Northern Health’s Education and Training Division recently marked a significant milestone with the celebration of its first birthday.

Over the past year, the division has been instrumental in guiding staff and the community through significant organisational changes, including the implementation of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system and preparation for short-notice accreditation.

Initially, the division focused on the EMR rollout and accreditation readiness, providing essential support to ensure a smooth transition.

They also played a crucial role in the disaggregation of mental health services and the amalgamation with Kilmore, streamlining the management of learning across previously separate health services.

Since its inception, the division has been praised for its effective collaboration and inclusivity. During our recent short notice accreditation survey, surveyors commended the team for equipping staff with the skills and knowledge necessary to enhance patient care.

“The Education and Training Division has supported the staff and community of Northern Health through many key organisational imperatives over the last 12 months. This includes the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the EMR system and short-notice accreditation readiness. Additionally, the division has been pivotal in providing essential support during the disaggregation of mental health services and the Kilmore amalgamation,” said Tony McGillion, Divisional Director, Education and Training.

The division is committed to fostering a positive and collaborative learning environment. Looking ahead, it will continue to work closely with key partners, including the University of Melbourne, La Trobe University, and RMIT University, to support interprofessional practice.

“The division will continue to work with key internal and external stakeholders and partners to promote a positive and inclusive learning environment that leads to safe, kind and collaborative interprofessional practice,” Tony added.

Moving forward, the division will build on this solid foundation to further enhance educational practices and support Northern Health’s mission.

Featured Image: Education and Training Team.

Influenza is a highly contagious disease, which can usually be prevented by receiving the flu vaccine. It’s the most important measure to prevent the flu and its complications and is recommended for all people aged six months and over.

At Northern Health, the flu vaccine is mandatory for all staff, clinical and non-clinical. Barsha Baral, Manager, Infection Prevention and Surveillance, says not only does the flu vaccine reduce your chance of getting influenza, but also reduces the risk of serious illness, medical visits and hospitalisation if you do get the flu.

“The flu isn’t like the common cold, it can hit quickly and last for a few weeks, meaning time off work or school and staying away from family and friends,” she said.

“The more people who are vaccinated in the community, the less likely influenza will spread.”

It is recommended to receive your annual flu vaccine anytime from April onwards to ensure maximum protection for the peak flu season during Melbourne’s cold, winter months, which is typically between June and September.

However, the flu doesn’t disappear as winter comes to an end. The flu can circulate in the community year-round.

“It is never too late to get vaccinated,” Barsha says.

Influenza is typically spread by contact with fluids from coughs, and sneezes, therefore making it a highly contagious disease. Receiving a flu vaccine is just one step in helping to stop the spread.

“Good hand hygiene, cough etiquette and staying home when unwell helps prevent the spread of influenza. In the health care settings, staff should adhere to hand hygiene and droplet precaution (use of surgical mask) with suspected or confirmed influenza cases,” Barsha said.

Ninety-six per cent of Northern Health staff are currently vaccinated. Anyone who is yet to receive their vaccine, must do so by this Thursday, 15 August. Staff can visit the Staff Health Clinic located on Level 1, opposite Ward 15 at Northern Hospital Epping, Monday to Friday between 9 am – 4 pm to receive their vaccine.

Alternatively, staff can visit clinical areas which have nurse immunisers. Anyone who has received the vaccine externally, must send evidence to Staff Health by 15 August.

All staff, clinical and non-clinical who do not receive the vaccine by 15 August, will be required to wear an N95 mask in all work areas across Northern Health, effective Thursday, 16 August. This requirement will remain in place until the flu season is declared over, which will be communicated to staff.

Featured image: Barsha Baral, Manager, Infection Prevention and Surveillance.

Northern Health is proud to announce the launch of its new PET/CT department, which commenced operations on Monday, 12 August 2024, and will be fully operational by the end of the month.

The PET/CT team is led by a distinguished group of Nuclear Medicine Specialists, including A/Prof Stephen Schlicht, Dr Tony Hannah, Dr Raghava Karri and Dr Vivek Baskaran. They are supported by a dedicated team of nuclear medicine technologists under the leadership of Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist, Carly Sibson.

The new PET/CT facility will greatly enhance access to imaging services for a diverse range of patients, including inpatients, outpatients, and those from community and private hospitals. This advanced imaging technology is primarily used for diagnosing and managing various types of cancer. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory and infectious conditions, as well as some cardiac disorders.

PET/CT imaging involves administering a radioactive tracer that helps assess the metabolic activity of cells. This tracer emits positrons, which are detected by the PET scanner. Cells with high metabolic activity, such as those in cancer or infection, will accumulate the tracer, making them visible on the PET scan. The CT component provides detailed anatomical images, which are superimposed on the PET scan to offer comprehensive information about disease locations.

