Key features of the partnership:

• To address difficulties recruiting to suburban areas, the hospital tries to employ local staff or relocate them from the hospital’s main site if they live in that area.
• Junior consultants joining the organisation are expected to undertake some of their rostered sessions (in surgery and outpatient clinics) in non-subspecialist clinics including the spoke or partnership clinics.
• Efforts are made to ensure that outreach staff have access to training at the central site so that they do not become isolated.
• To ensure standardisation in care delivery, all clinical hospital staff who work in the community maintain clinical sessions at the main site.
• Some variation in existing clinical standards and protocols is recognised and work is being done to address this.
• The hospital produces evidence-based, best practice clinical guidelines to streamline processes and audits adherence.
• Specialist nurse training is routinely offered to graduate nurses who are given supernumerary time with senior staff to receive hands-on training.
• Patients are involved in the designing of services.