FSRH publishes its updated Service Standards for Risk Management in SRH

Today FSRH publishes its reviewed and updated Service Standards for Risk Management in Sexual and Reproductive Health. These standards are open access and will be available in PDF format on the FSRH website.

Dr Helen Munro, new Chair of FSRH’s Clinical Standards Committee said: 

‘The Clinical Standards Committee has worked hard to ensure that this set of standards supports health care professionals and commissioners in ensuring that the effective management of risk is embedded in everyday practice. It is vital that a comprehensive framework is in place to make sure this can happen, with clear lines of accountability across any organisation.'

FSRH’s Service Standards for Risk Management in Sexual and Reproductive Health includes auditable standard statements on:

• Supporting the patient, clinician and organisation through establishing a clear link between SRH Services’ Risk Management strategy and the organisation’s Risk Management strategy, making this accessible for all staff.
• Ensuring clear communication, identification, analysis, evaluation and treatment of risk are conducted through an effective register process which monitors and reviews risk regularly.
• Supporting all staff, service users and service providers through a comprehensive approach to identifying risk.
• Supporting staff, through making available routine risk assessments and evaluations which establish activity associated with risk - presented in the form of a “Risk Matrix’. 
• Responding to risk through appropriate identification, preparation and implementation of an action plan.
• Supporting the organisation and staff through appropriate feedback mechanisms, which monitor and review risk.

New features of the Standards include:

• Updated introduction that takes account of new governance structures in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
• Inclusion of a Risk Matrix, to enable assessment of the severity of a risk-associated event.
• Highlighting the need for risk assessment to be applied in online provision of sexual health services.
• Fully updated references.

We hope these standards will be used as the benchmark for Risk Management in sexual and reproductive care delivery, informing the right balance of not only protecting against risk but safely seizing opportunities for innovation.

Download the new document below.