The Northern Health Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Service has proudly led a national effort to develop and disseminate dedicated patient information materials for people with IBD, a potentially debilitating condition that affects over 100,000 Australians.

Initiated and chaired by A/Prof Mayur Garg, Director of Gastroenterology, Northern Health, with extensive contributions from Dr Aysha Al-Ani (consultant gastroenterologist), Meera Rajendran (IBD pharmacist), Mr Basil D’Souza (colorectal surgeon), Katherine Healy (senior clinical dietitian), and Charys Winter (IBD CNC), this working group of 29 leading clinicians and consumer representatives from around Australia came together to serve an unmet need for patients with IBD and their care providers.

With endorsement by the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) and its IBD Executive, these comprehensive and easy to understand patient information sheets covering a variety of topics including diet, travel, vaccinations, sexual health, mental health, surgery, and life with a stoma, as well as all the currently available pharmaceutical agents for use for patients with IBD, were formulated. These were launched at  the Australian Gastroenterology Week (AGW) 2021, and have been uploaded on the GESA website for open access to all patients and health care practitioners here.

The President of  the GESA, Prof Ben Devereaux of Royal Brisbane and Womens’ Hospital and University of Queensland, said she was delighted with the release of the IBD patient information material.

“The GESA, IBD Patient Information Materials Working Group, led by A/Prof Mayur Garg, has produced 18 documents covering all aspects of care for patients living with IBD from medications, vaccinations and surgery through to diet, stoma care and sexual health. These will be invaluable for all healthcare practitioners and the patients they care for.”

A/Prof Mayur said this “represents another way by which Northern Health’s staff continue to contribute, not just to our community, but Australian society as a whole. We hope these resources will facilitate greater clinician-patient engagement, as well as empower patients through complex decision-making processes during their chronic disease journey.”

Featured image shows Northern Health’s participants – clockwise from top left: Aysha Al-Ani, Basil D’Souza, Mayur Garg, Meera Rajendran, Katherine Healy

New CARPs keypads have been installed in the Northern Hospital Epping Emergency Department (ED).

The keypads, which are located in the Blue Pod and Assessment areas of the ED, streamline the process of booking CARPs jobs in the ED.

“Rather than having to go to the CARPs logger like everywhere else in the hospital, and typing in all the details, the keypads have some quick little shortcuts where the nurses are able to book jobs,” said Steve Carnell, Support Services Supervisor.

“Particularly in ED, where time is everything, it does streamline things, instead of having to type in all the information.”

The keypads were installed just before Christmas last year. ED staff can log a wide range of jobs through the keypads, including patient transport, mortuary run and cleaning jobs. The jobs are then sent directly to the CARPs phones for staff to attend to.

“There is a big screen in ED with all the jobs, so staff can just look up and see what is happening. That scrolls through three different screens with current tasks and the information is updated live,” Steve said.

“Rather than having to call over the PA or look for a cleaner somewhere, it goes straight to the phone. We can track all that information and see how long it takes for people to actually get there.”

About 80 jobs are logged per day through the keypads. There are also plans to install a keypad in the Short Stay Unit. Steve hopes to have a keypad installed in every ward across the hospital.

“ED was always going to be the pilot. We’ve heard from a few of the nurses saying it is a lot better,” Steve said.

“We were in ED and saw it in action and while we stood there, four of five jobs were logged by the nurses within one or two touches. It was great to be a fly on the wall for a moment and see that it is working and that it seems to be working seamlessly.”

“We are thankful that people have really taken it on board.”

Featured image: Miguel Barros, Support Services Manager and Steve Carnell, Support Services Supervisor, with the keypad in the Emergency Department

“To get here was my biggest challenge, travelling 10,000 miles, alone from Barbados. As any international medical graduate knows, it’s a fairly strict and rigorous process to get here. I came here alone, without family, but I had a goal in mind – my country had a goal in mind for me,” says Nina Yhap.

Soft spoken as she is, you can hear the resolve in Nina’s voice when she says, “I feel a very strong purpose to give back.”

