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Winners announced at 2008 Hunter New England Health Achievement Awards
12 September 2008
Hunter New England Health employees from across the region celebrated a year of achievement and innovation last night at the 2008 Achievement Awards Dinner.
The awards presented included the Quality Awards and Staff Achievement Awards.
The winners and finalists celebrated their achievements with Hunter New England Health Chief Executive Dr Nigel Lyons, who had the pleasure of presenting the awards.
“I was very pleased to help recognise our staff for the outstanding work they are doing for their communities,” Dr Lyons said.
“It is important we recognise the many quality improvements and innovative projects that are being undertaken by our staff members to improve the health of our communities and the care we provide to our patients and clients.
“I am very proud of all the finalists and winners and congratulate them on their achievements throughout the past year.”
The Quality Awards are designed to recognise teams of Hunter New England Health staff who have used quality management principles to significantly improve their service. The entry criteria are consistent with the NSW Health Awards and finalists are named in seven categories.
The Staff Achievement Awards are presented in seven categories, and these awards recognise Hunter New England Health staff and teams for the valuable contribution they have made to both the organisation and the community.
WINNERS IN THE QUALITY AWARDS WERE:
2008 Quality Award winners:
Category: Make prevention everybody’s business
Winner: Staph decolonisation amongst the dialysis population, Wansey Dialysis Unit
Project description: Patients with a chronic disease are tested bi-annually for Staphylococcus Aureus infection and anyone with a positive result is now started on a decolonisation protocol of hygiene measures, skin washes and antibiotics. The team has almost halved the number of dialysis-associated bloodstream infections, which in turn improves patients’ quality of life and survival rates.
Category: Create Better Experiences for People Using Health Services
Winner: The DOT Project – getting to Dialysis on Time, Tamworth Hospital
Project description: Dialysis On Time improves communication and gives ward staff the information they need to have patients ready for dialysis on time. An improvement in processes and communication has reduced the number of patients late for dialysis appointments at Tamworth Hospital’s Renal Unit from 53 per cent to below 10 per cent in February 2008.
Category: Strengthen Primary Health and Continuing Care in the Community
Winner: Wound Management Model Redesign Journey, Greater Newcastle Cluster
Project description: Changes in wound care practices have resulted in dramatically improved health outcomes for clients. Changes have been implemented to wound care practice, and the identification of clients with high-risk delay healing.
Category: Build Regional and Other Partnerships for Health
Winner: From Little Things Big Things Grow - Promoting A Healthy Lifestyle In A Small Country Community, Tenterfield Health Service
Project description: The team worked with a number of partners to establish a lifestyle program in Tenterfield. Funding to install a walking track and fitness stations was secured and physical activity classes were established through the health service. After three months, participants have achieved their goal with the combined loss of 1000 kilograms.
Category: Make Smart Choices About the Costs and Benefits of Health Services
Winner: Improving Patient Flow in the Lower Hunter Winter ‘07 Cost Effectively
Project description: Using a collaborative approach between the Lower Hunter Cluster and Maitland Hospital, the Improving Patient Flow team implemented cost efficient strategies to enhance patient flow and reduce the average length of stay at Kurri Kurri Transitional Care Unit from 149 days to 24 days.
Category: Build a Sustainable Health Workforce
Winner: Building a sustainable psychiatry workforce, Education and Training
Project description: A structured program of consultation, collaboration and evidence review has seen an improvement in the quality of training posts. This has enabled the filling of junior medical staff positions across Hunter New England Health and a declining rate of turnover of staff.
Category: Be Ready for New Risks and Opportunities
Winner: Neonatal resuscitation – reviewing the past to improve the future
Project description: The neonatal resuscitation team reviewed and standardised equipment across the Neonatal unit, and implemented evidence-based educational delivery. Following the implementation of a standardised equipment checklist and improved communication processes, critical incidents have reduced and staff satisfaction has increased.
2008 Staff Achievement Award winners:
Clinical Leader of the Year:
Prof Trish Davidson, Paediatric Surgeon, Area Director Kaleidoscope, Hunter Children’s Health Network and Clinical Leader, Children, Young People & Families Clinical Network
Manager of the Year
Louise Saville, Service Manager Generalist Care Service and Site Manager Forster Community Health
Healthcare Unit of the Year:
Belmont Birthing Service
Support Unit of the Year:
Hunter Institute of Mental Health
Outstanding Contribution of the Year:
Dr Cate McIntosh, Simulation Program Director and Anaesthesia Staff Specialist, Hunter New England Skills and Simulation Centre (HNESSC) and John Hunter Hospital Anaesthesia Department
Tomorrow’s Leader Award:
Dr Paul Craven, Neonatalogist, John Hunter Children's Hospital
Extended Excellence Award:
Steven Threlfo, Senior Technical Officer, Clinical Technology, John Hunter Hospital
Contact: Emma Gibbs
Phone: (02) 6767 7137 or 0428 114 767
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