The Deteriorating Patient Education Strategy (PDF 724.3 KB) outlines the minimum training requirements for clinicians, aligned with Recognition and management of patients who are deteriorating policy (PD2025_014). It includes education specific to sepsis and the patient, carer and family escalation including both ‘Worried they are getting worse?’ and ‘Raise It’.
Learning pathways for Between the Flags and Sepsis are available to NSW Health staff through My Health Learning.
Between the Flags (BTF)
BTF training helps you to recognise and respond to clinical deterioration. It is coordinated by local health districts and specialty health networks and sessions are delivered online and face-to-face.
Perinatal safety education is for midwives and obstetric clinicians and incorporates relevant BTF components.
Contact your local deteriorating patient lead for more information.
Tier 1 is mandatory for all staff and students. It introduces BTF as the foundation for the NSW Health Deteriorating Patient Safety Net System and covers the standard observation charts, escalation systems and the role of the healthcare worker.
Tier 2 covers BTF and perinatal safety education, building knowledge and application of human factors, teamwork and communication. Workshop facilitators can request access to the BTF SharePoint page for more resources (NSW Health staff only).
Tier 3 is for staff responding to a Rapid Response and focuses on advanced skills for individuals and Rapid Response teams.
Sepsis
Build your awareness, knowledge and skills in recognising and responding to sepsis early through My Health Learning modules.
Lactate is a non-specific marker of illness severity in acutely ill patients (excluding neonates). See the lactate in the deteriorating patient information sheet and video for further guidance.