- What is the NSW
Health Safety Alert Broadcast System?
- The NSW Health Safety Alert Broadcasting System (SABS)
is a component of the knowledge management strategy under
the NSW Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Program, (PSCQP)
launched by the Minister for Health in 2004.
The SABS has been developed to provide a systematic approach
to the distribution and management of patient safety information
to the NSW health system. The SABS consists of three components
to provide area health services with early warnings / notifications
of issues which will potentially impact on patient safety
and clinical quality.
- Safety Alert
(Red)
- Safety Notice (Amber)
- Safety Information (Green)
- What is a Safety
Alert?
- A Safety Alert quickly disseminates information
to NSW Area Health Services about a safety matter needing
immediate attention and action. Each Alert specifies action
to be taken by Area Health Services, the timeframes in which
such actions should occur, and assign responsibility for
action. The colour coding for Safety Alerts is RED.
For a Safety Alert, Area Health Services are required to:
- acknowledge receipt of the Safety Alert
- assess the relevance of the information to their services
distribute the Safety Alert to the relevant staff in
their Area Health Service
- ensure completion of the required action within a
designated timeframe
- submit a response to the Department within the designated
timeframe.
- What is a Safety
Notice?
- A Safety Notice informs NSW Area Health Services about
potential quality and safety issues requiring risk assessment
at the local level. The Safety Notice is also used to highlight
identified problems. The colour coding for Safety Notices
is Amber.
For a Safety Notice, Area Health Services are required
to:
- acknowledge receipt of the Safety Notice
- consider the relevance of the information to their
services
- distribute the Safety Notice to the relevant staff
in their Area Health Service
- review policies and procedures in place to address
the issues
- identify required action and implement in Area Health
Service
- submit a response to the Department within the given
timeframe (if required)
- What is Safety
Information?
- The aim of Safety Information is to disseminate
quality and safety news to NSW Area Health Services to ensure
lessons learned are being spread across NSW Health. The
content of the Safety Information includes items such as
updates on the initiatives implemented under the Patient
Safety and Clinical Quality Program and information about
Policy Directives and Guidelines.
The Colour coding for the Safety Information is Green.
For a Safety Information, Area Health Services are required
to:
- distribute the Safety Information within Area Health
Service
- consider the relevance of the information to their
services
- identify any required action and implement.
- How do I request
a SAB to be produced and distributed?
- NSW Health staff can submit information for a SAB to be
produced by using the online form on the Intranet at http://internal.health.nsw.gov.au/quality/sabs/index.html
