The NSW Health Deteriorating Patient Safety Net System supports health services to recognise and respond to patients who are deteriorating and provides guidance on how these systems are governed, measured and improved.
The system is underpinned by the Recognition and Management of Patients who are Deteriorating policy (PD2025_014) and addresses the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration Standard.
Between the Flags provides the foundation for the safety net, which is strengthened by tools and frameworks such as standard track and trigger observations charts, sepsis tools, and escalation pathways.
Visit the Sepsis hub for additional tools and resources to support better sepsis care and meet the requirements of the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard.
Governance and accountability
Governance and evaluation of the system occur at both local and statewide levels to ensure safe, effective and reliable care for deteriorating patients.
Health services must put in place a measurement strategy including mandatory reporting of Rapid Response calls and unexpected cardiac arrest rates.
Read the Deteriorating Patient Measurement Strategy Guide (PDF 878.1 KB) for recommended measures to support local improvement.