Medication Safety Standard 4
Part 1- Introduction
Margaret Duguid, Pharmaceutical Advisor
Graham Bedford, Medication Safety Program Manager
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Standard 1
Governance for Safety and
Quality in Health
Service Organisations
Standard 2
Partnering with
Consumers
Standard 3
Healthcare
Associated
Infections
Standard 10
Preventing Falls and
Harm from Falls
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Standard 9
Recognising and
Responding to Clinical
Deterioration in Acute
Health Care
Standard 5
Patient Identification
and Procedure
Matching
Standard 8
Preventing and
Managing Pressure
Injuries
Standard 7
Blood and Blood
Products
Standard 6
Clinical
Handover
Intent of Standard 4 – Medication Safety

Ensure competent clinicians safely
prescribe, dispense, and administer
appropriate medicines safely to informed
patients and carers
• Reduce medication incidents, adverse
events
• Improve safety and quality of medicine
use.
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Standard 4 – Medication Safety

The Medication Safety Standard describes the elements
of a safe medication management system.

It requires hospitals have in place strategies and
systems known to reduce the risk of common causes of
medication error.
• standardisation and systemisation of processes
• improving clinical workforce and clinician-patient communication
• using technology to support information recording and transfer
• providing better access to patient information and clinical
Standard 4
decision support at the point of care.
Medication
Safety
3. NSQHSS: Medication Safety Standard 4
Criteria to achieve the Medication Safety Standard:
Governance and systems for medication safety
Health service organisations have mechanisms for the safe prescribing, dispensing, supplying, administering, storing,
manufacturing, compounding and monitoring of the effects of medicines.
Documentation of patient information
The clinical workforce accurately records a patient’s medication history and this history is available throughout the episode
of care.
Medication management processes
The clinical workforce is supported for the prescribing, dispensing, administering, storing, manufacturing, compounding
and monitoring of medicines.
Continuity of medication management
The clinician provides a complete list of a patient’s medicines to the receiving clinician and patient when handing over care
or changing medicines.
Communicating with patients and carers
The clinical workforce informs patients about their options, risks and responsibilities for an agreed medication
management plan.
Criterion to achieve the
medication safety standard
(5)
Items required to
achieve standard
(15)
Actions required to meet
standard
(37)
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Core and developmental actions

Core – critical to safety and quality and must be met

Developmental – areas health services can focus efforts.
Activity is required, but action does not need to be fully
met. Health service organisations should be able to
demonstrate planning, analysis and/or focus of efforts
and resources for all developmental actions.
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Developmental actions

Documentation of patient information
4.8.1 Current medicines are documented and reconciled at
admission and transfer of care
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Developmental actions

Communicating with patients and
carers
All action items
4.13.1, 4.13.2 - Clinical workforce
provides patients with patient
specific information
4.14.1 – An agreed medication
management plan documented
4.15.1, 4.15.2 - Information provided
to patients and carers in format that
is understood
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Standard 4 – Medication safety

Issues
• Lack of staff/resources
• Governance
• Med safety as priority for S & Q
• Undertake risk assessment/gap analysis
- Prioritise activities according to risk
• Making medication safety everyone’s business
• Not just a pharmacy issue
• Opportunities
• Governance
• Safety and Quality
• Build into Medication Safety QI Plan
• Work across the professional silos
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Standard 4 – Medication Safety Resources
Standard 4 - Medication Safety
Resources
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Safety and Quality Improvement Guides

Implementation strategies for
each action
• Key task
• Suggested strategies
• Outputs
• Resources
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Safety and Quality Improvement Guides
Key Task
Suggested
strategies
Safety and Quality Improvement Guides
Criterion: Governance and systems for medication safety
Outputs of improvement
processes
Resources
Accreditation workbook
Medication Safety Standard Workbook
Other resources
Advice Centre Email: accreditation@safetyandquality.gov.au
Phone: 1800 304 056
QH Audit
toolhttp://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/
our-work/accreditation/resources-toimplement-the-national-safety-andquality-health-service-standards/
NSQHC Standards Guide for Small Hospitals
Other resources

Health Service Standards and Accreditation webpage
• Accreditation newsroom
• Information for rural hospitals
• Guide for small hospitals
• Resources to implement standards
• Medication safety standard
• Queensland Health Audit tools
• Patient level
• Unit/ward level
• Facility level

http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/ourwork/accreditation/
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Medication Safety Standard: Summary

Ensuring that competent clinicians safety prescribe, dispense and
administer appropriate medicines to informed patients and carers is
an essential element of safe and high quality care.

Purpose of the Standard is to improve outcomes for patients by
ensuring that there is a systematic approach to medicines
management and safety

Outcomes to be achieved are clear – methods to get there will vary
depending on context
Standard 4
Medication
Safety
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality
in Health Care
Medication Safety Program
www.safetyandquality.gov.au
Email: mail@safetyandquality.gov.au
Margaret.duguid@safteyandquality.gov.au
Standard 4
Medication
Safety