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VACCHO Sector Quality Improvement Team

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During 2010-12, VACCHO participated in a pilot project with two member services funded by the Victorian Department of Health. The aim of the project, Strengthening Primary Health Care for Aboriginal People, was to support those organisations in developing systems that underpin improvements in service delivery to the Aboriginal community.The project focus broadly included service planning, information management, human resources and partnerships. Project outcomes were reported in 2012 with a number of recommendations related to these key areas (final report available on request). 

In 2013 VACCHO received additional funding to expand this project by providing intensive support to other Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations through an ‘expression of interest’ process. Currently, two VACCHO members are undertaking this process with the Sector Quality Improvement team.

The aims of the project are:

1. To promote effective service planning, with an integrated approach to strategic, operational and program planning.
2. To support continuous improvement in information management, including use of IT/IM systems to optimise capacity in Patient Information Recall Systems (PIRS), patient chronic condition registers and care pathways as well as data input, data extraction and data analysis to enhance planning, reporting and Medicare billing.
3. To develop management structures that will enhance job design, performance management and team building processes.
4. To enhance the role of ACCHOs within the local service delivery system through establishing effective partnerships and through providing leadership in a range of initiatives aimed at improving service access and health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

As part of the project, the team are implementing the newly developed "Checking your Vital Signs" resources. VACCHO has developed the Vital Signs program to assist organisations to undertake an integrated review process for identifying gaps in quality improvement, governance and business systems.

Vital Signs was designed to enable our member ACCHOs to become strong, thriving, sustainable community controlled organisations. Through our framework of ten focus areas and the suite of Vital Signs resources, your organisation will be supported to check its Vital Signs.

Our team works with organisations to identify areas for improvement in:

• Organisational governance
• Clinical governance
• Access & cultural safety
• Planning and review
• Risk management
• Compliance management
• Human resources management
• Quality and safety (including OH&S/WH&S)
• Financial management
• Information management

VACCHO can also develop and run workshops with Board, CEO and staff in these focus areas.

These services are currently limited to members who have signed up to the project but may be available to other organisations for a fee. Please contact our Sector Quality Improvement team sectorquality@vaccho.com.au for more information.