The introduction of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) was a transformative change for all staff delivering inpatient, emergency, surgical and maternity care.

A reminder that, in order to gain access to the EMR, staff need to be trained, meaning staff who have not been adequately trained will not have access to the EMR.

The EMR training format will now be a facilitated eLearning module, where staff will be required to come to a classroom to complete eLearning with a trainer present in the room of whom they can ask any questions.

The training material will be refreshed, and continue to focus on basic functionality while being more workflow centred.

Staff can practice in the Train Domain prior to their first shift. Training will run every Monday and will be an open session, allowing all cohort groups to register staff for training (nursing, midwifery, medical, allied health). These will be held in the training rooms on Level 3 of the NCHER building.

These will be considered open sessions, allowing all cohort groups to register staff, where trainees  follow the course materials relevant for their role. Pharmacy, HIS/HIM/CODER, Ward Clerks and Pathology cohorts will be trained using a training plan local to their area.

Managers can decide whether staff can complete eLearning training in their own time. Departments will be required to provide local training/orientation to embed area specific workflows.

Any further questions related to training please reach out to the EMR team via
NH-EMRQuestions@nh.org.au.

The Northern Health Emergency Department (ED) team is consistently striving to innovate and think differently to ensure the provision of timely emergency care to our community.

In pursuit of this goal, the team conducted a one-week trial in October in the Fast Track area of the Northern Hospital Epping Emergency Department, by introducing an exciting new concept known as FLIP – Fast Track Leadership and Intervention Physician.

This one-week trial involved the presence of an Emergency Physician onsite every day from 12 noon to 8 pm. The Fast Track area within the ED is a bustling environment, equipped with eight cubicles, three procedure rooms, and handles an average of 80-85 patients each day. Typically, this area caters to patients who require assessment, treatment, and care before they can safely return home.

Some patients may proceed to short-stay units or wards, while others may return on a different day for surgical procedures. The Fast Track area is well-staffed with a highly skilled team, including nurse practitioners, registrars, junior medical staff, registered nurses, allied health primary and secondary practitioners, and various support staff.

Katie Smith, Deputy Director, Emergency Department, said the aim of FLIP was to decrease the average length of time patients spend in hospital before they go home.

“FLIP will play an integral role in a busy area, ensuring our patients are getting their tests and investigations ordered as promptly as possible, so that patients are not waiting for long periods,” she said.

Initial results from the trial showed early improvement across all targeted areas of the pilot, including the length of time patients spend in Fast Track, how quickly they get seen by a clinician, with an average improvement of 25 per cent.

The FLIP initiative is part of Northern Health’s broader improvement efforts, aligning with the principles of the Timely Emergency Care Collaborative (TECC), which aims to ensure the ‘right patient, right place, the first time.’

Further work and testing are currently being undertaken in December. Planning is underway for FLIP to be sustainable long-term, and to see further improvement for our patients.

Featured image: Members of the TECC Project team and colleagues from the Department of Health and the Institute of Health care Improvement.

Northern Health and Nexus Primary Health have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner together and strengthen their commitment to addressing health and wellbeing challenges in Mitchell Shire.

The agreement was signed by both Amanda Mullins, Chief Executive, Nexus Primary Health and Siva Sivarajah, Chief Executive, Northern Health, on Monday, 27 November 2023.

Both organisations welcomed the MOU and committed to creating positive health outcomes for the residents of the northern catchment of Melbourne and southern Mitchell Shire. This collaboration emphasises their dedication to providing health services that resonate with the diverse needs of the local community.

This MOU outlines a collaborative framework to enhance health and wellbeing outcomes for residents, ensuring improved access to services in the Mitchell Shire.

Key initiatives include:

• Collaborative efforts to address and prioritise health and wellbeing issues in the northern catchment.
• Active advocacy within the northern corridor to enhance health and wellbeing initiatives, along with improving infrastructure resourcing.
• A commitment to understanding the health and wellbeing needs of local communities, driving the design of innovative and responsive solutions.

“Nexus Primary Health is excited to be formalising our partnership with Northern Health under this MOU. As a geographical service provider partner, we have always had a positive working relationship with Northern Health, and we look forward to consolidating on this in the near future,” said Amanda Mullins, Chief Executive Officer, Nexus Primary Health.

