In 2021-22, we saw an increase in sentinel events related to patient deterioration, particularly in children and young people. In response, we proactively brought together more than 100 health care leaders, clinicians, patients, and families to consider how we might improve the safety and quality of care for children accessing emergency healthcare in Victoria.
This resulted in three key recommended actions:
The COVID- 19 pandemic fundamentally changed the way patients in Victorian hospitals accessed support from their families and carers. This was associated with an increase in avoidable harm to patients across the state and a reduction in patient, family/carer, and staff satisfaction across the healthcare system.
Family and carer involvement in acute healthcare teams is not a new concept, however the lack of formally tested and implemented programs has hindered its widespread adoption across the Victorian healthcare system.
Delirium is a serious condition associated with increased mortality and length of hospital stay. Older age is a key risk factor, and early screening and recognition of delirium risk are important to improve outcomes for patients.
Delirium often goes undetected in Victorian emergency departments (EDs) and urgent care centres (UCCs) due to multiple environmental and clinical demands on staff. There is a lack of consensus on best practice and significant variability in the screening and monitoring of delirium in these settings.