Advance Care Planning is a process whereby a person with capacity prepares themselves and their Medical Treatment Decision Maker for a time when the person may lack capacity to make their own decisions, or to communicate those decisions.

Advance Care Planning asks and answers the question “who would speak for you, and would they know what you would want?”

The Northern Health Advance Care Planning (ACP) program supports consumers aged 18 and over throughout the Northern catchment. The team consists of three staff members, A/Prof. Barbara Hays, Clinical Lead, Ella Critchley, Advance Care Planning Program Manager and Karen Overall, Administration Support.

A/Prof. Barbara Hayes has worked at Northern Health with the ACP program for the past 16 years, and over this time has gained experience and knowledge about ACP and related legislation. She has an interest in ethics and law related to end-of-life decision-making and is also involved in a number of research studies related to end-of-life decision-making and care.

Ella Critchley has recently joined the team as the ACP program Manager. Ella is a nurse with extensive experience in gerontology and academia. Her recent research focused on dementia literacy of formal carers working in Residential Aged Care Facilities throughout Australia.

“Since joining Northern Health, I’ve been made to feel exceptionally welcome and look forward to becoming more involved in teaching and in supporting consumers wishing to undertake Advance Care Planning,” says Ms Critchley.

Karen Overall, Administration Support has been with the ACP team for 16 years and brings a broad knowledge of Northern Health and the community to the role. Karen is passionate about ACP and enjoys being part of the team.

The program aim is to increase awareness and knowledge of ACP within Northern Health and the local community. This is done by collaborating with other professionals and already established programs, and the launch of a new program strategy for 2023-26 which includes five priorities:

• Consumers and Community
• Program Innovation
• Education and Research
• Governance, and
• Partnerships.

“While we support consumers and healthcare professionals with ACP, we recognise that the best time to initiate it is before an acute event – hence our strong focus on community education,” says Ms Critchley.

This year, ACP education will use a hybrid of face-to-face and online options. The team are planning to develop micro-learning modules for staff to access small, bite-size information on ACP related topics. Their aim is to provide education in a user-friendly, digital format to support point of need and real-time adoption.

On 14 November 2023, the team will be running a one-day Advance Care Planning workshop for Northern Health clinical staff across all disciplines at Bundoora Centre. For those interested, places can be booked on their intranet site.

“We are working with the incredible educators throughout Northern Health and welcome any invitations to speak at meetings, in-services or over a cuppa,” says Ms Critchley.

“We are also on the lookout for new community partnerships in order to support, inform and engage with potential consumers outside Northern Health. If you know of any organisations or can think of some opportunities, please let us know.”

During the pandemic, the team found it challenging to deliver consumer education face-to-face and to facilitate the witnessing of Advance Care Planning documents due to the visiting restrictions. However, they showed resilience during unprecedented times and managed to persevere.

In 2023, the team are looking forward to collaborating with Northern Health healthcare professionals and continuing to work with consumers and community partners to grow knowledge of ACP and patient consent.

“Please do visit our intranet site, and if you’re visiting Bundoora Centre, come and say hi. We are here to support you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out. It would be a pleasure to connect and collaborate!” says Ms Critchley.

Pictured in featured image (L-R): Ella Critchley, Program Manager, Advance Care Planning, A/Prof. Barbara Hays, Clinical Lead and Karen Overall, Administration Support. 

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Dr Richard Sia, GP Liaison Officer, Northern Health.

Q: What is your coffee order?

A: Small latte, no sugar.

Q: Tell us about your new role at Northern Health?

A: I am Northern Health’s GP Liaison Officer. This is a new position working in the Primary Care Liaison Unit within the partnerships team. Our primary role is to identify and implement strategies that will improve the continuity of care and communication between Northern Health and General Practitioners.

Q: What is the most exciting part of your job?

A: Meeting people from the hospital, local practices and the community. I enjoy organising education events for GPs and working on quality and improvement. We have a few education events in the pipeline and are working on a few projects within Northern Health.

Q: What is your ideal work-life balance? 

A: Travelling around the world on someone else’s yacht while getting paid. Otherwise, a decent trip per year to avoid the Melbourne winter. Trying out new restaurants and heading out to Timezone on the weekends.

 Q: Would you rather be able to travel into the future or into the past?

A: Definitely the future, I’ve been to the past already and it was so so.

Northern Health consumers are making a difference and improving health care processes and outcomes by regularly participating on various committees and focus groups and by being a patient voice during reviews.

Standard 2 ‘Partnering with Consumers’ happens at different levels of the health service including, individual service, department or program of care, health service governance, policy and planning.

The purpose of these partnerships is to improve the outcomes, experiences and the delivery of care by drawing on the knowledge, skills and experiences of people who are using, have used or may use the health service in future.

The Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is going live across Northern Health from next week. In the lead-up to go live, it was important for Northern Health to engage members from the Northern Health Consumer Network to advise on some of the key messages and campaigns of the EMR, including:

• What is an EMR and what will it mean for Northern Health consumers
• Patient privacy
• What to expect when Northern Health launches an EMR
• Patient journey at Northern Health

The EMR Change and Communications Advisory committee prepared early for partnering with consumers and patients considering options for consumer engagement. Early in the project, a Northern Health Consumer Network member was involved in an EMR staff facing video. This year, more consumers were engaged in a focus group and the health literacy CLEAR group to assist with ‘Go Live’ communications campaign and patient facing materials.

“It was a pleasure to work with the EMR team to engage consumers in a range of activities to assist with this important project,” says Sherrilyn Ballard, Consumer Participation Coordinator.

The EMR team was also delighted to work with Northern Health Consumer Network members on this project. In March 2023, the EMR team attended a consumer education session to provide background information on the project, benefits, what patients may see during the go-live, optimisation and ways to be involved moving forward.

Consumers were invited to attend a follow-up focus group to assist with patients facing materials development. Consumers provided feedback on ways to best promote the EMR, key messages for consumers, patient information brochure and distribution points.

“To understand fully what our consumers would like to find out about the EMR, the team ran a focus group in May. Four consumers came and provided valuable feedback on how to best communicate about the go live, as well as specific topics that they and the community would’ve liked to know more about,” said Ginnie Leung, Communications Advisor and Training Administrator EMR.

One of the consumers, Mary Shell, has continued her interest in the EMR through a range of consumer activities. Mary has had the opportunity to hear how the EMR will positively impact patients on their journey though the health service from her involvement on the Assessment and Care Planning Standard 5 Sub-Committee. She also attended the EMR education and later the focus group.

“I think it was really important to be involved in the focus groups and to be able to contribute to the EMR rollout, especially from a consumer point of view. In the long run, the EMR will not only benefit the clinical staff at Northern Health, in the sense of having easy access to information, but patients too, from the time of their assessment, right to the time of discharge. I think this change will be wonderful,” said Ms Shell.

Mary added that she, as well as the other consumers, are very excited about the final outcome and would like to stay involved and continue to contribute in the future.

“Thank you to the consumer representatives for helping the EMR team on coming up with key messages for consumer facing communications on the EMR go live. This piece of work will come to fruition in September, and we are all looking forward to it,” said Ms Leung.

Pictured in featured image (L-R): Mary Shell, Consumer and Sherrilyn Ballard, Consumer Participation Coordinator.  

The Clinical Leadership, Effectiveness and Outcomes (CLEO) team has launched two video animations on Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs) and Shared Decision Making (SDM).

The videos have been developed as a fundamental education and communication tool to help patients understand the purpose and importance of collecting PROMs, and how their responses will be used throughout their care to inform their treatment.

The videos aim to present complex information about PROMs and SDM in a clear, concise and easily understandable manner. By using animated visuals, the content is more engaging and accessible. Both videos also aim to increase patient’s awareness and understanding of outcomes-based care, by ensuring patients are well informed about the purpose and benefits on taking an active role in their healthcare, fostering a more collaborative and informed approach to their treatment.

The videos also emphasise Northern Health’s commitment to person-centred care, by highlighting the importance of an individual’s goals, values and preferences in decisions around their care.

Led by Dr Katharine See, Chief Health Outcomes Officer, CLEO, a co-design working group was also formed, comprising of clinical and non-clinical staff, as well as consumers, who provided valuable advice and feedback during all stages of development of the video scripts and storyboards.

Dr See said Northern Health is an emerging leader in the outcomes-based care space.

“These videos are designed to help the community understand our goal for healthcare moving forward,” she said.

“Asking ourselves, ‘What matters most to our patients and community?’ needs to underpin everything we do to ensure a sustainable healthcare system for the future.”

PROMs and SDM have emerged as pivotal approaches in improving patient outcomes, shifting the dynamic between patients and healthcare providers from passive acceptance to collaborative engagement.

Empowering patients to actively participate in the healthcare journey, sees them feel valued and respected as equal partners in the decision-making process. As patients gain a comprehensive understanding of their conditions and available treatment options, they experience a sense of control over their health.

Anne-Marie Fabri, Associate Director, Associate Director, Community Programs and Chairperson, Standard 2 Consent and Shared Decision-Making Sub-CIC, said involving consumers in organisation-wide projects, was the best way to achieving person-centred care.

“When we involve the consumer and ask them about what is important to them, and what are the treatment outcomes they would find acceptable, then we are better able to tailor treatment options to that person. It is our best way to achieving person centred care,” she said.

“This new video about shared decision making helps consumers understand the value they can bring when they join us in the decision-making process.”