“As the population through the lower Mitchell area grows, we look forward continuing to deliver care to our community through partnering with the Northern,” said Ms Mullins.

“A strengthened partnership with Nexus Primary Health is timely, considering Northern Health’s recent voluntary amalgamation with Kilmore District Health. Nexus Primary Health serves the Mitchell Shire, which is expected to triple in population in the next twenty years, with an additional 181,000 people set to call Mitchell Shire home,” said Neela Konara, Director of Partnerships, Northern Health.

“This partnership embodies a collective effort to create positive and lasting changes in the health landscape of Mitchell Shire. Northern Health and Nexus Primary Health are thrilled about the transformative initiatives that will unfold as they work together over the coming years,” Ms Konara said.

Featured image L-R: Siva Sivarajah, Chief Executive, Northern Health and Amanda Mullins, Chief Executive, Nexus Primary Health.

Accreditation is a formal process whereby an independent team of healthcare professionals assess the quality and safety of services provided against best practice standards. Accreditation is undertaken every three years, and Northern Health’s last accreditation assessment was in 2021.

All Victorian public health services, including Northern Health, must undergo regular assessments to maintain their accreditation through the Australian Health Service Safety and Quality Accreditation Scheme (AHSSQA).

An accreditation assessment involves an on-site visit by assessors who are independent of the health service. They look for evidence that each action in the Standards has been implemented. It is a requirement to be accredited to operate as a health facility.

In 2024, Northern Health will undergo an onsite Short Notice Assessment by the Australian Council on Health Service Standards (ACHS). This means, for our next Accreditation, we will be given 24 hours’ notice of an assessment. This assessment will be completed prior to 5 June 2024.

All transitioned mental health services will be included in the survey apart from the aged residential services, which will be surveyed under the Aged Care Standards by the Aged Care Commission.

Kilmore District Health had a successful accreditation assessment in March 2023. Due to the amalgamation, they will be included in our next short notice accreditation assessment to ensure that all Northern Health sites that come under the National Standards are assessed at the same time to align our accreditation cycle.

Maree Glynn, Director of Clinical Practice Improvement, said quality and safety was everyone’s responsibility.

“Everyone has a role to make sure that care given to patients, families and people visiting our organisation is the best it can be, and that we have the right culture where quality and safety is valued,” she said.

To ensure Northern Health is #ReadyAnytime for accreditation, staff are encouraged to:

• Follow Northern Health policies and procedures on PROMPT.
• Identify and report incident and near misses/risks/hazards to your manager and enter into Riskman (VHIMS) – if you see something, say something.
• Undertake your mandatory training including an annual performance appraisal.
• Participate in quality and safety improvements in your work area.
• Be respectful and inclusive of patient’s needs and include them in all decisions about their care and treatment.

At an individual level, staff need to understand what their role is, and which Standards are relevant to them. If you are unsure, your manager will be able to help you.

For more information, please visit the Intranet.

Upcoming Mock Survey

To help the organisation prepare for upcoming Accreditation, a short notice ‘mock survey’ is being planned for the month of December.

This will give Northern Health an independent view of our compliance in practice with the National Standards and identify any areas of risk that may require our focus.

The organisation will be given 24 hours’ notice of the mock survey, to replicate a short notice survey as much as possible.

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Stephanie Elliot, Enrolled Nurse, Caladenia Nursing Home, Kilmore District Hospital.

Q: Why and how did you choose your specialty?

A: In Year 9, my class visited a nursing home. During the visit, we were buddied up with a resident, which saw us working with the resident to complete an “about me project” on the resident’s life. Before this I’d never been to a nursing home. Spending that time working alongside the elderly and getting to know their life stories is where my passion for aged care began.

I then completed a Certificate 3 in Allied Health Assistant, before doing placement hours within a nursing home. I also completed a school-based apprenticeship throughout this course. From that time on, I knew I wanted to work within the healthcare field. After graduating from high school, I then enrolled in a diploma in Enrolled Nursing and began working as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) whilst completing my diploma.

I began at Dianella Hostel at Kilmore District Hospital and the staff at Dianella helped me transition from a PCA to an Enrolled Nurse once I had finished my diploma. I then began working at Caladenia Nursing Home and also took on the role of Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator.

