APS Response to the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (third edition)

The APS welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (third edition), supporting their emphasis on safe, high-quality, person-centred, accessible, integrated and equitable healthcare.

The APS called for the Standards to more explicitly recognise psychological care as an integral component of multidisciplinary healthcare, including ensuring health services have appropriate access to qualified psychologists. The submission also highlighted the importance of senior psychology leadership in clinical governance, service design, workforce capability and quality improvement.

Key recommendations included:

• ensuring equitable access to psychological care across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote communities, supported by flexible approaches such as regional arrangements, outreach and telehealth;
• strengthening the collection and use of data on access, unmet need and outcomes to inform workforce planning and continuous quality improvement, including culturally safe approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data governance; and
• strengthening the Standards for people with disability, including supporting recommendations from the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health concerning equitable access, reasonable adjustments and the specific needs of people with intellectual disability.

Overall, the APS urged the Commission to ensure the revised Standards recognise the contribution of psychology across the health system and support equitable access to high-quality psychological care regardless of geographic location.

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