Media release, Pegasus Health, 25 November 2009

Pegasus Health Quality Awards

Innovation, community collaboration and a strong team ethic were the common themes at this year's Pegasus Health Quality Awards held in Christchurch last weekend.

The awards recognise and encourage excellence among the 94 general practices that are part of the Pegasus Health network in Canterbury. General practice teams, GPs, practice nurses, administrators and Pegasus Health staff members were recognised for their contribution to primary health care.

Pegasus Health Chair Dr Martin Seers says the awards are an important way to put quality in general practice front and centre.

"The awards are a salient reminder of what really matters in general practice: quality outcomes for patients," says Dr Seers. "No matter what the political or funding environment or any other social or economic forces at play, there is one constant that matters most to practice teams and those who support them in their work - striving for excellence in everything we do."

"Pegasus Health practice teams have a long and proud history of innovation, having pioneered many initiatives over the past 15 years that have now been adopted nationally and even internationally. We want to continue to encourage the sort of thinking, flexibility and innovation that leads to better ways of working."

Dr Seers says looking for more effective ways of delivering more care to larger numbers of people is becoming especially important given the region's aging population and the challenges around finding enough doctors, nurses and practice staff to take care of us all.

"Like all parts of the health system we face a shrinking workforce at the same time as greater demand from patients. We all need to be focused on finding innovative solutions to the challenges both in front of us and ahead of us."

Dr Seers says collaboration - both within general practice teams and with other providers - is key to a successful future.

"The range of our sponsors reflects the importance we all place on finding new ways to work more closely together."

The following gold sponsors helped make the 2009 Pegasus Health Quality Awards possible: the Canterbury District Health Board, CBS Canterbury, Christchurch Radiology Group, Nurse Maude, Pacific Resort, Partnership Health Canterbury, Southern Cross Healthcare, St John and The Press.

The winners:

Outstanding Contribution to General Practice by a General Practitioner
Dr Philip Frost, East Care Health

Outstanding Contribution by a Practice Nurse
Sandra White, Linwood Avenue Medical Centre

St John Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Practice Manager, Administrator or Receptionist
Lynn Davies, Practice Manager, St Martins Medical Practice

Outstanding Contribution by a Small Group Leader
Dr Mark Cohen, Ilam Medical Centre

The Canterbury District Health Board Award for the Best Multidisciplinary Team
Lincoln Medical

The Southern Cross Award for Clinical Innovation
Barrington Medical Centre

The CBS Canterbury Award for Business Innovation
Merivale Medical Practice

The Nurse Maude Award for Palliative Care
Dr Murray Robson, Straven Medical Rooms

The Partnership Health Canterbury Award for Outstanding Contribution to Health Promotion
Linwood Avenue Medical Practice

The Christchurch Radiology Group Award for Outstanding Contribution to Health Information
Dr Martin Wilson, Wainoni Medical Centre

The Press Award for Outstanding General Practice Leadership
Dr David Kerr

Chair and CEO Special Award Recipients:

o Dr John Hudson, North Avon Medical Centre
o Technology Support Group, Pegasus Health
o Symon McHerron, Business Information Services Manager
o Vivian Huang, Practice Nurse, Doctors on Riccarton
o Dr Simon Brokenshire, Clinical Director, 24 Hour Surgery

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