Open Consultations
-
WA Health patient app User Survey
This survey captures how you currently use WA Health's patient application, Manage My Care, and if you do not currently use the application, how you might use a WA Health patient application in the future.
Closes 31 March 2024
Closed Consultations
-
Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019 Review – Stage 1
In 2017, the Western Australian Parliament established the Joint Select Committee on End-of-Life Choices to inquire into the need for laws in WA to allow citizens to make informed decisions regarding their own end-of-life choices. The Committee conducted extensive consultation throughout its...
Closed 8 December 2023
-
2022-2023 Food Act 2008 and Public Health Act 2016 Reporting
Local Government enforcement agencies are required to report to the Department of Health on their performance of functions under the Food Act 2008 (Food Act) (as required by section 121) and the Public Health Act 2016 (Public Health Act) (as required by section 22). The Food Act reporting...
Closed 17 November 2023
-
Understanding Advance Care Planning in WA: One year from the release of the Advance Health Directive and Advance Care Planning resources
The WA Department of Health End of Life Care (EOLC) Program welcomes your views to gain a better understanding of the current uptake of advance care planning (ACP) and use of ACP resources in WA via this online survey. Advance care planning (ACP) is a voluntary process of...
Closed 15 November 2023
-
WA Mothers and Babies Report Redesign
The Midwives Notification System (MNS) in Western Australia (WA) has been collecting data since 1980. During this time, the Department of Health (the Department) has produced over 30 annual reports containing information on women who gave birth in WA and their infants. The Department has also...
Closed 1 November 2023
-
WA Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Strategy 2024-2030 co-design
Be part of the strategy development that aims to eliminate... HIV viral hepatitis (as a public health threat) congenital syphilis WA Department of Health’s (DoH) current suite of WA Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Strategies 2019-2023 are due to lapse on 31...
Closed 8 October 2023
We Asked, You Said, We Did
Here are some of the issues we have consulted on and their outcomes. See all outcomes
We asked
In October/November 2023, the WA Department of Health End of Life Care (EOLC) Program conducted a consultation to gain a better understanding of the current uptake of advance care planning (ACP) and use of ACP resources in WA. The survey sought feedback on the revised WA Advance Health Directive (AHD) and suite of ACP resources that were released on 4 August 2022.
You said
69 respondents completed the survey with 76% reporting they thought the resources were very effective/ effective. Reported levels of awareness and use of the key ACP resources (Advance Health Directive and accompanying Guide, Values and Preferences Form, Your Guide to ACP in WA: Workbook) was high. Qualitative feedback on the resources was largely positive indicating the information within the resources is clear and comprehensive with a broad range of diversity represented within the images. Areas of concern that were noted included the literacy level and length of some of the resources.
The most common ACP activity reported within the last 12 months was ACP conversations with family, carers or friends.
Health professionals reported they were moderately or very confident in supporting patients with ACP. However, there were a small number of respondents to this question so the results may not be indicative of true levels of confidence across the whole workforce.
We did
The findings informed the development of several actions that the EOLC Team is currently implementing alongside existing work plans and priorities. This includes exploring possibilities to simplify the range of ACP information, arranging targeted awareness around common misconceptions, coordinating general awareness raising of ACP and investigating further opportunities for health professional education.
We asked
The consultation was about amendments to the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 and the Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code. A primary aim of the consultation was to seek feedback on proposals to reduce regulatory burden, particularly for prescribers.
The proposed changes follow implementation of ScriptCheckWA, Western Australia’s real-time prescription monitoring system. ScriptCheckWA provides clinicians with up-to-date information about all monitored medicines prescribed and dispensed for their patient within WA.
The survey was set up so respondents could choose to answer only those questions most relevant to them.
You said
A total of 39 submissions were received in response to the discussion paper. Eighteen were from organisations and 21 were from individuals.
Peak bodies representing prescribers, pharmacists and consumers responded. A significant number of respondents confined their feedback to either the section about regulation of stimulant medicines or the section about regulation of medicinal cannabis.
Most respondents supported a requirement for prescribers and pharmacists to register to access ScriptCheckWA. Opinion was divided about whether use of ScriptcheckWA, at the time of prescribing or dispensing, should be mandated.
There was general support for regulating the prescribing of stimulant medicines and medicinal cannabis in a similar manner to other Schedule 8 medicines. Detailed prescribing restrictions would be included in a ‘prescribing code’ rather than in the Regulations.
Over half the respondents supported the list of Schedule 4 medicine proposed to be classified as ‘monitored medicines’. Another 26% of respondents supported most of the medicines on the list being monitored through ScriptCheckWA.
We did
Following agreement by the Minister for Health, regulatory changes are being progressed. Details of the final proposals are available in the Consultation Report (April 2023).
Further targeted consultation will be undertaken during development of a new prescribing code to replace the current Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code.
We asked
We asked the following questions of all survey respondents:
- What are your biggest current strategic challenges for safety and quality in WA Health?
- How can the DoH support your S&Q initiatives and priorities?
- How can the DoH improve collaboration to drive effective safety and quality in WA Health?
We also asked a series of specific questions depending on whether respondents worked in a Health Service Provider or the Department of Health.
You said
You said the key issues facing our safety and quality system include:
- The availability of high-quality, accessible safety and quality data, and a desire for more skills to use data effectively to support safety and quality initiatives;
- HSP and DOH awareness and ability to implement contemporary approaches to quality and quality improvement in healthcare;
- Resourcing to support a strong, positive patient safety culture, and to sustain positive safety culture long-term;
- Barriers to compliance with safety and quality measures and engagement between the Department and Health Service Providers to proactively resolve patient safety issues
We did
Your feedback contained a mix of concrete suggestions for safety and quality activities and initiatives, and ways of working towards these within the confines of our health system.
We have used your feedback to help shape detailed goal setting for the Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Directorate’s Strategy 2022-2025.
We will continue to refer to specific comments and feedback as we implement the Strategy.