In December 2022, Lloyd Filer attended his work Christmas party at Saluti Restaurant at Pacific Epping, where he suffered a heart attack.

Seated nearby was a table of Northern Health nurses, who attended to him, performed CPR and brought him to Northern Hospital for further care.

One of the nurses who provided medical attendance to Lloyd at the restaurant was Tara Softley, Endoscopy Liaison Nurse at Northern Health.

“Having to commence CPR out in the community was very daunting, and having a full restaurant watch on was very scary. Not only for us, but also for his work colleagues who were with him at the time. We were very grateful that a defibrillator machine was nearby, and we were able to utilise it until the paramedics arrived,” she said.

For Tara, the whole experience was immensely rewarding.

“Reflecting on the event, I am grateful for the career path that I chose. To be able to assist someone in the community and have such a positive outcome was a very rewarding experience. To be able to speak with the patient on the phone weeks later was very surreal,” she said.

After spending a short time in the ICU, Lloyd completed two weeks of rehabilitation. He has made a full recovery and is now back home with his family.

“I had no idea of the critical state of my heart health and have taken the opportunity to remind my friends and family of the importance of a heart health check,” Lloyd said.

“As a former Surf Lifesaver, I’m also reminded of the importance of CPR training as a life skill. I will be eternally grateful to these nurses, as well as the other emergency workers who arrived and provided their assistance.”

Janelle Davies, Endoscopy Liaison Nurse at Northern Health, also helped revive Lloyd. She said that having personal medical information saved on his smartphone was critical, and something they were able to quickly access on Lloyd’s phone.

“Having medical information such as list of medications, medical history and allergies stored on your smartphone is invaluable to first responders,” Janelle said.

Thank you to all of our wonderful staff for the amazing work they do and the care they provide, both on site and out in the community.

 

Featured in the image (from left to right): Casey Muscat, Natasha Josevski, Lloyd Filer, Rebecca Garner, Tara Softley and Janelle Davis

This morning, Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews and Minister for Mental Health Gabrielle Williams MP visited Northern Health to announce the completion of our new acute mental health building.

“This new facility will allow people in Melbourne’s growing northern suburbs to receive the support they need close to their homes, families and support networks,” Mr Andrews said.

This facility will deliver 30 acute inpatient mental health beds with a contemporary and modern design to support recovery, including technologically enhanced sensory rooms and courtyards with in-built exercise equipment.

The patient rooms and communal spaces are light, supportive and flexible so the changing needs of consumers can be accommodated to throughout their stay.

Consumers will also have access to a range of shared internal spaces for social, therapeutic and recreational activities.

In addition to providing the mental health support people need, close to home, the project has supported around 450 construction jobs whilst being built.

Northern Health’s Director of Nursing for Mental Health, Gary Ennis, said the new facility will be helpful in attracting new staff as it will be a great place to deliver gold-standard care to consumers.

“This facility will be a great asset to our local community,” Mr Ennis said.

“It’s fantastic to see the impact the input from our lived-experience consumers has had on the final result – this unit is a functional space for staff to work in and a comfortable environment for patients to recover in.”

Once opened, this facility will allow Northern Heath to treat around 650 additional mental health patients each year and reduce the pressure on our emergency department.

The Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) Program provides one-on-one friendship and companionship to residents of Australian Government funded residential aged care services.

Northern Health has been an auspice for this wonderful program for 30 years, with over 25 aged care facilities in our catchment area that we work in partnership with.

Volunteer visitors make regular visits to these facilities for a chat, to share life stories, play cards or games, read novels together, watch movies, talk about the footy fixture or go on outings.

When face-to-face visits are not possible, volunteers stay connected with residents through post cards, email, and phone or video calls to maintain the connection and support to residents.

The most important qualities of the visitors are their commitment and reliability, kindness, generosity, compassion, ability to focus on another’s needs and to be a good listener. Visits are available to anyone receiving government-subsidised aged care services.

Jennifer Way, who is a Reception and Switchboard Operator at Northern Health, has also been a volunteer at Broadmeadows Hospital for three years.

