Accreditation A Dublin hospital that has been run by the same family over six generations has this week gained the Healthcare Accreditation Programme (HAP) standard, writes Theresa Judge
Highfield Hospital was opened as a psychiatric hospital by Dr John Eustace in 1825, initially with just one patient. Today, his two great, great grandsons are running the business - Dr Denis Eustace is medical director and Mr Michael Eustace is chief executive of the Highfield Group.
Recently the first representative of the next generation has got involved as their nephew Dr Andrew Eustace, a consultant psychiatrist, has joined the staff.
"I suppose it's in the blood. Also, we all live on the grounds of the hospital, so Denis and I grew up here and we were always used to patients being around us. So it came naturally to follow in our fathers' footsteps," Michael said.
There are now four units within the group - an Alzheimer Care Centre, Highfield Hospital, Hampstead Hospital and Elmhurst Convalescent Centre.
More than 200 employees are based at two sites on Dublin's northside, at Whitehall on the Swords Road and at Hampstead Avenue, Glasnevin.
The group specialises in catering for patients with age-related mental health disorders and also provides both medical and surgical convalescence.
Michael Eustace said that while it had operated as a private psychiatric hospital for many years, a major expansion in the 1990s came about as a result of the demand for places for people with Alzheimer's. The care centre opened as a 32-bed unit and a further 32 beds were added two years ago.
The group now employs two full-time and three part-time doctors and about 60 nurses.
He said the aim was to provide "a person and family focused service" for those with Alzheimer's and other age-related conditions and that they try to bring a holistic approach to the work.
Healthcare Accreditation Programme is UK based and is an independent quality assurance scheme. In order to gain the standard, every aspect of the service is assessed from patient care, nursing, and health and safety to catering and laundry. Even the gardens have to meet specific standards.
Highfield's application for accreditation started early in 2002 and over the course of the process inspectors visited the four different units of the group and pointed out any areas that required improvement.
Awarding the standard, HAP said it reflected the Highfield Group's "commitment to the provision of a quality service and underlines their commitment to developing their services even further".