Summary
- Receiving RACGP accreditation means the PHCCs are meeting or exceeding the RACGP Standards for General Practices, which is the benchmark for quality care and risk management in Australian general practices.
- This achievement means all TCHHS PHCCs in the Torres Strait are now RACGP accredited.
Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS) Eastern Cluster Primary Health Care Centres (PHCC) have achieved accreditation with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), acknowledging the high quality of the services provided.
The Eastern Cluster consists of Stephen Island, Darnley Island and Murray Island.
Receiving RACGP accreditation means the PHCCs are meeting or exceeding the RACGP Standards for General Practices, which is the benchmark for quality care and risk management in Australian general practices.
To be eligible for accreditation, the Health Service must provide comprehensive, patient-centred, whole-person, and continuous care.
Dr Paul Mara, Lead Survey / Assessor provided exemplary feedback to TCHHS during the accreditation process.
“This is an excellent facility and service. There is a strong sense of local leadership, competence, purpose, and commitment to the community. Centre staff work as a team, using their experience and expertise to support common values and goals”, he said.
TCHHS Acting Project Director Primary Care Accreditation, Toni Fell, said that achieving accreditation is a significant milestone.
Toni is an experienced TCHHS Practice Manager for GP services on Thursday Island and has been with the Health Service since 2018. During this time, she has been involved in several rounds of RACGP accreditation and is passionate about helping staff through the process.
“It takes our staff months of work to prepare for accreditation, as well as on a daily basis to ensure we meet the rigorous standards.
“This is an amazing achievement. All the staff at each clinic should be proud of the work they’re doing and the difference they are making in their community.
“I want to congratulate and thank all staff, including the Accreditation Project Team”, she said.
TCHHS Executive Director Medical Services Dr Marlow Coates said “This accreditation demonstrates our staff’s commitment to strengthening the delivery of high quality clinically and culturally safe care to our communities.
“TCHHS is focused on ensuring cultural safety is at the forefront of everything we do, while also delivering top level clinical services.”
“We are proud of our staff for achieving this milestone. Their leadership, expertise and experience are central to delivering a culturally safe service that improves indigenous health outcomes.”
This achievement means all TCHHS PHCCs in the Torres Strait are now RACGP accredited.
TCHHS is on track to have all PHCCs accredited by the RACGP by mid-2025. The project team have begun working with the Southern region PHCCs to help them through the assessment process.