Each week in the lead up to Accreditation, Northern Health is sharing key information to help staff prepare for the short notice assessment.

Today, we speak to Associate Professor, Jason Cirone, Chief Allied Health Officer, who has been an Accreditation Assessor for over 10 years, for some tips on what to expect.

“It is a privilege going into a health service and being a part of an assessment team,” said A/Prof Cirone. “As Assessors, we understand that we are guests in a health service and that it can be quite a disruptive week. When visiting a health services, I am very mindful of that and respectful, and I know that other assessors are similar.”

Fundamentally, the assessment team are there to facilitate an onsite, objective assessment against the National Standards, and make sure that we deliver the right care, at the right time and in the right place.

“In practice, assessors have to elicit information and evidence through interviews, observations and documentation, but a lot of their job is about being in a space and sometimes not asking questions, but just looking around and listening, particularly during handovers, huddles and other team interactions,” said A/Prof Cirone.

“Understanding the patient experience is paramount to the assessment, and assessors will listen to conversations between staff, or patients commenting on their care in the foyer, cafés, the lift, or anywhere.”

“First impressions count for a lot, so please ensure your environment is clean and tidy, and make our guests feel welcome,” A/Prof Cirone said. “Also, if the assessors request information or the need to speak to particular staff member, it is important to try and arrange that quickly.

“Finally, try to remember; the assessors are examining our performance against a quality a safety framework. The quality part is really important, and we have a lot to be proud of at Northern Health – this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our achievements and how well we are doing!”