Waikato DHB Facilities Gain Three-Year Accreditation

Waikato DHB Facilities Gain Three-Year Accreditation

Facilities operated by Waikato District Health Board, including Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, have been re-certified for three years following an organisation wide audit which started in December last year.

The auditors are now satisfied that action plans put in place after the audits will address improvement requests and issued the certificate last week (attached).

Chief operating officer Jan Adams said while there was a lot of work involved in the audit, it was important to do it so the public could be assured patient safety and quality improvement was a priority at Waikato DHB.

“We are a healthcare organisation that puts patients first and we intend to grow our reputation for excellence and innovation. Having a three-year certificate gives us that certainty,” she said.

“But we are not complacent about this. Our Board of Clinical Governance will continue to approve corrective action plans and monitor progress through to completion.

“Staff at Waikato DHB are constantly looking for ways to improve quality as part of our ongoing commitment to patient safety,” she said.

Certification is a legislative requirement under the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001. This Act requires all hospitals with more than five 24-hour beds, both public and private, to comply with certain standards.

All Waikato DHB’s hospitals (Waikato, Thames, Tokoroa, Taumarunui and Te Kuiti), the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre mental health facility, continuing care facilities (Matariki in Te Awamutu and Rhoda Read in Morrinsville) and primary birthing units in Thames, Te Awamutu and Morrinsville have been audited and are certificated as being compliant with these standards.

The certification and verification audits, which took place at Waikato DHB were:

• Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre full certification audit - December 2012 - Five corrective actions identified

• Waikato District Health Board combined (7 hospitals/facilities) full certification audit - April 2013 - 38 corrective actions identified across the organisation

• High Dependency Unit verification audit - April 2013. Fully attained - no corrective actions

• Medihotel verification audit - April 2013. Fully attained - no corrective actions

• Intensive Care Unit verification audit - May 2013 - three corrective actions identified

• Older Persons and Rehabilitation verification audit – June 2013 - seven corrective actions identified.

ENDS

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