Northern Pathology Victoria is moving in the right direction when it comes to efficient laboratory practices with the aid of the Abbott GLP Track.

Following the lab transitioning to an in-house service at Northern Health in 2019, a milestone in itself, plans were being made to upgrade the equipment to help streamline the laboratories workflows.

Northern Pathology’s principal scientist Niki Lee commented, “We’ve had lots of interest from other public pathology labs wanting to come and view the track, I think we’re one of the best labs out there.”

The track itself, the first in Victoria, is fully automated and includes various modules dedicated to specific tasks along the samples journey. Reading barcodes, weighing, de-capping test tubes and splitting tubes into sub-samples (Aliquots) are just some of the pre-analysis tasks it can do.

“Hopefully by the end of the year we’ll be able to integrate a new hematology analyser to the system, adding to our existing analysers along the track,” said Mr Lee.

The system is fully upgradable and expandable, with the ability to grow with the service as required, but the real heroes of pathology are the people. The GLP Track is able to take on some of the essential yet mundane elements of the process, freeing up the staff to focus their efforts and expertise on other pivotal moments in the lab.

“Because the track picks up errors earlier in the process, staff enjoy a more efficient workflow and that leads to better patient flow throughout the hospital,” Mr Lee added.

Northern Pathology Victoria continues to forge ahead. Thank-you for your innovation and your tireless testing.

Featured image: Northern Pathology staff leading the way.

Northern Health is proud to be a part of the Timely Emergency Care Collaborative (TECC), a statewide initiative involving 15 health services and Ambulance Victoria. Officially launched last month, the primary focus of TECC is to identify systemic opportunities to improve access to emergency care and address them.

Lora Davies, Divisional Director of Access and Sub-Acute Services, said, “We’re improving the way we process our patients, from when they come in the front door to when they leave, to ensure that everything is streamlined and to support a safe and calm environment for both patients and staff.”

Some improvements to the process are already bearing fruit, like weekend huddles for the Plastics and Orthopaedics teams allowing for potential early patient discharges, streamlining radiology visits post-surgery, and discharge scripts post ward rounds.

The addition of a virtual triage next to the emergency waiting room has been an outstanding success.  Since the launch, the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) team has successfully served over 300 patients. Remarkably, out of these patients, an impressive 270 individuals were able to return home following their virtual consultation, thanks to the efficient and accurate assessment provided by the program. This streamlined process eliminates the need for patients to endure lengthy waiting times and enables them to receive timely care without compromising quality.

The ultimate goal of TECC is to optimise patient placement and ensure every patient receives the right care in the right place, the first time. Optimising patient flow through the hospital is key to ensuring patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) are cared for in a timely manner.  Sometimes referring patients to Priority Primary Care Centres (PPCC) outside of the hospital is a far more efficient use of resources, once patients are expertly assessed and given alternatives for their care, based on specific criteria.

The initiative is truly collaborative, combining three streams within the hospital operational, inpatient and emergency department.

“This ensures the best flow through the hospital that we can, which means less wait times in ED, by ensuring the right patients are presenting to emergency, and that we prioritise timely discharges to facilitate beds for patients moving from ED to the wards,” said James Ash, Senior Pharmacist.

The more staff are actively involved and collaborate in this initiative, the better able we’ll be to improve our hospital’s emergency care services. Together, we can make a significant difference in delivering timely and quality care to our patients.

We encourage you to take this opportunity to share your insights, suggestions, and experiences, as they will play a crucial role in shaping the success of TECC. A link to the ideas scale is found here.

Featured image: Staff promoting TECC at the launch.

The Audiology department is based at Northern Hospital Epping, and aims to identify and manage hearing impairment in children from six months to adults, referred from within Northern Health. Most referrals come from the Ear Nose and Throat Service and the Paediatrics teams, with some from Oncology, Neurology, Infectious Diseases and other clinics.

Audiology operates five days a week and consists of two part-time audiologists, Jasna Bruce and Yen Nguyen. The department is located in Specialist Clinics (Room 36) and is supported by the Associate Director of Allied Health – Dietetics, Speech Pathology, Audiology and Orthoptics.

An audiologist is a health-care professional specialising in identifying, and the non-medical management of disorders of the auditory and vestibular system. Audiologists also help design and implement personal and industrial hearing safety programs, newborn hearing screening programs, school hearing screening programs, and provide special fitting ear plugs and other hearing protection devices to help prevent hearing loss.

During the pandemic, the clinic was closed for a time and became innovative by partnering with community audiology clinics to assist with the demand. During this time, Audiologist Jasna Bruce became a PPE trainer for Allied Health and a COVID-19 spotter for the Mental Health wards (when they were in the Red zone), and also a COVID-19 Tracer at Broadmeadows Hospital during lockdowns.

