Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - Ripas Hospital yesterday launched a report on its quality police and Quality Management System (QMS) as part of efforts to ensure clients of the quality of its services and products.

The report, known as the first Quality Manual Document is part of International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) 15189 requirement.

Authorised by the Ministry of Health in 2005, the ISO 15189 was adopted by the Department of Laboratory Services (DLS) as the standards for quality system.

The document serves as a guide to enhance the understanding of laboratory personnel in implementing the QMS related to procedures, equipment, facilities and staff among others at hospital settings in the country, in accordance with its requirement.

"Through the QMS approach, the Department of Laboratory Services will be able to ensure

continuous improvement and sustain the effectiveness and efficiency of the laboratory services to support high quality standard of our healthcare system," said Dr Hj Mohamad Hj Kassim, the director of DLS.

Launching the Quality Manual Document was Ministry of Health's Deputy Permanent Secretary, Datin Paduka Dr Hjh Intan Hj Salleh, who spoke about the ministry's efforts and commitments in implementing improvement strategies in the healthcare delivery system including establishing functional QMS in its services.

"In 2002, the DLS was identified by the Ministry of Health to embark upon quality assurance programme in order to promote planned and systematic actions necessary towards improving quality and to be able to demonstrate consistent compliance with requirements," she said.

Datin Dr Hjh Intan also said that the document is the first document used to gain confidence of the customers. "It conveys the initial image of the service provider as far as the quality assurance is concerned".

The deputy permanent secretary described the document as an "annotated picture of reference at all hierarchical levels to achieve the objective of good management."

However, she said, the document should not focus solely on quality. "In response to current developments... (the document should) extend to cover safety and environment management, " she said, adding that the document needs to be reviewed and modified as necessary.

She further suggested that with the launching of the document, it will put further emphasis on quality and safe care. She also hopes that this work will form the basis for the DLS, to aim for Medical Laboratory Accreditation in the future.

Headed by Hjh Rosni Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, the Quality System manager at DLS, the document took three years to complete. About 15 representatives from units within the DLS were presented with the document.

The launching ceremony was also attended by the Ministry of Health's director general of medical services, Dr Hjh Norlila Dato Paduka Hj Abd Jalil, other directors, chief executive officers, senior officials, officers and DLS' staff. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times