First students begin placements at UCH

Released 22/08/2018

The new University of Canberra Hospital (UCH) has welcomed its first students undertaking placements through the dedicated Clinical Education and Research Centre (CERC).

The CERC, a collaboration between ACT Health and the University of Canberra (UC), is an innovative teaching facility that allows for valuable practical training and greater teaching and research opportunities between the two organisations.

Minister for Health and Wellbeing and Higher Education, Training and Research Meegan Fitzharris said UC students will be able to pursue opportunities for clinical education, research and placements through the CERC.

“The University of Canberra Hospital is a wonderful subacute hospital with a focus on rehabilitation and recovery, but it is also a training and research hospital.

“Clinical placements at UCH provide students with direct exposure to real-world clinical practices aiming to deliver more skilled, and more knowledgeable health professionals of the future,” Minister Fitzharris said.

“Through these placements, students at UC will be able to develop the skills they need to deliver high quality care as members of inter-professional health care teams.”

Following the announcement earlier this week that ACT Health has been awarded a three-year accreditation against the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, Minister Fitzharris said that given ACT Health’s commitment to safe, effective care, a voluntary internal alignment assessment against the National Standards was requested for UCH.

“The surveyor was complimentary about UCH and noted its exceptional building design, focus on the consumer and models of care, and excellent clinical governance incorporating recent improvements made at ACT Health,” Minister Fitzharris said.

“A positive staff culture was also noted, with staff observed to be welcoming, sharing and willing to listen, learn and innovate.

“The staff at UCH have undertaken a redesign of systems to address patient safety risks and needs, acknowledging the CHASERS (Canberra Hospital Acute and Subacute Early Rehabilitation Service) and HERO (Hospital Emergency Response Officer) services as excellent examples of this.”

The CERC comprises 1,600 square metres of shared clinical training, research and education spaces for staff and students.

“These education spaces within the CERC replicate clinical areas within the hospital, allowing for student and staff education and training in a real-world environment,” Minister Fitzharris said.

“The CERC includes purpose-built rooms and equipment for education and assessment that are optimised for a range of nursing and allied health disciplines. “A sophisticated audio-visual network is also built into the CERC, which is designed to satisfy current and emerging clinical objectives and lay the foundation for enhanced training opportunities in the future,” said Minister Fitzharris.

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Meegan Fitzharris, MLA | Media Releases

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