Protecting all consumers starts with some of the most disadvantaged

Australian Aboriginal woman giving her granddaughter a hug in the park

Australia is recognised internationally as having one of the safest health systems in the world, and this health system is supported by the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.

The first edition of the NSQHS Standards was endorsed in 2011 and, since 2013 all hospitals and other acute health services have had to show that they have implemented the NSQHS Standards. They are designed to protect the public from harm and improve the quality of health service provision.

As well as standards on Clinical Governance and Partnering with Consumers, there are standards that cover the clinical areas of healthcare delivery – each with a number of supporting actions. Since 1 January 2019, all acute health services are required to be assessed against the second edition of the NSQHS Standards.

Today, the NSQHS Standards are one of the most important pillars supporting patient safety.

While safety and quality frameworks existed before the NSQHS Standards and the Australian Safety and Quality Health Service Scheme, there was no national safety and quality framework for the Australian healthcare system which was common to all acute health service organisations.

Today, the NSQHS Standards are one of the most important pillars supporting patient safety – and they provide an excellent foundation for improving the way Australian health services operate.

While gains have been made since the standards were first implemented; it is fair to say that the first edition had some gaps – gaps that we have worked hard to address within the second edition. The second edition standards include new actions on mental health and cognitive impairment, health literacy and end-of-life care, among others.

A significant gap was the lack of actions specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disadvantaged in accessing health services, disadvantaged in receiving culturally appropriate services, and disadvantaged in the health outcomes they experience.

For this reason, we have defined and embedded actions in the standards that specifically address the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

While the Australian healthcare system is well-equipped to respond to the needs of most Australians, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain disadvantaged compared to the rest of the community, and have significantly higher levels of morbidity. With the update of the NSQHS Standards, it was clear that this was something that we needed to explicitly and determinedly address.

For this reason, we have defined and embedded actions in the standards that specifically address the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This was not a short-term project, and it was not a process that we undertook alone. Positive improvements to the delivery of health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can only be achieved by working in a respectful and meaningful partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

The six new actions that have been developed are the result of a comprehensive process of consultation and collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and health service representatives – and cover areas that they have identified may help improve their quality of care and health outcomes.

Implementing these actions will give health organisations a strong framework to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and will help orientate the entire health system towards a model that, as core operation, takes into account the cultural and clinical needs and the preferences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The actions promote the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in governance structures and demonstrate how to address their health needs, identifying priorities and monitoring and reporting on outcomes.

Embedding these actions in the NSQHS Standards, where they cannot be overlooked, will go some way to reducing the gap in health outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.

There are actions that improve the cultural competency of the workforce,and help ensure health organisations create a welcoming environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Embedding these actions in the NSQHS Standards, where they cannot be overlooked, will go some way to reducing the gap in health outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.

The NSQHS Standards are there to protect and drive safer care for all patients and healthcare consumers in Australia. The actions contained in the standards are integrated raise the safety and quality of health care provided to all Australians.

Likewise, it is my strong belief that the skills gained from ensuring that health service workforces are culturally safe and competent, benefit all consumers and help ensure we all get the health care we are entitled.

To find out more about the NSQHS Standards and the role they play in your healthcare visit: www.safetyandquality.gov.au