Victorian Nutrition Standard

A nutrition standard for Victorian public hospitals has been endorsed for development by the Department of Health (the department) for use in conjunction with the ten National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (national standards) in accreditation.

The department executive has endorsed the use of the national standards in the accreditation scheme for all public health services that fall within the commission’s ‘high risk’ definition which in Victoria includes:

• all public hospitals, including small rural health services
• public dental services in community health services.

The nutrition standard was identified as a gap by the department’s comparative analysis (of currently used standards, legislation and regulation, and the national standards) and as a priority by health services at a forum held with health services in February 2011.

To support this work, the department has enlisted the support of a working group of self nominated stakeholders, to identify key areas of safety and quality concerns for nutrition and provide the technical content for the standard and guide.

Consultation process

The development of the Victorian Nutrition Standard will occur between July 2011 and August 2012. Over the last five months the following work has been undertaken:

Stage 1

Selection of content areas in consultation with the working group against specified criteria

Stage 2

Drafting of the standard and guide in conjunction with technical experts and key stakeholders in the working group

Stage 3

Broad consultation seeking your comment and feedback (Closes 3 February 2012). The department is now seeking comment on the draft Victorian Nutrition Standard and Guide before piloting and final consideration by the department executive in the first half of 2012. Consultation process information.