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.

This morning, Northern Health hosted the Staff Recognition Awards, virtually coming together to honour and celebrate the exceptional contributions of our staff.

The ceremony was hosted by Michelle Fenwick, Executive Director, People and Culture.

“Northern Health has thousands of staff who work across a range of areas, departments and sites, dedicated to providing care to our community each and every day,” Ms Fenwick said.

“I am proud to work in an organisation where staff are collaborative and kind and turn up to work every day to provide such incredible care to our patients and community.”

“We thank you all for your hard work and dedication,” she added.

The ceremony celebrates the winners from Quarter 2, 2024 in seven categories, with each award matched against Northern Health’s values and strategic priorities.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Team, Community Therapy Services, was presented with the Innovation Award for working tirelessly to design and develop a Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation Service with CLEO. This service allows participants to receive a full six-week hybrid cardiac rehabilitation program in their own time from the comfort of their home.

“The team has been amazing to work with. They have shown a can-do attitude and genuine excitement for the service they can provide through their innovation and perseverance. They have rapidly expanded the virtual service to accommodate for demand and will make a positive difference for patients recovering from heart disease in our community. Well done!” said their nominator, Elisha O’Dowd.

The Patient Experience Award went to the Outpatients Nursing/Midwifery Teams. They were nominated by Elizabeth Ward.

“The Northern Hospital Epping Outpatient Nursing and Midwifery teams always go above and beyond to ensure safe, kind and together emergency care delivery at Code Blue calls in the outpatient areas. Code blue calls for deteriorating patients or visitors in the outpatient areas are a common occurrence and the team respond efficiently to ensure that excellence in patient safety is upheld whilst awaiting Code Blue team attendance,” said Ms Ward in her nomination.

Jason Nebbs, Director or Workforce, VVED, took home the Excellence in Leadership Award, for consistently demonstrating remarkable leadership and determination in managing the VVED medical workforce.

“Under his leadership, our department has seen improved operational efficiencies, a testament to his strategic planning abilities. He has implemented staffing solutions that have not only optimised our workforce but also enhanced patient care and staff satisfaction, reflecting his commitment to our department and team,” said his nominator Hayley Gray, NUM, VVED.

The Education Award was presented to Andrea Clancy, ICT Admin Support. Andrea was nominated by David Calvo, for her outstanding dedication and commitment to upscaling a student in the ICT department over the past year.

“Andrea’s patience, expertise, and willingness to share her knowledge have been truly commendable. Her ability to balance her everyday responsibilities with the mentoring role is a testament to her exceptional time management and organizational skills. She has set a shining example for all of us to follow,” said Mr Calvo.

Public Affairs very own Steve Carnell, Content Producer, Public Affairs, won the Rising Star Award. Steve was nominated by his colleague, Jessica Reynolds.

“Steve is the voice behind Northern Health’s very first podcast, he is the voice you hear at the start of the Window, he is the voice you hear during many animations for Northern Health events. Since the launch of the very first podcast for Northern Health in 2023, he has definitely risen to the occasion – not only does he work closely with his podcast guests and gets to know them on a personal level, he often puts in a lot of after-hours work to ensure the podcast, and any other work he has on, is his best work,” wrote Ms Reynolds in her nomination.

“He is such an incredible asset to the Public Affairs team and has grown so much in his role.”

BankVic representatives, Rebecca Attard, Senior Relationship Manager and Rachel Morley, Chief Growth and Experience Officer, attended the ceremony and presented the last two awards – Clinical Excellence and Excellence in Safety.

Kasuni Punchi, Senior Nurse at Hume Community, Craig Kleeman, was presented with the Clinical Excellence Award. Kasuni was nominated by Ginny Hartley, who said in her nomination, “Kasuni has been with the clinic for approximately five years and in this time, she has transformed the clinic component of the work offered here at Broadmeadows, by taking the lead on developing a database of dates and having a unique ability to engage mental health consumers sensitively and respectfully.”

Lastly, Julia Fotiadis, ANUM, Emergency Department, won the Excellence in Safety Award. Julia was nominated by Laura Hughes, who said in her nomination, “Julia has led improvement in the ED relating to AV offload for patients arriving with a CODE stroke and stroke symptoms. Her idea has shown improvements across key data metrics, with positive feedback also from the stroke teams and our patients. Great to see how small ideas can make transformations at Northern Health for our patients and staff.”

Congratulations to all the award winners! Onwards and upwards!

The Staff Recognition Awards are proudly sponsored by BankVic and Northern Health Foundation.

Click here to watch a recording of the ceremony.

“Libraries have their roots in providing free and equitable access to information, roots that extend and connect people and communities with the services they need.”*

Last week was Library and Information Week. To celebrate, we’re highlighting the outstanding work and invaluable new resources and services provided by the dedicated staff at the Northern Health Library!

