Safe Systems Supporting Safe Care

Publications
Safe Systems Supporting Safe Care

Date of publication: May 2002

Summary
Publication availability
Publishing information
Background papers

Summary
This final report on Health Care Quality Improvement in New Zealand makes recommendations for the Minister of Health’s quality improvement strategy.

This advice from the National Health Committee (NHC) was developed through a process involving the publication of a discussion document in September 2001, workshops and consultation with key stakeholders.

The 2002 report recommends a national approach to health care quality improvement, saying “in order for health care services to achieve the best health outcomes, quality improvement should be the prime focus of health care delivery in this country”. Essential to this approach is the explicit identification of the trade-offs this would involve with each of the components of quality, and processes to measure and audit the effect of these trade-offs on service provision.

The NHC considers health care quality involves five interrelated components: safety, consumer-focus, access, effectiveness and efficiency, which should be viewed together, not in isolation. Safety is considered to be especially important. The report notes that quality improvement is the responsibility of all individuals and teams in the health sector as well as organisations and government. Improvement, the report says, should be an integral “everyday” part of the health care process.

The report details what the NHC considers are priorities for action: stronger leadership, improved responsiveness to Maori, greater consumer involvement and better co-ordination throughout the sector.

Publication availability
This publication is not available in hard copy. It is only available on this website in PDF format below:

Safe Systems Supporting Safe Care (PDF, 3 MB)

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Publishing information
Date of publication: May 2002

ISBN 0-478-25301-X (Document)
ISBN 0-78-25302-8 (Internet)

HP 3538

Background papers

Safe Systems Supporting Safe Care. September 2001
Quality in the NZ Health System. September 2001