Nina has been at Northern Health for the last two years receiving post-fellowship training to be a vascular and endovascular surgeon – the first of her kind when she returns to Barbados.

Her story is an amazing story that, “needs to be acknowledged when they occur in our lifetime,” says Iman Bayat, Head of the Vascular Surgery Unit at Northern Health.

Here’s how he tells it.

“First of all, from lower and middle income countries, where the main focus is just coping – you have this country with the foresight to sponsor a surgeon to become the first vascular and endovascular surgeon for her country. That too, a female surgeon in a male dominated field, globally.”

“Nina is selected through a strict and stringent selection process, which recognises her talents. She comes over here, trains very hard, and now goes back and takes the knowledge with her to set up this service.”

“For Northern Health to be part of this journey is just beautiful,” says Iman. “We must cherish these moments in our lifetime and hopefully fuel further endeavours going forward.”

“Global vascular health equity is an integral part of the ethical charter of the Vascular Surgery Unit at Northern Health,” says Iman.

“My fellow vascular surgeons, Mr David Goh, Mr Shrikkanth Rangarajan, and I are committed to doing what we can to bring the benefits of modern vascular surgery to as many underserved countries as we can.”

“Here, I’d like commend the Ministry of Health of Barbados for their future planning and investment in sponsoring Nina in preparation for the establishment of a modern vascular service.”

“Now that Nina’s training has come to an end – seeing her leave is bittersweet. Nina has been part of the Northern family for over two years, through COVID-19 and some of the hardest times in our history. We will truly miss her.”

He is not alone in his praise for Nina.

Jake Geertsema, Director, Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, says his department can, “wholeheartedly commend Nina for her time here as an exemplary Northern Health employee – calm under, at times, immense pressure, always respectful and friendly – even when she has been awake for significant periods of time!”

Nina takes back more than happy memories of her time here. She says, “I never imagined, two years ago, I would have the opportunity to learn so much.”

“It’s been a complete immersion in the best way and the experience has been more than I ever imagined.”

“What I know now is something I dreamed about but never thought I would get to do,” says Nina.

Asked to describe Northern Health, she says it is “welcoming and inclusive.”

She explains, “I never felt judged or rushed or not included.”

As for the Vascular Surgery Unit at Northern Health, Nina says there are no words to describe her experience.

“What Mr Bayat, Mr Rangarajan and Mr Goh and other clinicians at Northern have given me is priceless – they have given me the opportunity to learn so much; what they have instilled in me is really indescribable.”

“They will always be my mentors and friends,” says Nina.

Nina Yhap was born in Barbados, graduated from the University of The West Indies and completed all of her postgraduate surgical training throughout the Caribbean.

“My country is very important to me. They have funded me, through primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary – essentially my whole education,” she says.

After graduating as a general surgeon four years ago, Nina says, “it was future planning and development by the Barbados government that inspired them to invest in training me as a vascular and endovascular surgeon.”

Nina explains that back in Barbados, the major limb amputation rate, per capita is extremely high and concerning. There is also significant atherosclerosis (atherosclerosis is the thickening or hardening of the arteries).

“I saw major limb amputations happening two or three times a week in my hospital in Barbados. These are young people – in their 50s and 60s – who could have another 20 years of service, but are significantly limited by limb loss,” she says.

She also notes that the “prevalence of atherosclerosis is very similar to what the Indigenous population suffer from here in Australia.”

“Unfortunately, there are limited minimally invasive and endovascular surgical interventions being performed in my hospital in Barbados,” says Nina. “So, my government had the foresight to invest in future planning for lower limb salvage.”

After a rigorous interview process, Nina came to Northern Health on a one-year vascular surgery fellowship, sponsored by the Barbados Government. Her second year was supported by Northern Health and was spent learning more about endovascular and minimally invasive surgery.

Nina says, “As corny as it may sound, Northern Health has become home in a big way. But I’m going back home to Barbados for a bigger purpose.”

Nina’s dream is to establish a vascular surgery unit “and all that it entails – including allied health support and setting up a podiatry unit. I hope to have a hybrid theatre in the future too.”

