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Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance Policy

MP 0108/19 - Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance Policy (pdf 114KB)

Applicable to: This Policy is only applicable to the following Health Service Providers: North Metropolitan Health Service, South Metropolitan Health Service, East Metropolitan Health Service, Child and Adolescent Health Service and Western Australia Country Health Service.

Description: The purpose of this mandatory policy is to describe the mandatory healthcare associated infection (HAI) surveillance and reporting requirements.

Infections resulting from the provision of healthcare are one of the most common causes of unintended harm suffered by health consumers. They can cause patients’ pain and suffering, often result in readmissions, re-operations and antibiotic use, prolong hospital admissions and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. As such, HAIs lead to the use of significant human and financial resources and can be associated with adverse publicity and litigation.

Undertaking HAI surveillance is an essential component of effective infection prevention and allows for evaluation of prevention programs, thereby improving patient outcomes.

The HAI surveillance indicators have been developed to enable standardised and meaningful surveillance to be performed. They have been selected by a process of review and consultation and are applicable to a variety of healthcare settings within Western Australia. The indicators incorporate the requirements under the Commonwealth Healthcare Agreement and the requirements of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

This Policy is a mandatory requirement under the Public and Aboriginal Health Policy Framework pursuant to section 26(2)(c) of the Health Services Act 2016.

Date of effect: 13 May 2022