On Sunday 31 July Western Health’s Safewards initiative being piloted on Ward 2A at Sunshine Hospital and CCU at Footscray Hospital was featured on the Channel 9 news.
The initiative is being piloted at Western Health for the first time in acute general wards, after significant success in mental health facilities and emergency departments at other health services.
The objective of the Safewards model is to reduce conflict and containment within clinical departments. The model attempts to identify and address the causes of behaviours in staff and patients that may result in harm, such as violence, self-harm or absconding and reduce the likelihood of this occurring.
Originating in the UK and implemented internationally, the Safewards model was developed from a broad body of evidence, including several large scale research studies conducted over a number of years. A review of more than 1,000 additional studies reported from around the world were synthesised into the model. A randomised controlled trial of the model was able to establish a decline in conflict at each of the sites using the Safewards model.
In our pilot wards, the implementation of Knowing Me, Knowing You board (pictured above), iPads for distraction and educational modules for staff is already decreasing the incidence of Code Grey by 30%.
The pilot is being independently evaluated, and if successful will be extended to other wards at Western Health in the future.