Since August 2022, Jennifer has been visiting Brenda Simpson at Baptcare Brookview Community Aged Care in Westmeadows as part of the CVS program.

“I visit Brenda and she is a very interesting lady. We talk about family, how she met her husband, what her family went through in World War II and day-to-day news. When I go in to visit Brenda, she is so happy to see me. We sit and chat non-stop for a good hour and when I leave, it makes me feel good knowing that I have made Brenda’s day.”

There is a need to recruit more volunteers, like Jennifer, to take part in the CVS Program, with a particular focus on volunteers that speak an additional language. If you would like to find out more about the CVS Program, contact Kim Berger from the Volunteer Services Team on 8405 8971, or email volunteer@nh.org.au.

Featured image: Brenda and Jennifer.

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Brigid Algie, Nurse Unit Manager (Acting) Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED).

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?

A: I enjoy that I get to be part of a new, innovative mode of delivering healthcare. Due to VVED being a new service, there are constant changes and challenges occurring. I really love the fact that both myself and my colleagues all have an input into the decision making around how we deliver the service.

Q: What do you find most challenging about being part of a new service?

A: Due to my previous answer it may sound like I am contradicting myself, but as well as change being enjoyable it can also be challenging. We are constantly taking on feedback from patients, other healthcare services and staff about ways we can improve the quality and accessibility care. Constant change can be slightly difficult when we are having to continuously educate and keep all of our staff up to date. The wonderful staff at VVED do, however, continue to rise to the challenge!

Q: Tell us about a career highlight for you while you’ve been with Northern Health.

A: My career highlight whilst being at Northern Health would probably be from a few weeks ago when Dan Andrews came to visit VVED. It was awesome getting to show off our department and watch him deliver a press conference right on our front doorstep.

Q: If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

A: I’d love to be working overseas in a ski resort as a ski patroller (on a snowboard of course). The idea of combining my passion for snowboarding along with my emergency nursing skills seems pretty cool and I have always dreamed about working in a job that would allow me snowboard every day.

Q: What do you do to relax after a day of work?

A: If the weather is nice I will generally go for a walk, or maybe a bike ride if I’m feeling extra energetic. If the weather is miserable I’m more likely to be found on the couch watching a doco about someone climbing Mount Everest or something true crime.

 

It was a sea of rainbow and pride in St Kilda on Sunday as part of the Midsumma Festival Pride March.

The iconic, colourful march is a proud and loud celebration of the LGBTIQA+ community, culture and arts, and commemorates solidarity in gender and sexual diversity. The march began at 11 am at the Ian Johnson Oval, before proceeding along Fitzroy Street and ending in Catani Gardens.

Northern Health first marched at Pride March in 2020 with the Pride in the North network, and again in 2021. This year’s event marked the first year Northern Health marched under its own banner at Pride March. It was also the largest group since 2020 representing Northern Health at the event.

More than 40 staff members, from across Northern Health sites and departments, proudly marched, including Michelle Fenwick, Executive Director People and Culture, and Basil Ireland, Chief Financial Officer.

“It was great to participate in this year’s Pride March,” Michelle said.

“Marching allowed us the opportunity to reiterate to the community that Northern Health is here and present, as a workplace which acknowledges and respects individual differences.”

“As the Chair of the Northern Health Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee, it allowed me to actively contribute to Northern Health’s inclusive culture, which is about everyone feeling valued and respected.”

For Basil Ireland, Sunday was his first time participating in Pride March.

“I thank my colleagues for encouraging me to come. The group from Northern Health was so warm and welcoming, and the walk down Fitzroy Steet was a buzz. I was really pleased that I took part, and I was proud to represent Northern Health,” he said.

Below are the experiences of staff who marched with Pride.

“As a long-time ally, I was so proud to attend the March, and see the joy of people, being free to be who they are, in a safe environment. Excellent to see Northern Health be part of this,” said Paula Murray, Patient Experience.

