Congratulations to ACHS Medalist 2021 Ms Christine Gee

ACHS has bestowed its highest honour on Toowong Hospital CEO Ms Christine Gee for her longstanding promotion of quality and safety throughout her career.

The prestigious ACHS Medal 2021 has been awarded to Ms Christine Gee, CEO of Toowong Private Hospital (a private mental health facility), QLD.

In presenting the award, ACHS President Professor Len Notaras, AO said “On behalf of the Board of ACHS, I am delighted to present this award to Christine Gee, whose contribution to safety and quality in Australian health care, with a particular focus on the private sector, is immense.”

“This award recognises an individual’s outstanding contribution to the promotion of quality and safety in Australian health service and Christine is recognised as a leader for her strong advocacy on quality improvement across a range of Standards setting committees and forums,” he said.

“Christine has not only had a direct impact in quality and safety in her own hospital, she has also committed time, energy and her considerable leadership skills in the promotion of safety and quality in health care at a national level, over a sustained period of time.”

While her focus has been on mental health and the private health sector, her contribution has been felt across the entire health system, with extensive national leadership positions including:
•    Member – Australian Council on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (forerunner to the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Healthcare - ACSQHC)
•    Commissioner and Board member of the ACSQHC since its inception
•    Chair – Private Health Industry Safety and Quality Committee (PHISQC)
•    Chair – Private Hospital Sector Committee of the ACSQHC.  

Professor Notaras said that in her leadership roles within the Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA), Christine has been a strong advocate of private hospitals leading the adoption of safety and quality practices. Critical achievements include:
•    successfully advocating for amendments to the APHA Constitution to make accreditation a condition of membership, years before accreditation become mandatory,
•    as Chair of the PHISQC, led the development of the “Private Sector Quality Criteria” which became a requirement for private hospitals to obtain eligibility for Second Tier Default benefits, thereby boosting quality requirements,
•    overseeing a successful national trial of Drug Use Indicators in private hospitals and day facilities,
•    involvement on the Private Hospital Sector Committee (PHSC) contributing to general Standards development in Australia being fit for purpose.

Ms Gee was awarded the ACHS Medal as part of the ACHS Virtual Awards Ceremony held on Thursday 25 November, 2021.