NAIDOC Week celebrates and recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Stephanie Thompson, Aboriginal Liaison Officer and proud Gunditjmara woman, says, “This year’s NAIDOC Week theme Get up! Stand up! Show up! celebrates our ancestor’s history by doing just that, getting up, standing up and showing up! Celebrating many who have driven and led change within our communities and continue to do so.”

This year, in addition to the display in the foyer at Northern Hospital Epping and at our other sites, we also had for the first time a Video Gallery, as part of our online display.

Over 200 entries from across the health service were received for the 2022 NAIDOC Quiz. The questions were centred on the 2022 theme and participants needed to correctly answer all questions. Congratulations to our winners below:

1st prize winner: Vikramjit Multani (ICT)

2nd prize winner: Sharryn Beard (Partnerships)

3rd prize winner: Cem Sonnez (NorthWestern Area Mental Health Service, Brunswick Community Team)

Vikram said, “I am thrilled to have won the first prize and played a small part in the NAIDOC Week celebrations!”

Narrun Wilip-giin (Aboriginal Support Unit) would like to thank everyone who participated.

In other highlights, at the Research Grand Round held on 14 July, we heard from Jack Bulman, CEO of Mibbinbah Spirit Healing in Queensland. Jack is a Muthi Muthi man from South Western New South Wales.

Jack spoke about his work with Indigenous communities across Australia. Back in 2005, he started running programs for men and subsequently Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community programs such as the ‘Be the Best you can Be’ program.

Narrun Wilip-giin also kindly gifted Aboriginal designed children’s colouring books and pencils, supported by Northern Health Foundation, to all children in the Children’s Ward during NAIDOC Week.

The book’s artwork has been created by Gary Saunders, a proud Bangerang, Yorta Yorta, Wiradjeri, Dja Dja Wurrung man.

As Karen Bryant, Senior Aboriginal Liaison Officer and proud Gunditjmara woman, says, “NAIDOC Week is important to me. It’s a time to relish in my culture with my family, grandchildren and community. It’s a special time of year where our mob can connect, educate and celebrate all aspects of First Nations histories and culture with non-Indigenous people.”

Featured image shows first and third prize winners of the NAIDOC Quiz – Vikramjit Multani and Cem Sonnez, with the prizes they won

In the last week of June, a group from Safer Care Victoria (SCV) attended the Learning Improvement Science (LISN) at Northern Health program. The participants were a mix of Clinical Fellows completing a one-year fellowship through SCV on improvement projects, and other various staff from SCV.

Northern Health currently offer the program to all internal staff interested in learning and developing skills in improvement science. It is also offered to external health services as a professional development day. The day is facilitated by the Northern Health Transformation Unit, alongside an improvement expert from The Royal Children’s Hospital, Simon Lane.

Part of the day for the SCV staff included a tour of the Ideas Lab located on level 3 of NCHER, and learning about other innovation work Northern Health is involved in, including Better @ Home and the Big Idea initiatives. A number of the SCV fellows are partnering with Northern Health staff on improvement projects, and took the opportunity to do a site visit including the pharmacy and maternity unit.

Feedback provided by SCV staff has been extremely positive. Ma’ayan Geffen, Clinical Fellow from SCV, said, “I left feeling really energised and excited about implementing what I had learnt into practice. I will definitely share my experience with colleagues and recommend the program to others.”

“LISN is an Action Learning Workshop built around a simulation of the Day Procedure Unit (DPU), where multiple improvement cycles are conducted to improve patients’ clinical outcomes and access, reduce documentation errors, while at the same time improving efficiency,” explains Laura Hughes, Workshop Facilitator and Project Manager.

The theoretical concepts taught throughout the day include identification of waste in a system, built in quality, standard daily work, levelling, continuous flow, pull systems and 5S.

“This action learning approach assists participants to explore and question their assumptions about what is required to improve performance of a care delivery system, see waste in a system, and enables staff to make small changes that can have system level benefits,” Laura added.

If you are interested in attending a LISN workshop day, please contact lisn.hro@nh.org.au.

Dates for the remainder of 2022 are: 8 August, 6 September, 4 October and 13 December.

As Raelene Hunter, Health Information Services (HIS), Clerical Supervisor, prepares to retire from Northern Health, she reflects on all the change she has witnessed over the years. She recalls the days when patient records were kept in compactors in the basement at PANCH. “The compactors were so full and heavy they used to close on you!” says Raelene.

