News

QIC considers standards reforms

QIC is considering some important changes to the structure of its standards. The changes involve a move away from the 2 tier towards a single tier system. The current  2 tier approach comprises the Core Standards + Service Specific Standards (see the Publications page on this website for more detail of the current system). The proposed new system involves enhanced Core Standards, supported by a good practice interpretative guide. Under the change organisations would self assess and be externally assessed under one rather than two sets of standards. The proposal aims to simplify accreditation, while not reducing its rigour.

For a summary of the proposal, its rationale, and the results of a polling of participating organisations in early 2008, click here.

New Directors join QIC Board

QIC is pleased to announce the appointment of four new Directors to its Board. With strong backgrounds in business strategy, marketing and governance, as well as extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, the new Directors take their positions from 1 June 2008. They are Susan Dann, Tony Ho, Jason McLean, and Ern Phang. Board Chair Brendon Davidson said " We are delighted to have our new Directors, with the great skills and drive they bring." For more details about the QIC Board click here.

QIC wins tender to streamline accreditation in Indigenous health services

QIC has won a tender with the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH), to advise how indigenous health services can best engage in dual accreditation - for their medical practices as well as their allied health and infrastructure. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACHHOs) funded by OATSIH participate in accreditation under the Australian College of General Practitioners standards and also under QIC standards. The project will see the mapping of both sets of standards according to some key domains and some procedural collaboration between the accrediting bodies. The project is due for completion in late 2008.

QIC standards internationally accredited

QIC's six standards modules have been accredited for a four year period by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). The standards were assessed against ISQua's five Principles for Standards:

• Contribute to quality and service improvement
• Patient/client focussed and encompasses management and support infrastructure
• Content of standards is comprehensive and reflects (identified) dimensions of quality
• Planned, formulated and evaluated through a defined process, and
• Enable consistent measurement.

The Principles were supported by a range of criteria.

In its report, ISQua said that the QIC standards were 'appropriate to the community services that use them, are strongly client focussed and the partnership principle is evident throughout.' It commended QIC and acknowledged QIC as a world leader in the accreditation field.

QIC chair Mr Tony Lund said that QIC and its licensed providers were thrilled that international recognition had been given regarding the quality of QIC's standards, and paid tribute to the many people who had voluntarily contributed to the standards' development, and the preparation of documentation for accreditation.

QIC is presently preparing for ISQua accreditation of its organisation and process, with external assessment scheduled for May 2007.

Awards for outstanding service

QIC recently recognised the outstanding contributions of 3 individuals to the work of QIC.

Professor Hal Swerissen was the founding Executive Officer and Company Secretary until his recent appointment as Associate Dean of the Health Sciences Faculty at La Trobe University. The citation on his Award praised Hal for his service as a Board member, from QIC's inception in 1998 to November 2004. He assisted the organisation to develop sound administrative systems and practices, helped develop rigour in the QIC program, and provided extensive support to the QIC Secretariat over six years.

Cheryl de Zilwa served QIC in her capacity as Director of Quality Management Services Inc. between 1998 and 2004. She provided considerable support to the QIC Board and was an active member of its Technical Working Group as well as several other working groups and committees associated with QIC. Cheryl provided leadership in identifying new markets for QIC standards and accreditation and demonstrated how the program could be flexible and customer-centred, while retaining its rigour.

Russell Renhard served the Community Health Accreditation and Standards Program ('CHASP' - QIC's predecessor) and later QIC in his capacity as Director of QICSA from 1985-2002. He was a strong advocate for an effective quality improvement program which served an expanding field. In his leadership of QICSA, he developed a distinctive approach to accreditation reviews which demonstrated to QIC the potential of the program as a stimulus for organisational learning and validation of achievement. Russell also assisted the program in conceptualising quality improvement and the development of standards.

Congratulations and thanks to our Award winners.

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QIC launches ATODS standards

On 9 November 2005, QIC's Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Services Standards were launched at the Australian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs (APSAD) Conference at Hilton on the Park, East Melbourne. Speaking at the launch, Alcohol & Drug Council of Australia CEO, Donna Bull praised the standards as clear, outcome-focussed, evidence based and supported by professionals in the field. "These standards make a great contribution to quality improvement in alcohol and drug services, and they demonstrate the distinctive nature of this sector", Ms Bull said.

The eight ATODS standards together with Evidence Questions were developed for QIC by consultant John McLeod assisted by a widely representative steering committee, and funded by the federal Department of Health and Ageing. They complement QIC's Health and Community Services Core Module, and can be used either as stand-alone assessment tools and checklists, or as part of QIC accreditation.

The ATODS standards may be purchased via the QIC Order Form.

