On 9 May 2026, the Northern Health Foundation welcomed 430 guests to the 1 Hotel Melbourne Ballroom in Docklands for its most ambitious Gala Ball yet, and the results speak for themselves. The evening raised $140,000 for equitable healthcare in Melbourne’s north, making it one of the Foundation’s strongest fundraising results to date.

This year’s event, Where Art Meets Healing, was built around a Renaissance theme honouring the arrival of Northern Health’s new da Vinci Robotic Surgical System; a milestone that gave the night real meaning beyond the celebration. From the opening moments, guests were immersed in an experience that wove together art, innovation, and the very human stories behind modern medicine.

The entertainment set the tone from the start. Vivid Strings welcomed guests with a live performance as they entered the ballroom, before Bespoke Ballet Dancers delivered a breathtaking opening performance. Brad Blaze, our speed painter, captivated the room with his original artwork later sold at live auction, raising an additional $3,000. The Un-Limited Band brought the dance floor to life and kept energy high through to the final set. Hosting the evening with warmth, wit, and professionalism was our MC, Peter Helliar, whose ability to hold a room, across the serious and the celebratory, was exactly what the night called for.

Amongst all the pageantry and celebration, one individual stole the show. Sharing his personal experience following life-saving robotic surgery, Rex Stacey, connected the whole room with his heartfelt account and sincere gratitude for the technology and for the care he received at Northern Health.

Fundraising highlights included a remarkable Mercedes-Benz raffle which alone raised $43,000, generously supported by 3 Point Motors, and the Diamond Bracelet draw, with the bracelet kindly donated by Paton’s Place Jewellers. Silent and live auctions, donations, and the evening’s 28 sponsors helped push the total over the line. Special thanks to our Principal Sponsor ISS and Premier Sponsor Henry’s Café, and other main sponsors, Blue Sky, Kane, Latrobe University, Margie Hill, New Epping, RMIT, and Rauland. Thank you also to our new supporters who joined our community this year.

None of this happens without the team. To everyone at the Northern Health Foundation who gave their time, energy, and heart to this event: your dedication showed in every detail of the night. This was our fourth Gala Ball, our first at the 1 Hotel, and by every measure, our best.

And the feedback we’ve received was overwhelmingly positive.

Adjunct Professor Alan Lilly, Board Chair, Northern Health, reflected, “Special thanks to Pina Di Donato and the amazing organising team at the Northern Health Foundation for creating an inspiring, engaging, thoughtful and entertaining event. It was indeed a spectacular evening. Thank you also to our guests and sponsors who supported the event, so that we can bring world-class care closer to home.”

“We were delighted to support this year’s Northern Health Foundation Gala as Principal Partner – an inspiring evening that brought community, culture and care together for a powerful cause.
Together, we helped raise over $140,000 to support the da Vinci Surgical System at Northern Hospital Epping, enabling more accessible, world-class healthcare for Melbourne’s north,” ISS, Facility Services and major sponsors for Northern Health.

“Attending the Northern Health Foundation Gala was incredibly meaningful. Hearing about the introduction of the da Vinci Surgical System at Northern Hospital Epping was both inspiring and deeply personal for me, having lost family members to cancer. It was a powerful reminder that the work we do and the projects we help deliver can truly change lives,” added Richa Choudhary, Project Manager, INTREC.

 The funds raised will make a genuine difference to the communities we serve. Thank to everyone who attended for making it possible.

Today we observe National Sorry Day, a time to acknowledge and remember the Stolen Generations – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families under past government policies. It is also an opportunity to recognise the ongoing impact of this history on individuals, families, and communities, and to reflect on the role we each play in reconciliation.

This day holds deep significance across Australia, encouraging us to listen, learn, and engage with the truths of our shared history. Yue Hu, Director of Narrun Wilip-giin Aboriginal Support Unit (ASU), reflected on the importance of the day, “National Sorry Day asks us not to look away from history, but to confront it honestly, and to reflect on how we create culturally safe, respectful care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.”

