Resources

Surgical site infections remain a problem despite many decades of research and practice change to eliminate those that are preventable. 

Approximately 0.5% to 3% of surgical patients develop an infection. Compared with patients undergoing surgery who do not have a surgical site infection, these patients are hospitalized approximately 7 to 11 days longer.   As we know, longer hospital stays increase the risk for patients and reduce hospital efficiency and effectiveness. Infections are the leading cause of re-admissions following surgery and can add thousands of dollars to the cost of an admission. 
 

We think of consumer safety primarily in terms of physical harm. But consumers often conceptualise safety as ‘feeling safe’, as well as ‘being safe’.  

Violating a consumer’s emotional safety while avoiding physical harm is not yet embedded in consumer safety reporting. We know that consumers can experience emotionally harmful experiences as they navigate health services, such as: disregard for their opinion, not being listened to, rudeness and abuse. Are we doing consumers and families a disservice by ignoring or denying harm that doesn’t fit our organisational definition?

It is 10 years since Robert Francis presented the report on the public inquiry into failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. The government’s response signalled a determination for change. It promised wide-ranging interventions and legal and regulatory reforms to tackle problems of culture, openness, and willingness to learn. What is the impact 10 years on?

Staff and consumer satisfaction are interdependent. But in human services, we often address them separately – or think that one comes at the expense of the other. But high-performance organisations think differently.

Rates improvement actions from weak to strong to assist with forming recommendations for improvement strategies.

Access important websites relating to safety, quality and regulatory standards.

The AICG community can easily access important websites relative to safety, quality and regulatory healthcare standards. Browse our carefully curated list of websites below. 

It has been reported that complaints relating to registered health practitioners increased over the 2021/2022 financial year. Further (and separately), in aged care, there was a total of 2,767 complaints made in the first quarter of 2022 and 2,642 complaints in the second quarter. Both these figures had also trended upwards compared with the corresponding numbers in 2021 (with 2,313 in the first quarter of 2021 and 2,261 in the second quarter).

Simulation in healthcare has traditionally been applied in the context of education and training. Whilst robust education and training (which may be achieved through simulation) will ultimately improve safety and quality, simulation can also be used much more broadly - and directly - as a tool in enhancing safety and quality in care delivery.

It has been 14 years since all governments in Australia signed the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, yet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities are still facing barriers to achieving equitable outcomes in health and wellbeing. Despite an abundance of good intentions, healthcare settings are still places where deficits in cultural safety often drive poorer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This discussion explores what’s required in practice to change that reality.

"It has been 14 years since all governments in Australia signed the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, yet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities are still facing barriers to achieving equitable outcomes in health and wellbeing. Despite an abundance of good intentions, healthcare settings are still places where deficits in cultural safety often drive poorer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people."