Q: What do you like most about your role?

A: I have such a passion for working alongside the elderly. I love being given the opportunity to make a positive difference in the resident’s day-to-day life and their overall quality of life. I enjoy getting to know the residents, learning their life stories, meeting their families, seeing the smiles on their faces, being able to provide them with the care they deserve and having the opportunity to make a positive difference in their lives, not only for the residents but their family too.

Q: What are some things people don’t know about you?

A: I actually had a serious car accident almost a year ago which caused major injuries and put me out of work for a while. This has had a major impact on my life and many of aspects in my life have changed, but despite these traumatic injuries I’m lucky to be alive and lucky to have been able to return to my work that I love while I continue on my healing journey.

Something that not many people know about me (pre-accident) is that I’m a very athletic and outdoors person. I’m someone that loves being outside whether that’s gardening, mowing or using the chainsaw to cut wood. I ride motorbikes and drive off-road race cars, and I love fishing and camping.

Q: Where is a favourite place you’ve travelled to, and why?

A: Broome – I always wanted to visit Broome after watching the movie Bran Nue Dae. I loved the different scenery and the colours of the beaches.

With a great occupational therapy team, comes great patient outcomes.

The Occupational Therapy department at Northern Health celebrated Occupational Therapy (OT) Week back in October, to promote the many ways occupational therapy can help people at all stages of life to reach their potential. The theme for OT Week this year was “Unity Through Community”. OT week was an opportunity to celebrate Occupational Therapists for their invaluable input in making a difference in the patients’ lives.

Occupational Therapists (OT’s) play a vital and dynamic role in helping people engage with and participate in their community – in whichever way is meaningful to them. They work across a broad range of settings and help people engage in meaningful occupations.

“I am so privileged to work within a great team and in a rewarding role, I am always very supported. The Occupational Therapy team feels like its own community – we are all here to support each other,” said Betriece Gesuale, Grade 1 Occupational Therapist (SACS), Northern Health.

Northern Health has an extensive range of Community Therapy Services, such as:

• Sub-acute Ambulatory Care Services (SACS) – a Community Rehabilitation Service aiming to provide rehabilitation to clients following a recent event that resulted in injury, hospitalisation or an illness.
• Rehabilitation in the Home (RITH) – provides a home-based service to clients aiming to get clients home sooner from hospital and to provide appropriate services to the client in their own home.
• The Early Stroke Discharge Program (ESD) – which has been developed to help patients with stroke return home earlier by providing rehabilitation within the patient’s home environment.
• Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC PYP) for Allied Health, Continence Nursing and Community Nursing – a wellness approach that focuses on maximising a person’s independence.
• Geriatric Evaluation and Management at Home (GEM@Home) program – provides interdisciplinary aged care and rehabilitation services to patients after an illness or injury.
• Transition Care Program (TCP) – provides care coordination and low-level therapy for clients that have had a recent hospital admission, for up to 12 weeks.
• Hospital Admission Risk Program (HARP) – provides services for people with chronic diseases and complex needs who need assistance with keeping safe and well at home.

“Being an Occupational Therapist enables me to help others achieve their goals to live their lives to the fullest by re-engaging in daily activities and to be as independent as possible,” said Reanna Liberatore, Grade 2 Occupational Therapist (CHSP/NDIS), Northern Health.

“A story that stands out to me, was when I was working in the SACS community therapy team with a patient who had a stroke and had reduced strength in both of his hands. His main goal was to be able to read his newspaper in the morning with a cup of coffee. Through working closely with him and developing task specific exercises to assist with strengthening his hands, he was able to grasp onto the newspaper, without it slipping from his hands. Even though it sounds like a simple goal, it made a big difference to his morning, and he was extremely grateful to be able to re-participate in this activity that he found very meaningful,” said Alana Evans, Grade 1 Occupational Therapist (Acute Wards), Northern Health.

For more information about Northern Health Occupational Therapy please click here.

Featured Image: Broadmeadows Hospital OT team

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign that calls for an end to violence against women and girls.

The annual international campaign begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) and concludes on Human Rights Day (10 December).

The campaign was started by activists at the Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to provide a spotlight every year for campaigns working to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence.

