This year's winner of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Victoria General Practice of the Year Award is the Westcare Medical Centre, located in Melton West.
The RACGP General Practice of the Year Award is designed to recognise practices for their approach to patients' health and wellbeing. The Westcare Medical Centre was selected as the winning recipient in Victoria based on the clinic's ongoing dedication to delivering high quality primary health services to the community. Westcare Medical Centre was also presented with the RACGP Victoria General Practice of the Year Award in 2010.
Dr Morton Rawlin, Chair of the RACGP Victoria Faculty, congratulated the GPs and staff members at the Westcare Medical Centre on their second consecutive win and commended the practice for their ongoing dedication to providing excellent care to the community.
"At a time of GP?shortage, the Westcare Medical Centre continues to expand through recruiting new GPs and training registrars to best meet the community's primary healthcare needs. The Westcare Medical Centre maintains a focus on quality of practice whilst simultaneously focusing on continuing professional development of GPs, nursing staff, management and other team members.
"Through continuity and comprehensiveness of care, efficiency of service and a strong interest in the community as a whole, the Westcare Medical Centre is able to significantly benefit patients within the Western suburbs.
"The medical centre is constantly developing its chronic disease management systems, including overseeing diabetes registers and comprehensive recall and reminder systems. Mental health and chronic disease care planning is encouraged, including working with on?site or local psychologists and setting up care arrangements with local allied health providers for patients with complex needs. Melton and surrounding areas are fortunate to have such a dedicated group of individuals to assist with their varied health requirements," Dr Morton Rawlin said.
Westcare Medical Centre commenced operation in 1989 and has expanded accordingly with the growing population. The current purpose?built practice in Melton West, which opened in 2006, boasts 22 spacious GP consulting rooms, three gynaecological examination rooms and two dedicated registrar training rooms with consultation video recording facilities. The clinic also features an electronically accessed treatment room comprising five procedural cubicles, a seated procedures cubicle and a soundproof seclusion cubicle and waiting rooms with the capacity to accommodate 95 patients comfortably.
Training of GP registrars and medical students has been a priority at the Westcare Medical Centre for over 13 years. The practice fosters a strong learning culture that results in a supportive clinical environment for trainees and established practitioners alike and enhances the level of care provided to patients.
Dr Graham Jacobs, senior partner at Westcare, said the practice team was delighted to receive the award.
"It is a true honour to be acknowledged for providing such a rewarding service to the community. The award is a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm the Westcare Medical Centre team bring to their roles on a daily basis," he said.
"We hope that our passion of teaching and education promote general practice as a career choice and will aid us with recruiting skilled doctors and clinical staff, allowing us to counter the negative and incorrect assumptions that are made by students and trainees about employment in the outer Western suburbs and in areas with lower socio?economic indicators," Dr Jacobs concluded.
The RACGP Victoria General Practice of the Year Award 2011 was presented to the Westcare Medical Centre at the RACGP Victoria Faculty Awards and Fellowship Ceremony on 27th November at The Grand Ballroom, Sebel Albert Park in Melbourne.