Twenty individuals comprising Public Health Nursing Supervisors, community health nurses and staff members from the Project Implementation Unit received certificates after completion of a Quality Improvement Training programme.
Organised by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) within the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, the training culminated with a closing ceremony where participants were provided with certification in Quality Improvement.
This certification signifies that the participants have gained knowledge of the application and utilisation of quality improvement methods and techniques to enhance healthcare service delivery.
Principal Nursing Officer Julietta Cassius was recognised and praised for initiating the training and ensuring it came to fruition.
Acting Assistant Principal Nursing Officer Persia Adjodha reiterated the importance of such valuable training and called on the health team to be proud of their accomplishments and to continue working and make use of the new knowledge and skills acquired.
“The Quality Improvement (QI) team within the facilities in all nine regions, where staff at the facilities will continue to work together to establish improvement plans, including team responsibilities, which would not just apply to Hypertension and Diabetes management but the QI principles of improvement may also be applied across all programs in primary care with the ultimate goal of improving processes and outcomes and ensuring sustainability,” Adjodha said.
Director of Universal Health Coverage Dr. Alisha Eugene who represented the Permanent Secretary welcomed the training and highlighted the need to make quality improvement a top priority as it directly impacts the well-being and outcomes of patients.
“I note your role, your very important role here as participants of this training. I also note the importance of Performance-Based Financing Pilot Program in all of this and how it has a bigger role to play in the wider picture of Universal Health Coverage that we are working towards as an island. I would like to thank all the participants who have done this Quality Improvement Program but I want you to know that we really want you to have quality improvement embedded at the forefront of your minds and actions as you deliver care or provide care to the different persons who access care at the primary healthcare facilities,” Eugene said.
Healthcare Quality Improvement Consultant Eileen Patterson expressed how honoured she was to be part of the journey with the team and encouraged them to continue building the foundation of quality improvement for primary healthcare.
Said Patterson: “This has been a comprehensive journey of quality improvement to support Saint Lucia and it has been that because of your commitment. So, what we did was we brought the tools so that you as the champions of healthcare, as the champions of quality and patient centered care could learn the semi-structured tools just a little bit more to bring to life, what you are already attempting to do, which is engaging your own team, engaging them and giving them the space to identify what could be improved in the system to help you achieve your goals as well as engaging patients in a different way and engaging community partners in a different way.”
PBF Programme Coordinator Nahum Jn Baptiste called on participants to be advocates, be resilient and apply the knowledge gained from the Quality Improvement Training.