On 24 January 2008, The Hon Reba Meagher, MP, the NSW Minister for Health, announced a Special Commission of Inquiry into the delivery of patient care within the NSW Public Health System. Peter Garling SC has been appointed commissioner of the Inquiry.

Commissioner Peter Garling was originally scheduled to report to the Governor of NSW by 31 July, however, as a result of the extensive volume of material to be analysed and the further meetings being planned, the Commissioner was granted an extension of time to complete his report and recommendations. The reporting date for the Special Commission of Inquiry into the delivery of acute care services within the NSW public health system has been extended until 28 November 2008.

NCOSS has expressed concern over the narrow focus of the Inquiry. NCOSS has repeatedly stated that if the Government is serious about decreasing the strain on our public hospital system it needs to invest in health prevention and early intervention services. To focus purely on acute care services, as these Terms of Reference do, NCOSS believes is counterproductive to the long-term sustainability and quality of the NSW health care system for the entire community.

The NCOSS submission to the Inquiry is now complete. Click here to access the submission.

Public Hearings are being held throughout NSW in March and April. Check the website for the Special Commission of Inquiry for details.

NCOSS wrote to the Special Commission of Inquiry expressing concern over the manner in which Public Hearings for the Inquiry are being undertaken. A copy of the NCOSS letter, and the response from the Special Commission of Inquiry, are available in Resources (below).

1. Any systemic or institutional issues in the delivery of acute care services in NSW public hospitals raised in submissions you receive that you consider appropriate for you to inquire into and recommend any changes which should be made to address them;
   
2. Identify existing models of patient care used in the delivery of acute care services in NSW public hospitals with particular regard to case management including supervision of junior clinical staff, clinical note-taking and recordkeeping, and communication between health professionals involved in the care of a patient;
   
3. Recommend any changes which should be made to the existing models of patient care identified under paragraph 1 to improve the quality and safety of patient care in NSW public hospitals;
   
4. Identify any systemic impediments to the implementation of changes recommended under paragraph 3;
   
5. Recommend any changes which NSW Health should make to overcome any impediments identified under paragraph 4; and
   
6. Recommend any changes which NSW Health should make to ensure that its workforce policies and practices support improved models of patient care.