Version 2 of the NSQHS Standards

Megan Reilly

The Commission started a review of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards in late 2014, to identify improvements to, and address gaps in, version 1 of the NSQHS Standards.

Pilot and consultation processes for the draft version 2 of the NSQHS Standards were conducted in 2015. Version 2 of the NSQHS Standards has been refined based on feedback from these processes.

New topics in version 2 will include: mental health; cognitive impairment; end-of-life care; nutrition and hydration; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health; and health literacy.

The Commission will run a consultation process on the costs and benefits of version 2 of the NSQHS Standards through a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS), commencing in July 2016. This will include the release of version 2 and is open to the public.

The finalised version 2 of the NSQHS Standards is scheduled for release in late 2017. Resources to support the implementation of version 2 of the NSQHS Standards are also being developed. It is planned that assessment to version 2 of the NSQHS Standards will start from 1 January 2019.

Information on NSQHS Standards