“It was a really interesting time and one that I will never forget, but I really enjoy working at Northern Health and have been here for 13 years.  I enjoy Audiology because hearing is associated with speech development, learning, behaviour and the wellbeing of children. It is also associated with many quality-of-life measures for adults, so it’s very important to detect hearing loss and do something about it if needed,” said Jasna.

“As you can imagine, we have lots of supportive conversations with patients during their time in the Audiology clinic. One of the best feelings is when a child is diagnosed with a conductive hearing loss, has grommets inserted and immediately we see their hearing improve to normal.”

In 2023, the staff are excited about achieving significantly reduced patient waiting times.

“With the increased staffing, we are able to service referrals and review patients in a timely manner. Less pressure on the whole department allows us to be more thorough with our follow-ups. We are also looking forward to potentially expanding our services into other areas of audiology in future,” said Yen.

“If the door is open, please come and say ‘hi’.”

Thank you to the Audiology team for all that you do for our patients.

Pictured in featured image (L-R): Yen Nguyen and Jasna Bruce.

Reverend Melanie Moore, Anglican and Palliative Care Chaplain at Northern Health, was recently awarded the Best of Care Award 2023 by Spiritual Care Australia (SCA).

Melanie was presented with this honour at the SCA Conference in June for her best practice and excellence within the spiritual care sector. SCA is the professional association of practitioners in spiritual care, pastoral care and chaplaincy.

“I feel humbled and honoured. I didn’t even have an acceptance speech written as I was doubtful I would win. I am thankful for being nominated and for working with such wonderful people across many disciplines within Northern Health,” she said.

Melanie has been delivering spiritual care since 2004, and since 2006 at Northern Health, where she promotes spiritual wellbeing and continuity of care to a diverse range of patients, their support network, and staff.

As the Anglican and Palliative Care Chaplain at Northern Health, Melanie spends most of her time in the Palliative Care Unit at Northern Hospital Epping, supporting the spiritual and emotional wellbeing of patients, their loved ones and staff. As an Anglican priest, she also supports patients who request rituals in the Anglican faith tradition and leads bereavement support service to care for the next of kin patient who have died on the ward.

“The role is varied, and I love it. The rewards are numerous. I absolutely love the way that person-centred listening, compassion, and support can bring hope, peace and resilience for our patients and their support people,” Melanie said.

“A great reward is working with such dedicated staff who share my love in caring for and supporting others – it’s not just a job.”

Melanie says a common misconception about the Spiritual Care department is that it only offers faith rituals to those who identify with a faith tradition, and chats with “lonely” patients. While this is true, the department offers much more.

“Spiritual Carers are trained and accredited to assess and support individuals’ spiritual and emotional needs in the form of a supportive presence, conversations, rituals and ceremonies and supply sacred texts and resources,” she said.

“We respect and support individuals’ belief systems and values. A hospital admission can challenge deeply held beliefs, life meaning, and purpose. Our team is available to support individuals as they seek to process and integrate their experiences, and we refer to support services as required.”

Reflecting on her award, Melanie says her close-knit team inspires her to do her best every day.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful people I work with – our small but mighty Spiritual Care team and the Palliative Care Multidisciplinary team. You inspire me,” she said.

Natalia Dewiyani, Spiritual Care Coordinator, said it was a privilege to work alongside Melanie.

“She has dedicated herself to Northern Health for 17 years. Winning the national award is an outstanding achievement and a testament of her excellence care and dedication. Her knowledge, wisdom, skills and most importantly, her caring heart, is an invaluable asset for us and Northern Health. Congratulations Mel, you truly deserve it,” she said.

Dr Cheryl Holmes OAM, Chief Executive Officer, Spiritual Health Australia, said Melanie exemplifies the standard of spiritual care that should be in place across every health service.

“Congratulations Melanie on this recognition for your work as part of the Northern Health Spiritual Care team,” she said.

On behalf of everyone at Northern Health, we give Melanie a big congratulations on this significant achievement. Thank you for all the work you do for our patients and their loved ones.

Featured image: Northern Health Spiritual Carers Kelly Pinto and Reverend Melanie Moore with Natalia Dewiyani, Spiritual Care Coordinator.

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Michael Cooney, Nurse Practitioner, Oncology/Haematology.

Q: Tell us about your journey with Northern Health?

