During October, Northern Health held a Mock Accreditation Survey to check our readiness for a full accreditation assessment next May. It was a very full four days with the three surveyors who visited clinical areas and held meetings with each of the Standards committees.

Experienced surveyors providing observations and advice helps us prepare for our Survey in May, 2020 with a clearer focus.  It was also an opportunity to showcase some of the great work that we have been doing. The surveyors were generous in sharing their knowledge and gave us positive feedback, as well as identifying areas for improvement.

They were impressed with staff awareness and knowledge of the standards, as well as how quickly pathology was brought in-house. They also had positive comments on our Koori Maternity Service, our approach to the CARE record, as well as My Health Record implementation.

Some of the areas we need to work on are consistent documentation of evidence of care, clearly displaying fire wardens, the need to display more Rights and Responsibility posters, staff compliance with immunisation and some of our patient information needs to be updated.

The surveyors also provided us with observation of practice that can be improved and gave helpful and constructive advice that will be implemented over the upcoming months.

Our Quality Coordinators who escorted our survey team to and from meetings, played a valuable role in being the ears on the ground gathering improvement opportunities. Thank you to Maree Glynn, and everyone involved in preparing for the mock survey. Well done.

Strengthening Hospital Response to Family Violence

As an organisation we promote respectful relationships and gender equality within the workplace and demonstrate a culture of zero tolerance for violence. Through programs like the Strengthening Hospital Response to Family Violence initiative Northern Health has an ongoing commitment to stopping violence against women and creating a safe and respectful workplace for all.

You may have read recent media reports where domestic violence charity White Ribbon Australia has gone into liquidation.  Although our previous White Ribbon Australia Accreditation is now not appropriate, our commitment to stamping out violence continues.

We are committed to equipping staff to identify and respond to family violence, as well as supporting our staff members personally affected by family violence.

Winnie Tjong wins the WorkSafe Award

Please join me in congratulating to our Risk Management Coordinator, Winnie Tjong, who recently won the WorkSafe Victoria Award for ‘Return to Work Coordinator Excellence’. Winnie champions Northern Health’s commitment to return injured workers back to safe work as soon as possible. Well done Winnie! Read more here.

I hope you have a great week ahead.

Siva Sivarajah  

Chief Executive