About the CSCF

The Clinical Services Capability Framework for public and licensed private health facilities (CSCF) v3.2 is a suite of documents describing clinical and support services by service capability level. Each module relates to a specific service (e.g. intensive care, renal, pathology) and describes minimum capability requirements for that service by capability level.

The Queensland CSCF only applies to the planning and/or provision of acute and sub-acute health services. Typically, these are delivered from public and private hospitals and/or day hospitals.

There are several key elements to understanding the CSCF:

• Fundamentals of the framework—this document underpins the CSCF, containing information common to all modules and is pivotal to understanding the CSCF.
• Preamble (where relevant)—children's and cancer services are preceded by a preamble containing information common to that specific group of modules. The preambles should be read to fully  understanding these relevant modules.
• Relevant service module/s—each module contains an overview of the service including underpinning requirements (such as service and workforce requirements, service networks, and/or risk considerations unique to the service, where relevant), up to six service levels, and legislation and non-mandatory standards and guidelines applicable to the service.
• Service level/s—service levels describe the level of service offered (service description), service and workforce requirements by level, and specific risk considerations (where relevant).
• Relevant identified support module/s—each module lists support service requirements by level. To fully appreciate the required support service levels, reference to the identified service module/s should be made.

More information

Read more about the CSCF (PDF 144 kB), to whom it applies, how to read it and how to use the modules in a series of 'frequently asked questions'.

Use the CSCF self-directed learning package (PDF 515 kB) to enhance your understanding of the CSCF.

CSCF fact sheets provide a quick reference for some of the key topics covered in the fundamentals of the framework:

• Governance arrangements (PDF 91 kB)
• Explanation of service levels (PDF 151 kB)
• Core components (PDF 101 kB)
• Outline of current services by capability level (PDF 136 kB)
• Essential considerations (PDF 105 kB)
• Service networks (PDF 111 kB)
• Risk management (PDF 61 kB)
• What it is and is not (PDF 66 kB)
• Service safety net (PDF 81 kB)

Read the service modules.

Background

• The first iteration of the Queensland CSCF - Guide to Role Delineation of Health Services - was released in 1994 and applied to the public sector only.
• In 2002, an iteration called Guidelines for Clinical Services in Private Health Facilities was released by Queensland Health, applicable only to the private sector.
• Thereafter, various iterations evolved, applicable to both public and private sectors, including the:
  • Clinical Services Capability Framework v1.0 in 2004,
  • Clinical Services Capability Framework for Public and Licensed Private Health Facilities v2.0 in 2005,
  • Clinical Services Capability Framework for Public and Licensed Private Health Facilities v3.0 in 2011,
  • Clinical Services Capability Framework for Public and Licensed Private Health Facilities v3.1 in 2012,
  • Clinical Services Capability Framework for Public and Licensed Private Health Facilities v3.2 in 2014.
• The CSCF outlines minimum requirements for the provision of health services in Queensland public and licensed private health facilities, including minimum service, workforce, support service, legislative and non-mandatory requirements and risk considerations.
• The Director-General and Chief Health Officer endorsed the CSCF v3.2 in October 2014.
• The Director-General and Chief Health Officer endoresed release of two new CSCF modules – Geriatric services and Alcohol & Other Drug services in May 2016.