Fran Tong

Surveyor

What is the value/experience you have/find in mentoring?
As a former social worker and counsellor, transitioning more fully into mentorship when employed by the then-HPCA (2008) was relatively seamless. We learn, and experience teaches us, that the building of a relationship is the critical foundation on which all our interactions with people is based, no less with mentorship and our support to member organisations with their growth and development. We also need to consciously commit to the use of sound communication skills and embrace the values that underpin the mentorship relationship. I found journeying with sites through their progress, witnessing their growth and sometimes slow, but steady movement towards full accreditation, extremely rewarding and humbling, especially those sites with limited resources. Mentorship also presents an opportunity to show case and share best practices among the sites, making the lesser developed sites more visible. Enabling the growth and development of sites has provided great learning opportunities for me, both personally and professionally, for which I am extremely grateful.

What is your experience in surveying?
My first few surveys were quite challenging for me – having to give attention to so much detail as set out in the Standards for Palliative Healthcare Services. However, being part of the survey team for many years, as well as involved with the review of the Standards and all the deliberations that go with this, I have come to appreciate the value and necessity of each criterion included in the assessment process, which not only gauges the quality of services being provided, but also serves as a tangible tool to guide and assist sites with their development and monitor the progress being made.