Oatlands Family Practice: Building strong foundations for patient-centred care

Patient Experience Week is a global celebration that recognises the healthcare staff and community members who contribute to patient care every day. In 2026, the celebration runs from 27 April to 1 May and continues to focus on the theme ‘Building the Foundations of Experience’ highlighting the care, culture and systems that support positive outcomes for patients and staff. From clinicians and support teams to patients and their families, everyone plays an important role in shaping the patient experience, and this week brings those collective efforts into focus.

At AGPAL, this provides us with an even greater reason to take the time to recognise and feature one of our high-performing accredited practices.

We were pleased to hear from practice manager Jackie La Hood and the team at Oatlands Family Practice, a long-standing AGPAL client with a strong commitment to quality improvement and a clear focus on the needs of their community. Oatlands Family Practice is an exceptional example of what patient-centred care looks like in action.

Read on to discover how Jackie and the team share their insights into how they create positive patient experiences through teamwork, communication and a consistent focus on quality care.

Meet Oatlands Family Practice and the team

Jackie describes Oatlands Family Practice in a simple way as “a small suburban practice close to Parramatta that specialises in family medicine.” The practice took over from a solo practitioner in 1994 and has since grown into a well-established practice with three medical practitioners and three reception and support members. Together, the team brings experience, continuity and a strong sense of connection to the people they care for.

That connection is reflected in the practice’s approach to patients and families. As the team shared, “The doctors are fellows of the RACGP and are trained in Sydney. They are passionate about providing care in the context of multi generation families.” Just as important, the practice recognises the role every team member plays in shaping the patient experience. As Jackie shared: “our front desk reception staff are dedicated to navigating our patients through the health system.”

Their whole-of-practice mindset is grounded in a clear purpose that guides the practice as they try to “help the families and individuals reach their goals and best health outcomes within the framework of evidence-based medicine.” That dedication to people and commitment to evidence-based care is central to how the practice supports patients and creates positive experiences.

A team focused on responsiveness and reassurance

As the team shared, patient experience is shaped by the many interactions that happen before, during and after an appointment. “We try our best to accommodate a patients visit according to availability and urgency. The reception staff are trained to triage each patient and address their concerns. We always welcome patient feedback,” Jackie shares.

This responsive approach helps the team provide care that reflects both clinical needs and the realities of everyday life in the practice. One important improvement affecting patient experience has been this staff training in patient triage, which in Jackie’s words “has enabled the booking of consultations and dealing with the urgent cases in a more effective and efficient manner with positive outcomes.”

The team also values open communication and welcome suggestions as they “provide an anonymous feedback box in the waiting room and patients are encouraged to confidentially discuss any concerns with reception staff or with their doctor.” This willingness to listen and act on feedback supports a culture where patients feel comfortable raising issues and know their perspectives matter.

Jackie and the team are always seeking out ways to create an experience where patients feel both supported and respected. As Jackie puts it, “we strive to have patients reach their goals by listening to their concerns and making them feel reassured and valued.” Oatlands Family Practice stives to build a model of care built on trust, empathy and genuine partnership.

Building quality through accreditation and continuous improvement

Oatlands Family Practice has now achieved their ninth accreditation cycle with AGPAL since first registering in 2000, a fantastic milestone that reflects the team’s effort, ongoing commitment, drive and dedication to delivering best practice and continuous improvement. They shared: “We are proud of this achievement. It has taken a lot of effort from all staff members for each accreditation. Our patients are aware that we participate in the accreditation process and find this reassuring.”

That long history with accreditation has supported consistent quality improvement while also shaping how the practice approaches patient experience in a practical, day-to-day way, influencing “the approach to every patient visit from the reception desk to the practitioner.”

Looking ahead, Oatlands Family Practice continues to strengthen the foundations of patient experience through “regular education of staff and doctors” as well as “incorporating updated information into our practice.” The team’s commitment is also informed by local understanding, they explain “we are a team that live and work in the local area and are acutely aware of the problems that our community face and are empathetic to their needs.”

The team at Oatlands Family Practice is a fantastic example of a practice building the foundations of experience through consistent care, teamwork and a genuine commitment to its community. AGPAL thanks Jackie and the entire team at Oatlands Family Practice for sharing their story, and for their ongoing commitment to safety, quality and continuous improvement through accreditation, all of which support positive patient experiences.