This is a story about our Community Visitor Scheme (CVS) that allows our volunteers to visit socially isolated and lonely elders residing in aged care facilities. It is also a story about the beautiful friendship one of our amazing volunteers – Vera Bosheva has cultivated with Paul Ruckert, a resident of Vasey RSL Care (Vasey House).

When Vera was first interviewed for the CVS Program at Vasey House, she assumed she would be matched with a female resident. However the coordinator made a strong case for Paul, as someone who could benefit from Vera’s visits.

Vera began visiting Paul in June 2013, and soon discovered Paul had many interests; classical music, history, science, medicine and meteorology. However what Paul liked the most was quizzes and playing nine letter word games.

Vera would try and visit Paul every fortnight in between work and on every visit she would “chat about any of his interests, listen to his favourite music from his era on my mobile phone, where he would often sing-along, and finish with playing word games,” says Vera.

“On warm sunny days we would go outside for some of these activities.”

Vera would also show Paul short videos of his choice. “I would ask him what the first thing he thinks of and whatever he would pick, we would watch on my phone e.g. sausages. We would then watch a short video on how to make sausages!”

Says Vera, “It has been so rewarding to be able to make a difference to an elderly person’s wellbeing.”

“I have also learned so much from Paul and his life story, which I wrote the first year. I thought that it will be great to write what he remembers. I completed his life story and gave it to him for Christmas 2013,” says Vera.

“I look forward to visiting Paul. He is always happy to see me and thanks me for the visit.” says Vera.

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, Vera is unable to visit Paul, but calls Vasey House to check on him regularly.

Vera adds, “The Community Visitor Scheme provides companionship and friendship to many elderly people who are isolated and lonely. Even though some of them may be living with other elderly people, some residents are not interested in these activities, especially some men. The CVS volunteer can identify resident’s own interests/hobbies and share and act on these with the resident and enrich the quality of life of recipients.”

Monica Polimeni, Advisor Engagement, Broadmeadows Hospital and Community Visitor Scheme, says, “The CVS program has allowed residents to form lasting and rewarding friendships and has given a sense of purpose back to elders in the community.”

If you would like the chance to make a positive impact on the lives of others, and in turn your own, please contact the Northern Health Engagement Team via volunteer@nh.org.au or on 8345 5837.

Pharmacy exercise team, ‘Pharmily’, has won the inaugural Northern Health’s 15 Minute Exercise Challenge, receiving a $50 Rebel Sport voucher for each team member and the 15 Minute Challenge Cup.

The 15 Minute Exercise Challenge was a six-week online team competition which encouraged participants to be active every day and to form good exercise habits. The challenge started on Monday, 22 June, and resulted in 350 individual participants and 50 active teams exercising from all campuses.

Praseetha Koyadan Chathoth, pharmacy technician and the captain of ‘Pharmily,’ said they saw the promo on the Intranet and decided to join the challenge as a group, as many of them were already very active and keeping fit during the pandemic.

“In these tough times, exercise is of the best things to do. With some of us already dieting and exercising, it made sense to do this challenge as a group,” she explained.

At the start, the team realised it was a real challenge to stay committed and find those 15 minutes every day, but they worked diligently to make it part of their routines.

“Everyone did different exercises – like boxing, dancing, bush walking, yoga and similar. Even more staff wanted to join us, but our group was full, we couldn’t take any more people,” she said.

“I am really thankful that this was organised. We didn’t really expect to win, we took it as a fun activity. Winning was a really nice surprise,” she added.

The second place winners were ‘Pastoral Gym Junkies’ and third place winners were ‘Community-Fit Team’.

Other challenge awards included: Star Performer Award, which went to Danika Arney from team ‘The pOTentials’, Self Improvement Award went to David Paterson from team ‘Pastoral Gym Junkies’ and Profile of the Week Award to John Ferguson from team ‘Beauties and Beasts’.

The organisation-wide effort was evident when all the results came through – there were also four more teams: ‘Let’s get Fiscal’, ‘The Transformers’, ‘The pOTentials’ and ‘U70.8’ which scored above 90 per cent participation, an extraordinary effort.

Alison O’Sullivan, Workplace Wellbeing Coordinator, added that the idea for the challenge came from feedback received at last year’s Ideas Lab, where the need for a physical wellbeing initiative became apparent.

“The OHS and Wellbeing team were excited to be able to bring the 15 Minute Exercise Challenge to Northern Health. The challenge was a great way to encourage staff to stay fit and healthy, but also had fantastic benefits including team building and maintaining social connections. We hope staff continue to make exercise an important part of their self care routine – the benefits are proven in the literature regarding the impact on a person’s overall wellbeing and health,” she said.

