With health service organisations’ priorities and resourcing being affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic, the National Clinical Trials Governance Framework (Governance Framework) pilot has been extended.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) had initially planned to undertake the pilot of the Governance Framework from March - May 2020.
Given the rapidly progressing situation and the disruption caused by COVID 19, the Commission, together with the Chair, Professor Chris Brook and the Australian Government Department of Health, has extended the time frame for undertaking the pilot through to the end of the year.
This measure will ensure the pilot progresses at the most appropriate time for health service organisations. Updates on the pilot, including the announcement of the level 2 pilot sites and the release of the online tools, will be communicated over the coming months.
The pilot of the Governance Framework was announced late February 2020, and the Commission had over 40 health services respond to participate in level 2 (participating as one of the 12 pilot sites), and 50 health services requested to participate in level 1 (providing feedback on the supporting tools and resources).
The Governance Framework aims to improve quality, efficiency and timeliness of clinical trials by reducing duplication and increasing efficiency, cohesion and productivity across the clinical trials sector. AusBiotech has engaged with the Commission throughout the consultation process.
More information on the National Clinical Trials Governance Framework, including the literature review and mapping exercise report, is on the Commission’s website.