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Previous editions

Commission update e-newsletter, September 2018 (HTML)

Commission update e-newsletter, December 2017 (PDF 1MB) (HTML)

Commission update e-newsletter, October 2017 (PDF 2MB) (HTML)

Commission update e-newsletter, July 2017 (PDF 4MB) (HTML)

Commission update e-newsletter, March 2017 (PDF 987KB) (HTML)

Commission update e-newsletter, December 2016 (PDF 3MB) (HTML)

Antibiotic Awareness Week
New online interactive atlas
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Clinical Care Standard
National roundtable on reducing inappropriate use of antipsychotics in older people
National Model Clinical Governance Framework
Supporting patient decision making about antibiotic use
Improving patient-clinician communication at transitions of care
Updated specification for the hospital-acquired complications list
Vital Signs
Annual Report 2015-16

Commission update e-newsletter, September 2016 (PDF 933KB) (HTML)

New Clinical Care Standard on hip fracture care
National General Practice Accreditation Scheme
New PBS Hospital Medication Chart
Specifications released for the first national hospital-acquired complications list
The Commission’s work with the Australian Digital Health Agency
A patient safety and quality improvement framework for primary care
Delirium Clinical Care Standard
Dementia Awareness Month
New Board members

Commission update e-newsletter, June 2016 (PDF 2MB) (HTML)

Antimicrobial use and resistance
Version 2 of the NSQHS Standards
Acute Stroke Case for Improvement
End-of-life essentials: education for acute hospitals
2016 Aged Care National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey
Surgical National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey
DIP 4 Kids

Commission update e-newsletter, March 2016 (PDF 373KB) (HTML)

Complete Our Website Survey
Caring for Cognitive Impairment
End-of-life care and the NSQHS Standards – fact sheet
Knee Pain
Guide to the NSQHS Standards for community health services
Patient Blood Management
National Standard for User-applied Labelling of Injectable Medicines, Fluids and Lines

Commission update e-newsletter, December 2015 (PDF 1MB) (HTML)

Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation
Antimicrobial Usage and Prescribing
Acute Stroke Clinical Care Standard
NSQHS Standards Guide for Dental Practices and Services
Guide to the NSQHS Standards for health service boards
Essential elements for safe and high-quality end-of-life care
Health Literacy
CT scans and children
Annual Report and Vital Signs

Commission update e-newsletter, March 2015 (PDF 334KB) (HTML)

Hospital mortality indicators: A guide for Boards and Chief Executives
Consultation: NSQHS Standards Guide for Dental Practices and Services
Improving care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in hospital
NEW APP A better way to care: Actions for clinicians
Expert advisory group investigating appropriate management of knee pain
Hip Fracture and Delirium Clinical Care Standards

Commission update e-newsletter, December 2014 (PDF 334KB) (HTML)

Acute Coronary Syndromes Clinical Care Standard
Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Care Standard
A better way to care for patients with cognitive impairment in hospital
National Quality Use of Medicines Indicators for Australian Hospitals
Expressions of Interest: The National Patient Blood Management Collaborative
Guide for health service organisations boards implementing the NSQHS Standards
National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey – still open
Christmas and New Year operating hours

Antibiotic Awareness Week e-newsletter, November 2014 (PDF 314KB) (HTML)

Antibiotic Awareness Week, 17-23 November 2014
New video presentations for Antibiotic Awareness Week 2014
Global twitter chat
National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS)
Resources for Antibiotic Awareness Week 2014
Antibiotic Awareness Week partners

Commission update e-newsletter, October 2014 (PDF 432KB) (HTML)

Shared Decision Making Symposium – now online
Antibiotic Awareness Week 2014 resources now available
National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey 2014 now open
Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation
Hospital Mortality Indicators Literature Review, Case Studies and Appendices
Vital Signs 2014: The State of Safety and Quality in Australian Health Care
Annual Report 2013/14

Commission update e-newsletter, March 2014 (PDF 60KB) (HTML)

Health literacy in Australia
Training and competencies for recognising and responding to clinical deterioration
Professor John Turnidge appointed to lead program for national surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic usage
Improving safety and providing high quality care for people with cognitive impairment in hospitals
Australian Open Disclosure Framework endorsed by health ministers
Consultation on the Draft National Consensus Statement on End-of-Life Care in Acute Hospitals

