Announcing the finalists for the Best of the West WSLHD Quality Awards 2021!

Elevating the Patient Experience: Auburn Hospital
Auburn Emergency Department used real-time feedback, surveys and strategies to ensure continuous improvement in the patient journey and experience. Improvements were seen across all core questions.

“Dialysis free time” through incremental peritoneal dialysis:
Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals and Westmead Hospital
Since June 2019, 90% of new patients starting peritoneal dialysis (PD) within Western Renal Service (WRS) have been offered a new model of care. Eligible patients have been prescribed incremental peritoneal dialysis for increased ‘dialysis-free time’ which means less intrusiveness for patients and healthcare cost-savings.

Preventing Fractures at Westmead Hospital: Putting Patients First
The Westmead Osteoporosis Re-Fracture Prevention program has successfully reduced the rate of fracture re-presentations at Westmead by; partnering with existing services to identify underlying issues such as osteoporosis, working with multidisciplinary health teams and utilising screening tools.

COVID-19 Care in the Community
Built on existing partnerships of the Integrated Chronic Care Program, this service provides community care for low to moderate risk COVID-19 positive patients. This project focused on building capacity in clinical teams and creating various pathways to care for COVID-19 patients at home, rather than in hospital.

Hand in Hand: Growing Together Every day: Auburn Hospital
A collaborative service was created with the Cumberland Linker Network to engage 50 expectant young parents, and provide them with information and access to community services, support, and programs through a seamless referral process. This is directly linked to the NSW strategic plan to support the first 2000 days of life.

I Hear You: Integrated Chronic Care Program (ICCP)
ICCP and COVID-19 drive-through clinic staff were educated in health literacy and teach-back techniques to enhance patient understanding and achieve 100% competency within six months. Clinician confidence and the ability to re-explain information as required rose significantly.

Ensuring safe discharge of acute dysphagia patients: Speech Pathology Westmead Hospital
The goal was to reduce wait times for speech pathology follow-up to less than six weeks for acute dysphagia outpatients discharged from Westmead Hospital to avoid poor post-procedure health outcomes. Patients requiring follow-up are now scheduled to be seen 7 to 10 days post discharge.

Conquering the COVID Chaos: A communication lifeline
Centre for Population Health, Health Promotion team
Throughout the pandemic, the Population Health team worked collaboratively to simplify and increase access to credible and health literate COVID-19 information for the people of Western Sydney. A key focus was on at-risk populations, including Aboriginal people and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

The Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program (OACCP) for people living with osteoarthritis in WSLHD: Westmead Hospital
The OACCP was created to prevent unnecessary surgery and improve pain function and quality of life for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis through a multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach including exercise, weight loss and education. So far, 26% of participants have elected to cancel their surgeries following the completion of the program.

STELLAR PROGRAM: Strengthening Teamwork Excellence through Leadership (that promotes a) Learning culture, Acknowledgment and Reflective practice: Auburn Hospital
STELLAR is a staff development framework for nurses and midwives, linking staff leadership capability with career pathways and succession planning. Outcomes include a strengthened staff heath safety culture and enhanced skills for collaboration and effective teamwork.

Virtual Connect – Oral Health Clinic Interpreting: Oral Health Services
The program uses the myVirtualCare platform on mobile devices in innovative tablet stands to deliver interpreting services to patients within dental clinics. With most oral health interpreter sessions now held virtually, this has improved safety for interpreters and improves health outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) clients.

EPIC – Emergency Psychiatric Interactive Conferencing: Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals
Blacktown Acute Care Team sought to identify alternatives to face-to-face care and established the EPIC project to provide seamless, person-centred and flexible care. The program has been delivered to 25% of people presenting at Mt Druitt Emergency Department (ED) for mental health assessment and reduces stigma, decreases length of stay in ED and improves patient flow.

All aboard the physiotherapy telehealth service: Westmead Hospital
In June 2020, a responsive telehealth service was implemented to provide telehealth outpatient physiotherapy services during the COVID-19 pandemic. When surveyed, 93% of patients rated their experience as good to excellent and physiotherapists agreed telehealth improved access and enabled continuity of care.

Network 5 – Emergency Medicine Journal Club: Westmead Hospital
This project was designed to provide all emergency department trainees with access to regular and interactive medical education and research. This user-friendly format also allows staff to re-engage with research in a consumable fashion, enabling re-skilling techniques.

WSLHD Vaccination Clinics – Training & Orientation
This program has had a significant impact in ensuring the safety of frontline workers and the WSLHD community healthy by providing the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine. The implementation of an outreach program to vaccinate residential aged care facilities, the homeless, refugees and LGBTQIA+ ensured all community members were targeted.