This message is especially important in healthcare, where cultural safety, respect, and understanding are essential to building trust and improving health outcomes.

Today at Northern Health, staff came together to mark National Sorry Day through a range of meaningful activities.

Staff visited the foyer stall, where they had the opportunity to learn more about the significance of the day and show their support. Educational resources were shared to help build awareness of the Stolen Generations and the lasting impact of these experiences on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.

A special choir performance also brought staff together in reflection and solidarity. Among the songs performed, three carried particularly powerful messages, honouring the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and acknowledging the trauma and resilience of the Stolen Generations.

These activities created an opportunity for staff to connect, learn, and show support. Whether through attending events, engaging with resources, or having meaningful conversations with colleagues, every action contributes to building a more inclusive and culturally safe workplace.

Karen Bryant, Manager of Narrun Wilip-giin Aboriginal Support Unit, highlighted the importance of reflection and collective responsibility, “Today, we acknowledge the strength and resilience of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how each of us can play a part in healing for our Mob.”

National Reconciliation Week follows from 27 May to 3 June and builds on the spirit of National Sorry Day. The week commemorates two significant milestones in Australia’s reconciliation journey, the 1967 Referendum and the High Court Mabo decision, and encourages all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements. It is also a time to consider how we can contribute to reconciliation through our everyday work, actions, and interactions.

National Sorry Day is not only about acknowledging the past; it is about shaping the future. By continuing to listen, learn, and act, we can each play a role in advancing reconciliation and fostering a workplace grounded in respect, understanding, and cultural safety.

Pictured in featured image (L-R): Sherrilyn Ballard, Community Engagement Coordinator, Narrun Wilip-giin (ASU) and Yue Hu, Director of Narrun Wilip-giin (ASU).

Northern Health has opened new Ambulance Victoria (AV) transition cubicles in the Emergency Department this month, helping patients receive care sooner and supporting faster ambulance handover.

This initiative is part of a Department of Health-funded pilot focused on improving the safe and timely offload of patients from ambulances.

By reducing ambulance ramping and delays, the program helps get paramedic crews back on the road more quickly to serve the Northern community.

Located near the ambulance entrance, the new cubicles allow patients arriving by ambulance to move straight into a clinical space where assessment and treatment can begin.

The initiative also includes increased senior medical and nursing staffing, meaning patients are seen earlier and care decisions can be made more quickly.

The transition cubicles are designed for short stays (usually under an hour) and are used to start early care such as observations, pain relief and initial tests. Patients are then safely moved to the most appropriate next step, whether that’s an ED cubicle, a hospital bed or the waiting room to await further treatment.

Emergency Department Nurse Unit Manager, Amanda Paleologos, said the new model is already making a difference.

“These new cubicles mean we can start caring for patients much sooner after they arrive, rather than them waiting on an ambulance trolley,” she said.

“With more senior staff on the floor, we’re able to assess patients earlier, make decisions faster and improve the overall flow through the department. It’s better for our patients and helps our ambulance colleagues get back out to the community sooner.”

This pilot reflects Northern Health’s commitment to improving access, reducing wait times and delivering better care for the whole Northern community.

Pictured in featured image: Ben from Ambulance Victoria flanked by Sal Mathew and Julia Fotiadis (Clinical Nurse Unit Managers, Emergency Department). 

At Northern Health, every act of kindness, every warm greeting, every reassuring word, every moment of support, becomes part of a much larger story. It’s a story written by our volunteers, consumer representatives, auxiliaries, and spiritual care volunteers who, together, help shape a hospital that truly reflects the community it serves.

Their contributions don’t just support our services, they strengthen the connection between Northern Health and the people who walk through our doors.

“Our Consumer Representatives are the voice of our patients and families,” says Navneet Gill, Consumer Participation Coordinator. “Consumers sit on committees, share lived experiences, and help shape how care is delivered. Their insights have guided many projects such as the Emergency Department redevelopment.”

