Programs The Toward a Safer Culture Project
The Toward a Safer Culture Project (TASC) is a joint initiative of the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
The TASC Project aims to develop a sustainable quality system to better translate guideline recommendations into clinical practice.
TASC seeks to improve the acute management of patients who present with chest pain or stroke.
Its aim is to ensure that all patients with these two conditions receive the best emergency treatment and secondary prevention that is both evidence based and expeditiously provided.
Phase II
Currently in phase two (February 2003 - present), 35 hospitals in 7 Area Health Services across NSW are participating in this project. A key project strategy is to empower clinicians to adopt leadership roles in initiating practice improvement within their own organisation. To support this, the TASC project is promoting evidence based clinical pathways and a measurement system to promote clinical practice improvement. As an outcome patients in the participating hospitals will be assessed, diagnosed and treated according to the best available evidence.
Phase two of this project received the Premiers' Award for Excellence in 2005.
Phase I
Launched in 2000, Towards a Safer Culture Program (TASC) is an ongoing project involving 30 hospitals.TASC is a project that seeks to improve the acute management of patients who present with chest pain or stroke. The aim of the project is to ensure that all patients with these two conditions in NSW receive the best emergency treatment and secondary prevention. In phase one (Nov 2000 to Nov 2002) of the Towards a Safer Culture Project four hospitals participated: in NSW, John Hunter and Nepean Hospital; in Queensland, Townsville Hospital; and in Victoria, Frankston Hospital.
The CEC became involved with this project in phase two (the current phase). A key project strategy is to empower clinicians to adopt leadership roles in initiating practice improvement within their own culture. To support this, the TASC project is promoting evidence based clinical pathways and a measurement system to promote clinical practice improvement. This means patients will be assessed, diagnosed and treated according to the best available evidence.
Awards
2005 Premier's Public Sector Award - Silver Award
The 2005 Premier's Public Sector Awards formally recognise and reward the achievement of excellence by the New South Wales public sector. They acknowledge projects and initiatives which have produced measurable outcomes, with proven results and benefits to the people of New South Wales. Sustainability, adaptability and a team approach are integral to these projects.
The Awards are open to all public sector agencies including departments, authorities, boards, commissions, government trading enterprises and state owned corporations. The Towards a Safer Culture project won a Silver Award in the Information and Communications Technology category, for showcasing excellence in NSW.
