Staff tackling infections and medication safety among new health leaders

26 February 2019

TWO project officers from the Clinical Excellence Commission are among a group of more than 35 senior clinicians who will graduate at our Executive Clinical Leadership Program February 28, 2019.

As part of the program, each graduate identifies an area where they feel healthcare improvements could be achieved and presents a clinical improvement project as part of their final work.

Antimicrobial Stewardship Project Officer Lolita Tu and Medication Safety and Quality Officer Fiona Bailey each developed improvement programs related to their work within the CEC and supporting NSW public hospitals.

Clinical Excellence Commission CE Ms Carrie Marr said Ms Tu's health improvement project, which looks at reducing surgical infections after a caesarean, explores ways to improve patient safety for new mums.

Ms Bailey's work focused on cardiac patients and improving procedures and monitoring for those receiving heparin.

"I'm delighted to have two of our own colleagues among tomorrow's graduates," Ms Marr said.

“More than 3000 clinicians have graduated our clinical leadership programs and the most recent group come from far and wide including Tamworth, Sydney and Murrumbidgee. These graduates are the clinical leaders who will guide the health system over the next decade.

"They come to the program with the support of their local executive and a desire to achieve improvements in how they, and their colleagues, care for patients. It's exciting to see this most recent group exploring avenues to improve patient safety and clinical practice."

Through the year long program, participants gain enhanced:

• understanding of the workings of NSW Health
• knowledge of contemporary approaches to patient safety and clinical quality systems
• skills in relation to communication, conflict resolution and team leadership
• ability to influence the direction of health policy, and
• personal and professional clinical leadership skills.

The Executive and Foundational Clinical Leadership Programs are part of the Clinical Excellence Commission's Quality Improvement Academy, which designs and delivers a range of education programs for staff working in patient safety, improvement and clinical governance.

Antimicrobial Stewardship Project Officer Lolita Tu and Medication Safety and Quality Officer Fiona Bailey