Policy and guideline: Adverse patient safety events

This policy and accompanying guideline outline individual, health service and SCV responsibilities when responding to an adverse patient safety event.

Please align your policy to this. 

Who does this policy and guideline apply to?

All Victorian health services, including services under their governance structure. This includes:

• public health services
• public hospitals 
• multi-purpose services 
• denominational hospitals 
• Ambulance Victoria 
• Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare)
• bush nursing centres (publicly funded).

This policy is recommended best practice for the following private health providers: 

• private hospitals 
• day procedure centres 
• non-emergency patient transport (NEPT) service 
• first aid services.

What is an adverse patient safety event?

An incident that resulted in harm to a person receiving care (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care [ACSQHC]). Harm includes disease, suffering, impairment (disability) and death.

Feedback

We would be pleased to received your feedback on the policy and guideline to assist us with future edits.