September 2024
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Today is World Patient Safety Day!
World Patient Safety Day calls for global solidarity and concerted action by all countries and international partners to improve patient safety. This year’s theme, “Improving Diagnosis for Patient Safety”, focuses on the essential role of accurate and timely diagnoses in improving patient safety. On this World Patient Safety Day, we asked staff across Northern Health the all-important question – “What does patient safety mean to you?” Here’s what they had to say… You can also access a specially curated Northern Health Library catalogue for World Patient Safety Day here. The Safe Practice Forum is also returning to Northern Health on…
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CDI Week: Clinical truth
This week is CDI Week, an annual celebration of Clinical Documentation and Improvement. It is a time to recognise CDI professionals and the vital role they play in healthcare in improving patient safety, enhancing the quality of healthcare data, and ensuring the financial sustainability of health services. CDI is all about empowering clinicians to deliver safer care to every patient by creating a documentation culture that reflects the clinical truth. It’s about bridging the gap between clinicians and our clinical coders so that the clinical data is reflective of the patient’s inpatient hospital stay and that Northern Health receives optimised…
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A Tribute to Joan’s Compassionate Service
As you walk through the hallways of the main hospital at Northern Hospital Epping, you will notice the beautifully framed photographs of our staff doing what they do best; caring for each other and their patients. There is one such photo on the ground floor, close to the lifts, of three of our dedicated volunteers. And, while one of them is no longer with us, her gentle smile and the soulfulness of her eyes will be remembered by all who were privileged to make her acquaintance. Joan Stroud was born in 1948 and passed away on 24 August 2024 after…
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Bring joy to work this R U OK? Day
Today is R U OK? Day, a national day of action to remind everyone that every day is the day to ask ‘R U OK?’ It’s a day to reach out to your family, friends, loved ones and colleagues to have a meaningful conversation, and to ask the important ‘R U OK?’ question. Caring for others is the first act that goes to the core of our humanity. It is also at the heart of our Northern Health values of Safe, Kind and Together. This makes it vital that we look out for each other and extend our care to…
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World Sepsis Day: Stop sepsis, save lives
World Sepsis Day, held annually on 13 September, is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against sepsis. Sepsis is a time-critical medical emergency that arises when the body’s response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs. It can lead to shock, failure of multiple organs, and death if not recognised early and not treated promptly. Across the world, sepsis affects between 47 and 50 million people every year and at least 11 million people die – one death every 2.8 seconds. Twenty per cent of all deaths worldwide are associated with sepsis. However, awareness…
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Celebrating World Physiotherapy Day at Northern Health
On Sunday, 8 September, Northern Health joined the global celebration of World Physiotherapy Day, a day dedicated to recognising the vital contributions physiotherapists make to healthcare. With over 120 physiotherapists working across Northern Health campuses, our team provides essential care that impacts patients of all ages, from newborns to older patients, in settings ranging from emergency departments to community care, and even intensive care units. Physiotherapy services here extend beyond traditional rehabilitation, addressing a wide range of health conditions, including chronic pain, cancer, vertigo, concussion, and more. Our physiotherapists collaborate closely with exercise physiologists and allied health assistants, ensuring comprehensive…
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On track to MACH a difference
Following a rigorous selection process, Vanessa Leonard-Roberts, Nurse Practitioner at Northern Hospital Emergency Department, has been offered a prestigious place in the Melbourne Academic Centre for Health MACH-Track Program in 2025. MACH-Track is a structured, mentored, fully funded PhD pathway through the University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences and eight affiliated Medical Research Institutes. The five-year program incorporates both advanced clinical and academic training, and seeks to develop future leaders of clinical innovation by offering an opportunity to integrate pre-PhD, PhD, and initial post-PhD research training with the completion of vocational training of the highest standard.…
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Get to know: Saj Amerasinghe
#WeAreNorthern Meet Saj Amerasinghe, Key Account Manager, ISS Facility Services, Northern Health. Q: Can I start with your coffee order, please? A: I start off with a small almond latte. Q: Can you tell me a bit about your career? A: I’ve spent over a decade in freight logistics in a national role with TNT and TOLL before transitioning into facilities management. I discovered my passion working with ISS, during my time at Canberra Health. Over the past 12 years with ISS, I’ve grown from a frontline supervisor to a Key Account Manager, currently overseeing the Northern Health portfolio. My…