Setting a new standard
We are proud to report St Vincent’s received a perfect score across all safety and quality standards in its recent ACHS health standards review.
Three assessors over three days, and the hospital demonstrated compliance across eight National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards with zero unmet requirements, and no recommendations.
These results are a testament to the hospital team and the quality of care we are consistently achieving for patients. They should give our community great confidence in St Vincent’s relating to national health standards.
Excerpt from the ACHS Final report (St Vincent’s Hospital, Lismore, 30th May 2024):
The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards
The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) is Australia’s leading healthcare assessment and accreditation provider. ACHS is an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving quality and inspiring excellence in health care. They accredit organisations according to either government standards, or their own established standards.
Currently there are more than 1,600 healthcare organisations, including their associates, that undertake ACHS assessment and quality improvement programs. ACHS are proud to accredit the majority of all public and private hospitals in Australia.
The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards were developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care in collaboration with the Australian Government, states and territories, the private sector, clinical experts, patients, and carers. The primary aims of the NSQHS Standards are to protect the public from harm and to improve the quality of health service provision. They provide a quality assurance mechanism that tests whether relevant systems are in place to ensure that expected standards of safety and quality are met.
St Vincent’s Hospital:
St Vincent’s Private Hospital Lismore has a robust Clinical Governance Framework and systems to support governance and leadership across the campus, which includes the Hospital, aged care facility, clinics and childcare. The Hospital provides medical services – general medicine, haematology, infusion services, oncology, palliative care, nephrology and renal dialysis, respiratory and sleep studies, surgical services – general surgery, bariatric surgery, breast and endocrine, colorectal, dental procedures, ear nose and throat, gastroenterology, gynaecology, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial, orthopaedics, pain interventions, urology and vascular, inpatient rehabilitation and day rehabilitation services.
The patient is central to all the care and treatment that is delivered across St Vincent’s Private Hospital Lismore. There is a cascading impact on each of the NSQHS Standards as consumer partnership and evidence is apparent throughout.
For the St Vincent’s Private Hospital Lismore, there was noted compliance with the management of: environmental cleaning, the management of linen (outsources service), reprocessing of reusable instrumentation in the CSSD, with work in progress to meet regulatory compliance by December 2025. There are safe work practices, occupational exposure management, waste management, building maintenance, workplace immunisation and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). The aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT) program has staff compliant with all requirements. Hospital acquired infections (HAI) rates are reported as low. Staff are aware of the requirement for standard and transmission – based precautions and comply with legislated hand hygiene requirements. These results are displayed within the ward areas. There is a comprehensive schedule of auditing for infection prevention and control systems, antimicrobial usage and audit results are provided in aggregate data through the governance structure. Infection control and prevention is discussed at relevant committee meetings at which time strategies are identified to improve performance where gaps are noted.
The hospital team, whilst working with contractors and builders as refurbishments occur, appeared knowledgeable, cohesive and a multidisciplinary group with experience and lots of enthusiasm for their roles. The workplace culture was noted as very positive, as the executive team have focused on supporting staff through challenging times. The introduction of the “Strive Strategy,” endorsed by the Board in November 2023, has already impacted on staff behaviour, regardless that only a small cohort of staff have been selected to attend the initial training offered. The message, whilst a new concept has already attracted staff interest. They hear that ‘all behaviour’ has consequences, both good and bad. The mapped ‘above and below the line’ behaviour has already encouraged a positive workplace culture and increased communication with and between staff, if it is only about the strategy.
The ACHS review follows a 10 gold star score for the hospital as measured by key clinical indicators. Our equipment, quality, and service offering really are A1.
