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Workplace safety a winner for VIHA

NANAIMO – Vancouver Island Health Authority’s dedication to workplace safety receives recognition once again.
© HA Photography.com
Allison Cutler

The Vancouver Island Health Authority’s dedication to  workplace safety has received recognition once again.

VIHA brought home two awards from the  recent Health Employers Association of B.C.’s Excellence in B.C. Healthcare Awards.

Its Violence Prevention Task Force was recognized for workplace health innovation, marking the fourth year in a row the health authority has received recognition in workplace safety.

As well, Allison Cutler, executive director for population and community health, earned an HEABC Gold Apple in the regional Health Care Hero category.

The awards recognize the efforts of healthcare employees who provide quality care and support, and acknowledge excellence and innovation in healthcare throughout the province.

“We are very proud of the innovative work done by our Violence Prevention Task Force to protect all patients and staff, and the leadership of Allison Cutler whose passion for providing quality care at the community level continues to benefit patients in our region,” said Don Hubbard, chairman of Vancouver Island Health.

The Task Force team was commissioned to develop comprehensive policies across the region to consistently handle workplace violence.

Its stakeholder engagement strategy provided feedback from 80 frontline clinical staff within the health authority.

The result is a set of policies that provide practical tools to support staff and leaders to achieve a safe work environment for everyone.

Cutler, from Nanaimo, began her career began 35 years ago as a public health nurse in Terrace, B.C., gaining insight into how health needed to be delivered at the community level.

Her accomplishments include leading integrated primary and community care across Vancouver Island, heading the development of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital’s new perinatal unit, and establishing youth clinics across central and north Vancouver Island.