We have created a distinctive culture committed to excellence and exceptional care based on the encouragement of research to enhance clinical practice standards and the provision of excellent training and education opportunities.

Our strong focus on expanding our activity in health care improvement is reflected in the significant increase in the number of research projects approved by our Human Research Ethics Committee in the last few years.

In fact, the number of new St John of God Health Care research proposals submitted per year has nearly tripled from 58 in 2010/11 to 169 in 2015/2016. And much of our research is conducted in collaboration with academic and industry partners and leading researchers throughout Australia and internationally.

Half of all research undertaken at St John of God Health Care is carried out at St John of God Subiaco Hospital, which in 2015/16 expanded its research into new areas including neurosurgery, orthopaedics, platform trials, urology, general surgery and respiratory medicine.

St John of God Burwood and Richmond Hospitals maintained a strong focus on mental health research. The Perinatal Women’s Mental Health Unit under Professor Marie-Paule Austin is delivering clinical excellence through extensive research into the perinatal years. At Richmond there has been a focus on trauma and its impact on mental health under the Professorial Chair of Zachary Steel.

We have also continued to contribute to the body of arts and health research, including establishing a creative arts project at St John of God Mt Lawley and working with the UWA School of Population Health and a partnership with Musica Viva, completing the research phases of two new music residency projects.

In the delivery of quality outcomes an important recent initiative has been the introduction into 10 of the 11 hospitals providing maternity services of the K2 Guardian System, which enables midwives and obstetricians to collaborate and communicate in real time.

With pastoral services playing such a crucial role in our holistic approach to healing, there is considerable focus on training as part of our commitment to the highest standards in pastoral services and in meeting the needs of the individuals and the communities.

St John of God Health Care continues to provide the highest standards of training and education opportunities for medical students and doctors-in-training, partnering with seven university medical schools in NSW, Victoria and WA.

Excellence in care is fundamental to St John of God Health Care’s Mission. Our holistic approach to patient care requires safe, effective, appropriate and responsive care from engaged and competent caregivers and accredited health practitioners. Seeking better ways to provide this care is behind the significant work to strengthen our clinical governance performance.

Infection prevention requires constant and rigorous management and vigilance. Since 2010, St John of God Health Care has participated in the National Hand Hygiene Initiative to improve hand hygiene compliance by caregivers and visitors. In 2015/16 our group compliance rate for hospital divisions[1] exceeded 80% (84.8%), which is higher than the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care’s National benchmark of 70%.

1 Does not include St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals or Hawkesbury District Health Service as these entities did not operate as part of St John of God Health Care for the full reporting period. St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals opened in November 2015 and Hawkesbury District Health Service was acquired by St John of God Health Care in October 2015.