Antibiotic Awareness Week e-newsletter, 18 November 2013 (PDF 108KB) (HTML)

Antibiotic Awareness Week, 18-24 November 2013
The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Veterinary Officer discuss antibiotic resistance in Australia
National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS)
Activities for Antibiotic Awareness Week 2013
Antibiotic Awareness Week partners

Commission update e-newsletter, November 2013 (PDF 98KB) (HTML)

Antibiotic Awareness Week, 18-24 November 2013
National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS)
Online presentations from international experts in safety and quality in health care
Improving the management of cognitive impairment
Vital Signs 2013: The State of Safety and Quality in Australian Health Care
Annual Report 2012/13
Reducing preventable harm from sepsis
Healthscope and Bupa announce landmark agreement on quality healthcare outcomes

Commission update e-newsletter, September 2013 (PDF 96KB) (HTML)

NSQHS Standards Guide for Small Hospitals
NSQHS Standards network meetings
Get it right! Taking a Best Possible Medication History – training video
End-of-life care in acute hospitals

Commission Update Newsletter #18, June 2013

Commission welcomes new Board appointments
Clinical Care Standards
First health services achieve accreditation to NSQHS Standards
OECD Medical Practice Variations project – Australian participation
Venous Thromboembolism prevention and the National Inpatient Medication Chart
Commission raises funds to support indigenous midwives

ACSQHC Update Newsletter #17 December 2012

Support for Health Services Implementing the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards
Annual Report 2011/2012
Antibiotic Awareness Week
Call 1800 304 056 for the National Safety and Quality Accreditation Advice Centre
The National Residential Medication Chart
Australian Safety and Quality Goals for Health Care
Clinical Care Standards
Update on the Review of the Open Disclosure Standards
Health Literacy in Australia

ACSQHC Update Newsletter #16 August 2012

Health Ministers Endorse Work Plan and Safety and Quality Goals
Support for health services in the transition to the new Accreditation Scheme
Program Updates
OECD Medical Variation Practice Study
Consultation on a new National Open Disclosure Standard
Health Literacy Seminar a Success
International Conference on Rapid Response Systems and Medical Emergency Teams
Permanent Board Appointments

ACSQHC Update Newsletter #15 December 2011

Australian Safety and Quality Goals for Health Care
Antimicrobial Surveillance Implementation Guides
National Medication Management Plan
Central line Associated Bloodstream Infection in Intensive Care Units
Safety in e-Health
National Roundtable on Patient Experience, 8 December 2011
Commencement of a Health Literacy Stocktake

ACSQHC Update Newsletter #14 August 2011

Patient-Centred Care
Accreditation Update
Working with National e-Health Transition Authority
Review of the National Open Disclosure Standard
Antimicrobial Stewardship in Australian Hospitals
Information Strategy Update
Venous Thromboembolism Prevention Resource Centre
Medication Safety Update

ACSQHC Update Newsletter #13 April 2011

Antimicrobial Stewardship in Australian Hospitals
Accreditation Update
TallMan Lettering
External Evaluation of the National Clinical Handover Initiative Pilot Program
ACSQHC On the Radar
ACSQHC Legislation Announcement

Isolated rectocele	GoR*
Posterior Colporrhaphy (PC) is the procedure of choice	B
Levatorplasty associated with high rate of dyspareunia	B
PC reduced prolapse with equal functional outcome compared to transanal approach	B
Fascial plication is superior to site specific posterior vaginal repair	C
No evidence demonstrating benefit for synthetic or biological graft	C
Those with combined vaginal prolapse and bowel symptoms benefit from colorectal and gynaecologist collaboration	C
Ventral rectopexy and vaginal graft is unnecessary for isolated rectocele	D

Vault prolapse (post hysterectomy)	GoR*
Sacral colpopexy (SC) has significant anatomical and functional advantages when compared with a broad group of vaginal surgery (± mesh)	A
Transvaginal apical mesh confers no advantage when compared to native tissue repairs	A
Uterosacral and sacrospinous colpopexy have similar efficacy for apical prolapse	B
Laparoscopic SC has advantages over both robotic and open approach however the learning curve with the laparoscopic approach is significant	B
Sacrospinous ligament fixation and abdominal sacrocolpopexy have equivalent success rates	B
Vaginal apical suspensions appropriate in those not suitable for SC (Delphi)	C