“Thank you to all staff for their enthusiasm and involvement and congratulations to all the winners,” she added.

Featured image: Suzanna Tan and Praseetha Koyadan Chathoth

Northern Health Foundation Patron and local fundraising hero, Josie Minniti OAM, has been nominated as a Westfield Local Heroes finalist for 2020.

Westfield Local Heroes is a recognition and awards program that discovers and celebrates individuals who make a positive impact to their local community.

Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with three finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant. We are thrilled this year that Josie Minniti has nominated Northern Health as her chosen charity.

Should Josie be successful, she will contribute the funds towards the purchase of an EBUS machine for our respiratory department. This will help speed up the time for a respiratory diagnosis so treatment can start much sooner for our patients.

Josie’s nominator says: “Josie’s impact on our health service is immeasurable. Through her tireless fundraising, Josie has greatly improved the comfort of our patients during their treatments.”

Josie has dedicated over 20 years to fundraising for cancer services in Melbourne hospitals. Despite having health challenges of her own, Josie strives hard every year to make a difference to the lives of our cancer patients, something very dear to her heart with her own family dealing with cancer.

Josie is a dedicated and inspiring volunteer whose tireless efforts have helped raise over $700,000 to support patients with cancer or kidney disease at Northern Health. The funds have helped pay for medical equipment upgrades and for equipment that makes life more comfortable for patients undergoing cancer treatments.

“Whenever I am fundraising my motto is ‘there is always someone worse off than you’, so I will do all I can to improve their lives,” says Josie, who has received an Order of Australia (OAM) for her dedication.

“This year, my target is to purchase equipment for the respiratory unit to help patients suffering from lung cancer.”

Josie’s fundraising activities have included picnics in the park, dinner dances and pasta nights just to name a few. Proceeds have funded a scalp cooling machine, blanket warmer, patient treatment chairs and defibrillators for the Day Oncology Unit at Northern Hospital Epping.

Let’s thank and acknowledge Josie Minniti for her outstanding commitment to the local community.

Click here to vote for our local hero – Josie Minniti!

Speech Pathology Week promotes the profession and work done by speech pathologists with over 1.2 million Australians who have a communication disability. The theme for Speech Pathology Week 2020 is Communicating with confidence.

Rebecca Lamont, Northern Health Speech Pathologist, explained the team works with all aspects of communication challenges, relating to language, understanding and expression, voice, fluency and similar. The same muscles used for speech are used in swallowing, so the team are experts in that field too, and can also help with cognition and thinking skills.

Maree Spencer is one of Northern Health’s patients that Rebecca has been treating at the Bundoora Centre and at Maree’s home.

“She was first seen in July 2019 and diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) at 54 years of age. MND is a progressive, degenerative and fatal condition, that has no cure and no known cause. There is only one medication that can be used to slow down the symptoms, but doesn’t work to stop it,” she explained.

The disease affects parts of the brain that control movement, and as a consequence the muscles atrophy and weaken because they are not being used. The people lose the ability to move, speak or breathe.

Maree walks with a four wheel frame to avoid falls and her speech has almost completely stopped. To be able to communicate, she uses a text-to speech app or her phone and iPad, and the device then speaks for her.

“Most of the time, people with MND have preserved cognition and intelligence, and this is what makes the disease very difficult, as people are fully aware what is happening to them,” Rebecca explained.

“The disease has slowly taken my voice, and today people can’t understand me anymore without assistance,” Maree told us by typing her answers, and her daughter reading to us.

“At the moment, I am using different tools to communicate, like my iPad with the Predictable app. I also use my phone to write notes on and I am now trialling an eye-gazing communication device,” she added.

“My only advice to others would be – before your voice goes away, make sure you film video messages to your loved ones and let them know how you feel.”

“Rebecca has helped me tremendously and is giving me different tools to test. I can always email her with any concerns and she always responds quickly,” Maree added.

Featured image (left to right): Camille Meredith, Kym Patterson, Stephanie Bennetts, Devon Iluksooriya.

The fifth strategic priority in Northern Health’s new Strategic Plan 2020-24 focuses on research and learning, working towards the goal of equipping staff with the latest knowledge and best practices to support positive patient experiences and safe, effective care.

Prof. Bill van Gaal, Director Cardiology Service and Divisional Director Emergency Services says, “Northern Health is committed to building a culture of research and educating the workforce of the future.”

In order to elevate our research profile and translate research into healthcare practice, Northern Health is keen to create a workforce of engaged learners and inspired researchers, by enhancing teaching and creating a culture of learning and research, and becoming a partner of choice for research.

Northern Health will continue to grow the capacity for clinical trials for our northern community, which are an important way of helping patients receive the best care and treatments in the future.