“More importantly, I hope there will be doctors and surgeons like me, coming up. I hope to help train and collaborate with at least two or three vascular surgeons in the future and to be able to run an entire vascular surgery unit that serves the people of my home country who need it the most.”

“That is my dream,” says Nina.

Safe travel Nina and may all your dreams come true!

Featured image shows Mr Iman Bayat, Vascular Surgeon and Head of Unit, and Ms Nina Yhap, Vascular Fellow

Last year’s ‘Big Idea’ is now a new Men’s Health Physiotherapy clinic at Northern Health, opening on Wednesday, 23 February, and running out of the Epping, Bundoora and Broadmeadows campuses.

Ryan Hon, Men’s Health Physiotherapist, explained how he developed an interest in Men’s Health Physiotherapy after finding out patients were suffering in silence due to chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) or chronic prostatitis (CP).

“Other common symptoms associated with CPPS/CP include pelvic or perineal pain; urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunction. Despite courses of antibiotic, the patients found no success in symptom resolution. Curiosity got the best of me and I looked into training options in Men’s Health Physiotherapy. This is when I discovered Men’s Health Physiotherapy training and services are widely available internationally, including countries like United Kingdom, United States, Canada and South Africa. Unfortunately, this is limited in our country,” he explained.

When the ‘Big Idea’ campaign launched in June 2021, he saw it as a great opportunity to promote and advocate for a Men’s Health service.

“I was extremely pleased to hear that I was shortlisted as one of the finalists by the Transformation Unit,” Ryan said.

The new clinic will focus on male pelvic pain, with the aim to provide appropriate care to patients diagnosed with non-organic CPPS/CP. Patients will receive a management plan following an assessment by the Men’s Health Physiotherapist and/or Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist. Referrals to other health care professionals including Sexual Health Counsellors or Health Psychologists may be recommended if patients expressed concerns round sexual and psychological health.

“Men are often embarrassed to speak about the sexual dysfunction, anxiety and depression associated with their pelvic pain. This could be due to social upbringings, where men are sometimes characterised by an emphasis on independence, masculinity and emotional restraint,” said Ryan.

“Men as young as 20 years can experience pain in their pelvic floor. I hope that the establishment of this service will encourage and empower men to seek help from health care professionals and to reduce stigma. I encourage all men to come forward if they have those kind of symptoms and we will try our best to give them the best management of care. The patient doesn’t need to live locally to be eligible to come to our clinic. Patients would be referred to our urologist by the GP, and then urologist would triage the patient for physio treatment,”  Ryan explained.

What’s new and unique about the service is that ​it provides hybrid services – musculoskeletal assessment by the Men’s Health Physio and Pelvic Floor assessment by the Pelvic Physiotherapist.

“A new public sector men’s health model of care developed in conjunction with Urologist, which I believe is the first in Victoria,” Ryan added.

Ryan has worked closely with the Urology team to implement a physiotherapist role into the existing service.

“The Transformation Unit are excited to see another ‘Big Idea’ develop. Ryan has worked tirelessly over the past six months to see his idea evolve into an expansion of the current Urology service. The support from across the organization for thinking differently about patient care has been amazing,” said Cassie Bramston, Project Manager.

“We’re looking to upskill and credential physiotherapists working in the service. Another example of Northern Health leading through innovation,” she added.

Do you have a ‘Big Idea’ you would like to turn into reality? The next round of the ‘Big Idea?’ campaign will run from Monday, February 21 to March 20, 2022. We encourage all staff to submit their ideas via Ideascale. The HRO Team will be running drop-in sessions to discuss and refine ideas, as well as workshops in creative thinking. Please see Ideascale for details.

Featured image: Ryan demonstrating a physio treatment

Today marks the one year anniversary of the launch of our pregnancy and birthing mobile app, Eve!

Eve was designed to enhance the pregnancy and parenting experience for mothers in the northern community by providing access to evidence-based information relating to pregnancy, birthing and early parenting.

When women book in to have their baby at Northern Health, they receive an SMS inviting them to download the app which is linked to their medical record.

