VICDOC Summer 2023 - Magazine - Page 93
REPORTING TO THE VICTORIAN OMBUDSMAN
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A person may make a public interest
disclosure to the Victorian Ombudsman
or to the Independent Broad-based
Anti-corruption Commission of
information that the person reasonably
believes shows or tends to show that
a person, public officer, or public body
has engaged, is engaging or proposes to
engage in corrupt or improper conduct.
Corrupt or improper conduct engaged in
by a person employed in any capacity or
holding any office in the Victorian public
sector can include:
» Committing a criminal offence
» Serious professional misconduct
» Dishonest performance of
public functions
» An intentional or reckless breach
of public trust
» A substantial mismanagement of
public resources
» A substantial risk to the health or
safety of one or more persons.
People who report improper conduct
are protected from retaliation under the
Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 (Vic).
VICTORIAN HEALTH INCIDENT
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
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The Victorian Health Incident Management
System (VHIMS) is a dataset for the
collection and classification of clinical,
occupational health and safety incidents,
near misses and hazards. Within the VHIMS
function, subscribed health services have
access to a web-based platform where all
staff can report and manage complaints,
compliments, suggestions, OHS incidents
and hazards and action tasks. (It is not a
requirement for all public health services to
use VHIMS. Some healthcare organisations
may opt to use a local incident
management system).
Every incident uploaded into the system
is reviewed. The review identifies the
most appropriate level of investigation.
Depending on the nature of the concern,
VHIMS may be an appropriate means of
formally documenting it.
SEEKING ADVICE
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Public hospital doctors in Victoria
who raise serious issues of concern
but find hospital administration to
be unresponsive have a range of
options for taking matters further.
Because of the possible
implications and consequences, the
first step should always be to seek
expert advice from AMA Victoria,
a lawyer with expertise in the area,
or your medical indemnity insurer.
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