Review of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards - Development of version two

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Accreditation is recognised as an important driver of safety and quality improvement and Australia’s health accreditation processes are highly regarded internationally. The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards are integral to this process as they determine what an organisation will be assessed against.

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Developed in 2008/09, hospitals and day procedure services have been required to be assessed against the NSQHS Standards since 2013. To ensure the currency and applicability, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) has begun a review of the NSQHS Standards, with a proposed implementation of Version Two by 2018.
Where are we now?
Implementation of the NSQHS Standards has involved an enormous effort from consumers, health service organisations, accrediting agencies, state and territory departments. Initial feedback has been positive and suggests that the NSQHS Standards are driving improvements in safety and quality. Since 2013, 1,650 services have been assessed, with 40 per cent taking remedial action in order to achieve accreditation. Areas where health service organisations continue to experience challenges include antimicrobial stewardship, training in aseptic technique, informed consent and training in patient centred care.
Data from the accreditation process suggests that the NSQHS Standards are becoming a part of usual business. The proportion of services that required remedial action decreased by seven per cent from 2013 to 2014.
What are the issues?
A lot has been learnt since the NSQHS Standards were first used in hospitals and day procedure services. New evidence is now available that can improve quality of care. There are also areas of the NSQHS Standards that are not driving changes as anticipated, which could be removed. Key to the review is ensuring that the burden on health service organisations is minimised while promoting systems that protect the public from harm and improve the quality of health services.
Formal evaluations of the NSQHS Standards are underway and the Commission has reviewed the issues health services, accrediting agencies and consumers have had in implementing the NSQHS Standards. Information has been sourced from data collected through accreditation and queries to the Commission’s Advice Centre. Initial consultation has involved experts, clinicians, consumers and other stakeholders through surveys, committees and working groups.
Feedback to date recommends that the language be simplified and duplication removed. There is also a need to ensure the NSQHS Standards can be applied to all care settings.
The Australian Health Service Safety and Quality Accreditation (AHSSQA) Scheme provides the rules and process for accreditation and will be amended as a part of this review to improve its effectiveness. Resources, training and education will be developed to assist health services to implement the standards and accreditation agencies to assess against the standards.
What are the next steps?
As with the development of the Version 1 of the NSQHS Standards, this review process will be open and inclusive.A broad range of stakeholders will be invited and approached to contribute. Consultation is scheduled to commence in February 2015 to capture the safety and quality issues facing the health system and possible strategies to consider as part of the review.
The timeframe for the review is:
2015

• Review and develop


• Consult and pilot

2016

• Develop resources


• Consult and pilot


• Release

2017

•  Training and education


•  Implement

Interested in being involved in the review of the NSQHS Standards?
The Commission is committed to ensuring broad consultation throughout the review and development process. Details of upcoming consultations will be listed on the Commission’s website along with information on how to participate or provide input. www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/accreditation-and-the-nsqhs-standards/current-consultations/
You can also sign up to receive email newsletter updates or follow the Commission on Twitter @ACSQHC for news of upcoming consultations.