Queensland health services unite around a common purpose
All Queensland public hospitals have been asked to implement the national model by mid-2027.
All public Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) across Queensland have been asked to implement the National Model for Clinical Governance (national model) by June 2027, reinforcing a statewide commitment to high-quality care.
The request was made at a joint meeting in September of the Clinical Governance Leadership Forum and the Hospital and Health Board Safety and Quality Chairs Forum. This year, the forum was expanded to include board members and executives from all 16 Queensland HHSs.
Ms Kirstine Sketcher-Baker, Queensland Health’s Executive Director of Patient Safety and Quality, said HHSs had also been asked to complete a gap analysis of their current clinical governance arrangements by February 2027.
The Department will use this work to identify shared lessons across the system and determine what support may be needed at a statewide level to help services implement the national model.
Ms Kirstine Sketcher-Baker,
Queensland Health, Executive Director of Patient Safety and Quality
A priority for all
Ms Sketcher-Baker said: ‘The national model just makes sense. High-quality care should be front of mind for everyone in our health system − from the cleaners helping to prevent infections, to the clinicians delivering care, to executives providing leadership, boards setting direction, and Department of Health staff supporting the system.
‘We’re all part of one team working towards the same goal. It needs to be a priority for all of us. Mandating implementation of the national model makes it clear that this matters across the whole system.”
The joint forum was designed to reinvigorate Queensland’s approach to clinical governance and bring together key leaders from across the state to understand how to embed the national model into everyday practice.
The forum was attended by 110 representatives from the 16 HHHs, as well as Mater Health Services, Retrieval Services, Pathology Queensland, Queensland Ambulance Services, Royal Flying Doctors Service Queensland, and Department of Health representatives from Health Contact Centre, eHealth Queensland, Health Workforce Division, Healthcare Purchasing and System Performance Division, and Clinical Excellence Queensland.
Gillian Giles, the Commission’s Executive Director of Clinical Governance, and Dr Cathy Balding, Director of Qualityworks, presented on the national model and accompanying practical implementation guide. Clinical governance expert Cathy Jones presented on clinical governance roles and responsibilities.
Positive feedback
Ms Sketcher-Baker said she heard ‘overwhelmingly positive feedback’ from participants during the forum.
‘This initial event for Queensland has kick-started us off to initial understanding and adoption of the model with our senior leaders across HHSs and Department of Health to now progressing our exciting journey in statewide adoption of the model.’
Attendees identified key actions and challenges for implementing the national model, including workforce culture, accountability and capacity.
As an outcome of the forum, the Department is progressing how data can better support high-quality care. It has recently written to all clinical networks, asking them to identify 2–3 clinical indicators within their clinical network’s area of expertise that would be valuable to monitor across hospitals and statewide, driving improvement.
‘Advice from the relevant clinical leads from across the state will help us understand which indicators really matter to focus improvements in care for patients,’ Ms Sketcher-Baker said.