Southland DHB goes for Accreditation
On Monday 23 February 2004, a team of Quality Health New Zealand surveyors will visit Southland District Health Board
(SDHB) sites to peer review their services, processes and systems for Accreditation and Certification, Chief Operating
Officer, Lexie O’Shea announced today.
“Certification is the Ministry of Health’s confirmation that health providers meets all legislative requirements in
operating and providing health services. Accreditation goes much further than that, in that it involves an independent
team of health professionals, technical experts and health managers looking at our whole organisation from a quality
improvement perspective” Mrs O’Shea says.
During the visit, the surveyors will conduct formal interviews with staff, committees, teams and department heads;
observe staff during their work; question staff about procedures and organisational knowledge; and informally interview
patients and visitors.
To be accredited, a health service must measure up against Quality Health New Zealand standards and demonstrate its
ongoing commitment to quality improvement.
“All of our staff have been working extremely hard for the past three years in preparation for Accreditation and we are
looking forward to the surveyors’ feedback” Mrs O’Shea says.
SDHB’s Mental Health Services achieved Accreditation status in 2003.
Initial results from next week’s survey will not be known until April 2004.