By Jim Mynard
TWO St John of God Hospital Berwick department heads have received top commendations from the Australian Council of Health Care Standards (ACHS).
ACHS is the national body that oversees the quality of health care in Australia.
Four ACHS members spent two days at the hospital checking every aspect of the way the place was run from fire drills to cleaning.
The ACHS inspections covered clinical care, leadership management, information management, human resources management, safe practice and environment issues.
St John of God chief executive Tony Hollamby said the hospital overall received a favourable report, but the two commendations were outstanding.
“We are proud of the recipients. The two staff members, Donna McKendry and Kevin Phillips, head departments that provide nursing and food, two of the most important services to patients.”
Mr Phillips, 43, is the hospital’s executive chef and Ms McKendry, 39, is nurse unit manager obstetrics, and medical and surgical.
She joined St John of God Hospital Berwick in January 2004 after stints with the Monash IVF program and the Royal Women’s Hospital.
Ms McKendry has initiated a range of changes at the Berwick hospital, including upgrading educational programs for nurses and midwives.
“I think in the last two years we’ve taken some really progressive steps forward, just in the ways we go about the work that we do,” she said.
“I introduced a competency program for midwives and this meant that St John of God was committed to providing a comprehensive education program for midwives.”
Ms McKendry said she was particularly looking forward to the new women’s health unit that St John of God Hospital Berwick is building.
The unit will include 30 more beds.
“We should be right to move in by December,” she said.
Mr Phillips said he and Ms McKendry were given their commendation and an outline, “a brief snapshot”, of the ACHS survey results and would receive the full documentation in four to six weeks.
Hygiene and infection control were major issues, as were things like the temperature at which food is cooked, served and maintained, and fire drill procedures.
Mr Phillips has worked for St John of God Hospital Berwick for nearly five years, and has been executive chef for seven months.
He supervises the preparation, cooking and delivery of food to patients, staff and visitors.
He says the catering department has made some dramatic changes.
“We have a new kitchen worth in excess of $200,000, a completely new system, and a completely new way of producing, storing and serving food so that’s a big challenge as well.
“The hospital has always had a very high standard, so it’s up to all individuals to maintain that standard and I think they’ve done very well to go to the next level,” he said.