This procedure sets out the responsiblities of the obstetric and/or midwifery staff around who is to be called in, and under which circumstances, to attend an 'at risk' birth.
Accommodates an interim period for paediatric patients whilst development of a statewide Goals of Care policy and form is completed (being led by PCH). Once the statewide documents are available and implemented in WACHS, this policy and form will be superseded
To provide guidance to staff on support available for management of palliative care patients that present to WACHS emergency departments and acute settings
This procedure aims to outline the process for determining indication for, prescribing and initiating parenteral nutrition (PN) specific to Bunbury Hospital. This document is intended to be used in conjunction with the WACHS Adut Parenteral Nutrition Clinical Practice Standard.
This procedure sets out the parking entitlements for employees of, and visitors to, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Central Office metropolitan sites.
This guideline supports the WACHS Consumer and Carer Engagement Policy by outlining the engagement and governance processes to be used by all WACHS staff to strengthen and improve the ways that we listen to and work with consumers and carers across our health services.
These business rules have been established to support good practice and data compliance across the clinical systems and provide a single source of information to guide system usage and data entry.
This procedure sets out how the APU will take all reasonable steps to ensure that admitted patients, detained persons and persons presenting to the mental health service do not present a risk of harm to themselves or others by having inappropriate items in their possession and/or bringing then into mental health inpatient unit.
This document covers Exceptional rulings that are made when an applicant meets the intent of the PATS scheme, which is equitable access to specialist medical services for people living in country Western Australia, but does not clearly meet the strict parameters of the PATS policy.
The Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) is funded by the WA State Government through the Royalties for Regions (RfR) scheme and is administered by the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Country Health Innovation (CHI) program. The intent of the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) is to address variability in health outcomes, service access and equity for country people by providing financial assistance to eligible country residents to access eligible medical services not available locally.
The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidance for consistent patient flow processes and equitable bed management practices across the Kimberley and Pilbara regions.
The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Communicating for Safety Standard requires organisations to have correct ID and procedure matching systems in place to maintain the identity of the patient and to ensure that the patient receives the care intended for them. Whilst the term 'patient' is used in the title of this policy, it may be at times used interchangeably with clients or residents, depending on the context of the health setting.
This procedure sets out how to ensure that patients are given appropriate medical attention if injured during an accident or incident while an inpatient.
This procedure provides information in relation to mental health risk assessment and observation categories for patients admitted to the Broome Mental Health Unit (Mabu Liyan).
This document sets out how the Broome Mental Health Unit (BMHU) / Mabu Liyan upholds the rights of patients to ensure they are treated with respect and dignity in accordance with the Charter of Mental Health Care Principles.
The Patient Safety Directive Process System is a WA Country Health Service area wide risk management and communication strategy, which provides direction and information to regional operational areas commensurate with the extent and evidence of the clinical risk identified.
Patient Support Assistants (PSAs) are not to be required to provide unsupervised patient management. At all times, the PSA is to work under the direction of nursing staff.
This procedure outlines how eligible patients may be assisted with transport via public transport, community based transport, taxis, or patient transport ambulances.
This policy is prescribed to ensure that the patient trust monies received by the WA Country Health Service are recorded and disbursed correctly in accordance with the patient's wishes and procedures and policies set out henceforth.
This procedure outlines how to support the right of patients to be treated in a way that balances the need to impose the least restriction on patient rights and freedoms, with the need to protect patient safety and that of others in the community.
Peer Review is a critical element in any organisational clinical quality system and this statement provides information to support clinicians when conducting peer reviews to assure, maintain or enhance quality of work / performance and improve patient safety and health outcomes. This aim of this document is to assist staff, services and programs to recognise the minimum standards for peer review processes within WACHS.
Treasurer's Instruction (TI) 323 requires commercial invoices to be paid within 30 days from the date of claim, unless the underlying contract specifies otherwise, or a discount is available. This procedure sets out how all regions are to undertake this process.
The purpose of this policy is to establish minimum practice standards for the insertion, care and management of peripheral intravenous cannulae (PIVC) throughout the WA Country Health Service (WACHS).
This procedure is to inform all staff, students, volunteers, researchers, contractors and visitors that work or visit WACHS sites of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements they need to adhere to when entering WACHS sites or performing their duties. This document supports the Environmental Cleaning Policy, Infection Prevention and Control Policy and Managing Hazardous Chemicals Procedure.
This procedure outlines the appropriate process to follow for interaction with pharmaceutical representatives. It considers both the access to the facilities and staff as well as the process required around potential acceptance of pharmaceutical samples.
This policy governs the requirement that patients, carers, relatives, contractors or visitors do not use cameras, mobile phone cameras, video cameras or other image capture devices on WA Country Health Service premises without prior approval and consent of all persons identifiable in the images.
This policy sets out the requirements for physiotherapists utilising techniques involving skin penetration for the treatment of pain and other symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, or as a measure to improve functional health status within the current scope of physiotherapy practice.
This CPS has been endorsed for use by WACHS and should be applied to the WACHS clinical practice context until it is transitioned completely to a WACHS CPS.
This document sets out the procedure for use of the Pneumatic Tube Conveyor System which is used to convey specified items in the safest, most efficient and most effective way possible between departments.