	GoR*
Vaginal hysteropexy is equally effective as vaginal hysterectomy with apical suspension and is associated with reduced blood loss and operating time	B
Vaginal hysterectomy with apical suspension has a lower reoperation rate for prolapse than abdominal sacro-hysteropexy	B
Salpingectomy ↓ risk of ovarian cancer in women retaining ovaries at the time of hysterectomy	B
Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) at hysterectomy in post-menopausal women ↓ rate of ovarian cancer without ↑ morbidity	B
SC with hysterectomy is not recommended due to high rate of mesh exposure	B
Supracervical hysterectomy has a lower rate of mesh exposure than hysterectomy and SC	B
Sacro-hysteropexy has a ↑ reoperation rate for prolapse than SC with hysterectomy	C
Supracervical hysterectomy has ↑ rate of recurrent POP compared to SC and hysterectomy	C
Although data is not complete, vaginal based apical suspensions should generally be considered for uterine prolapse reserving SC for recurrent or post hysterectomy prolapse	C

Isolated cystocele	GoR*
Anterior Colporrhaphy (AC) is generally recommended however permanent synthetic mesh could be considered for recurrent prolapse if women understand the risk/benefit profile	A
Non-autologous grafts offer no significant advantage over AC	B
Native tissue repair is recommended, but carries a higher risk of prolapse recurrence	B
Mesh repairs are associated with higher risk of adverse events	B
Mesh repair may be considered for recurrent prolapse after patient informed and accepts the risk/benefit	B
Adjunctive fascial slings may be used to prevent recurrent prolapse in high grade cystoceles	C

Prolapse surgery and lower urinary tract functions	GoR*
Women with POP + SUI
Surgery for POP + SUI shows a higher rate of cure of urinary incontinence in the short term	A
Combined POP + SUI surgery carries a higher risk of adverse events	A
Women with POP + occult SUI
POP + occult SUI equals POP and continence surgery (consider staged procedure)	B
Women with POP + occult SUI are at risk of development of incontinence post POP repair alone, with some proceeding to additional SUI surgery at a later date	A
Combined POP + SUI surgery reduces the risk of post operative incontinence	A
Combined POP + SUI surgery increases the risk of adverse events	A
Continent women with POP
POP without occult SUI does not require concomitant continence surgery	B
Women with POP and Overactive Bladder (OAB)
There is low level (inconsistent) evidence to suggest that operative repair can improve OAB symptoms	C

	GoR*
Perioperative physiotherapy did not reduce the rate of recurrent prolapse	A
Stage 3 or Stage 4 prolapse	B
Low volume surgeons have ↑ rate of complications compared to high volume surgeons	B
Patient age < 60 years	C
Less experienced surgeons have higher rates of recurrent prolapse after transvaginal surgery	C
Preoperative widened genital hiatus or levator defects on urinary signs and symptoms: data are inconclusive	D

	GoR*
The most extensively researched option for SUI establishing efficacy and safety profile	A
As effective or more effective than colposuspension or pubovaginal sling with less perioperative and post-operative morbidity	B
Recommended surgical treatment female SUI	C

Retropubic versus transobturator mid-urethral sling	GoR*
In the short-term there are similar success rates for retropublic and transobturator	A
Obturator tapes slightly quicker, with less blood loss, bladder perforation and voiding dysfunction difficulties. Most of these differences were small and the complications are readily able to be managed.	A
However in the medium term (>5 years) the reoperation for recurrent SUI greater in obturator group and a small number developed groin pain (3-4%) that is difficult to treat.	B
Retropubic considered as the preferred procedure with transobturator reserved for those patients with a hostile abdomen	C

Retropubic versus transobturator mid-urethral sling	GoR*
In the short‐term there are similar success rates for retropubic and transobturator mid urethral slings	A
Obturator tapes are slightly quicker, with less blood loss, bladder perforation and voiding dysfunction difficulties. Most of these differences were small and the complications are readily able to be managed.	A
However in the medium term (>5 years) the reoperation for recurrent SUI greater in obturator group and a small number developed groin pain (3-4%) that is difficult to treat.	B
Retropubic considered as the preferred procedure with transobturator reserved for those patients with a hostile abdomen	C