Media Statements - New body to improve safety in health care

28/07/05

The State Government has backed the establishment of a new national body to improve the safety and quality of health care.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, Sue Ellery, said the new Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care would focus on improving the safety of hospitals, primary care and the private health sector.

Ms Ellery said the decision to set up the new commission came at a meeting of State, Territory and Commonwealth Health Ministers in Alice Springs today.

“The new body will report to all Health Ministers and will be closely linked to State and Territory Health Departments, as well as other Government and non-Government bodies,” she said.

“Western Australia is already a national leader in the development of safety and quality initiatives in health care but we can always improve.”

Ms Ellery said the State Government had introduced a range of safety initiatives in the health system in recent years including:

the development of the WA Clinical Governance Framework;
implementation of a State-wide Clinical Incident and Adverse Event Monitoring and Reporting program; and
the establishment of a WA audit of surgical mortality.

“The new commission provides a great opportunity for WA to build on the ground-breaking work that the State Government has advanced in this area under the auspices of the WA Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care and the WA Department of Health,” Ms Ellery said.

The commission replaces the Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care, which expires in June 2006.

“The new body will have closer links with State and Territory Governments to further improve the safety and quality of patients in the health sector across Australia,” Ms Ellery said.

“WA is committed to working with the new commission and other stakeholders and build on the gains we have made in patient safety and quality over the past five years.”

Minister's office: 9220 5000