Clare Holland House wins top ACT Quality Healthcare Award

27th February 2018

Clare Holland House Hospice was awarded ACT’s top award at the 2017 Quality in Healthcare ACT Awards presented  Monday evening 26th February. The awards honour initiatives that are improving the delivery of safe, quality health services to the ACT community.

Minister for Health and Wellbeing Meegan Fitzharris and Minister for Mental Health Shane Rattenbury attended the awards to recognise leadership and innovation across five categories: person-centred, safety, effectiveness, efficiency and student.

Minister Fitzharris said the awards highlighted some of the amazing people who work in the ACT’s health sector.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all award finalists for 2017 and thank them for their dedication to enhancing patient-centred health care in the ACT,” Minister Fitzharris said.

“I would especially like to acknowledge the Specialist Palliative Care team at Clare Holland House Canberra, who were awarded the top prize for their work on implementing proactive models of palliative care.

“End of life care is incredibly important and can be a real comfort for families, and when it’s more proactive, it’s better for everyone involved.”

The Clare Holland House team piloted its Palliative Care Needs Round across four residential aged care facilities, which identified residents who were approaching the end of their life and helped develop care plans for their final months. It reduced avoidable time spent in hospital by 67 per cent and saved an impressive $115,000 over six months.

“This impressive approach to palliative care has received national and international attention. The initiative has helped families and staff to feel better supported and helps avoid unnecessary hospital transfers by managing palliative care needs in residential aged care. It is through these new ways of working that we can really improve care for patients,” said Minister Fitzharris.

Read more about Clare Holland House