CSCF public hospitals

The Patient Safety Health Service Directive states, Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) must comply with and report to the Department in accordance with the Guideline for Clinical Services Capability Framework.

HHSs are obligated to self-assess and report about their clinical services under the Clinical Services Capability Framework (CSCF) and advise the Department about temporary and permanent changes:

  1. all hospitals/relevant facilities must undertake a baseline self-assessment against the current CSCF
  2. HHSs must notify the Department when a change, including a new health service, to the CSCF baseline self-assessment occurs through the established public hospital CSCF notification process;
  3. when a CSCF module is updated, or a new module is introduced, a self-assessment is undertaken against the relevant module and submitted to the Department.
  4. HHSs are accountable for attesting to the accuracy of the information contained in their CSCF self-assessment submitted to the Department.

The Department and a HHS may terminate, temporarily suspend or change the level of a health service identified within the CSCF by mutual agreement. The proposed termination, suspension or change must be made in writing:

  1. a suspension may result from, but is not exclusively due to, limitations in workforce capacity or issues regarding the safety or quality of the services provided.
  2. a termination means the permanent cessation of a health service by a HHS.
  3. a temporary suspension means the service is either reduced or ceases for a period of three months or less.

HHSs must notify the Department of a change to the CSCF, regardless of the length of time the change will be in place. Where possible, the Department should be notified of the change prior to the change occurring.

Fact sheets about the CSCF are available.

CSCF self-assessment forms for permanent changes

CSCF modules

The CSCF modules must be considered when completing the proposed permanent change forms. The CSCF modules contain an overview of each CSCF relevant health service and identify the workforce requirements, service networks. There are generally 6 service levels a hospital can have for each service it has the capability to provide.

The established public hospital notification process (PDF 284 kB). provides details about how to notify the Department. The notification process templates for permanent and temporary changes to CSCF levels are linked below:

CSCF temporary changes

This form has a limited change period of 3 months. When the change is longer than 3 months (but not permanent), please complete and submit this form every three months prior to the initial 3-month period ending.

guide to engagement and consultation on clinical service review is available to assist HHSs in the review, assessment and planning of the clinical services.

HHSLast updated
Cairns and Hinterland (PDF 169 kB) December 2023
Central Queensland (PDF 732 kB) June 2017
Central West (PDF 91 kB)  November 2017
Children's Health Queensland (PDF 124 kB)  October 2017
Darling Downs (PDF 472 kB)  May 2019
Gold Coast (PDF 513 kB)  August 2022
Mackay (PDF 212 kB)  November 2021
Metro North (PDF 193 kB) April 2021
Metro South (PDF 79 kB)  June 2016
North West (PDF 81 kB)  September 2015
South West (PDF 294 kB)  September 2021
Sunshine Coast (PDF 336 kB)  December 2018
Torres and Cape (PDF 619 kB)  November 2023
Townsville (PDF 83 kB) August 2017
West Moreton (PDF 234 kB) January 2019  
Wide Bay (PDF 167 kB) October 2016

Self assessment enquiries

Please use the contact details below for any Public health sector CSCF self-assessment enquiries.

Last updated: 17 September 2024