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.