Values

Download a full copy of our Values Booklet in Adobe PDF format.

Introduction
The goal of Benalla and District Memorial Hospital is to provide the best customer satisfaction of any hospital in Australia.

To achieve this goal, we need to understand what our customers (patients) want.
Our research has indicated that our customers judge us on:

• the quality of our food;
• the quality of our facilities; and, most importantly,
• the behaviour of our staff.

All of these areas are being addressed in various quality improvement programs throughout the Hospital, as we move towards our goal of being the best. This section outlines the values and behaviours we seek in our staff. The booklet serves as a reminder of the lessons covered in our staff training sessions and of the high standards we expect of each other as we serve our customers.

Our research tells us that great facilities and excellent food are not enough. The most valued quality in hospital care is the behaviour of our staff (people caring for people). The qualities that all customers seek in our staff are implicit in the values we promote. This section outlines the behaviour we expect of staff in providing outstanding customer service in Benalla Hospital.

Values
The Benalla and District Memorial Hospital has developed a set of values which provide guidance to staff when they are on duty in the Hospital (and hopefully in their day-to-day lives).

Together these Values form a Code of Behaviour that we abide by as we provide the highest quality of services possible to those in our care.

These are the Values that guide our relationships with patients and with each other:

• Compassion
• Empathy
• Accountability
• Respect
• Excellence

Putting our values into action
Our Values Statement summarises the behaviours we expect of all staff of Benalla and District
Memorial Hospital. Our Values are made known to people interested in working with us, so that they may consider if they are able to meet our expectations.

Our Values form the basis of questions at interview, so that we may satisfy ourselves that the applicant is genuine in sharing these values. Our Values are explained to new staff during their orientation into the Hospital and at training sessions. Should the actions of a staff member be inconsistent with our Values, we will retrain that person and support them until the required standard of behaviour and performance is achieved.

What our values mean for you
If you are a staff member of Benalla Hospital, you should understand the Values of the Hospital and, at all times, ensure that your behaviour is consistent with these Values. Patients and visitors to Benalla Hospital should expect that we behave towards them in the manner described in this section.

Compassion
We value COMPASSION: We are sensitive and caring to those around us. We ACCEPT people as they are, not as we think they should be. We are not here to judge.

It is not enough to simply feel compassion. SHOW COMPASSION by telling your patient that you care and wish to help. Be also compassionate of your WORKMATES. There are times when we all struggle and need special consideration.

We are here to SERVE. Once you understand the needs of your patient, take the appropriate action to help. Compassion requires action. INFORM the patient of what you are doing to reassure them that their needs will be met. Make sure they understand what you have told them. Communication should always be a two way process.

The patient’s FAMILY and VISITORS are customers too. They share many of the feelings of your patient. Have compassion for them also. Be especially concerned with the SPECIAL NEEDS of the dying, the bereaved, and of people in pain. Meet such needs with gentleness
and diligence.

Empathy
We value EMPATHY: Our capacity for compassion is enhanced by our efforts to understand a patient’s feelings, to see things from their point of view, and to care for their emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.

We relate to each person with courtesy and care as we seek to understand their unique circumstances. To understand our patient’s needs, we need to LISTEN to them. God gave us two ears and only one mouth (it’s called a hint!). Take the time to listen. Use EYE CONTACT, it shows that you are listening and understanding.

We understand that many of our patients and visitors may experience a variety of emotions:
Because we understand that the Hospital is a strange environment for our patients, we MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM to approach us with their concerns. Do not be afraid to show people that you care.

Put yourself in the patient’s shoes. Wouldn’t you be:

• afraid of being treated poorly or of not getting the care you need?
• upset, lonely or angry that you are ill?
• unsure about what’s going to happen or why it’s necessary?
• unhappy with being poked, prodded and tested?
• hesitant to ask questions or to be totally honest?

Accountability
We value ACCOUNTABILITY: We take PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for the service we provide and for achieving outstanding customer service. All the staff of Benalla Hospital will take PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for the service they provide. We strive to achieve outstanding customer service and if we fail to meet these standards, we acknowledge it and immediately take actions to rectify the situation. We are never afraid to ask for help.

We always perform our duties to the BEST OF OUR ABILITIES and take responsibility for our behaviour and actions. We strictly ADHERE TO THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES developed by our hospital to guide us in our work practices.

Sometimes, to provide excellent customer service, we may have to DO MORE than our routine duties. We take pride in doing that little extra to achieve excellence. WE DO WHAT WE SAY WE ARE GOING TO DO.

Respect
We value RESPECT: We act without bias and with sensitivity to a person’s wishes and feelings. We DO NOT DISCRIMINATE on the basis of wealth, race, religion, age, sex or status (we seek to provide the same excellent service to all). Staff are COURTEOUS to all who come to us for help, and to each other.

“GOOD MORNING/GOOD AFTERNOON” followed by the person’s name, is our standard greeting. It is accompanied by a greeting SMILE. “WELCOME” is a word often heard here (all are welcome).

We take the time to LEARN A PATIENT’S NAME and we use it - “Good Morning, Mr. Smith”.
In the presence of patients and visitors, we refer to medical staff as “Dr.” (If given permission, we may use firstnames in private).

“Respect” demands that we are COURTEOUS. We use “please” and “thank you”. If we keep a customer waiting, we EXPLAIN why and seek to make them comfortable. If a visitor asks directions, we take them to where they wish to go.

All things are treated with care, including equipment, furniture, buildings, gardens and personal belongings of patients and staff.

Because we are trying to create a COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT for our patients, we DO NOT:

• barge into a patient’s room (we knock and enter quietly);
• talk loudly in corridors and workstations;
• leave our workplace in an untidy state. If we make a mess, we clean it up;
• leave equipment lying around for someone else to put away.

Respect for PRIVACY is always upper-most in our minds. This includes respect for MODESTY and for the privacy of PERSONAL INFORMATION eg. diagnosis, date of birth, test results.
We always seek PERMISSION to touch a person and to conduct treatment and tests (it’s their body!).

We respect the patient’s (or family’s) RIGHT TO COMPLAIN. We view complaints as an opportunity to improve the care we provide.

Excellence

We value EXCELLENCE: Not only do we meet the current standards of practice, but we continually strive to develop new standards in excellent service to benefit those in our care.
We believe that ONLY OUR BEST is good enough in the service of those we care for.

Excellence demands EVALUATION AND REVIEW. We constantly challenge ourselves to ensure that we are getting it right. We seek out those who may be doing it better than us, so that we may CONTINUALLY LEARN how we are able to improve our standards.

We participate in ONGOING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES to develop our personal levels of excellence. The Hospital encourages us in this regard through in-house training, study assistance and educational scholarships.

Our commitment to excellence means we seek to RECOGNISE THOSE WHO DO IT RIGHT and congratulate them for their effort. When a team member succeeds, we rejoice with them.
Because we are professional, we take care to LOOK PROFESSIONAL. We take pride in meeting the Hospital’s strict dress standards.

Conclusion
The values and behaviours outlined in this booklet set extremely high standards for us all to achieve. The responsibility for achieving these high standards rests with:

• each individual staff member, as we all have a critical role to play in providing outstanding
customer service;
• with our team mates and team leaders. The Hospital is made up of many teams and each is only as strong as its weakest link. All team members, therefore, have a responsibility to support and encourage team members who are not consistently achieving these high standards.

We believe that our Community deserves only the best, and this is why we are committed to excellence in customer service. We ask you to be proud of the achievements of the Hospital and, especially, to take great pride in your work and the contribution you make to serving our customers and Community.