AGPAL accreditation and Quality Improvement Award Winner: HHMP
On Friday 18 May, at the AGPAL & QIP 2018 Conference Gala Dinner in Melbourne, Hunters Hill Medical Practice was announced as the Excellence award Winner in the category of AGPAL Chair General Practice of the Year Award, as part of the AGPAL (accreditation) & QIP Excellence Awards.
The AGPAL & QIP Excellence Awards recognise Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) and Quality Innovation Performance Limited (QIP) accredited organisations or services accredited by, who consistently go above and beyond to implement and embed quality improvements, have teams that love to innovate, demonstrate a dedicated approach to patient and consumer services and/or care, and have a clear understanding of related industry standards.
Dr Stephen Clark, AGPAL Group Chief Executive, said that the there was a large volume of high caliber nominations for the award category, received from QIP accredited health services from around the nation.
“The AGPAL Awards recognise and reward the commitment that practices make to quality improvement within Australia’s health care setting. I was proud that I, and our judging panel of industry experts, was able to read about Hunters Hill Medical Practice’s nomination. Their dedication to their patients and the local community goes above and beyond, exceeding expected standards.”
“I congratulate Hunters Hill Medical Practice for being the 2018 Excellence Winner in the category of AGPAL Chair General Practice of the Year Award. I would also like to thank all other nominees for sharing their stories,” Dr Clark said.
Hunters Hill Medical Practice has a long history of AGPAL accreditation and is committed to ensuring their team are prepared for any situation to ensure they can deliver the upmost care and service delivery to their patients. They regularly undertake secret scenario training, which allows them to review and reflect on how situations may/have been handled and how they could improve on the situation if it was to ever happen in the practice.
Their team plays an active role in their local community and has close relationships many local community groups, including schools, promoting discussion around topics such as mental health, cyber-bullying and concussion in sport.
Their commitment to the AGPAL accreditation process and the continuing development of quality of care, safety and risk management in their practice is outstanding, supported by a team that is truly committed to achieving the best outcomes possible for their patients. Such qualities are the hallmark of AGPAL accreditation and the reason for being named the excellence award winner.
Award nominees submitted a nomination form self-assessing against key criteria. The judging process to identify the finalists, and subsequent Excellence Award Winner, was rigorous and informed by the AGPAL accreditation process. A large number of nominations were received.
Below is part of the HHMP interview with the AGPAL Quality in focus magazine about AGPAL accreditation and being named the award winner.
AGPAL Team: Congratulations on your AGPAL accreditation and being awarded AGPAL Chair General Practice of the Year Excellence Award Winner! How did the team react and celebrate?
Dr Badr: It is a great honour and we are still talking about it. On the night, at the gala dinner, while the announcement was being made, the staff there started crying, which showed how committed they are to their roles. The SMS’s and emails flew thick and fast! Since we have been back at the practice, all the staff have been very excited about it and many of the patients too. The winner logo now adorns the doors, and the award is being framed for pride of place in our waiting room. It has been fantastic to see the level of support from our patients.
AGPAL Team: What do you feel is the secret to Hunters Hill Medical Practice’s success?
Dr Badr: The practice has been built on a good foundation. The plan has always been to keep it simple; to hire genuine people who are capable but also willing to learn. Then give them the resources and support to allow them to focus on patient care. This has been done with an open mind and with an eye towards quality and continuous improvement. The AGPAL accreditation is part of that process.
Katrina: The multi-disciplinary team has been such an award winner for our staff and patients. We also focus on education, with extra sessions for staff, teaching medical students and having registrars.
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