Hospitals in Queensland will soon test a new hotline for escalating safety concerns. 

In a bid to enhance patient care and bolster staff confidence, the Queensland Government has announced the new Patient Safety Net. 

The initiative will be piloted by four Hospital and Health Services (HHS) in Queensland.

The Patient Safety Net program offers Queensland Health personnel, including contractors, agency workers, students, and volunteers, the opportunity to escalate concerns related to patient safety. 

These concerns can be reported via a dedicated hotline if they believe local handling has been inadequate.

The four Hospital and Health Services participating in this pilot program are Townsville, Gold Coast, Central Queensland HHSs, and Children’s Health Queensland. 

Each of these HHSs will designate patient safety stewards to manage concerns and oversee the pilot's implementation, scheduled for launch on October 9.

To ensure efficient and timely resolutions, executive committees will also be established within each HHS to manage escalated concerns.

“It’s extremely important that everyone feels safe within our hospitals,” said Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman.

“Patient Safety Net is designed to prevent harm to all patients and ensure they are receiving the best healthcare possible.”

This program aims to streamline the complaint process and provide staff with access to a patient safety steward either within their HHS or the Department of Health. 

It encourages higher incident reporting, to bring about a positive and transparent safety culture that ultimately enhances patient care.

The pilot's success will be evaluated in mid-2024, with potential plans to expand the program throughout Queensland Health and the Queensland Ambulance Service.

More information is accessible here.