Quality of Care Report - Ballarat Health Services

The Foundation has been impressed bythe record number of patients thathave been treated this year, especiallyin maternity and paediatrics. Last year1200 babies were born at the BaseHospital, and a further 1192 during the2007-2008 financial year. TheFoundation is very aware of theequipment needed to care for so manybabies, to nurse increasing numbers ofchildren admitted to our children’sward and to treat children andadolescents in the emergencydepartment. The BHS Foundation isinviting you to support our quest toraise $50,000 for children’s careequipment with the priority being a$21,000 incubator for the Special CareNursery. The foundation invites you tosupport this appeal and in turn theexcellent care and skills of our nursesand doctors. To make a gift please callGeoff Millar on (03) 53204093 or emailfoundation@bhs.org.auBallarat HealthServices AdoptsImportantEnvironmentalStatementAn important environmental statementwas endorsed by the BHS Board ofManagement in 2008. Ballarat HealthServices is dedicated to improving thehealth of its clients and thecommunities it serves and protection ofthe environment is essential to the longterm health of our communities.Ballarat health Services will;• Manage its operations in a mannerthat is protective of the environmentand human health.• Seek new and innovative ways tomeet environmental goals throughconservation, reduction, reuse andrecycling programs and throughpartnering with others in thecommunity to safeguard theenvironment.• Apply these principles to achieveoptimal environmental practicesconsistent with clinical excellence,organisational goals and financialconsiderations.In meeting these safe practice andenvironment standards, Ballarat HealthServices must demonstrate to theAustralian Council on HealthcareStandards accreditation agencyresponsible and accountableenvironmental management,continuous improvement,benchmarking best practice and thepromotion of organisation-wideawareness and education of itsenvironmental responsibility andpractices. It will be the responsibility ofall staff at Ballarat Health Services topromote practices and apply standardsthat are consistent with thisenvironmental statement.State-of-the-art water recyclesystem launched at Eureka LinenBallarat Health’s Eureka Linen Serviceflicked a switch on a state of the artwater recyle system to slash waterBHS Paediatrician Dr David Tickell checks in on one of his patientsusage by 70 per cent. The ongoingdrought is causing businesses tochange their practices and invest inwater saving initiatives and EurekaLinen is leading the charge.Through a joint initiative by BHS,Central Highlands Water andDepartment of Sustainability andEnvironment a water recycling unit hasbeen installed at the linen service tosave up to 40 million litres of water ayear. The recycling unit ismanufactured in Australia by EcoNovaand can recycle up to 30,000 litres ofwater per hour through an ultrafiltration unit.The linen service processes an averageof 50 tonnes of laundry each week.At present the laundry uses about 55million litres of water a year which,following the washing process, ismoved to a settling pit before filtrationand re-use.Ballarat Health Services is doingeverything it can to adopt water savingpractices to reduce overall consumption.Ballarat Health Services Quality of Care Report 2007-08 40