Says Krinal Mori, General Surgeon and Educator: “We are clear that for the safe, effective and positive patient experience, right from the time the patient comes into hospital, to even after they are discharged, it is important that we equip our staff with the best medical practise and the latest information”.

Northern Health is working with partner Universities in training the healthcare workforce of the future. Laura Calogero, student nurse is one of our engaged learners, She says ” Here at Northern Health, we are supported by staff and educators. the friendly staff nurture and help us to grow.”

Please see the video below to hear more about what ‘Engaged learners, inspired researchers’ means to some of our staff:

Northern Health’s Consumer Literacy Evaluation and Review (CLEAR) group turned five this month. They are one of the longest running consumer groups who have eagerly contributed to Northern Health. The group has a very specific task of reviewing and providing feedback on all information developed within the health service, that will be given to patients and their families.

Paula Murray, Health Literacy Coordinator, explained the group focuses on ensuring the information aimed at patients makes sense, is useful and relevant and easy to understand.

“The group also looks at whether the information in a brochure, for example, provides the information consumers would expect to receive, if it answers any questions that they may have and if it points readers to where they can get more information,” she explained.

Originally, prior to the formation of the CLEAR group, consumers reviewed materials posted out to them. When the CLEAR group commenced, the group evolved to meet once monthly face to face to review documents together.  They discuss, sometimes quite animatedly, their opinions on how the information could be improved. The CLEAR group members take their role very seriously, always considering how and when people will receive this information, and how useful it will be to them.

Mary Renshaw , CLEAR member said: “Since I joined the CLEAR group,  I have been a patient at Northern Health too. As a patient, I received special care at Northern Health and understood why the work of our CLEAR group is so important and how it can make a difference. It has helped with the clear wording of directions and general understanding of information the patients receive,” she said.

The feedback provided from the CLEAR group helps the clinical authors adapt and revise their documents to ensure they are of the best possible quality for future patients and consumers using our services.

“The CLEAR group participated in previous accreditation processes and, on two separate occasions, helped Northern Health achieve “Met with Merit” outcome for our Health Literacy actives, which is outstanding and an excellent acknowledgment of their work and effort. Now that we are in COVID-19 times, the group, even in lockdown, are reviewing documents and providing feedback electronically or over the phone,” Paula explained.

The CLEAR group have achieved a lot in their time, and have reviewed over 200 documents. These have included posters, patient information brochures, surveys and Northern Health publications such as our annual Quality Account.

Five of the original CLEAR group members have been on the group from the very beginning and have now achieved five years of contribution. They are: Graham and Gwen Roberts, Mary Renshaw, Ruth Sherlock and Mary Herring.

If you’d like advice on developing a patient resource or seeking input for the CLEAR group, please contact Norther Health’s Health Literacy Coordinator, Paula Murray at paula.murray@nh.org.au.

Anita, a local young mother, welcomed her first child with her husband just over three months ago, a beautiful baby boy named Riaan. Her pregnancy was challenging as Anita has Crohn’s Disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the bowel that requires lifelong treatment and monitoring when the condition flares.

Anita was initially diagnosed five years ago at Northern Hospital Epping and continues to receive care for her condition from our Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) team. Like many chronic conditions, it came on suddenly and unexpectedly, and impacts on Anita’s quality of life as well as that of her growing family. When she experiences flares, she is unable to go to work and social outings, and experiences increased levels of pain which can be debilitating.

During her pregnancy, Anita was referred to an alternative health service for an intestinal ultrasound (IUS) – the only safe radiological investigation for pregnant IBD patients – the results of which help to guide treatment. Currently, these ultrasounds are not available at Northern Health and patients requiring this need to be referred to other hospitals.

“I think there’s a lot of anxiety behind it. There was a lag in getting the appointment and I was getting anxious – I wanted to make sure that the disease was under control because I was already a high-risk pregnancy. Then it’s the inconvenience of having to travel and explain your situation again to a new health professional,” Anita said.

Anita said it would be fantastic to see IUS at Northern Health. “While you’re having the ultrasound done, you can actually see what’s happening and manage the disease better – they can pinpoint if you’re having a flare-up or if one is coming on, so it gives you a sense of relief,” she said.

Northern Health Foundation have launched their Major Raffle for 2020, which will raise funds to support the purchase of IUS. Introducing Intestinal Ultrasounds to Northern Health will alleviate the need for patients in the northern community to travel to other health services, keeping them closer to home. This will reduce wait times, improve continuity of care and provide immediate information about the severity of the disease – providing better outcomes for patients.

Anita’s mother, Shanthi, has seen firsthand the impact of Anita’s condition and looks forward to IUS being introduced. “We need it around this area, so people don’t have to travel and go through that stressful waiting period – not just talking about my daughter but for other patients as well,” she said.

