The 2016 ACT Quality in Healthcare Awards were presented tonight to celebrate and honour initiatives that improve the delivery of safe, quality health services to the ACT community.
The aim of the ACT Quality in Healthcare Awards is to publicly honour innovations that improve the delivery of safe quality care within the ACT healthcare system. Established in 2002, the awards recognise leadership and innovation in patient safety across the categories of access and efficiency, consumer participation, innovative models of care, safety and systems support.
Minister for Health Meegan Fitzharris attended the awards.
“The projects showcased at tonight’s ACT Quality in Healthcare Awards really highlight the high level of commitment that healthcare staff have for their work here in the ACT.
“The dedication of our health professionals, healthcare staff and students to enhance health care services is truly inspiring and I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all award finalists for 2016,” Minister Fitzharris said.
“In particular, I would like to congratulate the overall award winner – the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. This team developed a new process for reducing central line associated bloodstream infections in neonatal babies, which is really impressive.
“This project looked at babies who were in the NICU between 2011 and 2016, and tracked whether improved clinical interventions and staff education created a positive effect to protect vulnerable babies in the NICU.
“The results from this project have been outstanding, improving the quality of care given to neonatal babies receiving blood via a central intravenous line and significantly reducing the associated blood stream infection rate from 12.5 per 1000 days in 2011, down to 1.5 per 1000 days in 2016.
“Any parent who has had a baby in hospital for treatment will understand the importance of reducing any risk of infection in hospital, which is why this quality improvement project is so remarkable.
“Through staff education, increased monitoring and improved processes, the NICU team has reduced the risk of blood stream infections so NICU babies are safer and healthier during their hospital stay, and can get home faster,” said Minister Fitzharris.
2016 Category winners:
- Access and Efficiency: Adult Mental Health Day Service of the Division of Mental Health, Justice Health alcohol and Drug Services
- Consumer Participation: BreastScreen ACT
- Innovative Models of Care: Maternity Service, Centenary Hospital for Women and Children
- Safety: Goal Setting and End Of Life Framework Team at Canberra Hospital
- Systems Support: ACT and Southern NSW Local Hospital district Renal Network
For more information on the 2016 ACT Quality in Healthcare Awards visit: www.health.act.gov.au
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