Our graduates striving for patient safety

15 October 2020

CLINICAL Excellence Commission team members Gabrielle Pilgrim and Danielle Murphy have graduated our Executive Clinical Leadership Program today after developing and presenting projects designed to improve patient safety and clinical quality.

Ms Pilgrim's work focused on supporting a local hospital to develop and implement a project to improve the recognition and management of sepsis in emergency department patients and Ms Murphy focused on timely ways to alert NSW hospitals of medical device recall advice from the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

The virtual graduation for the program saw 40 future health leaders from across NSW recognised for their commitment to healthcare improvements which target patient safety.

As part of the program, participants complete a project which aims to improve processes or clinical services within their workplace and this year, the project was presented in a virtual presentation to a panel of multidisciplinary health professionals as part of the graduate’s final assessment.

The Clinical Leadership Program executive and foundational courses have been supporting health leaders across NSW for more than 13 years and more than 3000 senior health workers have completed the courses.

In a recorded video message to the 23rd graduating cohort, NSW Health Secretary Elizabeth Koff said she was delighted to see the outstanding clinical leadership being developed across NSW public hospitals.

"This program is a significant and valuable benefit to the NSW Health system. It ensures we have skilled and supported leaders who have proven they are able and willing to lead safe, quality patient care and who can inspire their teams to do the same," Ms Koff said.

"Leadership will be crucial as we face the challenges going forward after COVID-19 and each of you will play a key role in helping the system face these challenges."

Clinical Excellence Commission CE Carrie Marr said: "It is wonderful to see health workers focused on improving patient care from such diverse geographic areas including Northern NSW, the Illawarra, South Eastern Sydney and Murrumbidgee.

"The clinical leadership program is part of the Clinical Excellence Commission's Quality Improvement Academy which is NSW's hub for designing and delivering a range of education programs for health staff working in patient safety and clinical quality," Ms Marr said.