What difference are the NSQHS Standards making to patient safety? The National Safety and Quality Health The implementation of the NSQHS safety and quality issues and Service (NSQHS) Standards were Standards in hospitals and day procedure encouraging a culture of safety developed by the Commission in centres has contributed to significant clinical engagement deepening the – collaboration with states and territories, improvements in patient safety. The involvement of clinicians in designing clinical experts, patients and carers. NSQHS Standards have provided the and using safety and quality processes The primary aims of the NSQHS Standards impetus for new activities and they have led and tools that are focused on safe are to protect the public from harm and to to increased priority being given to existing patient care improve the quality of health service activities that aim to improve patient safety. effective systems helping to ensure – provision. They provide a quality-assurance Examples are an increased focus on the targeted systems and processes are mechanism that tests whether relevant effective and appropriate use of antibiotics, used and continually monitored through systems are in place to ensure expected better documentation of adverse drug clinical audits and other methods to standards of safety and quality are met. reactions and medication history, and an evaluate effectiveness of interventions. increase in the number of hospitals There are 10 NSQHS Standards, which reporting information nationally so that The following sections provide examples of cover high-prevalence adverse events, blood usage can be better monitored. the some of the improvements that have healthcare associated infections, been observed in the context of specific medication safety, patient identification and NSQHS Standards. How do the NSQHS Standards procedure matching, clinical handover, the prevention and management of pressure make a difference? Leadership for safety and quality injuries, the prevention of falls and People working in health services in responding to clinical deterioration. –NSQHS Standard 1 Australia report that the NSQHS Standards Importantly, these NSQHS Standards have are making a difference by enhancing: The NSQHS Standards require that each provided, for the first time, a nationally leadership for safety and quality health service organisation has an – consistent statement about the standard of emphasising the responsibility of local system that enables reporting of care consumers can expect from their hospital boards and executives for incidents of patient harm and ‘near misses’, health service organisations. monitoring and taking action to improve and which is used by health service leaders to improve care. Incident monitoring helps
What difference are the NSQHS Standards making to patient safety? The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards were developed by the Commission in collaboration with states and territories, clinical experts, patients and carers. The primary aims of the NSQHS Standards are to protect the public from harm and to improve the quality of health service provision. They provide a quality-assurance mechanism that tests whether relevant systems are in place to ensure expected standards of safety and quality are met. There are 10 NSQHS Standards, which cover high-prevalence adverse events, healthcare associated infections, medication safety, patient identification and procedure matching, clinical handover, the prevention and management of pressure injuries, the prevention of falls and responding to clinical deterioration. Importantly, these NSQHS Standards have provided, for the first time, a nationally consistent statement about the standard of care consumers can expect from their health service organisations. The implementation of the NSQHS Standards in hospitals and day procedure centres has contributed to significant improvements in patient safety. The NSQHS Standards have provided the impetus for new activities and they have led to increased priority being given to existing activities that aim to improve patient safety. Examples are an increased focus on the effective and appropriate use of antibiotics, better documentation of adverse drug reactions and medication history, and an increase in the number of hospitals reporting information nationally so that blood usage can be better monitored. How do the NSQHS Standards make a difference? People working in health services in Australia report that the NSQHS Standards are making a difference by enhancing: leadership for safety and quality – emphasising the responsibility of local hospital boards and executives for monitoring and taking action to improve safety and quality issues and encouraging a culture of safety clinical engagement – deepening the involvement of clinicians in designing and using safety and quality processes and tools that are focused on safe patient care effective systems – helping to ensure targeted systems and processes are used and continually monitored through clinical audits and other methods to evaluate effectiveness of interventions. The following sections provide examples of the some of the improvements that have been observed in the context of specific NSQHS Standards. Leadership for safety and quality –NSQHS Standard 1 The NSQHS Standards require that each health service organisation has an system that enables reporting of incidents of patient harm and ‘near misses’, and which is used by health service leaders to improve care. Incident monitoring helps
Vital-Signs-2016-WORD.docx