Gisborne Hospital Report - Health and Disability Commissioner

Gisborne Hospital 1999 – 2000
Quality Assurance Systems
Directors are responsible for performance review of senior doctors in their
service.
6.4 The ASPIRE system is different from the nurses’ CCP system. Nurses have
varying views on the value and applicability of the ASPIRE system. The
NZNO’s view is that there are “huge problems” with the ASPIRE system:
principally that it is indiscriminate – “it works from the gardener on up” - and
does not have a clinical focus.
6.5 THL pointed out in response:
“NZNO has never expressed any reservations about ASPIRE to the
human resources department. This was never raised at the consultative
committee meetings. There is, in fact, a clinical focus to ASPIRE with
the ASPIRE nursing criteria being developed from the CCP job
description. A lot of work was undertaken to link the CCP into ASPIRE
resulting in the CCP competency being included into ASPIRE for all
nursing appraisals. Once again, it needs to be pointed out that, prior to
ASPIRE, many nurses did not have appraisals regularly and that the
framework, while not absolutely perfect, was an improvement on what
was in place previously.”
Orientation
6.6 The induction programme for new staff members is co-ordinated through the
Human Resources department. At least four times a year a day-long
programme is held for new staff, which provides them with all the relevant
information on how the organisation works. Each department has
responsibility for inducting new staff to their department. The induction
package includes the organisational handbook. Medical staff are involved in
the induction programme but sometimes doctors do not attend as priority is
given to treating patients.
6.7 The Maori Health Manager commented that he does not meet many of the
itinerant doctors as there is no process in place to meet them. He pointed out
the need for a cultural training process within the organisation, a comment
echoed by a recently appointed locum anaesthetist from North America.
6.8 Gisborne Hospital employs a significant number of overseas trained doctors,
as do many other public hospitals. A hospital is responsible for orientating
new doctors, especially overseas trained doctors, to their new work
environment, otherwise they will continue to work from a prior frame of
reference.
Quality training
6.9 The Quality and Risk Management Policy states that the Chief Executive shall
ensure there is an effective mechanism in place to ensure that staff are
educated in quality and risk management principles commensurate with their
position in the organisation.
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