“There were two doors in the basement which led out to Bell Street. We would come in some mornings and there would be strangers wandering around not knowing how to get out.”

She also recalls, “two cleaners who would hide in the compactors and knit!”

Raelene commenced working in HIS at PANCH in December 1989. She says, “At PANCH, the department was on two floors – the main floor and the basement. There was a small lift to send trolley loads of patient records between the two floors.”

In Raelene’s time, the department has changed its name a number of times, from Medical Records to HIS, Client Data Management (CDM) and back to HIS.

Raelene has seen HIS move from using a paper medical record to scanning medical records into CPF, using Tracer Cards (to track the location of the paper based medical record), different patient administration systems including HOSPRO and IPM, and now to Electronic Medical Record (EMR).

After 33 years, Raelene leaves with a store house of memories. She remembers the days baked goodies used to be supplied in the canteen for morning and afternoon tea, and huge Christmas lunches that included seafood.

Some memories still cause her to chuckle. “The basement at PANCH used to flood after heavy rain, so we soon learnt to bring rubber boots to work if it had been raining.”

Despite the challenges – coping with change, being one – Raelene says the highlights of her time here include, “Working with a wide range of staff members and seeing them grow within their roles and working and learning from some great managers.”

High on the list is the introduction of computers, and “being part of the transition from paper records to scanned records.”

“I have worked with Terri Fiorenza and Trish Savino for about 25 years. I would like to thank them for their kindness and help over the years. Also, past and present managers for their help, guidance and understanding – it has been appreciated. And lastly, all the amazing staff I have worked with over the years – thank you,” shares Raelene.

Terri is grateful to have found a wonderful colleague and friend in Raelene, saying, “Raelene has been instrumental in leading the HIS clerical team through many changes, including a hospital relocation from PANCH to Northern Hospital, transitioning to a new medical record scanning system and implementation of a new patient administration system. Personally, Raelene has been a great friend and will be missed. I remember sharing many morning teas together at PANCH, and how we now reminisce on the ‘good old days’ at PANCH. I would like to wish Raelene all the very best for her well-deserved retirement.”

On behalf of everyone at Northern Health, we join Terri in wishing Raelene all the very best.

Picture shows Raelene Hunter in the foreground with her colleagues.

Longtime Northern Health Foundation supporter and patron Josie Minniti OAM, has generously donated $20,000 to the refurbishment of the Palliative Care Unit (PCU) garden at Northern Hospital Epping.

Her donation will go towards the centrepiece of the garden – a beautiful gazebo with an outdoor table, sofas, a barbecue, and blinds, for palliative care patients to share with their families, friends and loved ones. The garden surrounding the structure will be funded through money raised from Northern Health Foundation’s 2022 Dry July campaign.

The $20,000 was raised at Josie’s annual Dinner Dance Cancer Fundraiser, which was held in March. This year’s event marked the 25th year that Josie has hosted the event. Although the COVID-19 pandemic postponed her milestone event multiple times, the event was well attended.

“The garden will be a lovely space for patients to spend quality time with their loved ones,” Josie said.

Josie has funded many life-changing pieces of equipment for Northern Health. She is passionate about cancer services as her family has been personally touched by the disease. In the past, she has helped raise money for treatment chairs, waiting room chairs, a prostate cancer scanner and a refurbished room in the Children’s Ward.

“My family and I, and my supporters, feel very privileged to be in a position to provide a beautiful space for families to spend time together,” Josie said.

Josie’s donation will go a long way to ensure the garden is a beautiful, peaceful space, for families to enjoy with their loved ones, who are in end of life care.

Earlier this month, Northern Health Foundation hosted a sausage sizzle fundraiser and a cake stand, with all proceeds going to Dry July. Tomorrow, staff will be able to buy pizza slices for a gold coin donation, in the Northern Hospital Epping foyer from 1 pm.

Northern Health Foundation is grateful for the support Josie has shown over the many years. We thank her, and everyone who has contributed to the Foundation’s Dry July campaign, for their incredible support for an important cause.

To donate to our Dry July campaign, click here.