From 1 May this year, all new Northern Health staff members have enjoyed automatic library membership via their employee numbers, granting them immediate access to the full range of library resources — print and eBooks, eJournals and databases. This seamless integration allows newcomers to dive right into the wealth of information and support available to them.

Did you know that one of the highlights of the library’s offerings is their extensive leisure reading collection, featuring some of the best-selling international authors and even cookbooks?

Tania Barry, Director, Library and Information Literacy Services, says, “We understand the vital role that reading plays in health and wellbeing, so we have expanded our fiction section. Recent neuroscience research from the Queen’s Reading Room in the UK reveals that reading fiction for just five minutes can reduce stress by nearly 20 per cent, and enhance concentration and focus by up to 11 per cent. In light of these findings, our collection now features even more engaging fiction to help staff and students unwind and recharge.”

The library staff also provides essential training and education on how to effectively search and use their electronic resources. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned researcher, their guidance ensures that you can make the most of their digital offerings. Additionally, their literature search service is a significant time-saver, offering expert assistance in sourcing the best information for policy reviews, business cases and other critical tasks.

Dr Shirin Sarejloo, Cardiology Imaging Fellow at Northern Health, a familiar face around the library, has expressed her appreciation for the welcoming environment. She shared her thoughts that perfectly resonate with the library’s objective to create an inviting space for everyone.

“People go where they feel welcomed, not just where they are allowed,” said Dr Sarejloo.

In keeping with their commitment to convenience, the library now offers the ability to source articles and have them delivered directly to a staff member’s inbox. The new browser extension, LibKey Nomad, simplifies article access even further, making research smoother and more efficient.

For those interested in copyright law, the library team provides expert advice to ensure that all practices comply with legal standards. Additionally, the team offer support and guidance on the development of staff book groups and book chats, fostering a community of readers and thinkers within Northern Health.

“To wrap up Library and Information Week 2024, we’re hosting a fun competition – Guess the number of physical books in our collection for a chance to win!” said Ms Barry.

To enter the competition, participants need to visit the library between Monday and Friday from 9 am – 5 pm to take their best guesses. You can also visit the library to become a library member and enjoy all the wonderful library offerings.

Good luck to all participating!

 

Pictured in featured image: Dr Shirin Sarejloo, Cardiology Imaging Fellow at Northern Health. 

*Library and Information Week 2024 website.

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Dr Matthew Ligtermoet, Deputy Director of the Neurology Unit at Northern Health.

Q: What’s your coffee order? 

A: Either a piccolo or a cappuccino.

Q: Tell us about your role at Northern Health? 

A: I am the Deputy Director of the Neurology Unit. I work with the junior medical staff and multidisciplinary team on Ward 21, managing neurology and stroke inpatients. My other roles are in the Progressive Neurological Diseases/Motor Neurone Disease (MND) clinic at Bundoora Centre (one of only three MND services statewide), and the Neuroimmunology clinic in Epping. I am also actively involved in teaching medical students and assisting medical registrars in preparing for the Neurology section of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) exams.

Q: If you weren’t a doctor, what would you have been instead? 

A: This one is a tricky one, because I can’t imagine doing any other job. However, in another life I may have ended up a bicycle mechanic.

Q: Favourite childhood memory? 

A: Skiing and camping holidays with my brother and Dad.

Q: Tell us one thing not many people know about you? 

A: I am accident prone in the kitchen. Stick blenders and glad wrap dispensers have led to recent self-inflicted injuries and don’t mix well with Neurologists!

Northern Health anaesthetists have a long-standing association with Mongolia, starting with Associate Professor David Pescod AO, and Dr Amanda Baric, AM. In 2021, Dr Baric was awarded the highest state honour of Mongolia, the Order of the Polar Star, in recognition of her contribution to Mongolia’s healthcare sector.  More recently she received the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division.

Continuing this tradition, in June 2024, a team of medical professionals from Northern Health and the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) visited Mongolia to contribute to the annual Mongolian Society of Anaesthesiologists (MSA) meeting.

One highlight was the thoracic surgery and anaesthesia training at the Mongolia Japan Hospital led by Mr Bibhusal Thapa, Thoracic Surgeon at Northern Health. The team mentored local surgeons through three thoracic surgeries.

“I hope this will be the beginning of a long-term relationship with the surgeons in Mongolia and that we can help them over the next five years to set up a Thoracic Surgery unit,” says Mr Thapa.

The delegation also conducted a simulation workshop at the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, introducing various simulation modalities, skills teaching techniques, and debriefing methods.

