Safety and quality monthly update - August
New this month: Safety alert – glucose monitoring devices; Dr Phoebe Mainland recognised for standards work; Fires in the OR safety poster; new NSW medicines laws; ACSQHC IV fluids administration guidance; Sepsis webinar; CATAG Guiding principles for off label use of medicines; webAIRS and wrong-sided nerve blocks
New safety alert
Read our new safety alert on intraoperative readings from interstitial (percutaneous) continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices.
Celebrating Dr Phoebe Mainland’s contributions to standards development
At a series of Contributor Recognition Events last month, Standards Australia recognised Dr Phoebe Mainland reaching the significant milestone of 20+ years of contributing to standards development.
Dr Mainland’s work in this space was featured in an interview included in the Winter 2022 ANZCA Bulletin.
Fires in the operating room safety poster
ANZCA has developed a new safety resource poster – Operating Room Fire Safety - as a resource to raise awareness among operating room personnel of conditions that create increased risk of non-airway fires.
NSW medicines, poisons and therapeutic goods legislation changes
On 5 November 2026, the NSW Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act and Regulation will be replaced by the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act and Regulation 2022. Legislative changes include new requirements for Schedule 8 medicines, medication storage standards, electronic drug registers, prescribing approvals and practitioner obligations.
ACSQHC intravenous (IV) fluids resources
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) has published national guidance to support the safe, appropriate and sustainable use and administration of IV fluids.
Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality webinar on sepsis
On 8 September, the Western Australian Audit of Surgical Mortality (WASSM) and the South Australian Audit of Surgical Mortality (SAASM) are hosting a webinar entitled From Warning signs to lifelines: sepsis and NEWS2 in surgical care.
For more information contact [email protected] or (08) 6389 8650.
CATAG off-label use of medicines
Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Groups (CATAG) has updated its resource: Guiding Principles for the off-label use of medicines.
webAIRS: new article on wrong-sided blocks
Published in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, the article reviews cases of wrong-sided nerve blocks among 11,425 incidents reported to webAIRS.
When left isn't right: A case series of wrong-sided nerve blocks reported to webAIRS by Thomas Z. Curtis, Joanna R. Sutherland, Tracey M. Tay and Yasmin Endlich.
If you would like to join the webAIRS analyser team, contact [email protected] or [email protected]
