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of specialist medical staff and general practitioners have expressed aninterest in being involved in student teaching.In other capital redevelopment news, the organisation has completed theinstallation of the new dual fired boiler plant, which already is deliveringsignificant efficiencies in terms of recurrent financial savings to theorganisation. In addition, the new Supply and Sterile Storage Departmenthas made significant progress and is due for completion early in the newfinancial year. This $1.2 million project is being funded through healthservice capital reserves and is considered essential infrastructure necessaryto be completed in readiness for the new hospital redevelopment.LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENTThe Board of Directors is the organisation’s major policy making bodyand assumes overall responsibility for the direction and operation of allservices. During the year, we welcomed two new members to the Board,namely Ms Leanne Woods and Mr Steve Callaghan. Both of these Boardmembers responded enthusiastically to the challenges associated with thisdemanding role. Leanne has since secured employment in the organisationas the Koori Liaison Officer within the Psychiatric Services Division.As a result of this appointment, Leanne has had to relinquish her Boardposition and we thank her for her contribution.After an extremely protracted and difficult planning phase, it is alsoparticularly pleasing to announce that the long awaited new OperatingTheatre complex at Camperdown has commenced. The project will includea new Operating Theatre, recovery room, Emergency Department, triagearea and significant electrical infrastructure to support the redevelopment.More importantly, the project represents a significant investment in thefuture of the Camperdown health service and ensures the ongoing viabilityof surgical services well into the future.South West Healthcare continues to act as the lead agency of SWARH– the South West Alliance of Rural Health. SWARH is an InformationTechnology alliance which now comprises more than 80 agencies over 200sites. The Alliance has a key role in implementing the Government’s ITpolicy and we eagerly await the expanded range of electronic patient andclinical information systems that are now required.QUALITY, SAFETY & RISK MANAGEMENTOne of the significant challenges during the year was the organisation widesurvey undertaken by surveyors from the Australian Council of HealthcareStandards in May 2006. This survey was a comprehensive review of allhealthcare services that assessed the performance against the nationalbenchmarking standards. It is extremely pleasing to report that theorganisation received a full four-year re-accreditation status with a numberof services being identified as exemplary.At the summation conference, the surveyors indicated that they werevery impressed with the overall health service, that the high quality ofpatient care was evident and that the dedication of staff was apparent.Furthermore, the surveyors identified numerous examples of innovationand best practice and observed that staff genuinely enjoy their jobs.In addition, it is also pleasing to highlight that the Aged Care Sector(Merindah Lodge) has also received full accreditation status from the AgedCare Standards and Assessment Agency. It is reassuring to note that theCamperdown Aged Care Sector received no recommendations followingtheir external survey. Similarly the Psychiatric Services Division has met fullcompliance with the National Standards for Mental Health.Another highlight of the year was the awarding of the best Quality ofCare Report for the second consecutive year. The Quality of Care Reportdemonstrates how the health service goes about the business of providingsafe and efficient healthcare for the people of South West Victoria. Ithighlights how the organisation responds to the needs of the communityand how the quality of the service is monitored against industry standardsand other healthcare organisations. The organisation is humbled that thepursuit of quality service provision is acknowledged through this statewideaward that identifies the existence of the strong quality culture throughoutthe organisation. An example of this is that we have used the fundingreceived from the award to implement further quality improvementinitiatives and in this case, we have appointed a Stroke Liaison Nurse toimprove the treatment and care of this particular patient group.Top: Supply Manager Terry Hoy (left) and Facilities Manager WayneHall test-run the pass-through hatch for the storage of sterile goods atWarrnambool’s soon-to-be-opened $1.2 million Supply and Sterile StorageDepartment.Bottom: The slab is poured for Camperdown’s $1.2 million TheatreComplex where Clinical Nurse Specialist Jo Teal (left) and RegisteredNurse Mary O’Bryan will soon work.Opposite pageTop Left: Life begins for two-day-old Keira, the fourth child of Cobden’sSarah and Mark Rantall.Centre Left: Cassandra Walters’ broken arm is tended to by WarrnamboolEmergency Department Registered Nurse Annalene Ellis. Photo courtesy ofThe Standard and photographer Damian White.Bottom Left: Safety first! The Warrnambool Hospital’s brand-new slicingmachine gets a work out from Diet Kitchen Assistant Marita Byron.Top Right: Registered Nurse Julie O’Brien puts anti embolic stockingson Edenhope’s Kevin Forster. These stockings can help prevent bloodclotting and help with the healing of ulcers.Bottom Right: Celebrating back-to-back wins for Victoria’s bestQuality of Care Report are members of the SWH Community AdvisoryCommittee Bill Malseed, Marjorie Crothers (centre) and Director ofNursing Sue Morrison.4