Patient safety reporting overhaul on the cards

Public reporting of patient safety reporting in Queensland’s public and private hospitals will be considered as part of a new State Government discussion paper.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick said he had asked the Department of Health to prepare a discussion paper on expanding patient safety reporting across Queensland’s health system.

Mr Dick said he wanted to see options in relation to information available to patients about performance of the health system across Queensland, including reporting on private hospital safety for the first time.

Private hospitals are currently excluded from a range of patient safety reporting requirements common in public hospitals.

“Our hospitals are safe and our patients are well served by the dedicated clinicians working in them,” Mr Dick said.

“But international evidence is clear - the safest hospitals have a strong and open safety culture amongst staff.

“That’s why we re-established the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Service unit last year after it was gutted by the LNP with the loss of 40 staff.

A new Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality (QASM) report shows a reduction in adverse outcomes each year over the eight-year reporting period.

The report – funded by Queensland Health – is developed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and includes information from public and private health surgeons.

Mr Dick said aligning patient safety reporting standards across public and private hospitals would require new legislation.

The majority of elective surgery in Queensland is conducted in private hospitals.

“I want to hear from patients, the public and health professionals about their expectations when it comes to reporting on safety,” Mr Dick said.

“We have a strong safety regime in place but that doesn’t mean it can’t be stronger.   "That includes expanding information available on the performance of private hospitals."

The discussion paper is expected to be released in the next six to eight weeks.

ENDS

Media contact: Michelle Wellington 0437 323 834