These representatives bring the community directly into decision‑making.

• Jane Spracklan, celebrating five years of volunteering, champions accessibility through the Disability Working Group, ensuring people living with disability experience a hospital that understands and responds to their needs.
• Alex, who joined in 2021, uses more than 30 years of IT expertise to support the Digital Investment Steering Committee. His guidance helps Northern Health make smart, community‑centred digital decisions.
• Karyn Findlay, a valued award recipient, contributes through the CLEAR Group, reviewing patient information to ensure it is clear, accessible, and culturally appropriate for the diverse communities we serve.

Together, they remind us that consumer partnership isn’t a process,  it’s a relationship built on trust, empathy, and shared purpose.

Across all Northern Health sites, volunteers are often the first friendly face people see. They guide visitors, support staff, offer tea and coffee, make and distribute comfort items to patients, help behind the scenes with admin and restocking tasks and offer words of comfort to patients in moments that matter.

Our Spiritual Care Volunteers bring connection and calmness to patients who welcome a visit. “They listen, share quiet moments, and remind people that even in times of uncertainty, they are never alone,” says Natalia Dewiyani, Spiritual Care Coordinator.

Their presence reflects the deep compassion of our community.

Our hospital auxiliaries are another powerful example of community spirit in action.

“Our hospital auxiliaries give tirelessly,” says Henni Wade, Manager of Volunteer Services. “They collect donations, sort and sell stock, and turn community generosity into real impact. The funds they raise help purchase vital equipment, directly improving care for patients across Northern Health.”

Their work shows how small contributions, when shared, create meaningful change.

This week, we proudly celebrated 17 volunteers who received years‑of‑service awards, representing an extraordinary 170 years of combined volunteering at Northern Health.

Among them:

• Elizabeth Dossor – 20 years
• Annie Brooks – 20 years
• Angela Dolcetta – 30 years

To every volunteer, auxiliary member, spiritual care volunteer, and consumer representative, thank you. Your kindness, your time, and your commitment continue to shape Northern Health into a place where community is not just welcomed, but woven into every decision and every act of care.

Allied Health at Northern Health has launched a new Point of Care Learning Framework that partners with health service consumers to change the way clinicians learn.

The new framework supports work-based learning that responds to patient needs and occurs alongside routine clinical care.  This learning approach allows clinicians to reflect, adapt, and build their skills while actively delivering patient care and strengthens clinical reasoning and decision-making, as well as improving patient experience and outcomes.

Teaching at bedside isn’t new, but a key strength of the framework is its co-design with consumers. Consumer advisors played an active role in shaping both the framework and its supporting tools, to ensure that clinicians consider what matters most to patients and their families. They reviewed the draft framework and provided invaluable feedback on how clinicians can sensitively explain the purpose of point of care learning and actively participate in the experience. A consistent message from the consumer advisors was that when learning occurs in the presence of patients, it must be done in a way that ensures they feel safe, respected, listened to, and valued.

This is what some of our consumer advisors have shared with us:

Gordon Dennis reflected, “To have the opportunity to have a voice on how the hospital approaches its education programs tells me that the hospital really cares about those who come for help. I feel proud to have been able to contribute.”

Jo Young highlighted the value of learning in the moment, “Learning alongside patients is such an important part of professional development. It was rewarding to know that lived experience is helping shape how care is delivered.”

Carol Burnett emphasised the importance of inclusion, noting, “We come from a very diverse community. By involving consumers, Northern Health ensures different perspectives are represented, improving the quality of care and the experience for all patients.”

Finally, Evan Bichara added, “Engaging consumers meaningfully allows us to be heard and valued as partners. It strengthens patient-centred approaches and ensures services reflect real community needs.”

The move to PoC model of learning was directly informed by clinician’s feedback indicating that they learn best through hands-on, workplace-based experiences embedded in their daily work.

