The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards recently held the national Quality Improvement Awards and Northern Sydney Local Health District impressively won two awards and had one highly commended.
The NSLHD Executive Operations team won the 2023 ACHS Non-Clinical Service Delivery Award for implementing video interpreting.
The team consisting of Bruno Villamea Santos (lead), Bronwyn Nolan, Cathy Butler, Anju Bharti Sharma, and Tingting Chen scaled video interpreting across the district by producing a practical resource: the NSLHD Video Interpreting Practical Implementation Guide.
“We are extremely honoured,” said Bruno of winning the award. Bruno said it has been a hands-on project working with the Health Care Interpreting Service.
“We use Virtual Care technology to connect with interpreters outside of the hospital,” he said. “Video interpreting combines the visual cues of an in-person session with the efficiency of a phone call. Patients have a better experience while reducing the interpreters’ need to travel, making them more readily available. It saves us money and time, and it’s great for our Net Zero goals.”
Healthcare Measurement category award - winner
The Parkinson’s Inpatient Experience (PIE) Project team from RNSH won the Healthcare Measurement category award.
Project lead and Parkinson’s CNC Sue Williams and pharmacist Marissa Sakiris were supported by Director of Midwifery Nurse Manager Margie Webster to work closely with staff from RNSH’s Emergency Department, Neurology and Aged Care wards to implement various interventions.
They have improved prescriber accuracy, and the timelines of medication reviews and administration of Parkinson’s medications.
Sue Williams said it was an honour for everyone’s hard work to be recognised.
“The project could not have happened without the contributions of frontline nurses, doctors, pharmacists and allied health workers who have helped successfully address the medication management issues that our Parkinson’s patients experience when admitted to hospital.”
