November 2020
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Meet the capital development team working on the Northern Hospital Expansion Project
The Northern Hospital Expansion Project is making great head way, with Stage 2 works on track to be completed in mid-2021. This two-stage $162.7m major capital construction project to expand and enhance facilities allows Northern Health to ensure families have access to first-class care close to home as Melbourne’s north continues to grow. Stage 1, completed in June 2016, saw the development of a three-storey tower and 32-bed inpatient unit. Stage 2 will increase the tower from three to seven floors, providing space for improved facilities and extra room to meet future needs. Among the features of the new development…
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New home based cancer care program launches
Our Northern Oncology and Haematology (NOAH) department within the Day Oncology Unit has recently launched a new at-home service for cancer patients – NOAH@Home. NOAH@Home provides oncology and haematology patients the opportunity to receive certain chemotherapy or supportive treatments in the comfort of their own homes. The new service launched on 9 November and has been very well received by patients already. Henry (pictured below) was one of the first patients to utilise this new service and was grateful to be able to receive treatment in comfort. Kaylene Probst, NOAH@Home Liaison Nurse, explained the innovative service will improve convenience for patients and benefit them in…
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Smart glucometers benefiting Northern Health patients
Thirty-four smart wireless glucometers have been rolled out in nine wards at Northern Health, as part of the new Northern Inpatient Diabetes Service (NIDS). Richard Nasra, from the HRO/Project Management office, explained the new glucometers are an electronic system automatically linking patient blood glucose measurements with patient data in iPM. “When a patient’s blood glucose is measured at the bedside, the result is automatically and wirelessly logged into a software package for the Endocrinology team to review. The software automatically alerts the Endocrinology team when a patient logs a high (hyper) or low (hypo) blood glucose measurement and indicates the…
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing and midwifery career pathways
As we conclude NAIDOC Week, today we highlight how we are empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives at Northern Health. At the undergraduate level (pre-registration), Northern Health has implemented a cadetship (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Registered Undergraduate Student of Nursing-RUSON model). The Registered Undergraduate Student of Nursing (RUSON) model offers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students the opportunity to join Northern Health as an employee, work closely with a Registered Nurse or Midwife, and increase their knowledge and skills as they build their confidence. They get to apply their learnings directly, learning first hand and strengthening…
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Transgender Awareness Week
Tomorrow marks the start of Transgender Awareness Week, which runs from 13 to 19 November 2020. Transgender Awareness Week is a one-week celebration leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), which memorialises victims of transphobic violence. “This is the first time Northern Health is running a session specifically for Trans folk. It’s another step we are taking as a health service to create safer care for our community in the north,” says Electra Ulrich, Co- chair LGBTIQA+ Working Group at Northern Health. To commemorate Transgender Awareness Week, Northern Health is hosting guest speaker, Starlady, Program Manager at the Zoe…
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Bilang ‘Straight Talk’: Directory of Aboriginal services launches
As part of our NAIDOC Week celebrations, Northern Health is pleased to launch bilang.nh.org.au, a directory of Aboriginal services in the north. ‘Bilang’ means ‘Straight Talk’ in Woi wurrung, the language spoken by the Wurundjeri-(balluk/Clan). The development of the Bilang Directory is a recommendation from the Northern Health Aboriginal Advisory Committee to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the right information about necessary services, organisations and networks to effectively manage their health and wellbeing in the future. Emiliano Zucchi, Director, Narrun Wilip-giin (Aboriginal Support Unit) says, “The Bilang Directory aims to strengthen local knowledge about Aboriginal groups…
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Successful Fit Testing Pilot transitions to on-going program
In August this year, Northern Health was pleased to be announced as the health service chosen by the Minister for Health to run a fit testing pilot. To date, we have tested over 800 staff. The pilot is part of a broader program of work – the Respiratory Protection Program – that Northern Health is undertaking which seeks to ensure the optimal protection of our staff from respiratory pathogens, such as COVID-19. The pilot focused on fit testing staff working in high-risk areas such as COVID-19 wards, ICU, Emergency Department, Fever Clinic, Residential In-Reach and operating theatres. Fit testing is…
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Narrun Wilip-giin: Creating a culturally safe space
NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to participate in a range of activities and support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. It is also an opportunity to look back on the year and highlight the good work done by the Aboriginal Support Unit at Northern Health. It was in October last year that we saw the launch of Northern Health’s 2019-21 Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, known as the RAP. At the launch Jennifer Williams AM, Northern Health Board Chair said, “This is Northern Health’s first ever RAP and is a ground-breaking plan which demonstrates our commitment to the Aboriginal…