A: I have been caring for people affected by cancer, in a range of nursing roles, for around 35 years. For the last 11 years, I have been here at Northern Health. During that time, I have seen so many things change about Northern Health but have also noted how many things have stayed the same. I began my journey with Northern Health whilst I was employed at Peter Mac – assisting Maree Glynn and Lucia Bento with the development of the Oncology Nurse Practitioner (NP) Model of Care, as I was trying to develop a similar role for Peter Mac at the time. This was my first exposure to the personal dedication and commitment that people at Northern Health seem to have towards providing the best possible care to cancer patients, that I have since experienced at Northern.

I was fortunate enough to be chosen as the new Oncology NP Candidate and began working with what was a relatively young cancer service – both in how long the service had been running and the ages of the staff that made it up – the NP candidate was (and still is) older than almost all the consultant medical staff and certainly older than the registrars and residents. This made for some awkwardly funny times on morning rounds, where the patient would assume the older man in the suit (I tended to overdress in those days) was clearly the consultant – and so addressed all their attention, comments and questions to me, virtually ignoring the skilled and more qualified medical practitioner standing beside them.

Being here at Northern Health has provided me with the opportunity to participate in the development of  some fantastic patient care initiatives: exercise physiology referral and exercise groups for patients having chemotherapy, nurse-led care for patients commencing treatment for myeloma, establishing the cancer care coordinator role, setting up of one of the best Symptom Urgent Review Clinics (SURC) in Victoria and currently, a project to establish a nurse-led supportive care service for patients receiving oral cancer therapies.

I am now working fewer hours – trying to begin the difficult process of establishing a better work-life balance. I have found it to be mixed in its blessings. I now have the opportunity to do a little volunteering work that I’ve always wanted to do and have time to go camping or cycling or paddling, all of which I love to do. It means though, that I have given up spending time doing work I love with people I think are amazing at what they do and believe in giving the best they can to the people they care for – that’s hard to give away.

Q: What motivates you in your current role? 

A: I think a couple of things motivate me in my work. I believe in my work. It means something to me to be good at it. Being good at my work means that I can make a real difference to the experience of a person with cancer who is being cared for here at Northern Health. I love what I do.

The second thing that motivates me is the people I work with. Since I started working at Northern in 2011, I have described my experience of my work as “Christmas every day”. That is not as Pollyanna as it sounds. Through my more than 30 years of working in public, private, inpatient and outpatient care settings, I have worked with smart people and caring people in organisations with famous reputations. Of course, I have had difficult times and there has been instability in the organisation – the horror of working through the pandemic, getting tired and frustrated – but at Northern Health, I have always felt the support of the kind, clever, dedicated and remarkable professionals I get to work with. I have worked in places where I know the patient and their family are well cared for, but Northern Health is the place where I have most felt that patients are also likely to feel that they are also cared about.

Q: Tell us something about you not many people know?

A: I am the middle child of nine – four above and four below, with a traditional Catholic upbringing. I turned out to be a nurse – “quell surprise!” My late father raised us in the idea that each person has a reason for being and something to contribute and it is their responsibility to make that contribution wherever they can. So as an homage to my dad, who was also a great dad-joker, I have a dolphin-like tattoo on my leg so that wherever I go, I will always know I have a porpoise!

Q: Favourite vacation destination? 

A: The place I haven’t been yet.

Q: Ice cream or cake?

A: Por que no los dos. But if I had to choose, my wife makes amazing cakes!

Those living in Melbourne’s north now have access to donor sperm and eggs through Australia’s first ever public egg and sperm bank, in partnership with the Royal Women’s Hospital.

The Northern Health clinic will provide eligible patients with access to a range of fertility services including specialist consultations, diagnostic tests, ultrasounds, medications and in-cycle management all closer to their home – helping cut down on unnecessary travel time and avoid indirect costs.

Access to the public fertility service at partner health services is available through a GP or specialist referral sent to the Royal Women’s Hospital, which will then organise for patients to receive their fertility treatment at the health service closest to their home.

Yesterday, Wednesday, 12 July, Minister for Health, The Hon Mary-Anne Thomas MP, visited the future fertility clinic site in Epping to meet with staff and discuss the investment in fertility care in Melbourne’s north.

“We’re so proud to be rolling out public fertility care at partner health services across Victoria – because your ability to start a family shouldn’t be limited by where you live,” said Minister Thomas.

Once fully operational, the $120 million program will help up to 5,000 Victorians every year to start or grow their family – helping them save up to $10,000. Since launching in October last year, more than 550 Victorians have already commenced their fertility journey.

“This new clinic in Epping is all about bringing fertility care to the heart of the community, meaning it’s more accessible and affordable for those wanting to start a family,” said Bronwyn Halfpenny MP, Member for Thomastown.

Minister Thomas had some wonderful things to say about Northern Health, our staff and the care we provide. Please watch the short video here.

You can also read the press coverage of yesterday’s event in the Herald Sun here.

