Published Thursday, 06 September, 2007 at 12:53 PM
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
ALL SURGICAL DEATHS IN QUEENSLAND TO BE INVESTIGATED
All surgical deaths in Queensland public hospitals will be independently investigated in another Beattie Government measure to build a better, safer health system.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson formally launched the Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality with the Australasian College of Surgeons at Parliament House today.
Mr Robertson said the audit had already kicked off in 15 public hospitals around the State.
“This is yet another important development in the transformation of Queensland’s health system,” Mr Robertson said.
“For the first time in Queensland all surgical deaths in public hospitals will be independently investigated and we expect all private hospitals to participate as the project is phased in.
“Queensland Health is providing $1.15 million over two years to fully fund the audit.
“It will be carried out by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with an expert team led by Dr Jon Cohen.”
Mr Robertson said the audit was a breakthrough project for patient safety and surgical excellence.
“It will be done by the best people - the surgeon’s peers at the College,” he said.
“A total 15 public hospitals from the Gold Coast to Cairns will participate in this project over the next two years where the majority of public surgery takes place.
“Queensland’s two largest hospitals, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and the Princess Alexandra Hospital, will play a major role in the audit.
“Approximately 400 audits of surgical deaths will be conducted this financial year with approximately 800 audits the following year as the project is rolled out state wide.
“Over time when this project is fine tuned, we expect all surgical deaths in every hospital, both public and private, to be independently investigated in Queensland.”
Mr Robertson said the audits would improve both patient safety and surgical competence by encouraging greater transparency in health care outcomes.
“The findings will allow us to determine how deaths during or after surgery occur and how to develop ways to ensure unnecessary fatalities are significantly reduced if not fully eliminated,” he said.
“In the long term, this audit will be one of our most important initiatives towards improving patient safety in public hospitals.”
Mr Robertson said the initiative was not about blaming or finger pointing.
“Any report that is published will not identify any surgeon. That’s not the intent of the project.
“It’s about sharing information, identifying risks and learning from past experiences.
“On that basis, I encourage all surgeons in Queensland to co-operate and make a valuable contribution towards building a safer health system.”
Mr Robertson said the audit would complement a range of other Beattie Government strategies to address patient safety and become more open and transparent about the care provided in public hospitals.
“These include the formation of the independent Health Quality and Complaints Commission, the quarterly Public Hospitals Performance Reports, and the first annual report on critical incidents and sentinel events, released this year,” he said.
Hospitals participating in the Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality are: Cairns Hospital, Townsville Hospital, Rockhampton Hospital, Nambour Hospital, Redcliffe Hospital, The Prince Charles Hospital, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital, Logan Hospital, Southport Hospital, Ipswich Hospital, Toowoomba Hospital, Mackay Hospital, Mater Adults Hospital.
6 September, 2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185
Health Minister Stephen Robertson formally launched the Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality with the Australasian College of Surgeons at Parliament House today.
Mr Robertson said the audit had already kicked off in 15 public hospitals around the State.
“This is yet another important development in the transformation of Queensland’s health system,” Mr Robertson said.
“For the first time in Queensland all surgical deaths in public hospitals will be independently investigated and we expect all private hospitals to participate as the project is phased in.
“Queensland Health is providing $1.15 million over two years to fully fund the audit.
“It will be carried out by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with an expert team led by Dr Jon Cohen.”
Mr Robertson said the audit was a breakthrough project for patient safety and surgical excellence.
“It will be done by the best people - the surgeon’s peers at the College,” he said.
“A total 15 public hospitals from the Gold Coast to Cairns will participate in this project over the next two years where the majority of public surgery takes place.
“Queensland’s two largest hospitals, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and the Princess Alexandra Hospital, will play a major role in the audit.
“Approximately 400 audits of surgical deaths will be conducted this financial year with approximately 800 audits the following year as the project is rolled out state wide.
“Over time when this project is fine tuned, we expect all surgical deaths in every hospital, both public and private, to be independently investigated in Queensland.”
Mr Robertson said the audits would improve both patient safety and surgical competence by encouraging greater transparency in health care outcomes.
“The findings will allow us to determine how deaths during or after surgery occur and how to develop ways to ensure unnecessary fatalities are significantly reduced if not fully eliminated,” he said.
“In the long term, this audit will be one of our most important initiatives towards improving patient safety in public hospitals.”
Mr Robertson said the initiative was not about blaming or finger pointing.
“Any report that is published will not identify any surgeon. That’s not the intent of the project.
“It’s about sharing information, identifying risks and learning from past experiences.
“On that basis, I encourage all surgeons in Queensland to co-operate and make a valuable contribution towards building a safer health system.”
Mr Robertson said the audit would complement a range of other Beattie Government strategies to address patient safety and become more open and transparent about the care provided in public hospitals.
“These include the formation of the independent Health Quality and Complaints Commission, the quarterly Public Hospitals Performance Reports, and the first annual report on critical incidents and sentinel events, released this year,” he said.
Hospitals participating in the Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality are: Cairns Hospital, Townsville Hospital, Rockhampton Hospital, Nambour Hospital, Redcliffe Hospital, The Prince Charles Hospital, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital, Logan Hospital, Southport Hospital, Ipswich Hospital, Toowoomba Hospital, Mackay Hospital, Mater Adults Hospital.
6 September, 2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185