This week, we made a submission to a consultation on draft guidance supporting the safe, appropriate and sustainable use of IV fluids.
Our submission to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care consultation says IV fluids should be treated as a deliberate clinical intervention, rather than a routine default. Their use should include clear documentation, regular review, timely cessation, and transition to oral hydration or medicines where clinically appropriate.
The 2024–25 IV fluid shortage exposed uneven communication, variable impacts across health settings, disruption to procedures, changes to clinical practice, and uncertainty for clinicians. These experiences reinforced the need for practical implementation support alongside any national guidance.
Safe IV fluid use must not be confused with normalising scarcity. Decisions to start, continue, modify or cease IV fluids should be based on clinical need, patient factors and response to treatment — not acceptance that essential supplies may be unavailable.
Guidance on appropriate IV fluid use is welcome, but it must sit within a broader national policy framework for sustainable supply. This includes stronger coordination, clearer communication, better preparedness, diversified supply arrangements and greater domestic resilience.