Women receive weekly updates about how their body and baby is growing and articles are added that are relevant to their stage of pregnancy/parenting. They can also search for specific articles or topics they are interested in.

Since the launch of the app, Eve has had around 4,500 active users.

Local mum, Hope Lewis, is one of many women in our community who have benefited from using Eve during their pregnancy.

Hope is a mother of four who recently gave birth to 10-week old daughter Dakota at Northern Hospital Epping.

“I think Eve is the best thing ever invented as I didn’t experience it with my other three children. It’s great to be able to share experiences with other mums and answer questions through the forum. It creates an ongoing support with other mums in the community,” she said.

Unlike other pregnancy applications, women using Eve can see their own pregnancy information by accessing their antenatal visit notes and test results within the app. Users can also ask questions to a midwife through the app and have access to a moderated forum.

Hope found the input of medical information especially helpful during her pregnancy.

“The app explains what your body and the baby are doing and how everything is progressing. All of your information is on there if you need to refer to it,” she said.

“Information is uploaded after each appointment so you can share with other people. Instead of me trying to remember all of the information, I could sit with my husband and go through it with him, so he felt more involved,” Hope explained.

Hope says she would recommend Eve to all expecting mothers.

“The advice provided on the app, especially during COVID-19, was really helpful.”

“Some mums might be experiencing something with their baby and other mums may have experienced it so they can provide support and share their experience,” Hope said.

“It’s also great to be able to share our birth stories with one another after we had our baby – and be able to thank our midwives.”

Featured image: Hope with baby Dakota 

A lot has changed in the last two years, but the enthusiasm of our dedicated volunteers has remained the same.

Today, our volunteers are feeling the extra love on Valentine’s Day, as we welcome them back onsite throughout the week, after a long two years without seeing their happy faces filling the hospital halls and wards.

COVID-19 forced on-site volunteer activity to cease, and so we looked for ways volunteers could continue to support our health service in a virtual way.

Volunteers continued to assist Northern Health from afar, through the How-R-U telephone social support program – which offers participants weekly social support via a telephone call provided by a Northern Health volunteer, preparing specimen collection bags for our COVID-19 testing clinics, carrying out administration tasks from home and making hand-crafted items that were given to patients or used to support fundraising effort for Northern Health Foundation. Our Community Visitor Scheme Program, where volunteers visit lonely and isolated residents in aged care facilities was also affected during COVID-19 and our volunteers are looking forward to when they can recommence face-to-face visits.

Mandy Davis, Volunteer, is eager to be back, proudly wearing her volunteer shirt.

“I am so happy to be back after two years and I am loving every minute of it,” she said.

“I have missed the other volunteers. Everyone has remembered me and it’s been so nice having everyone coming up and welcoming me back. I am looking forward to being able to help people and be the best that I can.”

During their time apart from each other, Mandy made sure she remained connected to fellow volunteers.

“I have quite a few volunteers on Messenger and Facebook and we have kept in touch. On Facebook, I have always done a morning check in on the volunteers, to let me know they are okay,” Mandy said.

Henni Wade, Manager Volunteer Services, said it was wonderful to have volunteers back on site today.

“I don’t know who was more excited – us or the volunteers!” she said.

“We celebrated with a glass of bubbles (lemonade in champagne glasses) and, as it is Valentine’s Day, we gave the volunteers a single stemmed rose. We love our volunteers, so quite fitting they returned on Valentine’s Day!”

Featured image: Volunteers Simone McAlly and Mandy Davis

“She was always staying back to help our patients and was forever saying, ‘I’m going home in a minute!’” recalls Danielle Williams, who worked alongside Jeanette Eddy at the Progressive Neurological Diseases (PND) Clinic at Bundoora Centre (previously named Bundoora Extended Care Centre).

After over 50 years of service, Jeanette Eddy is finally going home and her time at Northern Health is remembered with fondness, by all who worked with her.

This includes Professor Len Gray, the first Executive Director of Bundoora Extended Care Centre (BECC), who says, “Jeanette was a great person to work with.”