Violence is often thought as a physical act causing physical harm. But for women and girls around the world, violence has many faces. It can be subtle and not easily recognised, but still deeply damaging.

According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence is a global public health, gender equality and human rights priority affecting one in three women worldwide.

While violence affects women everywhere, women and girls in certain groups – such as those living with disability, adolescent girls and older women – often face even greater difficulty in having their voices heard and to access support.

Too often people respond to violence by blaming or shaming the victim – for instance, for what they wore or what they did, or because they belong to a particular group, or people hesitate to offer support because it takes place in ‘private’ or among people we know.

Northern Health recognises that family violence is a serious health issue that can have a profound impact on the psychological and physical wellbeing of victim survivors.

Tanya Ellis, Strengthening Hospital Response to Family Violence (SHRFV) Project Manager, says 16 Days of Activism is a time for everyone to reflect on gender inequality and social norms which excuse and exacerbate gender-based violence and bring an end to inequity, discrimination and abuse.

“Choosing to lead with respect in our relationships can ultimately prevent violence against women and girls,” she said.

“At Northern Health, Family Violence Training is mandatory for all staff members and volunteers.  The training has been uploaded to each staff member’s LMS Mandatory Learning Plan. Please ensure to complete the training and use the Family Violence Screening & Identification Tool when working with a patient who is experiencing family violence.”

Northern Health encourages the community to get involved in the campaign by wearing something orange, visit the information display in the main foyer, and to call out any disrespectful behaviour.

The SHRFV team is also available to facilitate family violence training in a face-to-face capacity.  Please contact the SHRFV team if you would like to organise training in your area (8405 8519).

“We can all play a role in preventing gender-based violence in all its forms – so join us with leading with respect, and calling out discrimination,” Tanya said.

For further information, please click here.

Featured image L-R: Tanya Ellis SHRFV Project Manager and Regi McKinlay, Kilmore District Hospital.

The Great Gatsby Party was hosted by Northern Health Foundation on Saturday, November 25, where they transported attendees back to the opulent world of the 1920s.

The venue was alive with the clinking of glasses, laughter, and the rustle of flapper dresses and tailored suits as Northern Health staff members, patrons, sponsors, and guests gathered in their finest attire.

Beyond the glitz and glamour, the heart of the event was the collective commitment to supporting Northern Health Foundation’s fundraising initiatives that were woven into the festivities, adding a layer of purpose to the celebration. The main foyer hosted a lively balloon pop which was a quick sell out, as eager participants had the chance to win fantastic prizes.

The raffle table was adorned with prizes that ranged from luxurious getaways to a beautiful diamond pendant, kindly donated by Paton’s Place Jewellers. The silent auction, a hub of anticipation, allowed guests to bid on items, turning the night into a thrilling competition for a good cause. The generosity of sponsors and donors was evident in the array of prizes, allowing attendees to support Northern Health Foundation’s mission of building a healthier community for everyone in the north.

Together, guests contributed to raising over $70,000 for the Women’s and Children’s Department at Northern Hospital Epping, which is an incredible effort.

Melissa Grenville, Director Foundation, was thrilled by this outcome, saying “thank you to every person who attended and helped raise valuable funds at this event. We were thrilled with the result and are so impressed with our community who are great supporters and advocates for Northern Health. A special thank you to all our sponsors, including ISS, who partnered as our major event sponsor, and Lendlease, Henrys Café, and Casa D’Abruzzo who also sponsored the event.”

“I’d also like to thank all Northern Health Executives, Northern Health Board Members, Foundation Board Members and our patrons, Josie Minniti OAM, Bev Carman and Trudi Hay for their support.”

The success of the Great Gatsby Party extended beyond that of the event. It symbolised a community coming together, using the allure of the past to build a brighter future for healthcare. As guests departed, they carried with them not just memories of a glamorous night but also the knowledge that their contributions would reverberate in the form of improved healthcare services, a testament to the power of unity and generosity.

From everyone at Northern Health Foundation, thank you for your ongoing support.

To view photos from the night, please click here.

Featured image: Great Gatsby Party MCs David Tran and Seda Kiroglu with Great Gatsby performers.

L-R: Rino and Josie Minniti OAM

 

L-R: Michael Cooney, Nurse Practitioner, Oncology, and Sallyanne Miller