Primary and community healthcare standards have arrived

The new National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards have been embraced by healthcare providers and consumers, following the launch by Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon Greg Hunt MP, on 12 October.

The standards aim to protect Australians from harm and improve the quality of health care that people receive. All Australian primary and community healthcare services directly involved in patient care are encouraged to implement the standards.

Accreditation to the standards will be voluntary, unless required by a regulator or funder, and will commence in mid-2022. Missed the online launch? Watch it on our website, where you can also access resources to help with implementation and frequently asked questions.

National campaign to drive awareness about sepsis

In partnership with The George Institute for Global Health, the Commission is leading the National Sepsis Awareness Campaign. The campaign is a key project under the National Sepsis Program, which focusses on reducing preventable harm caused by sepsis.

Under the national theme 'Could it be sepsis?' the campaign began on World Sepsis Day 2021, 13 September, and runs for 10 weeks through to 26 November.

By simply asking whether it could be sepsis, life-saving treatment can be provided to stop severe health complications and death. Download and share the resources at: safetyandquality.gov.au/sepsis-campaign.

Clinical standards in the next Aged Care Quality Standards

In the 2021-22 Budget, the Australian Government announced that the Commission would be responsible for formulation of draft clinical standards for inclusion in the next Aged Care Quality Standards. This is part of the government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, and recognises our established clinical and standards development expertise. 

The Commission has commenced the project, and will be developing a set of clinical standards for inclusion in the Quality Standards based on:

• Consideration of the issues raised within the Royal Commission
• The findings of the targeted evidence review
• Extensive stakeholder consultation and testing processes, and
• Collaboration, coordination and consultation with the sector, the Department of Health, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and consumers.

AURA 2021 highlights continuing threat of AMR  

Australia's latest report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) provides a powerful reminder that action on both antimicrobial use and resistance remains vital to the safety of patients in hospitals, the community and residents in aged care homes. 

The Fourth Australian Report on Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Human Health (AURA 2021) found overprescribing and inappropriate prescribing continues to be a problem; while resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics remains an ongoing threat.

The report highlights an increase in antimicrobial use in hospitals and high inappropriate antimicrobial use in residential aged care services, and changing resistance across Australia. Read the full report with trends, priorities for action and supporting resources for consumers and health professionals.

1 in 4 older medical patients affected by delirium

The updated Delirium Clinical Care Standard aims to prevent delirium in at-risk patients and improve their early diagnosis and treatment. It has been welcomed by healthcare professionals, particularly in the COVID-19 environment.

Launched at the recent Australasian Delirium Association (ADA) Conference, DECLARED 2021, by Associate Professor Gideon Caplan, President of the ADA, the standard has a renewed focus on the value of family and carer support.

It provides guidance on eight evidence-based quality statements and a set of indicators to guide practice and monitor improvements in care for people at risk of delirium.

New standard to improve care for patients with cataract

The first national Cataract Clinical Care Standard for patients with cataract will streamline how patients are prioritised for the most common elective surgery in Australia. 

The standard will help to define clear pathways of care to ensure cataract treatment is appropriate and more efficient. It highlights the importance of ensuring that both visual impairment and a person’s individual situation are considered in decisions about surgery.

Read these real-life case studies showcasing best practice and innovation in cataract care for referral processes, assessment, postoperative care and postoperative antibiotic use.

Expansion of aged care eLearning modules

Our infection prevention and control (IPC) online learning resources are expanding to better support users in the aged care sector. 

The new Basics of Infection Prevention and Control for Aged Care module provides a sound foundation in IPC and is suitable for use to support induction and annual updates. 

Modules can be accessed by learners registered to the NHHI Learning Management System at nhhi.southrock.com.

Quick Bites

Monitoring the national burden of CDI 

Clostridioides difficile is a bacterium typically associated with gastrointestinal disease such as diarrhoea and is found in both the natural environment and healthcare settings. Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is often linked to prolonged and unnecessary antimicrobial use. Our latest report shows that CDI in the community is an increasing health concern, with three quarters (76.5%) of all patients with a CDI diagnosis developing symptoms prior to hospital admission. Learn more about strategies to prevent CDI.

National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) system improvements

With over 4,000 enquiries to the NHHI in the four months to August, we have been working to improve NHHI system functionality to improve user experience, reduce manual processes, and support users to be more self-sufficient. Recent enhancements for the NHHI Hand Hygiene Compliance Application (HHCApp) and Learning Management System (LMS) include: automated process for organisations to apply for registration; improved online learner self-registration; and processes to reduce LMS user login errors. 

Antimicrobial stewardship in the aged care setting

Have you seen the latest chapter on Antimicrobial stewardship and community and residential aged care in the Antimicrobial Stewardship in Australian Health Care book? Key elements include: aged care services and infectious diseases and ageing; presentation of infections in older people; antimicrobial use including specific areas of concern; a broad range of AMS program strategies; and consideration of barriers to implementation of AMS in the aged care setting.

Careers at the Commission

Meet Kim Packham, Manager, Primary Health Care and National Standards Program

What is your role, in 25 words or less?

I lead the Commission’s work relating to the primary healthcare sector, including the recently launched National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards.

What did you do before the Commission?

Before joining the Commission, I worked in health policy, regulation and advocacy roles both in Australia and the United Kingdom. I am a pharmacist by background and all of these roles had a focus on the community pharmacy sector. I really enjoy being at the Commission because it allows me to work more broadly across professional groups and consider safety and quality at a health system level, from the perspective of patients and consumers. 

What was your first job?

Dusting shelves at my aunt’s pharmacy in south-western Sydney. A full day of work for $10 and hot chips for lunch felt like a pretty good deal for a 10-year old! I suspect my aunt was trying to keep me busy rather than actually needing me to be helpful. A lot has changed in the world since then, but the local pharmacy has been a constant and I am so proud of my pharmacy colleagues for making such a stellar contribution to the COVID-vaccine rollout.

The question I hear most often in my work is…

"I’m too busy to implement standards" (this is more of a statement). Many healthcare providers see implementing standards as very different to bread and butter health service delivery. But it is a worthwhile exercise to take a step back and look at the bigger picture because standards help providers perform their day-to-day practice more safely. The National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards provide a fit-for-purpose framework to do this, and will help give patients confidence that accredited healthcare services are safe and of high-quality. It is what the community expects.

What are the top three things on your to-do list?

I have just ticked off a major one; the publication and launch of the National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards! Next on the list are developing comprehensive resources to support implementation of the standards, and preparation for accreditation to commence in mid-2022.

What are you looking forward to in 2022?

Working with primary and community healthcare colleagues as we develop practical resources. Input from the sector has been phenomenal in the development of the standards I am looking forward to building on this work in 2022. The other thing I am really excited about is (perhaps) shaking someone’s hand again and burying my masks.