[Clinic name]
Controlled document
[Address]
[Registration or licence number]
Clinical handover procedure
1Purpose
- 1.1This procedure sets out how [Clinic name] hands over responsibility for a patient, so that critical information reaches the clinician who can act on it.
2Before handover
- 2.1The patient is identified with three approved identifiers at every transfer of care.
- 2.2The handing over clinician prepares the patient's situation, background, assessment and recommendation.
3At handover
- 3.1Handover happens face to face or by phone where possible, with the patient involved when appropriate.
- 3.2Critical information, including results and risks, is stated, read back and confirmed.
4Recording
- 4.1The handover is documented on the day, signed and dated, and the receiving clinician confirms they accept responsibility.
5Review
- 5.1[Name, role] reviews this document every [12] months, and sooner after an incident, a complaint or a change in the regulator's requirements.
- 5.2Each review is recorded with the date, the reviewer and what changed, and the previous version is kept.
- 5.3Staff are told of each change, and their acknowledgement is recorded.
6Where this sits in the NSQHS and RACGP framework
- Communicating for Safety StandardCorrect identification and procedure matching
Communication at clinical handover
Communication of critical information
AAppendix, Clinical handover letter
- A.1Patient name, date of birth, record number ______
- A.2From ______ To ______ Date and time ______
- A.3Reason for transfer ______
- A.4Diagnosis and current problems ______
- A.5Medicines, changes and allergies ______
- A.6Critical information, alerts and risks ______
- A.7Patient's goals and preferences ______
- A.8Follow-up required, by whom, by when ______
- A.9Signed by ______ Responsibility accepted by ______