The new PET/CT service promises a significant improvement in both imaging access and quality of care, particularly benefiting patients under the care of oncology and haematology teams. The state-of-the-art Siemens Vision 600 PET/CT scanner, a leading digital PET scanner combined with a fully diagnostic CT, enables rapid scan times, high-resolution images, and a reduction in radiation dose to patients.

Carly Sibson, Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist, expressed her excitement about the new service.

“It is exciting to be involved in the introduction of a new imaging service to Northern Health and I’m proud to be a part of it. For me, knowing that we will help our cancer patients more easily access the imaging they need is very rewarding. We can reduce discomfort for our patients by significantly reducing scan times with this PET/CT technology. We may only play a small part in each patient’s journey but with the new PET/CT service and the amazing team we have working in the department, we can make a positive difference to their overall experience,” she said.

A/Prof Terry Kok highlighted the significance of this development by saying, “The new PET/CT service is yet another major milestone in our objective to expand the scope and quality of Medical Imaging services at Northern Health. I’m very proud of the hard work that our Nuclear Medicine and project teams have invested into making this a reality.”

A/Prof Stephen Schlicht, one of the Nuclear Medicine Specialists, praised the new facility.

“Northern Health has invested in arguably the best PET/CT technology currently available – the Siemens Vision 600 PET/CT. This state-of-the-art digital PET scanner combined with a fully diagnostic CT results in superb diagnostic image quality in terms of resolution and sensitivity. The scanner is housed in a new purpose-built facility to ensure our patients’ scans are not only of the best technical quality but also that their experience is as positive as possible. I am delighted to be part of NIV at Northern Health with my other medical colleagues, technical, nursing, and clerical team in providing this critical new in-house imaging service.”

The new PET/CT department is conveniently located on the ground floor of Northern Hospital Epping, opposite anatomical pathology.

 

Pictured in featured image: PET/CT Department team.

Northern Health has achieved successful Accreditation during the Short Notice Assessment, conducted from 6 – 10 May 2024.

The Accreditation assessment involved on-site visits by assessors, independent of the health service, who spent time at Northern Hospital Epping, Broadmeadows Hospital, Kilmore District Hospital, Bundoora Centre and Craigieburn Centre, along with all transitioned mental health services.

Surveyors experienced great hospitality throughout the week as they met with staff, spoke to patients and looked for evidence that each action in the National Standards has been implemented effectively. They looked for evidence of a culture where quality and safety are valued, and systems that provide the very best care to our patients and community. Surveyors said it was evident that safety and quality is firmly embedded into the organisation, and while there are some areas to improve upon, the feedback was very positive. They have also emphasised that the value of kindness is very evident throughout the health service, and were pleased to observe ‘very authentic patient centred care’ across Northern Health.

Northern Health has now received a detailed Assessment Report, which contains comments pertaining to the findings of the assessment team. All 151 actions were assessed as met across all Northern Health facilities. There were no recommendations that require remedial action.

Key feedback from the survey team included:

• Standard 1 Governance: There is strong Clinical Governance framework effectively applied by a visible executive and leadership team.
• Standard 2 Partnering with Consumers: Amazing and embedded, could be strengthened with central oversight/visibility of all the great work with consumers across the health service.
• Standard 3 Infection Prevention: Led by a credentialed and enthusiastic team.
• Standard 4 Medication Safety: Excellent management at all levels of the organisation.
• Standard 5 Comprehensive Care: Working together is apparent, care is patient centered and risk management and harm minimisation is a strength.
• Standard 6 Communicating for Safety: It is evident of how it is embedded across the organisation, with very good engagement with patients, families and carers
• Standard 7 Blood Management: Great framework
• Standards 8 Recognising and Responding to Clinical Deterioration: Strong governance

Reflecting on the Short Notice Assessment, some of the insights from Northern Health staff included:

• “I feel we were really well prepared for this assessment. The level of organisation-wide education and training about the standards and our quality and safety responsibilities was very effective. We need to ensure that despite the success of this assessment, we need to maintain a high level of quality and safety and clinical governance – especially as we grow and induct new staff into the organisation.” – Jason Cirone, Chief Allied Health Officer.
• “My overall experience was positive. The assessors I was aligned to were very approachable and thorough. They were very mindful of ensuring the Nurse Unit Manager or Head of Unit felt comfortable and was given time to talk and showcase their area.” – Paula Dimakos-Pugliese, Quality Coordinator.
• “It was a pleasant, respectful and professional experience. The assessors were very through and asked a number of questions after reviewing the evidence before our meetings. They were keen to understand processes and implementation on the floor at patient level.” – Vinod Chellaram, Operational Director of Medical Workforce.
• “I found the assessors to be personable, knowledgeable and genuinely interested in the work that we were doing across our craft groups and the division more broadly. They took the time to listen to us talk about what we do and recognised the passion we have for our work and the value it brings to our learners and in turn our patients. We have a great culture of improvement at Northern Health which is driven by the passion that staff have for their roles and those they work with (rather than the need to comply with any particular set of standards) and supported with great governance. I think this helps us to address those things the surveyors are interested in proactively as our motivation is coming from the right place.” – Peter Brack, Director Education – Allied Health.
• “It was a new experience for me, and also a milestone for the health service as Clinical Trials were incorporated into our survey week for the first time. Our team’s knowledge, as well as that of the governing body and the researchers, earned high praise from the assessor, as interviewees came prepared, often bringing along documentation to the interviews to further demonstrate transparency. Looking ahead, we are committed to streamlining research practices and hope to demonstrate even greater integration in future assessments of Clinical Trials.” – Belinda De Poi, Research Quality Manager, RDGU.

