4.3.2 Hospital or treatment unit characteristics for providing safe and quality care

These include:

  • a clearly defined path to emergency care and advice after hours
  • access to basic haematology and biochemistry testing
  • cytotoxic drugs prepared in a pharmacy with appropriate facilities
  • occupational health and safety guidelines regarding handling of cytotoxic drugs, including safe prescribing, preparation, dispensing, supplying, administering, storing, manufacturing, compounding and monitoring the effects of medicines (ACSQHC 2011)
  • guidelines and protocols to deliver treatment safely (including dealing with extravasation of drugs)
  • appropriate nursing and theatre resources to manage complex surgery
  • 24-hour medical staff availability
  • 24-hour operating room access
  • specialist pathology
  • in-house access to radiology
  • an intensive care unit
  • trained radiotherapy nurses, physicists and therapists
  • access to CT/MRI scanning for simulation and planning
  • mechanisms for coordinating combined therapy (chemotherapy and radiation therapy), especially where the facility is not collocated
  • access to allied health, especially nutrition health and advice.