Safer Care Unit

The Safer Care Unit focuses on ensuring systems are in place to promote patient safety, support quality improvement & evidence-based practice.

The team works to support staff so that the expectations of patients and their families for high quality care are met and where they not met making sure that complaints and incidents are fully investigated and improvements are made to prevent the same thing happening again.

Peninsula Health is a fully accredited health service. The Safer Care Unit supports all parts of the health service in meeting the:

Peninsula Health has a robust system of Clinical Governance. In this way we ensure we have the right people and right systems are in place to continue to provide the highest standards of care. Clinical Governance is implemented through a framework based on the Clinical Governance Policy Framework which promotes consumer participation, clinical effectiveness, an effective workforce and risk management.

Clinical Governance is overseen by the Peninsula Health Board Quality and Clinical Governance Committee. The Committee, chaired by a Board Director and attended by Board Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Directors and members of the Quality Department, monitors the work of each service within Peninsula Health  to continuously improve quality and safety. Consumers also participate in this Committee providing invaluable input into the work we do.

Areas of service and safety monitored by the Safer Care Unit include:

  • Infection Prevention and Control is responsible for monitoring the strategies that prevent infection and supporting staff to minimise risks by ensuring a safe, clean hospital environment.
  • The Mortality, Major Morbidity Review Committee reports on patient safety issues to the Board Quality and Clinical Governance Committee. Sentinel events, serious adverse events and deaths are reviewed by the Committee with the assistance of independent audits undertaken by an external medical expert.
  • Patient Safety is everyone’s responsibility and Safer Care Unit monitors the care people receive in hospital. The Clinical Risk Unit investigates any adverse event or near miss.
  • Victorian Health Incident Management System (VHIMS) is a state-wide incident management system that is monitored by the Safer Care Unit. 
  • The Consumer Information Steering Committee is facilitated by the Safer Care Unit.
  • The Safer Care Unit utilises two avenues to monitor our consumer’s voice:
  1. The Victorian Healthcare Experience Survey (VHES) is an independent body which regularly monitors and reports on the patient experience within public hospital services throughout Victoria. This information allows Peninsula Health to compare the experience of our patient against like hospitals and the state.
  2. Peninsula Health seeks ‘on the spot’ feedback from consumers across the organisation using Feedback forms. Our volunteers are available to assist patients with the completion of the forms if required. The internal feedback is analysed by individual departments and wards and is reported to the Board of Directors.
  • Customer Relations Service is part of the Safer Care Unit and is responsible for responding to your complaints and concerns. Peninsula Health welcomes feedback on the services it provides and works with consumers to resolve their concerns. We encourage our consumers to express their concerns via telephone, Peninsula Health’s website, in writing, in person to the person in charge of the relevant department/ program or through the Customer Relations Manager by email: Customer Relations.
  • The Redesigning Care Program at Peninsula Health aims to create, spread and sustain improvements in delivering patient care. It is aligned with the Commission for Hospital Improvement and the Department of Health.

Some other areas the Safer Care Unit manage include:

  • Implementation and maintenance of the Charter of Healthcare Rights throughout Peninsula Health.
  • Management of Blood and Blood Product Administration Safety.
  • Management, maintenance and development of Clinical and Care Planning Pathways to ensure patients are provided with evidence based best possible care.

The Quality of Care Report is developed by the Quality and Customer Services Department and provides an opportunity to report to our consumers our achievements in quality and safety, and identify the improvements made to continue to achieve higher standards of care. We invite your feedback on this report. To learn more about our quality systems and services you can view the latest Quality of Care Report.

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