Alberton Record
Stepping Stone surpasses industry standards
Stepping Stone Palliative Care Services is the only Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) five-star accredited hospice in Gauteng.
It is committed to promoting quality palliative healthcare and providing a safe environment for its patients and the Alberton community.
Since opening its doors in January 2013, the centre has positively impacted scores of people’s lives.
The staff are trained in palliative care, ensuring patients’ quality of life and preventing and relieving unnecessary suffering. As much as it is a do-good organisation, making a distinct impact on the lives of its patients and families, it goes beyond that.
The organisation piloted the fifth edition of Palliative Care Standards and awaits feedback from the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa (COHSASA) to ensure the edition complies with its criteria.
Once reviewed and approved, it will go to the International Society for Quality in Healthcare, making the Alberton NPO more rigorous and self-critical.
Exceptional quality recognition
Tersia Burger, the CEO of Stepping Stone Palliative Care Services, said they don’t tell people enough about how professional they are.
“There’s such a misconception that because hospices are non-profits, we offer inferior care, and nothing is further from the truth. Our registered nurses have all done the same training as any nurse in any hospital. They have the same certification in midwifery, emergency, surgery, intensive care and general training,” she explained.
The skilled nurses then undergo a one-year training course to provide palliative care.
Burger, the deputy chairperson of the APCC, formerly known as the Hospice Palliative Care Association, reiterated that they adhere to good governance principles.
“Palliative care is an accredited discipline like COHSASA, and every four years, we develop new standards to stay up to date with the changes and legislation, and I’m a member of that standard review committee. We have at least 619 policies that must be in place, starting with governance, human resources, clinical, infection control, risk management, fundraising and training,” she said.
Even in how they handle their laundry, “There are such strict criteria, and waste management is a huge component.”
She said waste management is the most fascinating part. They prioritise proper waste management.
“Soiled nappies in a high-volume facility like ours cannot be discarded in a rubbish dump. A waste management company must handle it. They come in about three times weekly to remove the waste. We get special bins for our sharps [injections, needles], and it’s a controlled system. Every component with us is critical,” Burger said.
Once a year, they present their signed-off financials to the APCC.
Nearing their 12th anniversary, they remain committed to offering compassionate, comforting and holistic care to all their patients – young and old.
