Taranaki DHB to promote Open for better care

10 December 2013

Taranaki District Health Board (DHB) is hosting a booth today to raise awareness of the new national patient safety campaign Open for better care.

The campaign has recently changed its focus to reducing harm from surgical site infections (SSIs), involving surgical wounds in patients following surgery.

The purpose of the promotion is to raise awareness of Open and promote simple interventions to reduce SSIs. While SSIs are the campaign’s current area of focus, the other three focus areas – falls, surgery and medication – will also be promoted.

“Taranaki DHB is pleased to hold a booth to profile our involvement in the national patient safety campaign,” says Tony Foulkes, Chief Executive.

Approximately two to five percent of patients having surgery develop a surgical site infection, which can cause life-threatening illnesses, long-term disability, longer stays in hospital, and emotional and financial stress.

“Reducing the number of SSIs in our hospitals is a key priority for our DHB. Open for better care has allowed us to bring a focus to the great patient safety work already underway in our DHB, and provides us with an opportunity to build on that work,” says Mr Foulkes.

Midland region DHBs are working on a combined regional approach which includes all the region’s DHBs, and are fully committed to improving outcomes for patients and communities across the region.

The stand will be open by the new lifts to the ward block from 10.00am to 2pm.

For more information on Open for better care visit www.open.hqsc.govt.nz

Last updated: Tuesday, December 10, 2013