Dr. Michelle Chan, Anaesthetist at Northern Health, stated, “Our continuing relationship with the Mongolian Society of Anaesthetists is based on collaboration, mutual trust, respect, friendship and a demonstration of commitment to providing ongoing growth and education in a place where resources can be scarce and support limited.”

The MSA meeting is supported by the Australian Society of Anaesthetists and World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists and is the main continuing education activity of the MSA.

Dr Baric said, “This is part of our much larger commitment to medical education and training in Mongolia. I would like to thank the executive and our leadership for their support in allowing us time to share knowledge and improve the healthcare delivered in Mongolia. We learn much from our colleagues who work in even more austere environments and enjoy the opportunity to contribute in our own way. It is a testament to our values of safe, kind, and together.”

 

 

Featured image: Dr Baric and Mr Thapa, with colleagues from the Mongolian Society of Anaesthesiologists.

As we reach the halfway point of season two of Northern Health’s podcast, Visiting Hours, we thought we’d take the opportunity to look back and enjoy the special moments captured as we visited with members of our Northern Health family.

As always, episodes are a balance of celebrating the amazing things being accomplished in the sphere of work, an insight into how our staff live outside of that sphere, and a prescribed dose of fun.

Listened to in over 45 countries, the podcast navigates the very real themes of finding love, dealing with loss and building resilience and guiding the listener through highs and lows into a safe harbour of positive affirmation.

We invite you to take a voyage with us back through the early stops in season 2.

 Episode 1 – Wendy Nicol, Northern Health’s Operations Manager of Support Services, discussed her vision for the department, shared openly about her battle with the BRCA2 gene, but drew the line at singing Disney songs… in public.

Episode 2 – Northern Health’s Spiritual Care Coordinator, Natalia Dewiyani, talked about the importance of holding a space for patients to express their true selves, overcoming cancer one smile at a time, and the spicy secret weapon she never leaves home without.

Episode 3 – Prof. Wanda Stelmach shared her insights on the importance of nurturing hobbies, skills and interests outside of work, her gutsy navigation of a heavily male dominated field with graceful aplomb, and her special connection with Thailand.

Episode 4 – Fidel Touma, Consultant General Surgeon at Northern Health. A proud father and smitten husband, Fidel shared candidly about leaving his life behind in Syria and starting over in Australia. He talked about the importance of treating patients with respect, and the kindness shown to him by Northern Health staff as he navigated new frontiers.

Episode 5 – Fiona Jeal, Program Manager with Northern Health’s Mental Health Division, a firm believer in harnessing her team’s strengths, talked about the importance of having the right people offering the best care. She celebrates the quiet achievers, brings class to the campsite, and happily switches hats between captain and pirate.

Episode 6 – Jacque Dulson from Northern Health’s Fertility Clinic, shared the highs and lows of working in fertility and the importance open communication as a pathway to resilience. She revealed her true passion when it comes to movies, her rediscovery of the gym, and how a Hungry Jack’s burger wrapper changed her life forever.

Episode 7 – Debra Bourne, Northern Health Chief Operating Officer, has never lost her love of nursing and midwifery. She celebrates the positive impact nurses and midwives have on their patients. She spoke about the importance of switching off outside of work, despite the temptation of a home office, delved into her love of opera and revealed how a gift from her son led to an encounter with the King.

Episode 8 – Adj. Assoc. Prof. Tony McGillion, Northern Health’s Divisional Director of Education and Training explored the role of education in a health setting and beyond, discussed the benefits of mentorship from both sides of the coin and spoke about just when you hit ‘the wall’ on a long-distance run.

Episode 9 – Gordon Dennis, Northern Health Consumer Advisor, is a retired Artificer Sergeant Major in the Australian Army. Gordon draws on his years of experience, to pass on what he knows for the benefit of others. He shared on the importance of building a good reputation, dealing with loss and loneliness and how he’s come full circle by building model replicas of the locomotives he worked on as an apprentice.

Episode 10 – It’s not often you have the privilege to sit and chat with someone that’s 104 years young.  Betty Soraghan, Resident Dianella Village Kilmore, joined by her daughter Anne, recalled getting all done up for the Saturday night dances, horse-riding with no bridle in sight and how important having the Kilmore District Hospital is for the community.

Episode 11 – Prof. Shekhar Kumta, Academic Lead, Department of Surgery, identified Northern Health as the perfect place to build research data sets, he revealed how your passions and hobbies can actually free up your mind enabling you to tackle work in new and creative ways.

Steve Carnell, Visiting Hours host commented, “Our Northern Health family are such an incredible bunch of humans, and It’s been a great privilege to have the opportunity to share their stories with the world.”

Visiting Hours is available to listen to wherever you get good podcasts.