“Pride March was a very exciting, colourful and proud day for all who attended. This was the largest group to represent Northern Health since our first attendance in 2020. We had over 40 people marching. Northern Health marching alongside other Victorian health services demonstrates that there is a solidarity between the LGBTIQA+ community, allies and staff. The general public recognised our banners and now know that the next time they come to Northern Health that there will be staff who respect, celebrate and value them,” said Andrew Grey, Rainbow Working Group member, Outpatient Services.

“Marching with Northern Health provided a great opportunity to represent the LGBTIQA+ communities and allies from the north. I got to be part of an organisation that promotes the values of safe, kind and together within our great team!” said Ramon, Periop Nurse, Broadmeadows Hospital and Northern Hospital Epping.

“It means so much to me to be openly queer at work and it was certainly very special to share that celebration with my colleagues at the Pride March, whilst also making some new work friends,” a participant said.

 “I attended the Pride March as a Rainbow Ally for the first time – it was really incredible to see so many people from so many organisations, not just health networks, showing their support for all our family, friends and colleagues who are part of the rainbow community. It was a fun and vibrant day with some spectacular outfits and decorations on show,” a participant said.

 “I felt proud marching in Pride March 2023 representing Northern Health. With the biggest turn out ever, it shows that we have some wonderful proud with pride people working within our organisation,” said Leigh Howard, Rainbow Working Group member, Victorian Virtual Emergency Department.

“The Midsumma Pride March is a day where we celebrate our strength in diversity and show our LGBTIQA+ patients and staff that we see you, we celebrate you, and we are working to make Northern Health a safer and more inclusive space,” said Chrissy Nicolaidis, Co-chair Rainbow Working Group.

“It was fantastic seeing Northern Health Staff come together to show support for the LGBTQIA+ community. A number of staff marched this year – from across sites, and different roles in the organisation, said Electra Ulrich, Co-chair Rainbow Working Group.

If you would like to join the Northern Health Rainbow Working group, email rainbowgroup@nh.org.au.

This week, Northern Health welcomed its largest ever graduate nurse and midwife cohort to date – 77 fresh faces, ready to dive into their healthcare careers this year.

Nursing and midwifery education unit graduate program co-ordinator, Kate Duggan said it’s fantastic to see fresh faces and a sense of nervous excitement amongst the group.

“We look forward to supporting their journey from student to beginner practitioner, as they continue to learn and consolidate upon the years of study they have all completed,” she said.

“Graduate nurses and midwives are critical in ensuring a sustainable workforce. It can be a challenging time as they adjust to becoming part of a diverse organisation, they will be supported at every step along the way.”

The 77 new staff members will each commence a 12-month “transition to practice” graduate program, broken down into two six-month rotations across Northern Hospital Epping, Broadmeadows Hospital and Bundoora Centre and exploring 32 different clinical settings.

Amongst the new graduates are a number who were born at Northern Health and are now returning to forge their own careers. This include Sophie Brugada, who was born at Northern Health in 2001 and will be commencing her graduate program on a surgical ward.

“I’ve been working as a RUSON (Registered Undergraduate Student of Nursing) here at Northern Health while I’ve been studying,” she said.

“I’m really looking forward to starting my career because I truly cannot wait to be able to make a difference in people’s lives and learn more every day.”

Also born at Northern Health in 2000, Bobby Bhatty completed a Bachelor of Nursing at RMIT University in Bundoora. Mr Bhatty will be commencing his graduate program at the Northern Hospital Epping Emergency Department, where he has been employed as a RUSON within our Aboriginal Cadet Program for the last two years.

“I am most looking forward to being part of a supportive team and developing all my critical thinking and nursing skills this year,” he said.

Originally from Queensland, Trinity Saxby joined Northern Health as a RUSON within our Aboriginal Cadet Program in April 2021, whilst studying a Bachelor of Nursing at La Trobe University in Bundoora, and is excited to start the graduate program.

“I’m really looking forward to starting my nursing career here because Northern Health provides so many opportunities to grow and move toward my career goals in nursing,” she said.

