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Mandatory requirements for SA Health services to be assessed and accredited against the applicable national safety and quality standards.
Health care services are accredited every three years against the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Accreditation is a quality assurance mechanism, testing whether relevant systems are in place and working effectively to provide the expected standard of patient safety and quality.
From January 2019, health care services across SA Health are assessed on the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards 2nd Edition. The Australian Commission has released supporting resources and further information including assessor online training courses. The second edition of the Standards includes a greater focus on mental health, cognitive impairment, health literacy and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The National Model Clinical Governance Framework (PDF 1MB) outlines the requirements for clinical governance, which is a set of relationships and responsibilities established by a health service organisation between its state or territory department of health, governing body, executive workforce, patients, consumers and other stakeholders to ensure good clinical outcomes.
The NSQHS Standards User guide for governing bodies outlines the actions in the NSQHS Standards that require health service organisation leaders, especially members of the governing boards to act.
Safety and Quality Unit
Email: Health.DHWClinicalGovernanceEnquiries@sa.gov.au