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27 Divisions of General Practice sign with QIC program in Victoria

Divisions of General Practice (DGPs) in Victoria have overwhelmingly chosen the QIC program for accreditation. DGPs and their state coordinating bodies (state based organisations - 'SBOs') assist general medical practitioners improve the quality of their practices and support them to introduce elements of population health.

In 2004 the federal Department of Health and Ageing required Divisions to be accredited with one of three eligible accrediting bodies including QIC. Several Victorian DGPs as well as the SBO - General Practice Divisions Victoria, were already in the QIC program when the requirement was announced. The Department offered a financial incentive for enrolling with an accrediting body before the end of June 2005. QICSA - QIC's Licensed Provider in Victoria, reported 27 out of a possible 30 DGPs as well as the SBO had signed up by the due date.

QICSA Director, Sharyn Turney - a former Division employee, said she was delighted with the endorsement of QIC as accrediting body for Divisions by so may organisations. "They have clearly chosen QICSA and the QIC program for our understanding of the work of DGPs, the relevance of our standards and quality improvement processes, and we welcome them", she said

QIC provider a finalist in New Zealand 's 2005 Health Innovation Awards

Te Wana Quality Programme, QIC's licensed provider in New Zealand is a finalist in New Zealand 's 2005 Health Innovation Awards. The 24 Award finalists were chosen from 151 entries and the winner will be announced on 30 June 2005 . The Awards are jointly sponsored by the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the Accident Compensation Corporation and Telecom New Zealand .

Te Wana is the quality arm of New Zealand 's community controlled primary care provider peak body, Health Care Aotearoa ( HCA ) - a network of 54 organisations. The HCA network is guided in the organisation and delivery of its services by the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, and targets disadvantaged and vulnerable communities in New Zealand .

Each Award candidate is nominated for an outstanding contribution to health care improvement. Te Wana has been nominated for developing a peer review system for community-driven health organisations, which is implemented in a supportive and culturally sensitive way.

Last year's Award winner, a new system for treating patients with stomach upsets, reduced waiting lists and costs by $NZ1.5 million for the Auckland District Health Board.

The 2005 Award winner will receive $NZ15,000 and there are prizes for individual, group and organisation entries.

Te Wana programme director Jac Lynch said "The peer review system is a valuable tool for capacity building and for sharing ideas and good practice in the third sector. It allows the reviewers a chance to see how other organisations do things, as well providing those groups being reviewed with feedback from peers rather than auditors."

WHO contracts QIC to write standards

 QIC has been contracted by the World Health Organisation Geneva, to write a standard concerning individual and community participation in maternal and neonatal health services. Board Chair Brendon Davidson said that QIC was very honoured to be selected to undertake this work. "This contract recognises QIC's outstanding work in quality improvement for primary care services, which spans 20 years", Mr Davidson said.

The standard will become part of WHO's clinical and corporate Standards for Maternal and Neonatal Health Services - a major initiative in the Making Pregnancy Safer Strategy. The Strategy addresses the UN Millenium Goals to prevent maternal and infant deaths. The Standards will be used to assist governments and health care systems of developing countries improve pregnancy support, obstetric, postnatal and family planning services.

The new community participation standard will state how at a national, regional and district level, health services can support a greater say in decision-making by women and communities. The project involves an extensive literature review, the development of the standard and associated criteria, plus suggested amendments to existing standards. It will be completed in June 2005. See also Quality Projects

QIC goes to Vietnam

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On a visit to Vietnam in January 2005, QIC Executive Director Steve Einfeld was taken on a WHO Vietnam organised tour of district and community health services in an outer area of Hanoi. Guided by the Vietnam Ministry of Health, the tour included the Thanh Tri district general hospital and the Vinh Quynh community health station.

Both the hospital and community health station provide traditional as well as western medical services, with traditional herbs grown in the grounds of the facilities. The community health station runs a wide range of health promotion and treatment programs including nutrition, diabetes, immunisation, reproductive health and mental health. Steve said he was surprised at the similarities with community health in Australia.

Service and Ministry staff also spoke about the Vietnamese national health service accreditation system.

Following the tour, Steve met with Dr Hans Troedssen, head of WHO Vietnam and Dr Merel Mattousch and discussed their work.

QIC in Geneva for World Health Organisation Technical Committee

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QIC was recently invited by the World Health Organisation in Geneva to join an international technical panel to review draft standards for Maternal and Neonatal Health Services. The meeting, on 26-28 October 2004 comprised health and quality improvement practitioners from countries as diverse as Lithuania, Mongolia, Chile, Tanzania, and Oman.

Development of the standards is part of WHO's Making Pregnancy Safer Strategy - to address the very high international death rate for infants and mothers in childbirth, 99% of which occurs in developing countries. The standards, to be publically launched on World Health Day in April 2005, will support improved maternal and neonatal health services.

