13 Feb 2010

Health quality commission details announced

3:40 pm on 13 February 2010

The Government has revealed the details of the new Quality and Safety Improvement Commission to be set up to reduce errors and improve patient safety in the health sector.

Health Minister Tony Ryall told a conference of family doctors that, like Pharmac, it would be an independent, stand-alone Crown agency. It would be led by clinicians and would report to the minister.

He said errors cost the health system up to $600 million a year, but until now moves to reduce mistakes had been restricted to public hospitals only.

The commission - likely to have at least seven members - will extend that to include family doctors, private hospitals and aged care. Mr Ryall says this could save New Zealand about $100 million per year.

Move welcomed by doctors, aged care sector

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners says the commission should help break down communication barriers in the health sector.

President Harry Peart says doctor-patient communication needs a major shake-up. People should be able to visit a hospital or practitioner and have access to all important personal information, he says.

And the Aged Care Association says the establishment of the commission comes as a relief. Chief executive Martin Taylor says the over-65 age group looms large in mistakes made in hospitals, and will benefit directly from any improvement in the quality of care.

Mr Taylor says a serious rethink is needed about the quality of patient safety and care in public and private health institutions.