Ms Stephanie Looi1
1NSW Ambulance, Sydney, Australia
Biography:
Stephanie is the Associate Director, Clinical Programs at NSW Ambulance. In this role she leads a team that design and deliver a range of strategic and innovation clinical programs that span acute care, low acuity care, and mental health programs through clinical practice, research, education and integrated care initiatives.
Abstract:
Introduction
A patient charter is a document that describes the rights that consumers and carers can expect when receiving health care. In alignment with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare Standard 2 – partnering with consumers, NSW Ambulance sought to develop and adopt a patient charter.
Methods
The patient charter was developed with staff across different levels and directorates of the organisation, as well as consumers. Consumers were recruited through Health Consumers NSW (HCNSW) to ensure that a diverse range of participants were involved. They represented culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), disabled and chronically ill, LGBTQIA+, regional and metropolitan communities, and were selected to represent a balance in gender and age. They also included consumers who have interacted with ambulance services in the past.
A Consumer & Community Steering Committee, comprising of two consumer representatives and 11 senior staff members from NSW Ambulance, oversaw the governance of this work across stages and endorsed the deliverables.
Results/conclusion
In partnership with consumers, NSW Ambulance developed a tailored Patient Charter that is in alignment with and reflective of the national approach outlined in the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, however reflects the unique environment in which ambulance services provide care. Therefore, this charter allows the patient voice to be heard and considered within the patient journey.
The organisation now has a Charter that recognises NSW Ambulance’s commitment to upholding the rights of consumers, and to a shared understanding of consumer rights between consumers, their loved ones and their clinicians.