August 2023
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Northern Health and Kilmore District Health Boards approve potential merger proposal
Over the past few months, Kilmore District Health and Northern Health have worked together to explore the potential benefits of a better connected health service. After extensive consultation with staff and the community, the boards of the two health services have endorsed a proposal to formally merge to create a new health service for the northern catchment areas under the Northern Health umbrella. The proposal was supported by a comprehensive business case that assessed the options for voluntary amalgamation. While the consultation and business case process has taken place independent of government, in accordance with the Health Services Act 1988,…
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Fighting stroke together
This week is National Stroke Week – an annual event to encourage the community to fight stroke together. Fighting stroke together aims to bring people together to share knowledge, support and resources to help prevent strokes from occurring and to aid in the recovery process for those who’ve experienced a stroke. A stroke happens when blood supply to the brain is interrupted. Blood is carried to the brain by blood vessels called arteries. Blood also contains oxygen and important nutrients for brain cells. Blood may be interrupted or stop moving through an artery because the artery is blocked (ischaemic stroke)…
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Guiding analgesic use among patients
Northern Health recently created a pilot program with Safe Care Victoria (SCV) focusing on analgesic stewardship across Northern Hosptial Epping. The program is led by SCV and Alfred Health and involved six health services, including Northern Health, to develop strategies within each organisation to guide and review opioid and other analgesic use, and ultimately improve acute pain management and reduce avoidable medication-related harm. Since the launch almost 18 months ago, Northern Health was successful in obtaining funding for full-time Analgesic Stewardship (AGS) Pharmacist, Joyce Anthony. Joyce commenced in her role in February 2023, and has been involved in developing protocols…
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Personalise your EMR view
We are less than 29 days before our Electronic Medical Record (EMR) go live! With training and practice, you are only one step away from being fully prepared for go live. From 21 August, the team will be running Favourites Fair across sites. This is an opportunity to meet the EMR team to personalise your EMR and to have a better understanding of how to use the system. During Favourites Fair, you will be able to set up your patient lists, favourite orders, documentation types, and more to help you increase efficiencies at go live. This will benefit you by…
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Get to know: Stefania Zen
#WeAreNorthern Meet Stefania Zen, Transcultural and Language Services (TALS) and Narrun Wilip-Giin Aboriginal Support Unit (ASU) Education and Engagement Manager. Q: Tell me about your new role as the TALS and ASU Education and Engagement Manager – what does it entail? A: My new role focuses on supporting both TALS and Narrun Wilip-Giin with planning and delivering training for staff on cultural competence and Aboriginal cultural safety. This training is very important given the catchment area we work in, and I am always looking at ways to support Northern Health staff in providing the best possible culturally safe and appropriate…
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Stepping into the future: Northern Health holds the Nursing and Midwifery Graduation Ceremony
Last Friday, 28 July, Northern Health held the Nursing and Midwifery Graduation ceremony for the 2022 programs, marking the first face-to-face event since 2019. The event was held at the NCHER Lecture Theatre, and was a celebration of the following programs: Enrolled Nurse Graduate program, Graduate Nurse Midwifery program, Supported Transition to Excellence in Practice program (STEP), Postgraduate programs and Preceptor award. The ceremony marking the students’ graduation was not just a culmination of years of hard work and dedication, but also a celebration of their commitment to caring for others. Surrounded by friends, family, and mentors, the graduates stepped…
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NAIDOC Week 2023: Highlights and quiz winners
This year, NAIDOC Week paid tribute to our Elders who have been mentors, teachers, and role models, passing on their wisdom and cultural knowledge for generations. It was fitting that the week ended with a visit by the Narrun Wilip-giin, Aboriginal Support Unit to the Wandarra Elders Group, a local Aboriginal community organisation in Broadmeadows. Aboriginal Liaison Officers Toni Gabelish, Stephanie Thompson, and Lindsay Holmes together with Consumer Participation Coordinator Sherrilyn Ballard handed out dilly bags to the elders to thank them for paving the way of our future. Our Narrun Wilip-giin, Aboriginal Support Unit had displays at each site,…
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Quarterly Staff Recognition Awards
This morning, Northern Health virtually hosted the third Quarterly Staff Recognition Awards for 2023 to celebrate and acknowledge the amazing work of our dedicated staff. We once again had an outstanding response from our staff, with a number of nominations received across seven different categories. Siva Sivarajah, Chief Executive, opened the ceremony by acknowledging the incredible work of our staff across the health service. “Among our award winners today are staff who exemplify a strong and positive workplace culture, staying true to Northern Health’s values of “Safe Kind Together”, and who continue to show a genuine commitment to their patients,”…