Siva Sivarajah, Chief Executive, Northern Health, said that he is proud of each of our staff for all of their work in the lead up to Accreditation, and for upholding our values each and every day.

“I would like to personally thank and acknowledge Maree Glynn and Marisa Argetto for their unwavering commitment and diligent efforts in preparing for accreditation, including the way they coordinated the schedule and provided staff to chaperone the surveyors across the week. I also acknowledge the work of the Chairs of the Standards Committees, our clinical and non-clinical leadership and Bill Shearer, our Executive Lead for Quality, Safety and Transformation,” Mr Sivarajah said.

“Congratulations to each and every one of you for the part you played in achieving this significant outcome.”

Staff can access the full Assessment Report and other assets here.

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Margaret Trajkovski, Pharmacy Technician.

1. What is your coffee order?

Regular skinny latte, extra hot.

2. What is your role at Northern Health and what does it entail?

I have been working as a pharmacy technician since 2015. The role as a pharmacy technician is looking after medications across all Northern Health. Those include stocking up medications in the pharmacy and all wards, conducting expiry checks, assist the pharmacist and maintain the imprest room.

3. What do you love most about your role?

I am always passionate in helping other people. Some might even call me their personal councillor. Coming to work every day actually brings excitement when I wake up in the morning, as I love working with our awesome colleagues.

4. What would people be most surprised to know about you?

When I was 15 years old, I started working at KFC and stayed for 19 years!

5. If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Celine Dion. I saw her preform live in Vegas and she was amazing. She is such an inspirational woman!

Today, the Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan, and Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, visited Northern Hospital Epping to make a special announcement regarding health service budgets. The Premier has announced a further $1.5 billion for the health sector, which we welcome.

It was further announced that a new agency within the Department of Health will be created with the purpose of overseeing the financial performance and sustainability of Victorian health services. This agency will be known as ‘Hospitals Victoria’.

In creating this new agency, it was announced that our Chief Executive, Siva Sivarajah, is being appointed as its inaugural Chief Executive. Siva has accepted this new role and as a result will be stepping down as Chief Executive of Northern Health.

As the Chief Executive, Siva has provided exceptional leadership and clear strategic direction to build our health service into the high performing organisation it is today. Northern Health has thrived under his leadership and he leaves us with an impressive legacy and a strong culture.

Siva’s record speaks for itself and we are very proud that our own Chief Executive has been chosen to lead in this important new role for Victoria. This is a testament to the quality of leadership we have been privileged to work with.

Since 2015, Siva has been instrumental in our health service growing from a small community hospital to one of the most innovative and sustainable health services in the state. Under his leadership, total revenue grew from around $400 million to $1.2 billion. Staffing levels increased from 4,000 to 9,000. Capital redevelopment projects, both complete and in progress, continue to provide outstanding care to our growing and diverse community.

While we are sad to see Siva go, I know you will join me in congratulating him on his new role and thanking him for his outstanding contribution to Northern Health, and to the Victorian health system in general.

Siva will commence in his new role as of Monday, 19 August and Debra Bourne, Northern Health Chief Operating Officer, will act as Northern Health Chief Executive until further notice. We will update you as more information becomes available.

JENNIFER WILLIAMS AM

BOARD CHAIR

This week is National Stroke Week, which shines a spotlight on how to recognise the signs of stroke and save lives. It is also a fitting time to celebrate a significant achievement for the Stroke Unit at Northern Health.

In January 2024, the unit successfully underwent a detailed accreditation to become one of just 15 certified Stroke Units in Australia. Stroke Unit certification is a voluntary process that assesses units on the quality of care being delivered for people with stroke. It affirms excellence in governance systems, including local policy and procedures, in line with the Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Healthcare Acute Stroke Standard Indicators.

According to the Australian Stroke Coalition, access to a stroke unit is proven to make the biggest overall difference to patient outcomes following stroke. It is the platform for stroke treatments, staff education, stroke data collection and quality improvement, and therefore is the most critical element of good stroke care.

