THERE was cause for celebration at Western District Health Service (WDHS), after it achieved full acute accreditation in its latest quality audit.

External auditors visited WDHS in November, as part of a three-year accreditation cycle, to ensure the Health Service is meeting its obligations under the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

WDHS chief executive, Rohan Fitzgerald said the Board, management and staff were put through their paces over four days to see how the organisations’ systems stacked up.

“Accreditation is a thorough process, which takes a deep dive into our clinical systems and should provide the community with reassurance that the care delivered at WDHS is of a very high standard,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity for us to highlight the great work that’s been achieved in recent years.

“Importantly, customers are also a focus of accreditation, providing insights about their experience and patient journey during their admission at WDHS.”

Three assessors visited both clinical and support areas, including the food services, maintenance and education departments at Hamilton Base Hospital, and the Penshurst and Coleraine campuses.

After the difficulties presented through the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Fitzgerald said it was even more impressive that WDHS was able to achieve such an outstanding result.

“In the context of the last three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, this result is all the more remarkable because we have overcome such great adversity and proven that despite all of the challenges, our teams continue to provide services at the highest level,” he said.

“I am very proud of the way each and every one of our staff members and volunteers represented themselves and modelled the WDHS values throughout accreditation.

“The assessors found staff welcoming, helpful and willing to participate in the process.

“Culturally they observed a positive energy in the areas they visited and staff responded extremely well under pressure.

“Our customers also spoke highly of the care provided by clinical and non-clinical staff and the range of services offered at WDHS.”

Mr Fitzgerald said WDHS would be looking towards implementing feedback provided through the accreditation process in the future, but was extremely pleased with the outcome and the efforts of everyone involved.

“As with any review process, there were suggestions for improvement and WDHS will actively consider these ideas to enhance service delivery into the future,” he said.

“I would like to thank all team leaders, staff and volunteers for their passion, commitment and dedication to WDHS and our community.

“I would also like to thank our quality manager for her tireless work in preparing the teams for accreditation.”