Featured image: Steve Micallef, Team Leader Grounds, Engineering and Building Services and Josie Minniti

The Hon Daniel Andrews MP, Premier of Victoria, visited Northern Hospital Epping this morning to announce additional funding for the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED).

The state government will provide a $162 million package to improve Ambulance Victoria’s operations, to help ensure patients are taken to hospital quickly, freeing up paramedics and ambulances to get back on the road faster.

As part of the funding, the VVED capacity will be doubled to allow up to 500 patients per day to access this service, which connects patients with non-life-threatening emergencies to nurses and doctors virtually via video call. It also allows paramedics to connect suitable patients to the program, while on scene, for virtual assessment, management and referral.

The eligibility criteria for the VVED will also expand to people living in residential aged care facilities and everyone on the COVID-19 Positive Pathway Programs.

In attendance with the Victorian Premier was The Hon Mary-Anne Thomas MP, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Felicity Topp, Acting Chief Executive Ambulance Victoria, and representatives from Northern Health and Ambulance Victoria.

Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister Mary-Anne Thomas and Felicity Topp met with Jennifer Williams AM, Northern Health Board Chair, Siva Sivarajah, Northern Health Chief Executive, Dr Loren Sher, Clinical Director VVED, Hayley Gray, Nurse Unit Manager VVED, and Ambulance Victoria representatives for a tour of our VVED at Northern Hospital Epping.

The tour was followed by a press conference, where Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement. Dr Loren Sher and Amanda Thornton from Ambulance Victoria spoke on how the VVED benefits patients, paramedics and the wider community. They were also joined by Doreen local, Valerie Patragoulas, who has used the VVED on multiple occasions and is thrilled with the service.

“Health care systems around the world are under pressure as we battle new variants alongside other respiratory illnesses – this package forms part of our plan to support our healthcare workers and get Victorians the care they deserve,” said Premier Daniel Andrews. 

“We’ll have more paramedics working alongside our nurses and doctors, to get more support to Victorians who can be treated in their home. Plus the tools to get patients the best care in the right place if they need to go to hospital.”

Minister Mary-Anne Thomas thanked health care workers for their contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This package will help ambulances and hospitals work more closely together to get people the care they need, as soon as they need it,” she said.

After a long career dedicated to Northern Health, Christine McGowan has decided the time has come to hang up her honorary scrubs.

If Northern Health were a person, with staff making up the body, then this lovely lady would have to be at the very heart and soul.

Known to many as ‘Mrs Northern Health’, Christine McGowan embodies the very essence of what it means to work at Northern Health. She is inclusive – bringing people together and inspiring them to work passionately and have fun while doing so. She is incredibly kind – her relationships with staff, volunteers, patients, and residents is testament to that. And in caring for everyone around her, Christine provides safety and comfort, not only in the quality of care she gives, but in making people feel heard and safe enough to be themselves.

Christine McGowan began her service at PANCH 34 years ago, where she worked on the switchboard. Once PANCH was relocated to the newly built hospital in Epping, the Northern became her new home.

During her time at Northern Health, Christine has taken on many roles, including a full time admin role in Social Work. During this time, she was instrumental in coordinating the volunteer driver service and Peer Support Program. This is where her passion for volunteer services was ignited.

Christine spent many years as the volunteer coordinator at Northern Hospital and then moved over to Bundoora Centre, which she fondly refers to as ‘Beccles’.

Henni Wade, Manager of Volunteer Services, says, “Her greatest love was our volunteers. Christine received so much joy from watching volunteers develop confidence in their abilities. Our volunteer program often takes on university students or migrants who are looking for a career in health, and Christine would be like a proud mother when they landed their first job! We have quite a number of staff who got their foot in the door from starting off as a volunteer. Christine has followed the careers of many of our volunteers.”

Patients at Ian Brand Residential Care will miss Christine’s regular visits. Prior to COVID-19 disrupting the volunteer program, Christine would organise school groups to visit and the children would sing songs, play games and chat with the residents.

“Some of the patients in Ian Brand are non-verbal and as soon as Christine walked in, no words were necessary, the smiles on patient’s faces said it all,” says Henni.

According to Christine, “The volunteers will always hold a special place in my heart – the interviews, the chats – just like a big family who care about each other and the health service, and who work hard to make a difference. That makes me very proud and gives me comfort and joy.”