Northern Health’s Acute Stroke Unit offers comprehensive services for stroke patients requiring intensive medical, nursing, and allied health care. Located on Ward 21 at Northern Hospital Epping, it is a Stroke High Dependency Unit, with stroke telemetry beds where patients post thrombolysis (clot buster therapy) are managed.

An interprofessional team with expertise in acute stroke and rehabilitation provide care work within the unit, with many staff holding post-graduate qualifications in stroke and neuroscience care. Over 400 patients are treated on the unit each year, and provided with ongoing, tailored education. This includes translated resources for the CALD community.

On Monday, 5 August, Dr Lisa Murphy, Stroke Foundation CEO, visited Northern Hospital Epping to present the Stroke Unit with a certificate and plaque in recognition of the recent accreditation by the Australian Stroke Coalition.

During this presentation, she praised the Northern Health team on their successful accreditation.

“A huge congratulations on this achievement. Your community is going to absolutely benefit from this,” said Dr Murphy.

“You should be really proud of the service you are delivering, and the team you have here. You can’t deliver a service like this without a fantastic team, so you should be very, very proud.”

A stroke is always a medical emergency, and the focus of National Stroke Week is ensuring the community knows the F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech and Time) signs of stroke so that they can save a life in the event of a loved one experiencing a stroke.

The Stroke Foundation recommends the F.A.S.T. test as an easy way to remember the most common signs of stroke:

• Face Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
• Arms Can they lift both arms?
• Speech Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
• Time Is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 straight away.

“We are always so impressed when family members tell us they used the F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech and Time) signs of stroke and knew that their loved one was having a stroke – and knew to call 000 really fast,” said Elizabeth Mackey and Anne Rodda, Stroke Nurse Practitioners.

“It makes a huge difference to what we can do to help someone with a stroke, if they get an ambulance to the Emergency Department fast.”

Aged Care Employee Day, celebrated annually on 7 August, is an important day to remember the caring and professional work of our aged care staff. These staff are important to the health sector, as they work tirelessly to make the lives of older Australians better.

Funded Aged Care programs at Northern Health support some of our community’s most vulnerable people. Dedication and compassion are key traits of individuals who work within aged care. At Northern Health, we are fortunate enough to have amazing nurses, allied health professionals and many other support staff who work with our older population.

Northern Health has five residential aged care services (Caladenia Nursing Home and Dianella Nursing Home in Kilmore, Ian Brand Residential Care and Merv Irvine Nursing Home in Bundoora and McLellan House Hostel in Broadmeadows), that provide a supportive and safe environment for older people to live.

In addition to this, Northern Health has a number of funded home-based aged care services that support older people to stay well and in their home for as long as possible, hopefully avoiding or minimising hospital admissions. One of these programs is the Northern Health Home Care Packages (HCP) Program.

The HCP program supports approximately 300 consumers to remain at home with the support of a dedicated case manager and an individualised care plan and budget to provide services and supports needed.

All 16 case managers are Registered Nurses or Allied Health professionals, which is a point of difference to other providers according to Julie Williams, Manager, Northern Health Home Care Packages.

“This ensures we offer a very high quality of case management as clinical assessment and monitoring is integral to the role,” she said.

“Case managers visit consumers at home frequently as well as maintaining contact and monitoring by phone. We are very proactive is assisting with discharge planning from hospital in the event a consumer is hospitalised to facilitate safe and timely discharges.”

“We do not have our own direct care workers, but rather have contracts with many local service providers who provide the care in the home. There are four levels of home care packages, each with its specific level of funding that we need to factor into care planning with the consumer.”

Northern Health has provided case management programs for over 35 years, with change being the ongoing constant in aged care.

“The main difference from then to now is the focus on consumer choice. Consumers now choose where to take their package of funding and how it should be spent. Shared decision making and planning is undertaken by case managers with consumers and their families to ensure their home care package best meets their needs,” Julie says.

“We remain a provider of choice within our Northern Health catchment, which is a testament to not only the program’s reputation, but it is also often mentioned by prospective consumers that they have a strong and positive connection with Northern Health.”

“If you actually search for a HCP provider in Epping on the My Aged Care website, the search will provide you with 125 providers to choose from! It’s fantastic that people choose to bring their funding to Northern Health.”

In recent consumer feedback, a family reported they were, “initially overwhelmed by the multitude of aged care providers,” but, “chose Northern Health HCP because of its reputation.”

“Our case manager has not only met but exceeded our expectations. She embodies the values we associate with your organisation, and a worthy representative of Northern Health Aged Care,” said the family.

“This is a testament to a great program, and to our dedicated and experienced aged care workers,” Julie says.

To celebrate the day, everyone is encouraged to shine a light on our dedicated aged care workers and say ‘thanks for caring’ for their compassion and hard work.

Featured image: HCP team.