QIC Executive Director Steve Einfeld who attended the meeting said that QIC's contribution to the panel discussions was enhanced 'by our experience over the last two years of extensively reviewing our standards and review tools - especially our Core Module'. Steve said that there was considerable interest from international participants and WHO staff in QIC's recently completed standards.

Professor Hal Swerissen farewelled from QIC Board

Founding member of the QIC Board Professor Hal Swerissen was farewelled at the 19 November 2004 Board meeting. He had been a founding member of the Board and its Secretary and Executive Officer for nearly seven years.

Paying tribute to Professor Swerissen's contribution, Chair Andrew Stanley referred to his role in the transition from QIC's previous incarnation as the Community Health Accreditation and Standards Program (CHASP) where it was based at the Australian Community Health Association, to its current status as a not-for-profit public company based in the Australian Institute for Primary Care at La Trobe University.

He said that Professor Swerissen had been an outstanding advocate for QIC, providing leadership in the development of its standards development and accreditation processes as well as ensuring that the organisation had sound administration systems in place.

Professor Swerissen has been appointed Associate Dean Faculty of Health Sciences La Trobe Univesity (Bendigo), and will be succeeded in his role as QIC Director, Secretary and Executive Officer by the new Australian Institute for Primary Care Director, Associate Professor Peter Foreman.

New Core Module launched at Quality Conference

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10 August saw the launch QIC's new Health and Community Services Core Standards Module. The Module includes 17 Standards covering leadership and management, service and program provision and external relations. They embrace aspects of organisations which are both common to all human services organisations and which express QIC’s philosophy and Core Concepts.

Australian Council for Safety and Quality Health Care consumer member Ms Betty Johnson AO launched the Standards at the 2nd Australasian Conference on Safety and Quality in Health Care at the Canberra Convention Centre.

Betty is an executive member of the Australian Council of Safety and Quality Health Care and a director of the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency. She is a member of the executive committee, Older Women's Network (Aust.) and past secretary of both the Older Women's Network (Aust.) and the Australian Pensioners' and Superannuants' Federation.

See the new Core Standards for:

• 15 widely accepted safety and quality features
• Standards written as consumer-focused outcome
• Built in continuous quality improvement
• Evidence questions for each Standard
• A Practical Guide on how to use the standards plus a handy glossary of terms.

The Standards were written with the help of a Steering Committee - including service providers, government and consumers. Extensive consultation and evaluated trials were also held to ensure they reflected good practice.

You can see a description of the Standards and order a copy by completing an Order Form and sending the form and payment to QIC.

New features in QIC accreditation process

The launch of the latest edition of the Core Module will be followed by some changes to the QIC accreditation process as from 1 September 2004. Existing accreditations granted by QIC will of course be valid until their expiry date, which is written on the accreditation certificate.

The changes have been made to adapt the process and the review tools to the new Core Module and also to reduce the workload for participating organisations.

In recent years the QIC Program has applied the Essential Requirements – a framework used for assessing whether enough of the important Standards had been met to merit an award of accreditation.

The new Core Module has been written so that only the very important Standards are in the Module. Accordingly the Essential Requirements will no longer be applied, and only organisations that meet all the Core Standards will be eligible for accreditation.

In the past, organisations participating in the self assessment phase of the review cycle have had to complete a separate Workbook for each set of Standards. Now there will be a single Quality Journal. The Journal will be available on line, in downloadable electronic form as well as in printed form. As well as the self assessment Proforma, the Quality Journal will contain a guide to using the Journal, an Evidence Guide, and a set of review resources – mini tools for self assessing specific areas of organisational work.

The Quality Journal is only available to organisations participating in the program, and will be provided on commencement in the Program.

QIC backs formation of an Australian National Primary and Community Health Network

Representatives of primary and community health organisations throughout Australia gathered on 27 April 2004, at the Melbourne Convention Centre to consider the formation of a national Network or forum on primary and community health issues.

The meeting was convened by the Australian Institute for Primary Care, and chaired by Institute Director and QIC Secretary Assoc Prof Hal Swerissen. There was considerable interest in the formation of a national Network, especially with the cessation of the Australian Community Health Association in the late 1990s.

Concern was expressed about the lack of visibility and therefore vulnerability of community health in the system, and the dominance of the acute care paradigm. Those present saw the advantage of a Network for information sharing and dialogue – especially between practitioners, researchers and policy development people.

The immediate outcome of the meeting was the preparation of a paper proposing formal aims, structures and actions. For further information contact Jenny Macmillan on (03) 9479 1772 or j.macmillan@latrobe.edu.au