A desire to invest in valued people is driving a new initiative and a focus on values at Anglesea Clinic UrgentCare, says CEO Julie Karam. The Waikato’s largest after-hours medical centre, Anglesea Clinic UrgentCare is open 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.
Julie says her workforce of 80 health professionals is dealing with more than 220 patient presentations a day, amid a global pandemic which has placed even greater strain on a stretched healthcare sector.
And although the pressure in the sector and on the Anglesea front-line stems from funding shortages and stiff competition for medical and health professionals, Julie’s ambition is to make Anglesea the region’s leading after-hours medical provider, retaining the very people who power it. “Our sector faces some significant challenges,” Julie says. “The impact of COVID on the health sector has been widely publicised, and the shortage of staff has created an atmosphere of poaching among providers. Employee turnover has hit record highs, with medical staff in demand and burnout prevalent.
“Healthcare workers have been pushed extremely hard over the last couple of years,” Julie says. “Our team is dedicated to caring for others, from our reception staff who are the face of our organisation, to our amazing nurses who provide comfort and assurance, our healthcare and medical care assistants who provide support, to our doctors who listen and provide quality treatment and to our administration staff who keep everything behind the scenes running. They all play an essential part in keeping our patients well.
“It’s my obligation and my role, as CEO, to look after my people.”
To that end, and through a partnership with broker VAHRY, Anglesea is now offering healthcare insurance for permanent staff. The insurance package covers pre-existing conditions, includes guaranteed acceptance and best of all, staff can add their families based on their own needs.
This combined with other benefits, such as increased training allowances, employee reward and recognition programs and discount schemes have already begun to impact Anglesea’s workforce positively.
“We have had an increase in staff wanting to work here, wanting to feel valued and as though they matter to their employer. Who doesn’t want that from the organisation they work for?
“I’m just so grateful for the opportunity to do this for my staff, to show them we care, particularly with what we’re experiencing in the health sector with COVID,” Julie says.
There are other staff-focused changes too, such as increasing the pay rates: Anglesea pays nurses higher rates than many other healthcare providers.
“With the cost of living skyrocketing ensuring pay rates are competitive is even more paramount,” Julie says. “Investing in our workforce is a strategic priority for us. Anglesea provides essential services in the community, in partnership with many other providers such as GP’s and the hospital.”
Julie’s motivation is the robust and consistent belief in a values-based organisation focused on principles of caring, trusting, quality and integrity. She has a strong vision for the organisation going forward, encompassing these values on every level.
“Ensuring our staff felt valued and are working to their optimal performance level was something I was determined to achieve – and that all starts with creating a values-based organisation.
“If we are not taking care of our staff, how can we expect them to take care of our patients? It’s all about people ‘he tangata’.
“Becoming a values-based organisation that prioritises the wellbeing of the very people relied on every day to provide healthcare to you and your whānau is a no-brainer,” she says.
A values-based organisation is a living, breathing culture of shared core values among all employees, and led from the top.
Julie urges all business owners to consider this values-based approach. organisational pain points are often related to growth, high turnover, workforce challenges, and, in Anglesea’s case – a market where staff were regularly seeking new opportunities or a change of direction.
“Caring is one of our values, and that starts with ensuring my staff and their families have access to healthcare without 10- 12 month wait times.
“My staff’s wellbeing became my focus, and keeping them well means our patients ultimately benefit too.”
Originally set up by a group of local GPs in 1987, Anglesea has become a household name in the health sector over more than 30 years.
The catalyst for the recent changes Julie has led was the shift in company structure. Originally a co-operative company (think Fonterra but in health) April 2022 saw Anglesea become a Charitable Trust.
“Previously the structure of Anglesea was focused on the benefit it provided to the shareholders first,” Julie says.
“This made it difficult to prioritise staff wellbeing over shareholder gains. With the establishment of the Trust comes the emphasis on our values.
So where to from here for Anglesea? Julie is already working on more plans to enhance services and support her team and the community it serves.
“Firstly I want to take care of my staff, ensure they feel valued, have access to healthcare and, enjoy coming to work each day,” she says.
“From there, we have plans to improve and increase our service delivery. Anglesea works closely with Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) and is already positioning itself to work alongside Te Aka Whai Ora (the Maori Health Authority) too.
“Once the workforce is stable, from there we can focus on improving services for our patients. It will take time, but the result will be a stronger Anglesea, happy healthy staff and patients.”