ProCare Health announces 2011 Quality Awards

ProCare Health announces 2011 Quality Awards

AUCKLAND – 27 June 2011 – Botany Doctor Medical Practice was honoured on Friday night at the 10th ProCare Health Quality Awards as the Practice of the Year for its high professional standards and dedication to patient needs.

ProCare Health, New Zealand’s largest network of GPs and general practice teams, also honoured Dr Gary MacLachlan as GP of the Year and Kathy Neilson as Practice Nurse of the Year, both of Stoddard Road Medical Centre, Mt Roskill.

ProCare Health Chairman, Dr Peter Didsbury said: “ProCare congratulates the winners for being exemplars of quality and for the innovations they contribute to primary care. They are the leading lights in a network which is advancing its performance on many fronts, meeting key health outcomes and achieving high levels of patient satisfaction.”

The ProCare Quality Awards winners were announced during a ceremony at Auckland War Memorial Museum, with 350 attendees from Auckland’s primary health care community.

The other winners were:
• Primary Care Innovation Award – Pukekohe Family Health Care
• Practice Manager of the Year Award – Marian Duffin from Balmoral Doctors
• Receptionist of the Year Award – Tina Philips-Ryder from Mangere Health Centre
• Most Focused Improvement – Diabetes Annual Review - Hall Avenue Medical Centre
• Most Focused Improvement – CVD Risk – Glenfield Family Doctors
• Highest Performing Practice – Immunisation - Cornwall Medical Centre

The last three awards were measured clinical awards, based on specific performance data recorded by ProCare throughout the year. All other awards were decided by a judging panel: Dr John Elliott, chair of the ProCare Clinical Governance Committee; Dr John Cameron, ProCare clinical director; Dr David Codyre, clinical director of ProCare Psychological Services; and Jessie Crawford, practice nurse at Mangere Health Centre.

The judges also issued two highly commended awards to Audrey Cassidy, Greenwood Medical Centre, in the practice manager category; and Ranjita Pratap, Blockhouse Bay Medical Centre, in the practice nurse category.

ProCare Chief Executive, Ron Hooton said: “Clinical quality in general practice is essential to improving the health of our communities. The ProCare Quality Awards recognise not only the contribution our GPs and practice teams make to improving their patients’ health but also their commitment to meeting the unique health needs of Auckland’s diverse population.”

In the Practice of the Year category, the judges described Botany Doctor Medical Practice “as an exceptional, well-managed practice that demonstrated a high level of commitment to ethical and professional standards and dedication to serve your patient’s needs.”

For the GP of the Year award, the judges said Dr Gary MacLachlan performed “beyond the call of duty”, citing his commitment to aged care, the ADHB refugee collaborative, screening and education. His colleague Kathy Neilson was described “as a highly committed nurse recognized both locally and nationally for her work in breast screening and her passion for professional development.”

In the category of innovation, the judges said they were looking for an innovation that has made a difference and applauded Pukekohe Family Health Care for its child abuse screening tool developed by a team of nurses. “It’s a topic close to the hearts of all New Zealanders so an innovation that makes identifying children at risk more than deserves this award.”

Two other finalists were also announced in each of the measured awards:
• Most Focused Improvement – Diabetes Annual Review
o Church Street Doctors
o Mangere Health Centre
• Most Focused Improvement – CVD Risk
o Dr DM de Lacey Surgery
o Family Doctors Whangaparaoa
• Highest Performing Practice - Immunisation
o Mt Wellington Family Health Centre
o Pukekohe Family Health Care

The sponsors of the Quality Awards included Gen-i/IBM, Shape Commercial, Healthlink, Enigma, EBOS Healthcare, Labtests, ANZ, OfficeMax, Medtech, Medical Assurance Society, My Practice, Optimation, Potentia, Personnel Solutions, Space Studio, Dr Info, HAS Global and Heartstone.
ENDS
ProCare Health – New Zealand’s largest network of GPs and general practice teams – is focused on improving the health of Aucklanders through quality general practice. ProCare represents 560 GP members and 609 practice nurses in more than 200 medical practices, looking after the primary health needs of over 850,000 Aucklanders.

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