Allied Health physiotherapy educator Stephanie Castagnini, said, “We can underestimate how much we learn from our patients. This framework helps guide clinicians to create positive, goal-oriented learning experiences that benefit both the clinician and the patient.”

While Rachel Nolan, Speech Pathology Clinical Educator, highlighted the importance of trust, “Through co-design, we developed ways to help clinicians clearly explain point of care learning to patients. This builds confidence and strengthens the clinician–patient partnership.”

The Point of Care Learning Framework marks an important step in embedding learning into everyday practice at Northern Health, ensuring education is not an added extra, but an integral part of delivering safe, high-quality, and person-centred care.

Pictured in featured image: Allied Health clinicians with Northern Health consumer advisors. 

On Monday, 18 May, the Residential In-Reach (RIR) team at Northern Health held an Education Skills Day, bringing together over 70 Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) staff from across the Northern catchment for a day of learning, connection and collaboration.

Guided by the theme Educate, Empower, Collaborate, the session reflected RIR’s commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centred care beyond the hospital setting.

RIR provides a seven-day service offering rapid face-to-face and telehealth reviews to support RACF staff in caring for residents. Since 2023, this model has expanded virtually to Hume and other regional areas of Victoria, improving access to specialist care. Referrals are received from a range of sources including facility staff, Ambulance Victoria, the Virtual Emergency Department, general practitioners and family members.

The multidisciplinary RIR team, comprising Geriatricians, Registrars, a Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Consultants, works closely with RACF staff and GPs to deliver hospital-level care within residents’ homes. A key focus of the service is preventing avoidable hospital presentations and supporting safe transitions back into aged care following hospital stays.

Education remains central to this model of care. The recent Skills Day featured a combination of lectures and practical workshops designed to strengthen clinical knowledge, build confidence and support best-practice care delivery within facilities.

Topics included:

• Delivering care at the right time, in the right place
• Managing heart failure
• Advance care planning
• Recognising palliative care symptoms
• Updates in aged care
• Troubleshooting indwelling catheters

RIR Nurse Practitioner, Ann Dewey, highlighted the broader impact of the day, noting that it not only strengthens professional relationships but also creates opportunities to share knowledge and build the confidence and clinical capability of RACF staff.

As Residential In-Reach Clinical Nurse Consultant, Gagan Ahluwalia shared, “Collaboration turns knowledge into confidence, and confidence into better care. When we lift each other, we lift every patient we serve.”

Feedback from attendees reflected the value of the session:

• “An inspiring education day that helped build our confidence and skills—it’s great collaborating with the In-Reach service.”
• “A great learning experience that will support me in delivering the right, evidence-based care.”
• “I now have a better understanding of managing clinical situations, accessing support and communicating with families.”
• “The day reinforced my knowledge and increased my confidence in managing potential issues.”

Through initiatives like this, Residential In-Reach continues to strengthen partnerships, build capability and support high-quality care across the community. By educating, empowering and collaborating, the team reinforces Northern Health’s commitment to being Safe, Kind and Together, while maintaining excellence in the care of older people.

Last Thursday evening, Northern Health’s Spiritual Care, Palliative Care, Mental Health and Social Work teams hosted a Memorial Service to honour the memory of those who passed away at Northern Health between June and November 2025.

The service, ‘A time to remember’, was an opportunity for loved ones and staff to join together to remember those who passed away. The service also paid tribute to Northern Health staff who passed away during this time.

The event was attended by about 130 family members and staff. The Northern Health Community Choir performed at the service and was joined by members of the Whittlesea Community Choir. Melbourne Market Authority kindly supported the event by donating the flower arrangements.

During the service, guests were invited to reflect by choosing a butterfly that represented an element – grief, courage, memories, love, peace and hope – that was meaningful to them. The butterflies were placed on a community tree in memory of those being honoured, creating a very colourful representative of attendees thoughts and feelings.

