Partnering with Consumers Bulletin

From Rohan

As part of Accreditation Readiness activity, a NSQHS Standard of the Fortnight initiative has been introduced. This involves a focus on one Standard per fortnight, with communications and walkarounds to help staff be aware of how Best Care at Western Health reflects this Standard, to ask staff possible Surveyor questions and answers, and to walk in a Surveyor’s shoes to see what WH practice looks like.

We are excited that NSQHS Standard 2: Partnering with Consumers is to be the focus of the eighth Standard of the fortnight. This will run from Monday 26 June to Sunday 2 July. Look out for friendly Best Care Co-ordinators, Fab 5 team members, Consumer Advisors and other staff who will pop into clinical areas/departments to talk with you about Partnering with Consumers.

The Partnering with Consumers Standard aims to ensure that consumers are partners in the design, delivery and evaluation of healthcare systems and services, and that consumers, carers and/or their family are supported to be partners in their own care.

The Partnering with Consumers Standard supports the ‘Pillars’ of our Best Care Framework … the quality systems that support our staff to lead, drive and create Best Care.

Western Health’s comprehensive approach to Partnering with Consumers draws upon requirements of this Standard and supports the monitoring, review and improvement of quality care. Programs and strategies to help support partnering with consumers include:

• Patient Representative Service
• Aboriginal Health Unit Wilim Berrbang & the Cultural Safety Plan
• Appointment of a Lived Experience Advisor
• Development of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion framework
• Disability Liaison Service

Our ‘Fab 5’ team have brought together nursing, medical, allied health, education, and quality expertise to support our ongoing compliance with NSQHS Std 2. We are working closely with Western Health’s Consumer First Committee to ensure we are continually monitoring, reviewing and improving quality care for patients.

The good news is we are already providing Best Care and living up to the requirements of NSQHS Std 2 on Partnering with Consumers in our everyday work! It is why we performed exceptionally in the 2020 Accreditation Survey. This year’s Survey is simply a chance to show once again how well we support coordinated care at Western Health.

Please continue reading to find out more about our partnering with consumers strategies, achievements and opportunities for improvement, as well as resources to help you to be Accreditation Ready for NSQHS Std 2.

Rohan Vaughan

NSQHS Std 2‘Fab 5’ Team Lead

Director of Nursing & Midwifery, Melton
Division: Drug Health Services

Resource Centre

The following resources have been put together to support staff to be aware of the NSQHS Partnering with Consumers Standard and Accreditation Ready for Survey against this Standard:

• NSQHS Std 2 Accred Walkaround Questions and Answers
• Spotlight on Partnering with Consumers – Know Your Standard
• Pop Quiz on NSQHS Std 2
• Accreditation Readiness Fact Sheet
• Are you ready for accreditation guides
• Health Standards (NSQHS) WeLearn Module

Patient Story

“I had minor surgery on my nose on Friday 24th March. I just wanted to say a huge thank you to every single person I came into contact with on the day, including the admissions nurse, the theatre team and the recovery team. Everyone was so kind, professional, thorough and compassionate and made me feel so comfortable. I was actually quite nervous but everyone took the time to have a chat and make me feel more comfortable. Cannot say enough, how impressed and appreciative I was of the care you provided me. Thank you!”

Improvement Initiatives

There are multiple improvement initiatives underway to improve Partnering with Consumers. Do you know about these?

• Appointment of a Lived Experience Advisor to assist guide us when planning our systems of care.
• The Cultural Safety Plan to support our First Nations Communities.
• The Carer Project aims to develop a process that facilitates a support person to stay with their loved one whilst in hospital and assist in the planning and delivery of care.
• Health Passports for people with complex disabilities to assist them make their needs clear when requiring healthcare assistance.

Achievements and Opportunities

We are proud of

• Re-instating the WH Patient First Committee.
• Commencing consumer engagement forums for the New Melton Hospital.
• The number of consumer representatives supporting our operational Best Care Committees
• Appointing our first WH Lived Experience Advisor.
• Development and release of the Cultural Safety Plan and appointment of our first Cultural Safety Officer.

We are looking forward to…

• Welcoming Mental Health and Correctional consumer representatives to WH.
• Developing more WH Lived Experience Advisor roles.
• Progressing the actions in the Cultural Safety Plan.
• Exploring opportunities to collect and utilise PREM and PROM information to improve care.
• Supporting our Consumer Advisors and staff to undertake Co-Design.

Our focus continues on…

• Consent processes and further developing audit processes.
• Training needs for consumers and staff to develop meaningful consumer partnerships.
• Enhancing Data collection to support consumer partnerships.
• Further building consumer representation on our key committees.

Key Messages