'Environmental restraint' clarified

Issue 25 – March 2011

Concern and differing practices by the health and disability sector for 'locked units' and 'environmental restraint' triggered a workshop facilitated by Standards New Zealand and sponsored by the Ministry of Health. The workshop was held to seek guidance from sector stakeholders on the intent of the 'locked units' clause of the 2008 Health and disability services Standard and how to clarify the intention of the clause and promote consistent interpretation across the sector.

Review of home and community support sector Standard

Issue 25 – March 2011

The review of the Home and community support sector Standard NZS 8158:2003 is driven by a desire to continually improve the quality of home support services. Since the Standard was first published in 2003, there have been considerable changes in these services and how they are provided. Home and community staff and agencies now perform more complex tasks and carry a higher degree of expertise and responsibility. NZS 8158 continues to set the benchmark for good and safe practice by providers; however both sponsors and providers want to be able to generate more accountability from the Standard.

STANDARD IN DEVELOPMENT

Home and Community Support Services Standard

For more information read the article Review of home and community support sector Standard.

Committee: P8158
Project Manager: Robyn Fitzgerald
Estimated Publication Date: March 2012
Comments: Preliminary work has started on the review of NZS 8158:2003. The purpose of the review is to closely align it with NZS 8134:2008 Health and disability services Standards (core document) and the current models of practice. The first meeting was held on Wednesday 9 February 2011, and the committee agreed to break into working groups to review the separate sections of the draft. Sections under review are: service user rights, organisational management, human resources, service delivery, and quality improvement. Working group leaders will provide updates on progress at the next scheduled meeting on 6 April 2011, along with their decisions and recommendations.