Community & Business
10 July, 2022
Health services accredited
CAPE York patients can feel more confident when receiving care from two primary healthcare centres after they received official accreditation.
The Weipa Community Wellness Centre (CWC) and the Hope Vale Primary Healthcare Centre have recently been awarded the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners accreditation.
In order to receive the accreditation, the facilities met strict clinical criteria relating to their systems and practices in line with national and international health standards.
The only other primary healthcare centres within the Torres and Cape Health and Hospital Service to already hold this accreditation are at Bamaga and Thursday Island.
Weipa CWC practice manager Daniela Ramirez said the award was the result of 12 months’ hard work by staff.
“Hopefully this will give peace of mind to patients that we are following the same practices that happen across the globe,” she said.
“Patients have been really happy that the service is here.
“The team has received really great feedback, not only for getting the accreditation, but for creating that capacity to see patients in an alternative setting than the emergency department.”
Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service Executive Director of Medical Services, Dr Marlow Coates, said this was a major step forward in the delivery of health services in Cape York communities.
“It moves us closer to achieving self sufficiency at our primary healthcare centres,” he said.
