Risk Management is an issue for all organisations and, in particular, health services.  Risk Management requires a systems approach and that this is undertaken in a ‘no blame’ environment. ACHS (2001) defined the risk management as ‘the culture, process and structures that are directed towards effective management of risk’. The basic goals of risk management are to manage risks associated with the activities of the organisation. Examples of the way in which DjHS manages risk are:

• Policy and Procedure Manuals
• Best Practice Committee
• Incident Reports
• Health and Safety Committee

Policy and Procedures Manuals are in place across the whole organisation which detail exactly what should happen in any particular circumstance e.g. evacuation of buildings if there is a fire, how to lift a patient, discharge processes and all clinical care matters. These manuals include those for Theatre, Maternity, Emergency and Primary Care Services. They are available to all staff to refer to if there is a query as to how a particular process should be carried out.

This committee approves all new procedures which are related to clinical care.  It ensures that the procedures have been developed from approved research or evidence based best practice. Examples of procedures approved during the past year include Solutions, Techniques and Pressure in Wound Cleaning, Daily Operational Checks of Defibrillator and Blood Transfusions during Haemodialysis.

Incident reports are made for any clinical incident, which is outside the normal boundaries of care – for instance, if a person has not signed a correct consent form for an operation or a vital piece of theatre equipment breaks down.  We have compared the following incident forms against the previous year’s (NB: an adverse event is an occurance which may happen during the person's stay in hospital which leads to a further procedure - e.g. operation - being carried out or an increase in the length of stay)

Type of incident	04/05	05/06
Sentinel Event	0	0
Adverse event	3	2
Falls	154	112
Medication issues	20	32
Miscellaneous medical incidents	26	13
Total	203	159

 

 

 

 

This Committee is responsible for ensuring the safety of patients, residents, visitors and staff while they are within the buildings or grounds of Djerriwarrh Health Services. Every year we have to meet fire safety requirements for all buildings as well as ensuring all staff are trained in emergency procedures. During the past year our fire hydrant system has been upgraded to ensure we are compliant with the current Australian Standard.  We continually upgrade the buildings at Bacchus Marsh and Melton Regional Hospital, which are aged and in need of constant maintenance. The exteriors of all buildings were painted in the past year and we are hoping to renew all guttering and some of the roofing during the next year.