Clinical pathway development process

The “Management of acute care needs of RACF residents” pathways were initiated by the Healthcare Improvement Unit, Clinical Excellence Queensland and have been collaboratively developed via a steering committee including the following representatives:

  • General Practitioners (GPs)
  • Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) clinicians and manager representatives of both private and Queensland Health (QH) RACFs
  • Consumer representation via COTA for older Australians
  • Leading Age Services Australia
  • Emergency physicians
  • Geriatricians
  • Gerontic nursing representatives
  • Palliative care physician representative
  • RACF acute care Support Service (RaSS) clinical leads and clinicians
  • Primary Health Network representative
  • Statewide General Medicine Clinical Network (SGMCN) chair
  • Statewide Older Persons Health Clinical Network (SOPHCN) representative
  • Palliative care physician

Additionally, subspecialist input was sought for relevant pathways including:

  • Endocrinology
  • Gastrostomy services
  • Infectious diseases physicians
  • Neurosurgery
  • Pharmacist
  • Public Health physicians
  • Respiratory medicine
  • Urology
  • Vascular surgery

The guideline development process involved:

  • Initial draft of each pathway was prepared by one Steering Committee member following review of:
    1. Existing pathways (including those of Comprehensive Aged Residential Emergency and Partners in
      Assessment Care and Treatment (CARE-PACT) and other national and international RACF support services)
    2. Available published scientific evidence on the topic
    3. State, National and International evidence-based guidelines
  • Draft guideline reviewed by Steering Committee and feedback provided
  • Consultation with sub-specialists where relevant
  • Revision of guideline on basis of feedback from Steering Committee and sub-specialist input
  • Endorsement by Steering Committee
  • Consultation with (and amendment in response to feedback from):
    1. SOPHCN
    2. Statewide Dementia Clinical Network
    3. SGMCN
    4. QEDSAP
    5. Statewide Surgical Advisory Committee
    6. General Practice Liaison Network
    7. RaSS Community of Practice
  • User acceptability testing

These pathways will be reviewed in 2025 by a Healthcare Improvement Unit Steering Committee. Any feedback on the pathways should be emailed to: HIU@health.qld.gov.au

COVID clinical pathway development process

The “Management of potential or confirmed COVID-19 in residential aged care facilities” pathways were developed in consultation with members of the COVID-19 RACF Clinical Advisory Group, the COVID Incident Management Team, and the Improving the quality and choice of care setting for residents of aged care facilities with acute healthcare needs Steering Committee. Membership of these groups includes:

  • GP representatives
  • Chair General Practice Liaison Officers Network
  • RACF clinicians and manager representatives
  • Consumer representation via COTA for older Australians and Health Consumers Queensland
  • Emergency physician representatives
  • Co-Chair QEDSAP
  • Geriatrician representatives
  • Gerontic Nursing representatives
  • Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer
  • Palliative Care Physician representatives
  • RaSS clinical leads and clinicians
  • SGMCN Chair
  • SOPHCN Chairs
  • Public Health representatives
  • Statewide Infection Clinical Network Chair
  • Infection Control representatives
  • Queensland Ambulance Service Medical Director
  • Chair Rural and Remote Clinical Network
  • Disaster Response Lead RACFs
  • Chair Queensland Clinical Senate
  • Office of Advance Care Planning

Last updated: 20 April 2022