This issue includes items on COVID-19, clinical governance, shared care, patient experience, discharge summaries, opioids, antimicrobials, diagnostic error and more.

This tool has been developed to specifically support services intending to transition from implementation of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards 2nd edition to implementation of the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards.  It should be used together with the relevant NSQHS Standards guide and the Accreditation Workbook, available on the Commission’s website.

Primary and community healthcare services currently accredited to the NSQHS Standards may consider the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards are more appropriate to their service model.

To be awarded accreditation to the Standards, your healthcare services will need to implement the Standards and undertake an assessment process, conducted by an independent accrediting agency approved by the Commission.

Number of PBS/RPBS prescriptions dispensed for antipsychotic medicines per 100,000 for people 65 years and over, age and sex standardised, 2016-17 to 2020-21.

Number of PBS/RPBS prescriptions dispensed for opioid medicines per 100,000, all ages, age and sex standardised, 2016-17 to 2020-21.

This Factsheet provides guidance on using the hierarchy of controls, in conjunction with infection prevention and control systems, to identify and manage infection risks. The Factsheet includes information to support health service organisations to implement the requirements of the NSQHS Standards in relation to infection prevention and control and the hierarchy of controls.