Public Hospital Accreditation in Victoria

The Department of Human Services has promoted accreditation of acute hospitals as a significant component of its quality policy since 1993. Since 1 July 2000 all Victorian public hospitals are required to be accredited. The underpinning policy objective of mandatory accreditation is continuous maintenance of appropriate standards of care and quality improvement.

Hospital accreditation can be sought through:

The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards' Evaluation and Quality Improvement Program (ACHS EQuIP)

The International Organisation for Standardisation's Quality Management System 9000 (ISO 9002)

Quality Improvement Council's Health and Community Services Standards (QIC).

The Statewide Quality Branch has responsibility for verifying the accreditation status of Victorian public health services and public hospitals. All agencies are required to provide a copy of their hospital accreditation survey or consent to the release of a summary report directly from their accrediting body.

In the event of a high priority recommendation the Department of Human Services, Statewide Quality Branch, or relevant region, requires an action plan addressing the issue(s) within one month of being notified of the high priority recommendation.

Accreditation results are used to identify opportunities to improve Victoria’s healthcare system and assist with evaluating the effectiveness of statewide quality and safety strategies.

Key contacts for statewide accreditation

Metro regions:

• Statewide Quality Branch: Debra Sudano.

Rural regions:

• Loddon Mallee: Andrew Kallaur.
• Grampians: Max Watson.
• Gippsland: Jacqui Hickey.
• Barwon South West: Chris Faulkner.
• Hume: Leslie Lambert.