Emergency laparotomy is a high-risk, high-cost procedure with significant variation in how care is delivered and patient outcomes.
More than 15,000 Australians undergo this emergency major abdominal surgery each year. The estimated mortality rate for the procedure is around 6.2%, rising to more than 20% in older people and people with comorbidities.
Consultation is now open on a draft Emergency Laparotomy Clinical Care Standard, which will help optimise patient outcomes.
The Commission is developing the first national standard for emergency laparotomy, to drive quality improvement in care and ensure timely assessment, diagnosis and surgery for people undergoing the procedure.
Share your feedback
Share your feedback on the draft by completing the online survey or providing a written submission. The public consultation will be open until Tuesday 14 October 2025.
We are seeking feedback from clinicians, healthcare services, consumer organisations, people with lived experience of emergency laparotomy, and other interested parties.
The standard is particularly relevant to clinicians including surgeons, anaesthetists, intensivists, geriatricians, emergency physicians and nurses, and radiologists.
More information
Visit safetyandquality.gov.au/el-ccs or email ccs@safetyandquality.gov.au.