they can make decisions about their care and plan their lives
Strategy 1.4: Provide care that is culturally safe
Strategy 1.5: Enhance continuity of care
Strategy 1.6: Minimise risks at handover
Strategy 1.7: Provide case management for complex care
Strategy 1.8: Facilitate patient-centred service models
Strategy 1.9: Promote healthcare rights
Strategy 1.10: Inform and support patients who are harmed during health care

Strategy 2.1: Reduce unjustified variation in standards of care
Strategy 2.2: Collect and use data to support safety and quality
Strategy 2.3: Learn from patients’ and carers’ experiences
Strategy 2.4: Encourage and apply research that will improve safety and quality
Strategy 2.5: Continually monitor the effects of healthcare interventions

Strategy 3.1: Clinicians recognise their responsibilities for safety
Strategy 3.2: Managers recognise their responsibilities for safety
Strategy 3.3: Governments recognise their responsibilities for safety
Strategy 3.4: Restructure funding models to support comprehensive, appropriate care
Strategy 3.5: Support and implement e-health
Strategy 3.6: Design facilities, equipment and work processes for safety
Strategy 3.7: Take action to prevent or minimise harm from healthcare errors