Geneva Healthcare is proud to have won a Quality and Service Award for a solution that has minimised risk to thousands of vulnerable New Zealanders receiving home-based care in the category of Service Innovation and Quality.

The Quality and Service Awards are run by the Home and Community Health Association to recognise innovations and achievements of members who deliver high quality services that support people to live independent lives in their homes and communities.  The award was presented at the Home and Community Health Association conference on 29th April 2015.

“The complexity of supporting and caring for vulnerable people provided an increasing challenge to Geneva Healthcare in our ability to identify, manage and minimise risk that a client may suffer as a result of their vulnerability” says Josephine Wallis, Chief Executive of Geneva Healthcare.

“A person’s disability or age does not in itself make them vulnerable, varying factors including personal circumstances, health, environment and resilience all contributes. This programme uses a tiered risk rating system that recognises the level of support each client requires according to their level of vulnerability” says Ms Wallis.

Ms Wallis notes early success of the programme has resulted in “a greater understanding and visibility of vulnerable clients across the organisation, funders and other providers with appropriate care given through early detection of situational changes.  Missed care episodes have also been completely eradicated for clients who are identified as vulnerable through better management and communication with our Support Workers.”

The vulnerable people management programme has been implemented across all of Geneva Healthcare’s clients and across the clients of Geneva’s fifteen subcontracted providers of home and community support.  ACC were particularly impressed with the policy and requested it to be presented to other home and community service providers, with many adopting the same policy into their own organisations. 

Flow-on effects of the policy can be felt across the organisation as families of prospective clients have chosen Geneva’s service over other providers due to the policy’s assurance.  Family members of existing clients are also reporting increased satisfaction.

“To be recognised for this quality and service innovation award is a great achievement for Geneva Healthcare as we continually strive to improve the lives of all New Zealanders” says Ms Wallis.