Julius Quiring, Nurse Unit Manager, Palliative Care Unit, said the occasion was such a beautiful atmosphere.

“From the conversations afterwards, it was clear the service meant a lot to families, giving them an opportunity to remember and honour their loved ones. Some families were excited to see some of us there,” he said.

“One family member approached me after the service and said she didn’t feel comfortable speaking in front of everyone but wanted to let me know how much she appreciated the whole team and how we made a really difficult time easier for their family.”

“Hearing all the positive feedback about Northern Health, and especially our Palliative Care Unit, was truly touching and a reminder of why we do what we do.”

Natalia Dewiyani, Spiritual Care Coordinator, thanked all staff who were involved in organising another memorable event.

“It is a privilege to be working with kind and compassionate colleagues. You have made a difference to the patients and families who are blessed to be cared for by you,” she said.

“Thank you for being who you are and doing what you do.”

Adj. Prof Debra Bourne, Chief Executive, attended the service. She said it was another deeply moving and uplifting event where families could gather to honour their loved ones who have passed.

“These occasions are incredibly important to our community. Often, this is the place where they last saw their loved one, and the opportunity to return, to share stories, and to grieve alongside others, and with the staff who care for them, is an important part of the hearing journey,” she said.

“I was so proud to hear from families who shared that they had a positive experience at Northern Health. It is truly special to have staff who care for patients.”

Yesterday, (17 May) was IDAHOBIT – International Day Against Homophobia, Biphopbia, Interphobia and Transphobia – an opportunity to take a stand against discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people.

IDAHOBIT is the anniversary of 17 May 1990, when the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases. The first IDAHOBIT was held in 2005 and is today acknowledged by millions of people globally.

IDAHOBIT has had many names and meanings around the world since 2005 when the day was first acknowledged:

2005 – the day was known as IDAHO, standing for International Day Against Homophobia

2011 – The name was updated to IDAHOT, standing for International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

2018 – The name was updated to IDAHOBIT, standing for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia.

2022 – IDAHOBIT grew to be referenced to as the Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination to specifically include those of us who are lesbian, queer and asexual.

Reflecting on the importance of inclusion, safety and belonging in the workplace, Casey O’Brien, Manager, Staff Wellbeing, and member of the Rainbow Subcommittee said, “IDAHOBIT Day reminds us that psychologically safe workplaces are built when every person feels seen, respected and able to bring their whole self to work,” she said.

“The wellbeing of our staff depends on creating environments where LGBTIQ+ people feel safe, included and supported every day – not just today.”

Lisa Shih, Allied Health Assistant – Occupational Therapy, and member of the Rainbow Working Group said, being part of the Rainbow Working Group here at Northern Health has been a great way to contribute to the awareness of our queer colleagues and patients.

“Especially in this current climate where our sheer existence is considered controversial by some, we need to lift up queer and gender diverse voices in public and professional spaces more than ever,” Lisa said.

Max Lynch, Program Manager, Craigieburn and Mernda Community Mental Health, reflected on the past six decades, and felt proud on how far Australia – and our communities, had come.

“While terms like IDAHOBIT and LGBTQI+ may seem like acronyms and tongue twisters, they carry deep meaning – representing history, oppression, bravery, identity, resilience, and progress,” Max said.

“They remind us to move beyond tolerance, towards acceptance, genuine respect, inclusion, and to embrace difference. IDAHOBIT acknowledges the harm experienced in the past and the shared responsibility to create safe, inclusive, and affirming environments for all.”

“IDAHOBIT is not just about awareness – it is about action and continuing to build a culture where everyone feels valued and supported.”

To celebrate IDAHOBIT, Northern Health had brightly colourful displays across campuses. Staff also attended a special presentation by guest speaker Maria Kairouz – an LGBTQ identifying psychotherapist who combines her lived experience and professional expertise to her work with individuals, couples and communities to navigate the often complex terrain or trauma, identify and healing.