If you see them in the corridors, tearooms or wards be sure to say hello and welcome them to their new workplace.

The Transformation Unit is excited to run the HRO Explorer program again in 2023.

Applications are open to staff wanting to diversify their career at Northern Health. The purpose of the Explorer program is to provide Northern Health staff with opportunities to widen their skillsets and empower them to confidently pursue alternative internal career paths.

The HRO Explorer Program developed from an idea submitted in the February 2022 round of the Big Idea. During the pandemic, staff were considering changes in employment in the organisation, yet were unable to identify how to make the change. Scoping of the idea involved focus groups with our frontline staff, and development of a framework which aligned to the HRO principle ‘deference to expertise’, while drawing on the employees aims – to network, to empower them through knowledge, and to reinvest in our staff.

The 12-week program involves working in another division for one day a week for the duration, with some of the participating divisions including:
• Education
• Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) Project Team
• Data Science
• Quality & Safety
• Northern Health Foundation
• People & Culture
• Information Communication Technology (ICT)
• HRO/Transformation Unit

For further information about participating departments, please view a video here.

Cassie Bramston, Project Manager, Transformation Unit, is delighted to see this program run once again, after its successful launch in 2022.

“The program will commence Tuesday, 28 March, and conclude Tuesday, 13 June 2023, and is open to all Northern Health staff,” said Cassie.

“No prior specialist education or training is required for the selected divisions and mentoring will be provided by your prospective department and the HRO/Transformation Unit.”

To hear from some of the participants in last year’s program, click here.

If you would like to learn more, a virtual drop-in information session will be held on Thursday, 10 February 2023, from 12 pm – 12.30 pm. Please email HROpathways@nh.org.au if you wish to attend.

How to Apply
To apply, please email your responses to the questions below to HROpathways@nh.org.au:

• Name
• Department
• Manager
• Employment status – full time, part time, casual
• Which division would you like to explore and why?
This is an opportunity to sell yourself! (no more than 100 words).
Please provide area preferences (no more than three).

Please ensure you cc your manager in your email. This will confirm they are aware and support your application.

Applications close Friday, 17 February 2023.

Please direct any questions to Cassie Bramston via email at cassandra.bramston@nh.org.au.

For today’s ‘get to know your’ profile, we catch up with Simone Motton, Director of Allied Health. Simone joined the health service in 2015 as an Occupational Therapy Clinical Leader, and also worked as the Associate Director of Occupational Therapy and Hand Therapy, before she was appointed to her new role in December last year.

Let’s start with your coffee order.

I’m a very boring person who doesn’t drink coffee. I really wish I did, my taste buds just don’t agree.

Tell us about your role of Director Allied Health – what does it involve?

The Director of Allied Health is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Allied Health Department, as well as ensuring we are strategically planning and responding to current and future needs. This involves a lot of meetings with various staff across the organisation and working very closely with the Allied Health Leadership team across all allied health disciplines.

What excites you the most about your new role?

Allied Health is involved in so many different areas of the organisation so there’s always something new and exciting happening as Northern Health expands. Ensuring we have the right Allied Health staffing within teams and services as we expand is exciting for me. It ensures the community is receiving the best care possible. We also have around 500 staff. I am very passionate about staff wellbeing and making Northern Health a great place to work. We have so many capable staff and we want to ensure we attract and retain them.

What is your vision for the Allied Health department?

Our vision for the Allied Health Department is for it to be a responsive service in a time of rapid growth in the north. This means ensuring we have the best workforce available with the right skills, who are functioning in a positive and supportive environment. It also means ensuring we are collaborating closely and working as a team with all key stakeholders along the continuum of care to provide optimal outcomes for patients.

What do you like to do in your spare time or when not at work?

What spare time! When I’m not at work, I enjoy getting out and about with the family to the beach, events, eating out, visiting family. Post-COVID, we find ourselves not wanting to be within the walls of the house often.

What would people be most surprised to know about you?

I have four children (eight, five, three and one year old) – they keep us on our toes and really ensure we experience the full spectrum of emotions within each 24-hour period.