Waypoint wrapped – reflecting on our 2023 accomplishments
by Dr. Nadiya Sunderji, Waypoint president and CEO
It has been a remarkable year at Waypoint. Working
together as a team and with our patients and partners, we have provided compassionate and excellent care to our patients, embraced change, launched new research studies and provided leadership across the mental health and addiction sector, and in specialized geriatric services. These accomplishments are changing lives and strengthening a healthcare system that better meets the needs of the individuals and communities we serve. I am so proud of the team and the work we do every day on behalf of our patients and families.
Below are some highlights of our accomplishments from 2023:
* Launch of Enabling Plans – In early 2023, we introduced our five enabling plans to set the direction of the hospital to continue the advancement and delivery of excellent and compassionate care.
* Waypoint receives highest possible rating from Accreditation Canada – Waypoint was awarded “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” by Accreditation Canada in June, confirming our commitment to patient safety and continuous quality improvement.
* Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program wins a 2023 Award of Excellence in Mental Health and Addictions Quality Improvement – Also in June, OSP was awarded Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Quality Improvement from the Canadian College of Health Leaders. This national accolade recognizes the team’s focus on equity and their exceptional achievements in improving culturally appropriate accessible care for groups that are historically underserved.
* Waypoint Board welcomes two new members – Two new members – Trisha Hutzul and George Vadeboncoeur – joined the volunteer Board of Directors in June. They bring extensive expertise in their respective fields, complementing the impressive skills and experience of our existing Board members.
* Family and Friends Picnic returns – After a pause due to COVID-19, we welcomed back family members and friends of patients for the annual picnic in the forensic mental health programs. The September event is very important for many of our patients as it is the only opportunity for some family members to visit their loved ones in person at Waypoint.
* Waypoint signs three-year commitment with York University – In October, York and Waypoint signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance research and educational opportunities in mental health and addictions. This followed a similar agreement entered into in July with Toronto Metropolitan University.
* Attracting new talent – Waypoint ramped up our recruitment efforts with two networking events, in March and October, to showcase employment and academic opportunities and attract new talent.
* Waypoint Research Institute celebrates 10th Anniversary – In November, we recognized a decade of groundbreaking contributions that are advancing understanding of mental illness and addiction and improving lives locally and globally.
* Annual Shine the Light Gala fundraiser – The 10th annual gala in early December was a tremendous evening celebrating philanthropic relationships and support, featuring the talents of Susan Aglukark and successfully raising funds for research at Waypoint.
* New 20-bed acute mental health unit – Earlier this month, we were honoured to host Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones for an announcement about a new 20-bed acute mental health unit at Waypoint that features the first psychiatric ICU beds in our region.