2021
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Raising funds for life-changing equipment at Northern Health
Northern Health Foundation has launched their 2021 Tax Appeal, seeking support from our community to raise funds for life-changing Ophthalmology equipment at Northern Health. The team are aiming to purchase a new Phacoemulsification Machine and Ophthalmic Microscope for cataract surgical procedures. The thought of losing your eyesight can be a terrifying and daunting prospect. Around 11 per cent of people over 40 years of age experience cataracts – a number that will rise as our community ages and our population increases. When a person experiences a cataract, there is a clouding in the normally clear lens of the eye, which…
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Michelle Fenwick: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
To achieve our overall vision of ‘A healthier community, making a difference for every person, every day’, we require a workforce that reflects the Australian community we serve and a workplace which is inclusive and empowers everyone to contribute their best. At the end of last year, the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee finalised Northern Health’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2020-24 which I am pleased to present to you today. The plan outlines our commitment to our staff and the northern community, breaking down barriers that stop individuals from feeling fully included. Our focus is on Aboriginal and…
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Walking proud in the north
On Sunday, 23 May, Northern Health marched at Pride March to show support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) community. This is the second year Northern Health took part in the march as part of Pride in the North in collaboration with DPV Health, Nexus Health, Sunbury Cobaw Community Health, Kilmore District Health and Hume-Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership. Electra Ulrich, co-chair of the LGBTIQA+ Working Group, took part in the march. She said as someone who identifies as part of the rainbow community, Pride March held an important personal meaning. “I have gone to a…
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Simon says: Meet our Director of Partnerships
Simon Doyle, our new Director of Partnerships, has worked at many health services across the country, but he says the people at Northern Health are “particularly forward thinking” in designing how their services are run. “I love hearing about pockets of innovation in different departments and hearing how passionate our people are about driving improvement. Part of my role is connecting these pockets across the organisation and with other external partners, and it’s great to see ideas become success stories,” Simon said. Simon has been in the new role since February, but his Northern Health journey began in 2015 as…
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Wear your loudest socks with pride – on the outside!
Today is Crazy Socks 4 Docs Day, dedicated to breaking down the stigma around mental health in doctors. On this day, held every year on the first Friday of June, doctors and their colleagues wear their craziest socks to encourage conversations around mental health. Dr Wanda Stelmach, Chief Medical Officer, said Crazy Socks 4 Docs Day reminds us to pause and think about our inner health, our friends and work mates. “It’s hard to look after our health with all the pressure of work, but we need to get that balance between work, family and self. Take time each week…
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World Environment Day: Small changes, big impact
Increasingly hospitals are recognising the interaction between health care and environmental degradation and are attempting to break it. This starts with an awareness around the ‘inputs’ and ‘outputs’ of a hospital i.e. energy, water and consumables go in, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste come out. The waste coming out of a hospital has impacts on the air, water and land and this, in turn, has impacts on public health, leading to increased health care provision requirements. The cycle goes on. Reducing the environmental impact our operational activities have on the environment can increase staff morale and ultimately contribute to the…
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Introducing our new EMR website!
Northern Health announced the beginning of our Electronic Medical Record (EMR) program in November 2020. Since then, the team has been busy designing our EMR clinical workflows with our subject matter experts. Alongside this activity, the team has been collaborating with Public Affairs on a new website designed for staff across Northern Health to access the latest information about our EMR and have one single source of truth for all things EMR. Today, we are excited to launch this new website: emr.nh.org.au. Over the journey of our EMR program, you will see information and resources grow. Closer to training in June 2022, you will have access…
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Knitting up a storm for our newborn babies
The Kangaroo Flat Uniting Church Craft Group have knitted up a storm creating beautiful handmade beanies for our newborn babies. About 300 beanies and other knitted clothing items, blankets and isolette covers have recently been donated to the Birthing Suite and Neonatal Unit (NNU) at Northern Hospital to keep newborn babies warm after birth. The craft group has been donating baby beanies and isolette covers to Northern Health for more than eight years. Pamela Doherty, Acting Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) Birthing Suite, said the craft group go out of their way to ensure the beanies arrive at the hospital. “My…