Excellence in Patient Care Statutory Duty of Candour introduction to Ambulance Victoria Ambulance Victoria

AV has complied with new timelines and followed the requirements set out in the Victorian Duty of Candour Guidelines (legislative instrument), as outlined below.

In late August 2022, Safer Care Victoria (SVC) advised Ambulance Victoria (AV) that changes relating to open disclosure requirements would come into effect on 30 November 2022, in line with the introduction of the newly legislated Victorian Statutory Duty of Candour.

AV’s Patient Safety and Experience team responded swiftly to considerately introduce the Victorian Statutory Duty of Candour into AV’s Patient Safety Incident Management system.

The Victorian Health Legislation Amendment (Quality and Safety) Act 2022 introduced new reforms and amended existing Health Acts. Under the changes, health services were required to provide a patient with a Statutory Duty of Candour if they had suffered a serious adverse patient safety event (SAPSE) while receiving health care. AV is required to provide the patient, and/or their next-of-kin/carer, with:

• Written accounts of facts regarding the SAPSE.

• Apology for harm suffered by the patient.

• Description of AV’s response to the event.

• Summary of steps AV has taken to prevent reoccurrence of event.

• Apology provided to patient/next of kin/carer within 24 hours of identification of a SAPSE.

• Duty of Candour meeting within 10 business days of identification of a SAPSE with the patient/next of kin/ carer (to provide apology/discuss incident).

• Review and report of the SAPSE provided to the patient/next of kin/carer within 50 days of identification of a SAPSE.