Canberra Hospital intensive care unit given two WorkSafe ACT notices

WorkSafe ACT issued the notices to the intensive care unit last month, a Canberra Health Services spokesman has confirmed.

The improvement notice on the fatigue management system was also directed at policies around fatigue management across Canberra Health Services more broadly.

"A notice was issued to ICU but relates to both the CHS-wide fatigue management policies and procedures and the implementation of these in the ICU," the spokesman said.

"This includes how the system is consulted on and training provided at the unit level."

The other notice given to the intensive care unit was around the unit's risk register which needed updating. Consultation with staff about the register and training staff on how to use the register also formed part of the notice.

The spokesman said there was a risk register workshop held with staff from the unit on March 23 following the issues identified in the notice.

Another two notices were also given to a community outreach program around management of occupational violence.

The assertive community outreach service, which provides treatment to adults with severe and long-lasting signs of psychosis and complex needs, also received the two notices last month.

The notices related to the implementation of occupational violence management systems and risk management and consultation with staff around managing incidences of occupational violence.

"One notice related to reviewing and updating unit level implementation of occupational violence management systems. This type of notice can arise in areas managing patients with complex needs and can be related to a specific incident," the spokesman said.

"The second notice related to unit level risk management and consultation with team members to better manage incidences of occupational violence."

The Canberra Health Services spokesman said the organisation was focused on providing a safe environment, saying it was fundamental to delivering quality health care.

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The spokesman described WorkSafe as an "important partner" in supporting safe work health and safety practices.

"We work closely with agencies like WorkSafe ACT to improve our processes, systems and physical environments, with work health and safety a key focus," the spokesman said.

"WorkSafe regularly inspects CHS facilities and uses improvement notices to educate employers on opportunities to improve operations and work environments. WorkSafe is an important partner in supporting our work health and safety practices."

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