Standards and accreditation updates

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create challenges for the Australian health system. In some instances, this may impact the ability of general practices to participate in on-site accreditation assessments to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards for general practice 5th edition.

The National Clinical Trials Governance Framework (Governance Framework) and recommendations for implementation were endorsed by all jurisdictions in February 2022.

Read the December 2021 issue of NSQHS Standards News.

To describe assessment requirements for informed financial consent in health service organisations.

To update accrediting agencies of health service organisations’ requirements for the 2021 Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard in the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards relating to antimicrobial stewardship, specifically in relation to surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis.

To describe the requirement for accrediting agencies to submit an annual declaration relating to conflicts of interest.

To clarify the requirements for the transition between the 2017 Preventing and Controlling Healthcare-Associated Infection Standard of the National Safety and Quality Health Services (NSQHS) Standards and the 2021 Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard.

To describe arrangements for accreditation of newly established health service organisations applying for interim accreditation to the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.

To describe the sampling methodology to be used by accrediting agencies when sampling health service organisations at accreditation assessment.

To clarify the applicability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific actions in the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.