Both video animations are available as a shared resource for all Northern Health staff to use to introduce and explain PROMs and SDM in a user-friendly format to patients. Northern Health partnered with Motion By Design to develop the two videos.

The Northern Health Pharmacy department has a dedicated team of close to 100 pharmacists and 30 pharmacy technicians who are responsible for timely and safe medicine supply across all Northern Health sites.

At Northern Hospital Epping, the main pharmacy is located on the ground floor near Outpatients, whilst a separate satellite pharmacy is on the ground floor of the Main Ward Block.

“You’ll find most of our team members mixing amongst the clinical staff across the wards of Bundoora Centre, Broadmeadows Hospital and Northern Hospital Epping, however, where they play a critical role is optimising medication management and providing medicine information to both our consumers and other health professionals,” said Jier Ngyuen, Deputy Director, Pharmacy Operations.

Like many other departments, the Pharmacy team faced numerous challenges during the pandemic, including staff shortages, interruptions in medication supply chains and redeployment of resources to set up vaccination hubs and coordinate COVID-19 medication supply.

Despite the challenges, the team displayed resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity and are proud to have been able to contribute to the pandemic response.

Jier said whilst the pharmacy’s core services across dispensary, procurement and the inpatient wards remain strong, the team is looking forward to the further expansion and specialisation of pharmacy practice in 2023 and beyond.

“The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) is one space that houses a wealth of opportunities for pharmacy involvement, as does our recent inclusion in Pre-Admission Clinic (PAC) and our Stewardship positions (covering Analgesic, Anticoagulation and Antimicrobial streams),” he said.

“We are also ready to embrace new technology to optimise our workflows, including not only the introduction of EMR in September, but also the use of automated dispensing cabinets and electronic medication registers in the not-to-distant future.”

“We hope these improved efficiencies will increase our availability to expand our clinical service into a unit-based model and continue our work to roll out Partnered Pharmacist Medication Charting (PPMC) across the network.”

Featured image: Some of the Pharmacy team members in the Satellite Pharmacy.

At Northern Health, we recognise the importance of ensuring our staff feel valued and appreciated in the workplace.

During Employee Appreciation Day in March, we asked for staff input via Idea Scale, on how you wanted to be appreciated.

A number of recognition ideas were submitted, which generated 92 votes and 101 views. Some of the themes that came out of these suggestions included more frequent staff raffles and other tokens of appreciation like free staff carparking, coffee cards and other vouchers.

As a result of your feedback, Northern Health is pleased to launch the ‘Lucky to Have You’ initiative, launching 1 September 2023.

‘Lucky to Have You’ is a new monthly Employee Appreciation Raffle that will offer all staff a chance to win one prize from the selection below (to the value of $140):

• One month of free onsite staff carparking
• Coffee vouchers
• Movie tickets
• Coles Group voucher
• Dining voucher
• Airbnb voucher

The raffle will be drawn on the first of each month, with your employee number as your ticket.

Winners will be contacted by People Experience to arrange their prize selection and collection, and announced via the Intranet.

“‘Lucky to Have You’ aims to demonstrate our thanks and appreciation for your contribution to Northern Health. We know our staff are our most valuable asset and work hard to deliver quality health care in the north. So, we have committed to showing our appreciation all year round, to ensure our people feel valued, not just on Employee Appreciation Day, but every day,” said Bianca Fazzari, People Experience Business Partner, People and Culture.

This is not the first time Northern Health has hosted free staff employee raffles. Himansu Asija, Talent Acquisition Partner, People and Culture, was the winner of the recent My Voice Raffle in June. He used his winnings to book a trip to Bright and Hotham.

“I haven’t won many raffles to date, but I am greatly pleased about this one,” he said.

“The only thing I am able to express is my sincere gratitude towards Northern Health. It gave me an opportunity, as I otherwise wouldn’t have planned a trip to Bright and Mount Hotham. It was quite a refreshing experience and we had fun there.”

The first Lucky to Have You raffle will be drawn this Friday, 1 September 2023. For more information, including a raffle schedule, please visit the Intranet.

 

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Monique Hatfield, Manager Health Information Services and Ward Clerks, Bundoora Centre.

Q. Firstly, what’s your coffee order?

A. Skinny cappuccino, but I drink more tea than coffee!

Q. What do you like most about your role?

A. Working with all the amazing staff in Health Information Services, across all sites, and knowing I can never predict what the day will bring.

Q. What do you find challenging?

A. Dealing with my three teenagers! And also, making time to do things I enjoy like walking my dog (a boxer named Atlas), reading, listening to podcasts and meditating.

Q. What do you see yourself doing in the future?

A. I am open to whatever the future brings (but hopefully that includes travel and seeing lots of stand-up-comedy).

Q. If you were a superhero, who would you be and why?

A. Superheroes are over-rated. Everyday heroes are the ones that deserve our admiration and applause (but if I had to choose one it would be Superman because he can fly).

