September 2021
-
Put lymphoma in the limelight
The community is encouraged to put lymphoma in the limelight during September, as part of Lymphoma Awareness Month. Yesterday also marked World Lymphoma Awareness Day, which is celebrated every year on 15 September to raise awareness of cancers of the lymphatic system. According to Lymphoma Australia – a charity dedicated to supporting lymphoma patients, carers and health professionals – there is a new lymphoma diagnosis every two hours in Australia. However, lymphoma is currently classed as a low priority cancer in Australia. Lymphoma Australia aims to improve community awareness to assist in early diagnosis and access to the best possible…
-
Meet your Wellbeing team
Northern Health has a new Wellbeing team that consists of three team members – Stephen Whittaker, Wellbeing Team Leader, Renee Camilleri, Wellbeing Advisor, and Casey O’Brien, Wellbeing Project Psychologist. The team will be working to implement initiatives throughout the organisation to Protect, Promote and Support our staff’s mental health and wellbeing, with the ultimate goal of giving our staff the best opportunity to THRIVE. Many of you would have seen the story on Stephen Whittaker back in June. Right now, the team are very focused on supporting staff in the midst of the current Covid-19 situation across Melbourne, making ‘Wellbeing…
-
World Sepsis Day: Stop sepsis, save lives
Yesterday was World Sepsis Day (WSD), an initiative by the Global Sepsis Alliance to spread community awareness about sepsis, and strategies in infection prevention and early recognition. WSD is held on 13 September every year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against sepsis. Sepsis arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It may lead to shock, multi-organ failure and death, especially if not recognised early and treated promptly. Sepsis is a global health crisis. It affects between 47 and 50 million people worldwide every year and at…
-
Medtasker data showing success
The ‘preMETs on Medtasker’ project was launched 13 April 2021, moving preMET calls from the paging system to Medtasker and allowing direct communication between clinical staff i.e. nurse to doctor, in line with Standard 8. Sandy Ayuob, Medtasker Project Officer, explains benefits of this change include lessening the workload for Switchboard, a faster and more reliable two-way communication, and the ability to record and review data, with time-stamped information. To monitor the progress of the project, the team conducted a pre-implementation and post-implementation survey. “In the pre-implementation survey, we wanted to find out what staff thoughts were on moving preMets…
-
Can a conversation be life-saving?
This month, we marked ‘R U OK? Day’, a day dedicated to checking in on your loved ones, your colleagues and on yourself as well. This year’s theme, “Are they really OK? Ask them today”, invites us to dig deeper and go past the usual “I’m OK, how are you?” The current pandemic has brought many challenges to our staff – both at work and at home. One of our colleagues, Dr Vinita Rane, wrote a letter to share how the pandemic has impacted her and her family: I am someone who struggles to name a favourite song, or favourite…
-
Dr Stefan Herodotou: 40 years at Northern Health
Dr Stefan Herodotou is celebrating an incredible 40 years at Northern Health. Stefan started working at PANCH on 1 May 1981. “Forty years of my life. How fast all those years have gone!” he said. “I feel it was only yesterday. I remember so vividly being interviewed for the job by Dr Peter Leslie, the then medical director, and my excitement a few days later when I was told that the job was mine. The job which would give me an infinite number of rewarding moments.” “A job which would give me highs and lows. Would give me excitement and…
-
Every child needs a fair go
This week marks National Child Protection Week (NCPW), which has been running since 1990, starting on Father’s Day each year in September. The week raises awareness of child abuse, to keep children and young people safe from harm, and to prevent them from entering the statutory child protection system. At Northern Health, the Social Work Department, in partnership with the Strengthening Hospital’s Response to Family Violence (SHRFV) teams, raise awareness on the harmful effects of child abuse and advocate for the prevention of child maltreatment. ​This year, the theme is ‘Every child, in every community, needs a fair go. To…
-
COVID-19 ready on Ward 22
Ward 22 on the Main Ward Block at Northern Hospital Epping has opened and been fitted out as a dedicated 28 bed pandemic ward. The ward is also purpose-built with full negative pressure environment. Ward 22 on Level 6 opened on Friday, and patients were relocated from the previous COVID Ward on Ward 20 on Friday afternoon. Associate Professor Craig Aboltins, Director of Infectious Diseases, said it was great to open the brand new ward designed to keep staff and patients as safe as possible. “We have up to date equipment and highly trained staff with all COVID PPE available.…