Christine was also a big supporter of the work of the Northern Health Foundation and it was no effort for her to get up at 5 am to help set up for an event, as long as she had a coffee in hand. She helped organise fun-runs, golf-days, BBQs, Annual Dinners, and was a proud Work-Place Giving ambassador.

Pina Di Donato, Acting Executive Director, Public Affairs and Foundation, is extremely grateful for Christine’s contribution to Northern Health Foundation.

“There is something very special about Christine. She has the ability to make everyone feel welcome, from staff, to donors and patrons, and guests at our events. She remembers everyone by name and genuinely listens to people. She will be missed by many. Northern Health is certainly richer for having had Christine on staff. We wish her all the best for her retirement,” says Pina.

Featured image (left to right): Pina Di Donato, Acting Executive Director Public Affairs and Foundation; Christine McGowan; Henni Wade, Manager Volunteer Services; Natalie Carroll, Volunteer Coordinator.

This morning, Northern Health commenced a new fourth dose (or winter dose) COVID-19 vaccination clinic for staff.

Led by the infection prevention team, the clinic is located in Ward 1 at Northern Hospital Epping, and will operate via bookings only.

In light of increasing infection rates impacting our community, ATAGI has extended the availability of a fourth dose (or winter booster) for those aged over 30.

First to receive their fourth dose at the new clinic was Chief Executive, Siva Sivarajah (pictured above).

Elisha O’Dowd, Nurse Unit Manager, Infection Prevention and Surveillance, said, “Unfortunately the pandemic is not over and rising winter cases continue to impact our health service through a spike in COVID-19 patients and loss of workforce.”

“A winter booster dose is a great way to protect ourselves, our workforce and our community. I will be rolling up my sleeve for a fourth dose and I encourage all our eligible colleagues to join me,” Elisha added.

New Omicron subvariants have recently become dominant in Victoria, bringing with them an increased ability to evade immunity from vaccinations and earlier COVID-19 infections.

In response, there have been some changes made to Victoria’s public health recommendations to help reduce COVID-19 transmission amid a new wave of infections driven by the Omicron subvariants.

The interval recommended between a recent COVID-19 infection or your third dose and a winter dose is now three months – reduced from four months.

Thank you to all involved in setting up this new clinic. We encourage all eligible staff to receive their fourth dose as soon as possible.

To book in, click here. Select ‘winter dose’ and enter the code NHSC-STAFF when prompted.  

On 3 June this year, the Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing hosted the Cultural Diversity in Ageing Excellence Awards 2021.

The Excellence Awards recognise and showcase initiatives that promote excellence in the provision of culturally inclusive aged care services across Australia.

The award finalists for the Excellence in Organisational Leadership category were Northern Health, Bolton Clarke, and the Australian Multicultural Community Services.

We are pleased to announce that the winner for this category was Northern Health, for its in-house Transcultural & Language Services (TALS) Department.

Here is what they said about our winning TALS team:

“In response to the rapid growth in population and cultural diversity in its catchment, in 2007, Northern Health restructured its Transcultural & Language Services Department to standardise services across all its hospitals, and better address demand for interpreters. Since then, Northern Health grew its in-house staff from four interpreters covering four languages, to almost 50 covering 17 languages. Additionally, at the same time, demand for interpreters grew from just over 15,000 requests per annum, to almost 80,000 in 2021. Today, an interpreter is booked for 20 per cent of all appointments in over 100 languages.

As well as shifting from outsourcing demand to external agencies, to covering requests in-house to guarantee greater access to interpreters, Northern Health added new portfolios to its language services: translation of medical material, transcultural training for all staff, and education opportunities. Northern Health also developed and implemented successive Cultural Responsiveness Plans, and ensured all research projects included patients with limited English proficiency, so that the research produced reflected the catchment in which it operates. These strategies resulted in better patient care, and improved health outcomes for CALD Australians, including halving the gap in length of stay in hospital between patients who require an interpreter and those who don’t.”

The award was received by Yue Hu, Director TALS, who gave a beautiful speech.

“I was excited to see language service being valued in caring for older culturally and linguistically diverse Australians. It is all about respect and dignity when we listen to what older people have to say and make decisions about their own care. Interpreting services provide a voice for everyone to do so, regardless of what language they speak,” she said.

Congratulations to TALS for the outstanding work put in to receive this honour and recognition!