Since 1977, amidst a world of evolving medical breakthroughs and ever advancing technologies, one dedicated pharmacist has stood unwavering at Northern Health. Starting at PANCH as an intern after her studies, this pharmacist’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of the community has remained steadfast across four decades.

As we delve into the extraordinary journey of Kathryn Brett, we unravel the remarkable stories, the countless lives touched and the transformative impact that comes with dedicating oneself to a single institution for over 44 years.

Q: How does it feel to be retiring after all this time?

It feels very strange. I’ve been thinking about it seriously for a couple of years, but just in the last six months, I feel that it’s time to move on, while I’m well and fit, just to step back and enjoy myself. It will be very hard though, a bit of an adjustment, I can imagine.

Q: You have been at Northern Health since PANCH. Tell us a bit more about that?  

Yes. Wow! I was at PANCH where I worked many years, full time in all areas of the pharmacy, but mainly on the wards. I really liked the clinical pharmacy side.

There was a tiny little satellite pharmacy in the back corridor on the third floor of PANCH, where a few of us worked on the wards and that was just the beginning of ward pharmacy services, and it was great. I worked with all the wards, I worked with intensive care for a couple of years, which I really enjoyed. Then I had my first daughter and came back part time, and I’ve been working part time ever since.

In the last 10 years, I was in the Dispensary and have been working in the Outpatients area with all the specialist clinics like Haematology, Oncology and Infectious Diseases.

Tell us about your job, what is it like to be a pharmacist?

Being a pharmacist is very interesting but challenging at the same time. I work predominantly with patients and because these patients were coming back every month, I got to know them, and they got to know me. It is sometimes a problem-solving job, and it is fun. These patients would often confide in us things they wouldn’t confide even to the doctors. It’s been very rewarding in that sense.

Q: What have been some of the changes in pharmacy throughout the years?

Oh wow, you wouldn’t believe it! I come from the dinosaur age. When I first started, we all wore white starch coats and we had manual typewriters, would you believe it? No computers, manual typewriters, not even corrector ones, so if you made a mistake, you had to start again. Later, we got electric typewriters, which was pretty exciting. When I was on maternity leave, the first computers came in, and they were basic computers, no internet. I was quite scared about coming back because I hadn’t used computers before.

We also had reference books, big books and paper journals for our references. So, in that sense, technology has changed enormously. But the basics of pharmacy hasn’t changed. A lot has developed throughout the years and today we have many new positions around the hospital for pharmacists in specialised areas, which is fantastic.

Q: Can you tell us what have been some of your fondest memories throughout your career span of 44 years? I’m sure there’s been plenty.

I’ve worked with some great people, a lot of different people, a lot of different pharmacists. You work with them for a few years and then they’re off. Sometimes you see them again, sometimes you don’t, but they’re really good friends. In the last 10 years, I’ve really enjoyed working in such a multicultural department with a huge number of nationalities. It’s just been really fascinating. I’ve learned so much from them all and I really enjoyed that. I was about the only one who didn’t speak a second language. We’re a good team and we always try and go the extra mile to help people. Our job is often unseen actually, unseen, unheralded, but I think we do an important role and I’m extremely proud of that.

Q: Have there been any challenges along the way?

Oh yes, many challenges. The workload was enormous. We would get to work at 8.30 am every morning and the phone would start ringing. We had people coming to see us and not everyone was always patient. The usual challenges, working with lots of different people and lots of different departments.

I also worked with many young colleagues, younger than my children, which was great, but we were on different wavelengths. So, it was very interesting. They’ve kept me young and I think I’ve passed on a bit of wisdom to them.

Q: Did you ever think years ago you’d still be here today at Northern Health?

I never thought about still being here, but I always wanted to be a pharmacist, so that’s what I would do. Only once did I have a very small retail job after hours and I didn’t like it. Hospitals are much more interesting.

Q: What are your retirement plans?

I already booked a trip to Europe in October. My husband is still working, and he is going to keep working, but I hope to do a fair bit more travel, a bit more exercise, more Pilates, more walking, and just catching up with family.

Today is Kathryn Brett’s last day at Northern Health, marking the end of a remarkable journey. Director of Pharmacy, Vinod Chellaram, farewelled his colleague on behalf of the Pharmacy department with a heartfelt message.

“Congratulations on your retirement after an incredible 44 years of dedication! Your hard work and commitment have made a lasting impact on our team. Countless generations of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have benefited from your teaching and guidance. Wishing you a wonderful new chapter filled with relaxation, joy, and fulfillment. You will be deeply missed, but your legacy will continue to inspire us all. Best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement!”

From all of us here at Northern Health, farewell and thank you for your unwavering dedication and exceptional service!

Featured image: Kathryn Brett, Pharmacist.