Jan Gralton
Biography:
Jan Gralton (BSc, PhD, GradCertHealthPol) is an experienced health policy advisor, who has worked in both healthcare and aged care settings. Jan also has a research background in microbiology and lectures at New York University.
Currently Jan is the manager of the Infection Prevention and Control program at the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare, which includes the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare, the National Hand Hygiene Initiative, and a number of resources to support organisations to meet infection prevention and control actions of the National Safety and Quality Health Service and National Primary and Community Care Healthcare Standards.
Abstract:
Health services are currently accredited to the second edition of the NSQHS Standards, which have been in place since 2017. Since then, health services across Australia have embedded the Standards into everyday practice by building clinical governance systems, partnering with consumers and strengthening the safety of routine care. During this time, the health system has seen marked improvements in the safety and quality of patient care. The third edition of the Standards aims to build upon that work and the processes and systems established.
To reflect the complexity of today’s healthcare system, the eight standards from the second edition have been consolidated into three integrated standards. The three standards are intended to strengthen the connection between clinical governance, workforce capability and patient outcomes, supporting a coordinated approach to safety and quality. Infection prevention and control is included within five specific actions while antimicrobial stewardship has been incorporated into the broader actions related to medicines safety. Additionally, medical devices are recognised as its own category within the Safe Clinical Systems criterion and includes actions relating to device traceability and reprocessing.
The third edition of the Standards will be piloted in early 2027, with full implementation to occur in 2030.