On Wednesday, 5 July, Northern Health officially launched the Education and Training Strategic Plan 2023-27.

The Education and Training Strategic Plan will provide strategic direction for education and training over the next five years and will guide Northern Health and our partners as we work to meet the education and training of needs of our staff and community now, and into the future.

The event was well attended by internal and external stakeholders, including members of the Northern Health executive, managers, educators, clinical support nurses, administrative staff and academic partners from University of Melbourne and La Trobe University.

Siva Sivarajah, Chief Executive, welcomed guests and officially launched the plan.

“Education and training are pivotal to the successful implementation of the Northern Health Strategic Plan, as the ‘science’ of education will empower teams and enable staff through their engagement with the terrific learning culture here at Northern Health,” said Mr Sivarajah.

“In turn, this culture will help Northern Health to attract, retain and develop our workforce in a way that best meets the health needs of our diverse northern community.”

“We know that our community benefits from empowered teams collaborating together and it makes sense to harness this sense of collaboration across disciplines during the process of life-long learning. I look forward to the implementation progress of the Education and Training Strategic Plan and the contribution it makes to the transformational journey that Northern Health is on, in pursuit of a healthier community, making a difference for every person, every day,” Mr Sivarajah said.

Tony McGillion, Divisional Director, Education & Training, said, “We know that the evidence of effective Education and Training is corroborated by the safe, quality team-based care that we give our community and it makes perfect sense that the process of education and learning ensures that our consumers as the vital ingredients of a multi-disciplinary recipe for success.”

Over the past week, there have been several activities focusing on the importance of effective education and training, with a few still available to attend. You can view the full event program here.

To learn more, and to view the Education and Training Strategic Plan 2023-27, please click here.

Pictured in featured image (L-R): Peter Brack, Director, Education (Allied Health), Tony McGillion, Divisional Director, Education & Training, Siva Sivarajah, Chief Executive, Wanda Stelmach, Chief Medical Officer and Rob LoPresti, Chief Education Officer – RACGP

The Outpatients Department at Northern Health has approximately 60 administration staff working across three campuses – Northern Hospital Epping, Broadmeadows Hospital and Craigieburn Centre.

The Patient Management team is responsible for performing numerous duties, including scheduling appointments, greeting and checking-in patients, collecting patient information, answering phone calls, supporting clinicians and nursing staff, and directing patients to the appropriate departments. All of these tasks are essential for ensuring patients have a seamless experience when visiting Northern Health.

Kelly Luca, Administration Manager, says the Patient Management team play an integral role in ensuring patients receive the best care they need.

“They are the first point of contact when patients attend an outpatient appointment, and play a vital role in setting the tone for the entire patient experience. Their contribution is significant, and their work is invaluable”.

“Outpatients experience approximately 300,000 attendances per year, including face-to-face and telehealth appointments. Work can often be challenging, as they are required to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Staff need to have excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and a positive attitude. They also play an instrumental role in promoting the safety of patients, staff, and visitors,” she added.

The Contact Centre team answers approximately 3,000 calls per week relating to appointment changes, referrals and general enquiries. They must ensure the confidentiality of patient information and comply with the hospital’s policy and procedures.

Liz Fawcett, Clinic Lead and Project officer, says, “Our clerical workforce is invaluable in being able to deliver clinical Northern Health Outpatient Services. They are the friendly voice on the phone, the smiling face on the front desk and the kind words in an email, and often the first patient introduction to Northern Health. We are truly lucky to have such a dynamic and dedicated clerical workforce.”

Deanna Kernaghan, Administration Officer, who has recently joined the team, says, “I have really enjoyed working in Outpatients at Northern Health. The genuine care shown by staff towards patients and myself makes working here all that more meaningful and has allowed me to grow as an individual and employee.”

Sonia Tebano, Team Leader, Northern Hospital Epping Patient Management Team and Tori Caruso, Team Leader, Broadmeadows and Craigieburn Patient Management Team, provide their teams with leadership, guidance, and support. They also ensure the team is working collaboratively, effectively and efficiently towards achieving the department’s goals and objectives, while overseeing the day-to-day operations.

Sonia and Tori both agree the pandemic was a difficult time for all, however the Front of House (FOH) team within Northern Health Outpatient Services are embracing the return of patients face-to-face.

“FOH staff lead by example, ensuring a positive work environment, promoting teamwork and making sure patients receive the best customer service. We are proud to be part of such a caring team,” said Sonia.

Thank you to the Outpatients Patient Management team for all your hard work and dedication.

Pictured in featured image (L-R): Broadmeadows Hospital staff Vanessa Reali, Shontell Robertson, Louise Padovano, Zuleyha Kara, Tori Caruso.