A schedule of data collection, reviews and audits patient preference or clinical need, it is unwarranted. should be developed by management to assist the Clinical guidelines are critical links between the best board in monitoring the quality and adequacy of available evidence and good clinical practice, and clinical and organisational systems. Review are key tools in an effective quality and safety mechanisms should reflect the inputs, system. organisation’s outputs and outcomes. Assessment of these The board should ensure systems are in place to: systems should be based on their effectiveness in make available current clinical guidelines or supporting safe and high-quality care for each • pathways, where they exist; and patient and be informed by incident reports, near misses and hazards. assist in the provision of care that is • evidence-based and ensures unwarranted The board may also consider receiving regular variations in care are minimised. safety and quality presentations, reports and patient stories from senior managers and clinicians. These Board roles could be scheduled in accordance with agreed criteria (for example, areas of significant risk or the Ensure the organisation adopts and • highest frequency errors or incidents). Examples of routinely reviews its clinical practices to safety and quality reports can be found in Section 3 ensure they are current, evidence-based of this guide. and effective. Ensure systems are in place for the • Board roles regular review of reports on participation Participate in defining safe and • and performance in clinical registries or high-quality care. audits established by professional groups and organisations. Review a dashboard of key quality • outputs related to quality goals and other Review reports on audits of unwarranted • reporting requirements. clinical variation. Clinical practice To maximise the effectiveness of care, members of the workforce need to provide care that is current, best practice and evidence-based. Management needs to establish and facilitate systems to enable safe and high-quality patient care. The board needs to ensure there are systems in place to monitor the use and effectiveness of clinical guidelines and pathways. Application of clinical guidelines (Standard 1, Item 1.7: Developing and/or applying clinical guidelines or pathways that are supported by the best available evidence) Evidence-based clinical guidelines or clinical pathways are designed to improve the quality of health care and decrease unwarranted variation in the provision of health care, or the use of ineffective or harmful interventions. Where variation in the provision or use of health care is not as a result of
A schedule of data collection, reviews and audits should be developed by management to assist the board in monitoring the quality and adequacy of clinical and organisational systems. Review mechanisms should reflect the organisation’s inputs, outputs and outcomes. Assessment of these systems should be based on their effectiveness in supporting safe and high-quality care for each patient and be informed by incident reports, near misses and hazards. The board may also consider receiving regular safety and quality presentations, reports and patient stories from senior managers and clinicians. These could be scheduled in accordance with agreed criteria (for example, areas of significant risk or the highest frequency errors or incidents). Examples of safety and quality reports can be found in Section 3 of this guide. Board roles • Participate in defining safe and high-quality care. • Review a dashboard of key quality outputs related to quality goals and other reporting requirements. Clinical practice To maximise the effectiveness of care, members of the workforce need to provide care that is current, best practice and evidence-based. Management needs to establish and facilitate systems to enable safe and high-quality patient care. The board needs to ensure there are systems in place to monitor the use and effectiveness of clinical guidelines and pathways. Application of clinical guidelines (Standard 1, Item 1.7: Developing and/or applying clinical guidelines or pathways that are supported by the best available evidence) Evidence-based clinical guidelines or clinical pathways are designed to improve the quality of health care and decrease unwarranted variation in the provision of health care, or the use of ineffective or harmful interventions. Where variation in the provision or use of health care is not as a result of patient preference or clinical need, it is unwarranted. Clinical guidelines are critical links between the best available evidence and good clinical practice, and are key tools in an effective quality and safety system. The board should ensure systems are in place to: • make available current clinical guidelines or pathways, where they exist; and • assist in the provision of care that is evidence-based and ensures unwarranted variations in care are minimised. Board roles • Ensure the organisation adopts and routinely reviews its clinical practices to ensure they are current, evidence-based and effective. • Ensure systems are in place for the regular review of reports on participation and performance in clinical registries or audits established by professional groups and organisations. • Review reports on audits of unwarranted clinical variation.
Guide-to-the-National-Safety-and-Quality-Health-Service-Standards-for-health-service-organisation-boards.docx