This policy enables WACHS to standardise the approach toward the attainment of goals, values and objectives, to ensure the achievement of desired standards of health service delivery, to minimise risk and to meet legislative and governance requirements. All policy documents are to be progressed through the structures and processes outlined in this policy and the supporting Policy Development Flowchart.
Hospitals have legislated power under Part 4, Division 2, Subdivision 4, Section 40 of the Children and Community Services Act WA 2004 (the Act), to detain a child, under the age of six (6) years, in hospital where there is a reasonable belief that the child is at imminent risk of harm. This documents sets out the processes that are to be undertaken in such circumstances.
Development of this information sheet was a recommendation following SAC 1 Clinical Incident investigation. The information sheet is intended to provide current guidelines relating to the Elective Surgery Pre Admission Process and criteria for Bunbury Hospital and includes information related to out of district referrals.
The purpose of this policy is to establish minimum practice standards for the care and management immediately prior to, and following a procedure throughout the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) and is to be used in conjunction with WACHS Theatres Clinical Practice Standard. Further information relating to specialty areas including Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS), Women and Newborn Health Services (WHNS) can be found via HealthPoint if not covered in this policy.
This procedure aims to ensure the safest outcome for patients who require general anaesthesia or sedation for surgery and/or interventional procedures.
Health screening is provided to new and existing employees to ensure they can safely perform the duties for which they are to be employed, and to allow managers to incorporate reasonable working guidelines if it is medically indicated that a pre-existing injury or health condition may be affected by those duties.
This procedure is to be read in conjunction with the WACHS Pre-employment / Pre-placement Medical Health Screening Policy and the WA Health Health Care Worker Immunisation Policy and is relevant to all appointments, including existing employees who are applying for a new position.
The N10 Pre-Employment Health Assessment is used to advise management of an employee's immunisation status and any pre-existing health issues. Infection Control Clinical Nurses reviewing N10 Part B for vaccine preventable disease (VPD) status, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) status, or baseline assessment of tuberculosis status can complete and sign pathology request forms for routine screening as required by pre-employment assessment. Nurse Managers in Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Newman, Onslow, and Roebourne can complete and sign pathology request forms for routine screening as required by N10 or as recommended by Infection Control Clinical Nurses.
WACHS Midwest strive to prevent hospital acquired surgical site infections (HA-SSI) and recommends screening of patients for carriage and/or colonisation with Staphylococcal Aureus (SA) prior to surgery. SA refers to both methicillin-susceptible SA [MSSA] and methicillin-resistant SA [MRSA]. SA is a pathogenic organism that can cause significant infection when it enters the body through broken skin and causes a wide range of clinical disease. Significant morbidity and mortality risks are associated with postoperative SA infection. Preoperative screening of patients is indicated to identify SA carriers to enable targeted decolonisation, and the appropriate choice of prophylaxis in an effort to prevent post-operative SSI's
This guideline applies to use of slide-in bed rails/bed poles which are prescribed for the purpose of improving bed mobility and assisting in transfers into and out of the bed. It does not include fixed or integral devices that are designed to prevent the user from rolling out of the bed (See Section 4 Definitions). Hospital beds have integral side rails and profiling mattresses as a standard so the use of slide-in devices is generally not appropriate in these settings and may be contraindicated.
This policy addresses the requirements for the prevention and management of pressure injuries for adult, maternity, newborn and paediatric inpatients and aged care residents within WA Country Health Service (WACHS) healthcare facilities.
WACHS will now adopt the risk-based approach to prevention of EOGBSD and sepsis in the maternal and newborn setting rather than the current KEMH approach of universal GBS screening and risk based management
The aim of this guidleline is to minimise the risk of harm to women from primary post partum haemorrhage (PPPH) in WA Country Health Service (WACHS) health care services.
The purpose of this policy is to establish minimum practice standards for procedural sedation throughout WA Country Health Service (WACHS) emergency departments
This procedure relates specifically to consideration around the procurement and storage of both nitrous oxide and Entonox gas cylinders at a hospital and ward level within WACHS - South West facilities.
The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is committed to developing and fostering a culture of learning which encourages self-development and the assessment of clinical skills and knowledge to ensure the safe and competent provision of maternity care.
The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) undertakes a number of time limited projects that deliver an organisational change. Projects have a defined scope, deliverables, start and end dates, cost and can be conducted in an appropriate quality controlled manner.
This guideline is to ensure the flexible supply of domiciliary oxygen to Western Australians who meet the clinical indications for therapeutic benefit from the provision of domiciliary oxygen.
This document provides information on the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) provision of loan equipment to admitted and non-admitted patients, as prescribed by a WACHS allied health professional.
Acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) is an immune mediated condition, characterized by glomerular inflammation precipitating kidney dysfunction occurring 7-10 days following streptococcal pharyngitis or 2-4 weeks following streptococcal skin infection. While Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection is the most common cause, Group C streptococci have also been associated with glomerulonephritis.
During a public health incident/outbreak it is important that the public health workforce has adequate capacity to an effective response. This requires a sufficient number of available staff with the necessary skills and expertise to meet rising demands. This document provides guidance for the surging of staff in WACHS in response to communicable disease outbreak or health protection events that exceed existing capacity.
In line with the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Purchasing Card (P Card) Guidelines, and to improve the governance and controls associated with the use of Purchasing Cards; WACHS Central Office Finance has implemented a periodic centrally controlled P Card audit check procedure.
