Recognition and response systems

Please note that this guidance is currently undergoing review by Safer Care Victoria to ensure  the content is up to date. In the meantime, we recommend that you also refer to more contemporaneous evidence where possible.

These documents will help you improve your recognition and response system so that it is safer, more responsive, sustainable and effectively cares for the deteriorating patient.

Check how your recognition and response system is set up and supported

Having excellent clinical governance of the recognition and response system supports all health service staff to provide safe, responsive and effective care of the acutely deteriorating patient.

Governance structure for recognition and response systems details the governance structures, leadership and culture that is needed to support and improve recognition and response systems. It contains practical information like definitions, roles and responsibilities.

Identify areas for improvement

Take the self-assessment tool on page 13 to identify areas where you could improve your recognition and response system clinical governance.

Engage with your staff and consumers

Engaging with consumers and healthcare staff of all levels will help you to continuously review and improve how you detect and appropriately care for the acutely deteriorating patient.

Clinical engagement in recognition and response systems presents four key domains and lists enablers to help you achieve this.

Identify areas for improvement

Use the self-assessment tool on page 8 to identify areas for improvement.

Implementing change and improvement

Once you have identified an area for improvement, use our change package to help you successfully improve your recognition and response system.

Find ideas on how to improve your recognition and response system and an outline of the process to successfully achieve improvement. This change package includes: 

• a step-by-step guide (with project timeline)
• quality improvement tools and resources
• case studies, hints and tips. 

Background

These documents were developed with the help of an expert group of clinicians and consumers and then tested by seven Victorian health services, all of who had great successes in improving their recognition and response system. 

Read more about the project.