Wider serious health incident reporting a positive step

21 November 2013

Wider serious health incident reporting a positive step

The Public Service Association says reporting of serious incidents through a wider range of health providers should send a strong signal about the importance of the community sector in the delivery of health and disability services.

For the first time, non-District Health Board providers have been included in an annual report into serious adverse events regarding patient or client care. 52 incidents were reported across a wide range of organisations including a number which provide disability and home support services.

The PSA represents thousands of workers who provide residential and home-based disability and aged care.

PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff says “it’s encouraging to see a broader range of organisations being included in this annual reporting. It helps recognise that community based services are a core part of the health delivery mix, and not simply an add-on.”

“What we need now is to see that matched by appropriate funding levels.”

The PSA says organisations which provide home-based disability and aged care are chronically underfunded which means workers are low paid, there is high staff turnover and there is little money for staff training and support.

“While it’s good to see non-DHB organisations stepping up and reporting serious events with their patients and clients, it’s time the government realised that while everyone is working to deliver quality services, they depend on proper resourcing and funding,” says Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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