Clinical governance is the term used to describe a systematic approach to maintaining and improving the quality of patient care within a health system. It is about the ability to produce effective change so that high quality care is achieved. It requires clinicians and administrators to take joint responsibility for making sure this occurs.
When clinical governance is effective, it has the potential to:
The role of the Director of Clinical Services and Programs is to:
The primary purpose of the CAMS is to:
The role of the Clinical Advisor is to:
The role of the Medical Advisor is to:
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Alcohol and Other Drugs has several clinical governance programs, services and initiatives that address quality and safety issues, risk management, continuous improvement, workforce development and work with key stakeholders at committee level.
The internal CAOD Clinical Quality Committee (CQC) includes the CAOD Clinical Services and Programs Director, Chief Addiction Medicine Specialist, Medical Advisor and Clinical Advisor. The CQC is committed to working collaboratively with CAOD teams to support the delivery of high-quality, best-practice and clinically relevant work. The CQC has developed clinical governance processes to ensure appropriate pathways for the CAOD to access timely, efficient, and supportive clinical consultation and advice.
To manage clinical and corporate risk, the CQC is committed to ongoing regular review of clinical evidence and best practice to ensure the continuous provision of clinically relevant, best practice advice to inform CAOD activities. CQC advice and recommendations will be aligned to CAOD strategic objectives and reflect the diversity of clinical services and operations provided by NSW Health funded AOD treatment service sector.
The QIT Sub-Committee reports to the NSW Health Drug and Alcohol Program Council on matters relating to improvements in clinical practice and quality of care. It comprises senior clinicians from the LHDs with representation from non-government organisations, nursing, and allied health professionals.
The Aboriginal Corporation Drug and Alcohol Network (ACDAN) is a member-based organisation led by a Board of Directors, who represent separate, but inter-connected organisations across the Alcohol and Other Drugs sector.
The Drug and Alcohol Clinical Program is working with Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol leaders in NSW through the establishment of the Aboriginal Corporation Drug and Alcohol Network (ACDAN). The ACDAN Leadership Group meets regularly to discuss the development and delivery of Aboriginal drug and alcohol services in NSW. The ACDAN holds an annual symposium. This project is run in partnership with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AHMRC).
The purpose of the SIR Sub-Committee is to undertake responsibility for monitoring, analysing, and reporting on clinical patient safety issues that have state- wide implications; and to promote systems improvements in Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Services.
The Opioid Pharmacotherapy Subcommittee (OPS) is appointed as a Subcommittee of the Medical Committee established under section 30A of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966. The OPS is responsible for making recommendations to the Secretary on the suitability of medical and nurse practitioners to be approved as prescribers of drugs of addiction, advising the Secretary on any matters on approvals and authority applications made under section 29(2) of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966.