Gisborne Hospital Report - Health and Disability Commissioner

Gisborne Hospital 1999 – 2000
Quality Assurance Systems
Audit programmes
4.17 The surgeons at Gisborne Hospital are involved in national audits. Several
people raised the need for administrative support for these audit programmes.
Without adequate administrative support, it is difficult, if not impossible, to
complete national audits in a timely fashion. It was reported that it had been a
problem to complete a recent Healthcare Otago surgical audit.
Clinical audit (medical)
4.18 In December 1998 an internal audit was conducted by Gough Brown Giffney
Ltd to review current audit activity, report on findings and make
recommendations. This included the development of a framework of 20
domains against which clinical audit could be reported, monitored and
managed.
4.19 Between April 1997 to mid 1999, when he was in the position of Medical
Director, Dr Danny Stewart stated he worked on Step One of the internal audit
facilitating active utilisation of clinical and peer audit systems.
4.20 Gough Brown Giffney Ltd conducted Stage Two of the internal audit in
August 1999. The focus was to audit progress against the responsibilities and
timeframes THL had accepted as a result of Stage One of the internal audit.
The Stage Two report concluded there had been significant progress in most
areas covered by the initial clinical audit, noting:
• high participation in formal continuing medical education programmes
together with speciality training and conferences
• the number and breadth of activity in clinical audit projects and clinical
pathway development.
4.21 The report noted some progress had stalled owing to the lack of a confirmed
Medical Director. The report stated that the efforts of Senior Management and
the Clinical Directors needed to be directed toward annual reviews of
individual senior medical staff performance.
Medical Practitioners (Quality Assurance Activity: Tairawhiti
Healthcare) Notice 1998
4.22 THL obtained approval for its quality assurance activity to take place under
Part VI of the Medical Practitioners Act, by notice notified in the Gazette on
29 October 1998. The notice is in force for a period of five years after the date
it is issued unless it is revoked sooner.
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