NHH CEO and President Susan Walsh
Northumberland Hills Hospital is welcoming peer surveyors from Accreditation Canada this week as part of its ongoing accreditation process.
The on site review runs from Monday, March 23 to Thursday, March 26 and is part of a four year cycle used to evaluate safety practices and quality of care at healthcare organizations across Canada.
Hospital officials say the accreditation process began in June 2025 with detailed self assessments against national standards. Those standards examine areas including governance, leadership, risk management, infection prevention and control, medication management and overall quality of care.
Three trained peer surveyors, Ron Noble, Stephanie Pearsall and Dr. Kevin Wasko, are conducting the visit. During their time at the hospital, they will observe processes, meet with care providers and support staff, and engage with patients and families.
NHH President and CEO Susan Walsh says accreditation is not a one time event but a multi year journey focused on continual improvement. She says the visit gives hospital teams a chance to demonstrate the care they provide every day while also identifying opportunities to strengthen services further.
Board Chair Cyndi Gilmer says the survey is also an opportunity to highlight improvements made across the organization since the last comprehensive review in 2022.
After the site visit, the surveyors will submit their findings to Accreditation Canada, which will later issue a final report and accreditation decision.
Northumberland Hills Hospital serves a mixed urban and rural population of about 67,000 residents in west Northumberland, including Cobourg, Port Hope, Alderville First Nation, Hamilton Township, Cramahe and Alnwick/Haldimand. The hospital employs more than 850 staff, along with physicians, midwives and volunteers.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
