The best of the best innovations from the Canterbury health system have been recognised today at the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) Quality Improvement and Innovation Awards.
The awards first began in 2003 to recognise, reward, and showcase quality improvement and innovation projects initiated within CDHB and contracted providers. It has made a welcome return this year after last year's awards were cancelled because of the February 22 earthquake.
This year's awards ceremony was held at the Show Gate, Riccarton Park today (November 21) for the following categories: Best Value for Public Health System Resources; Improved Quality, Safety and Experience of Care; Improved Health and Equity for Populations.
David Meates, CDHB chief executive, says it is positive to see the awards return this year as they are always a great highlight for the staff involved.
"We have some amazing people across the Canterbury health system doing remarkable things," Mr Meates says.
"It's just incredible how the 'Can-Do Canterbury' attitude never seems to wane. We have a superb culture of staff completely committed to excellence that is totally patient focused."
Jan Nicholson, Corporate Quality and Risk Manager, says there's been an amazing effort from all of the staff across the Canterbury health system that make up the 18 entrants in this year's awards.
"It's extremely encouraging to see the commitment of staff in ensuring better, sooner and more convenient health care is available to Cantabrians – as they are at the centre of everything we do," Jan says.
"The best thing about these innovations is they all have significant benefits to the patient in terms of improving quality of care and services provided by the Canterbury health system."
The successful recipients of this year's CDHB Quality Improvement and Innovation Awards:
Improved Health & Equity for Populations
Category Winner:Senior Chef: Cooking Classes for Older Adults, Older Person's Health Specialist Service, Canterbury DHB
Runner-up: Not Just Bricks and Mortar: Responding to Community Mental Health Needs After the Earthquakes, Specialist Mental Health Services, Canterbury DHB
Highly Commended Shield: ICECycles: Pedalling Health and Accessibility, Community & Public Health and Te Whare Roimata
Improved Quality, Safety & Experience of Care
Category Winner: Community Point of Care INR Monitoring, Canterbury Health Laboratories, Canterbury DHB
Runner-up: MindSight Programme for the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder, Adult Community Service, SMHS, Canterbury DHB
Highly Commended Shield: Totara House Intentional Peer Support Group, Totara House Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, SMHS, Canterbury DHB
Best Value for Public Health System Resources
Joint Category Winners: Simplifying the Process: Redesigning the Stores System in the Burwood Spinal Unit, Burwood Spinal Unit, Canterbury DHB; Building the Capacity for Delivery and Sustainability of Lean Based Projects within the CDHB Hospital and Specialist Services, Laboratory and Support Services and the Business Development Unit, Canterbury DHB
Highly Commended Shield: Making Time to Care, Parklands Hospital, Bupa Care Services