Safety and quality update

13 February 2025

New this month: Safety Alert – SCIDUA Safety Alert; Electronic Medication Management guidance; webAIRS update

New Safety Alert

In January 2025, ANZCA published a new Safety Alert  – Anaesthetic risk associated with tracheostomy speaking valve – about the Passy Muir Speaking Valve (PMSV). The alert is in response to a recent SCIDUA case in which a patient death was directly attributable to the PMSV.

See all Safety Alerts

Electronic Medication Management (EMM) guidance

The Victorian Department of Health has recently published Electronic Medication Management – Prescribing High-Risk Medicine Guidance to support safety and quality in the prescribing of high-risk medicines within EMM systems.

The word is webAIRS – your voice matters

Effective communication is the backbone of safe patient care in the operating theatre. With multi-disciplinary teams working under pressure, communication breakdowns can lead to critical incidents.

WebAIRS analysers are currently reviewing cases related to ineffective communication and human factors in the perioperative anaesthetic environment. Your reports play a vital role in improving safety and shaping future practices.

Have you encountered a near miss or adverse event?

Report it today via webAIRS – your contribution makes a difference.

🔹 Register or login:  webAIRS
🔹 For more information, contact: [email protected]

Let’s work together to enhance patient safety!