Premier

Call For Clinicians To Boost Patient Safety

22 November 2016

Doctors, nurses and other health clinicians are being urged to play their part in an overhaul of Victoria’s hospital quality and safety system with expressions of interest for the new Victorian Clinical Council now open.

The establishment of the new Victorian Clinical Council is part of the Andrews Labor Government’s reforms to strengthen quality and safety and drive down avoidable harm in Victorian hospitals.

The Council will put clinicians front and centre in providing clinical expertise to the Government, the Department of Health and Human Services, and health services on how to improve quality and safety, and provide better, safer care to all Victorians.

It will comprise a multidisciplinary membership of 60 people, including clinicians and patient representatives, and will be led by paediatrician Associate Professor Jill Sewell as the inaugural Chair of the new Council.

Associate Professor Sewell is Chair of the Australian Medical Council and co-Chair of the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care Clinical Care Standards Advisory Committee.

Applications for the new Victorian Clinical Council are sought from a range of professionals, including GPs, nurses, allied health practitioners, medical staff and patient representatives.

The Government also today announced Dr Diane Watson as the new Chief Executive Officer of the newly created Victorian Agency for Health Information.

The Victorian Agency for Health Information will analyse and share quality and safety information across our system to ensure everyone has an accurate picture of where the concerns are, and where we're getting it right.

Dr Watson was inaugural Chief Executive of the National Health Performance Authority, which monitored and reported on the performance of more than 1000 public and private hospitals, primary health care agencies and other organisations.

For more information on how to register interest for the new Victorian Clinical Council email VCC@dhhs.vic.gov.au or phone 9096 2159.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy

“We’re overhauling our health system to put people first.”

“We need to do everything we can to drive down avoidable harm in our health system, and we want our wonderful doctors, nurses and health clinicians involved every step of the way.”

“The work of Associate Professor Sewell and Dr Watson will be pivotal in creating a better, safer health system.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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