Protocol for reporting congenital syphilis

Guideline number: QH-HSDPTL-032-7

Effective date: 9 October 2024

Review date: 9 October 2027

Supersedes: NA

On this page:

1. Purpose
2. Scope
3. Protocol
4. Supporting and related documents
5. Authorising Health Service Directive
6. Definitions of terms
7. Approval and implementation
8. Human rights
9. Version control

1. Purpose

Syphilis is a controlled notifiable disease in Queensland under the Public Health Act 2005.

Congenital syphilis is a preventable disease and women who contract syphilis during a pregnancy have significant risk of mortality or morbidity to the developing foetus or neonate.

Systemic review of all congenital syphilis cases will assist to identify specific areas of improvement and enable HHSs to change processes, if needed.

This protocol should be read in conjunction with the Patient Safety Health Service Directive.

2. Scope

This protocol applies to all Hospital and Health Services (HHSs).

3. Protocol

HHSs will conduct an analysis of all congenital syphilis cases, irrespective of whether it is considered to be a clinical incident or not, and submit a report to the PSQ, CEQ within 90 calendar days of confirmation of a congenital syphilis case by serology, PCR or other relevant investigations. This includes stillbirths and intrauterine foetal deaths where a mother/birthing parent has been diagnosed with infectious syphilis.

PSQ, CEQ will provide the Queensland Maternity and Perinatal Quality Council with a copy of the analysis report for the purposes of identifying state-wide and facility specific themes relating to maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity in Queensland.

Contents of report

Each analysis report must contain:

• a factual description of the event;
• the factors identified as having contributed to the event; and
• recommendations to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a similar event happening again.

Stakeholder involvement

Each analysis should involve the following stakeholders:

• the Queensland Syphilis Surveillance Service (North or South service);
• clinician and service where the patient was diagnosed/managed (including any primary care or other private facility); and
• the relevant Public Health Unit and/or Sexual Health Unit.

The HHS where the congenital syphilis is diagnosed is responsible for liaising with the relevant HHS that should lead the analysis. In most cases, the HHS to lead the analysis should be the location where the mother accessed (should have accessed) antenatal care.

4. Supporting and related documents

N/A

5. Authorising Health Service Directive

• Patient Safety Health Service Directive QH-HSD-033

6. Definition of terms

7. Approval and implementation

Protocol custodian

Executive Director, Patient Safety and Quality, Clinical Excellence Queensland.

Approving officer:

Director General, Department of Health.

Approval date: 09/10/2024

Effective from: 09/10/2027

8. Human rights

Human rights have been considered in the drafting of this protocol and the contents are considered to be compatible with the Human Rights Act 2019 Human Rights Act 2019 - Queensland Legislation - Queensland Government).

9. Version control