“With Anita’s flare-ups, you do really worry because it changes her whole lifestyle. Now, with the baby, I do get very anxious, but we are there to support her,” Shanthi added.

IBD Clinical Nurse Consultant, Charys Winter, works with these patients, including Anita, every day. She said, “IUS will be an extremely useful tool to engage patients in their care and management, and most importantly their understanding of their disease. To be able to update their treatment on the spot will be of tremendous benefit.”

Charys encourages our community to purchase raffle tickets as a way of giving back to their local health service. “If you’re a member of our hospital community and if you have received a benefit from that, it’s a nice way to pay it forward – to be involved, buy a ticket and help support – as it might even be for you or a relative that need our care one day.”

Click here to purchase your tickets today and support patients like Anita.

The total raffle prize pool includes:
First prize: A stunning brand new Toyota Corolla Hybrid Hatch – RRP $30,393.40
Second prize: Helicopter Joy Flight – RRP $4,500
Third prize: UPPAbaby VISTA V2 Pram and Bassinet – RRP $2,099
Fourth prize: One night in Mantra Epping Penthouse Suite including Breakfast and Dinner for two – RRP $750

By purchasing a ticket, you can feel proud of supporting the important work of Northern Health. If you buy five tickets in one transaction, you will go in the running to win a $500 Coles/Myer Gift Card! If you purchase your tickets before Wednesday 23 September 2020, you will also enter our Early Bird Draw to win a $500 Coles/Myer Gift Card.

A number of final year medical students from Northern Clinical School are now casual Northern Health employees, playing an important role in helping us with the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Dr Leonie Griffiths, Director Medical Education Northern Clinical School, explained the school is part of University of Melbourne located onsite at Northern Centre for Health, Education & Research (NCHER). As a result of the pandemic, the hospital has required additional help and the medical students were able to fill roles in different areas.

“The students have been mostly assisting with contact tracing, PPE and in Pathology. They are actually doing two roles at the moment. In their student role, they are undertaking their regular ward activities, and, in their own time, they are undertaking the paid pandemic role,” she explained.

The students commenced in both programs a month ago and are able to continue until they start their internships in January, if the demand is there.

“The strength is that they already have a great knowledge of the hospital and the system, and as a workforce, they are already well prepared. They are a very flexible, adaptable workforce,” Dr  Griffiths explained.

The students were very eager to contribute to Northern Health’s pandemic response. For them, this is a great opportunity to see how a health service operates during a pandemic, and engage more closely with the hospital, while contributing to patient care in a more meaningful way.

“Students genuinely value this opportunity. Being final year medical students, they are set to graduate this year, and most of them would be coming back to Northern Health as interns next year,” Dr Griffiths added.

Sara Unal is one of those students, working in the micro lab on the coronavirus testing.

“It’s been really fun and I have learned a lot. I have picked up a lot on how to be a good doctor, in terms of clinical notes and referring things to Pathology. I learnt a lot about the pandemic and the different machines required for testing. The team is lovely here and they are looking after us,” she said.

Her colleague, Lauren Russo, said she “feels like I am contributing meaningfully to the coronavirus pandemic workforce. I have learned so much about the virus and different genes in the virus,” while Ji Park, another student, added: “We are in a such a privileged position to be able to help during a pandemic. I would really like to give a huge shout to the Pathology team. Through this experience, we realised how much of an amazing job they are doing behind the scenes”.

Dr Frank Hong, Director of Pathology, said medical students have played an important part in helping Northern Pathology Victoria (NPV) maintain its COVID-19 testing capability, as the testing in Melbourne surged in July. They have helped NPV achieve one of the best turnaround times in Victoria, with an approximate mean time of 10-12 hours.

“From registering COVID-19 swabs to setting up samples for actual testing in the molecular laboratory, the students have been enthusiastic and always ready to help, including on weekends and in the evenings. We are very appreciative of their help and hopefully this has also given them some insight into how Pathology works,” he said.

Infection prevention is another area the students have been working in, and Madelaine Flynn, Manager Infection Prevention, said the University of Melbourne medical students have been instrumental to the success of the infection prevention team during COVID-19.

“Their tasks included aiding in data collection, contact tracing and providing phone support to staff who are either close contacts or confirmed COVID-19 cases. The students have embodied Northern Health’s values of safe, kind and together in all of their interactions. They are being kind to everyone, working as a part of the team and helping our department to keep our staff and patients safe,” she explained.

Featured image (left to right): Sara Unal (centre), Ridvan Atlihan, Michael D’Silva, Nadia Olivier, Dr Frank Hong, Ji Park, Lauren Russo