The Safer Care for Kids: ViCTOR pilot project ran from November 2024 to July 2025 in response to a rise in notifications of serious healthcare incidents involving children in Victorian health services. Eight pilot teams tested the refined ViCTOR chart including a new vital sign: “Are you worried your child is getting worse?”
Teams also focused on improving consistent use of ViCTOR charts and timely escalation of care when indicated. The pilot showed strong evidence that consistent use of the refined ViCTOR chart and the family/carer concern question improved recognition and response to paediatric deterioration.
Results and findings
Evaluation findings from participating health services show:
- age-appropriate ViCTOR chart use improved from 74% at the start of the pilot to 99%
- clinical incidents related to deterioration dropped by 30% compared to the previous year
- incidents of severity ratings of 1 and 2 nearly halved
- only 1.7% of families/carers voiced concerns when asked – despite early worries that asking might lead to unnecessary responses and increased clinician workload, this was not the case
- where concern was raised, clinical management changed in 50% of cases, enabling early detection of paediatric deterioration.
All Victorian health services caring for paediatric patients have either adopted or are actively progressing towards implementation of the refined ViCTOR charts. We will continue to support health care services as they meet the mandate and transition to the refined ViCTOR charts.
Resources and support
To support health services implement ViCTOR charts, we have provided a comprehensive set of resources, including:
- an implementation guide
- frequently asked questions
- an audit tool
- training videos.
Implementation Guide and FAQs – Refined ViCTOR Chart
Additionally, two clinical conversations were also held on 23 July and 7 August 2025 to share pilot findings and offer practical implementation guidance to clinicians across the health sector.
