REMEDY TO TACKLE DOCTOR FATIGUE IN QUEENSLAND

New safety standards to reduce doctor fatigue will begin rolling out in all Queensland public hospitals from today.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson said measures contained in the Medical Fatigue Risk Management policy had been developed as a result of the experiences across 14 pilot sites, and would now be implemented throughout the state.

“Queensland will be the first state to tackle doctor fatigue in a comprehensive way,” Mr Robertson said.

“From today all Queensland public hospitals will begin implementing the Medical Fatigue Risk Management policy.

“The policy will take effect from 1 July 2009.

“Fatigue risk management protocols are a key plank of the $3.6 million Alert Doctors Strategy which aims to ensure improved safety for patients and doctors.

“The Alert Doctors project team has researched and developed the protocols over the last 18 months and has worked with the University of South Australia’s Centre for Sleep Research to fine-tune the policy.

“The strategy goes much further than just cutting back doctors’ working hours.

“Funding of $700,000 has been allocated to improve the standard of “on call” rooms for clinicians.

“These rooms provide napping and rest facilities for staff who are on evening and night shifts, or when they are on call.

“Other key areas being addressed as part of the new policy, include:

• A review of ward call practices
• Pager policy review
• Clinical handover
• Roster reviews, and
• Trials of “sleep pods” and new night nurse coordinator role.”

Queensland Health Patient Safety Centre Senior Director, Dr John Wakefield, said the Alert Doctors Strategy research showed it was possible to reduce doctor fatigue and improve safety for patients and staff.

“It is important to realise that healthcare is not a 9 to 5 job and doctors are frequently required to work long hours,” Dr Wakefield said.

“Doctors can’t just down tools after working eight hours.

“Put simply, sometimes doctors may have to work on their patient for hours on end in order to save their lives.

“I think patients understand this, and we acknowledge this is about balancing the risks of potential doctor fatigue with the needs of a particular patient’s care.”

“This strategy was developed following extensive consultation with medical staff, unions and the Australian Medical Association of Queensland,” he said.

“The new policy allows us to better assess the risk of withdrawing the medical officer who has been continually looking after a high-risk patient against the risk of that same medical officer making an error due to fatigue.

“A systemic approach to fatigue risk management will improve safety, efficiency and operational flexibility, as well as improve Queensland Health’s duty of care to its staff and the public.

“We are absolutely committed to making the environment as safe as possible for doctors and patients.”

MEDIA: Alison Brown 3234 1185 / 0458 449267