The clinic they ran is only one of three specialist clinics in Victoria that care for people living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

“Jeanette Florence Eddy (Wilkins) always wanted to be a nurse as a child – one would think naturally with the middle name she was given!” says Sue Hull, Associate Director, Community Therapy.

Jeanette’s passion for nursing was recognised early. As a student, she won two nursing scholarships, and was awarded the Medical Staff Association Prize, three years running, as a nurse trainee at PANCH. To top it off, she won the PANCH Gold Medal for Nursing in 1974.

In 1976, she undertook the Victorian Plastic Surgery course and was awarded the Victorian Plastic Surgery Unit (VPSU) Prize.

Jeanette came to BECC in 1986, working on Wards 1 and 2 during the week and PANCH at weekends.

What was meant to be a three week stint in Outpatients at BECC, ended with Jeanette spending 36 years in that role, providing nursing support to a number of clinics, in addition to being responsible for pathology collection for the wards.

It was in 2017 that her role changed significantly, when Northern Health took over the Progressive Neurological Diseases (PND) Clinic.

At that stage, there were 26 patients. The clinic now has 66 patients in its care. The clinic, which has grown significantly in the last four years, now runs twice monthly and is supported by Northern Health neurologists, respiratory physicians, lung function testing and, from next month, a palliative care consultant.

Sue says, “Jeanette has been passionate about her role in this area and has worked incredibly hard to ensure the service not only ran smoothly but provided ‘gold class care’ to the patients attending.”

Johanna Hayes, Divisional Director, Hospital Without Walls, says, “Jeanette has been a key person in community therapy for almost as long as Bundoora Centre/Bundoora Extended Care Centre has been in place.”

“She is well loved and respected by many staff for her knowledge, calmness and most importantly her kindness to patients. She will be missed by us all, but remembered with great fondness.”

Debra Bourne, Acting Chief Operating Officer and Lora Davies, Acting Director of Nursing and Midwifery, in thanking Jeanette for her service said, “We congratulate you for your nursing leadership and thank you for leaving a strong legacy behind through the staff you have mentored and supported. We wish you all the best in your future.”

It’s been a long three years between dances, but Josie Minniti’s Dinner Dance Cancer Fundraiser is finally back!

Josie Minniti’s Dinner Dance isn’t one you’ll want to miss out on. Heels will be kicked up in celebration of an incredible 25 years of fundraising for vital equipment for Northern Health’s Day Oncology Unit. This equipment continues to allow cancer patients a more comfortable experience while receiving treatment – a cause very dear to Josie and her family who have been touched by cancer many times.

Josie said the event promised to be a fun-filled evening with lots of food, drinks and dancing, followed by a live auction, raffles and silent auctions.

“We want people to have a really good night,” Josie said.

“This year, we are celebrating 25 years of hosting our Annual Dinner Dance. After having rescheduled the event four times due to COVID-19, we are really looking forward to coming together with family, friends and the community to raise funds for an important cause.”

Every ticket purchased for this event continues to allow much-needed equipment to be purchased for our Day Oncology Unit.

In the past, Josie has helped raise money for treatment chairs, waiting room chairs, a prostate cancer scanner and a refurbished room in the Children’s Ward.

“We are raising money for medical equipment for the Day Oncology Unit at Northern Health as we want to make a difference to the lives of people battling cancer. That’s what it’s all about, improving the quality of life for patients undergoing treatment,” Josie said.

Pina Di Donato, Acting Executive Director, Public Affairs and Foundation, said, “We are extremely grateful for the support and dedication of longtime Northern Health Foundation Patron, Josie Minniti, in helping to raise much needed funds for our Day Oncology Unit.”

“The amazing support of people like Josie and her family, whose previous dinner dances have helped us purchase important equipment, makes a real difference to our cancer patients at Northern Health,” Pina said.

The Dinner Dance is on Saturday, 26 March from 6 pm. Tickets cost $60 for adults and $25 for children, and include a seven course meal and drinks.

To purchase tickets and for more information, contact Josie and Rino Minniti on 9401 4199 or 0409 400 855.

For people who cannot attend the event, but still wish to donate to the cause, contact Josie and Rino.

Featured image: Josie Minniti