Download5 MB - The Marian Centre

Private Health Newsletter
SPRING 2015
Hurstville New
Heart Centre
Townsville strengthens
Healthe Care’s private
mental health portfolio
Marian Centre
re-development on track
The Valley pioneers
robotic spinal surgery in VIC
Nursing directors in profile
Psychiatrist
Bradley Ng in profile
Perinatal nurse
Mary Williams AM
CONTENTS
03
Marian Centre on track
with re-development
04
Refurbished Day Rehabilitation
Centre opens to meet
increased demand
05
HCA nursing
executives in profile
06
Veronica Zupan
07
Welcome to the Spring Echo 2015, Healthe Care’s Group
publication for staff and VMOs.
Sue-ellen Blomfield
08
Belmont Private
rolls out 35 beds to treat
older persons’ mental health
This year has continued to be an extremely busy one for all of
us, and this edition seeks to show you just some of what has
been going on.
09
The Valley leads Victoria in
pioneering robotic spinal surgery
10
Goings On: Winter 2015
14
In Profile:
Dr Bradley Ng
15
HCA staff well-being
remains a corporate priority
16
Queen’s Birthday
award recipient champions
perinatal disorders
17
About the Brisbane Centre
for Postnatal Disorders
18
The Marian Centre’s receptionist
raises nearly $8K for
blood cancer research
19
Another first for The Valley:
training future doctors
inhouse with Monash University
20
21
New heart centre
at Hurstville Private
News from HR:
Love your work
22
News from HR: LearnConnect,
Service Recognition Program
23
Townsville strengthens
Healthe Care’s private
mental health portfolio
CEO message
We’d like introduce you to the Townsville Private Clinic, the
newest facility in our ever growing hospital portfolio. We
are very excited about this addition, Townsville’s first private,
voluntary inpatient mental health facility, creating much
needed services and new jobs for the region.
Charity endeavours have been high on the agenda for Healthe
Care staff again of late. In the last edition of this magazine
we outlined our national campaign for CAN ASSIST, where
we have been selling branded purple caps across the country
to raise much needed funds for this deserving cancer charity.
I am delighted to let you know that we raised over $11,000
for the cause. A great effort from everyone who jumped in
and got involved! Individual staff fund raising efforts of note
also include our cover photo star, Jo Gallagher (of Perth’s The
Marian Centre). Jo has raised nearly $8,000 for blood cancer
research, a fantastic effort.
Constant development and improvement works at our
network of hospital sites to meet ever evolving health care
needs is something we pride ourselves on. Our National
Construction & Development Team is constantly on the go and
this year has been no exception. In the following pages you
can read about some of the works and achievements recently,
including redevelopment in Perth at the Marian Centre,
refurbishments at Toronto Private Hospital in New South
Wales, multi million dollar state of the art new facilities at
Hurstville Private in Sydney, including a new maternity unit and
heart centre, construction at Belmont Private in Queensland,
and the complete conversion of an existing office building in
Townsville, into our new Clinic.
As always, times are exciting!
Work in progress on
re-development at
the Marian Centre.
Marian Centre on track
with re-development
Healthe Care’s recent acquisition – the Marian Centre, a 31-
by accredited psychiatrists or to an on-call psychiatrist for
bed private psychiatric hospital in Subiaco, Western Australia
emergency assessment, the development paves the way for
- is set to more than double its bed capacity to 66 and have
new services such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as part
new facilities completed by the end of October.
of the treatments being offered by a new Comprehensive
Stage one of a comprehensive brownfield development
Mood Disorder Unit and enhanced services for adolescents
by Healthe Care began in October last year, just two
and military mental health patients.
months after the acquisition and transfer of all staff and
trading operations occurred. The re-development includes
The Marian Centre specialises in high prevalence disorders
construction of new facilities such as a dedicated suite for
such as anxiety and depression, and provides therapy programs
the Centre’s day programs and a gym.
for enhanced cognitive behaviour training, adolescents,
The refurbishment is being completed in conjunction with Phase
mindfulness-based cognition, insomnia and trauma.
B which entails 49 beds being completed for Health Department
With the continued support of existing psychiatrists and new
approval to occupy and handover by mid September.
ones, the Marian Centre is expected to continue to uphold
While the Centre provides comprehensive inpatient and
and enhance its reputation for operational excellence and
outpatient psychiatric services to private patients referred
innovation in Western Australia’s private mental health sector.
ECHO WINTER 2015
03
Refurbished Day Rehabilitation Centre
opens to meet increased demand
Guests touring the refurbished
day rehabilitation facilities.
A larger, modernised Day Rehabilitation Centre opened
at Toronto Private Hospital in March to meet increasing
demand for rehabilitation facilities and programs in the Lake
Macquarie, Newcastle and greater Hunter region.
Toronto Private CEO Andrew Mereau said that prior to
the refurbishment, the Centre provided physiotherapy,
occupational therapy, hydrotherapy and speech therapy to
more than 1000 patients per year in the Westlakes region.
04
ECHO WINTER 2015
“We have seen a growing demand for acute neurological
rehabilitation from trauma, brain injuries and stroke as well
as increased demand for our orthopaedic and reconditioning
programs,” Mr Mereau said.
“The Hospital’s new day rehabilitation centre provides a larger
area to cater for a greater number of individuals, as well as a
new range of programs that cater to a wider group.”
More than 60 people attended opening celebrations which
included an aquatic ring toss competition and morning tea.
HCA nursing
executives in profile
Nurses account for the highest proportion of Healthe Care’s workforce.
Of those, DONs and DCSs are the most senior nursing positions within the
Group, reporting directly to their respective hospital’s CEO.
Between them, DONs and DCSs are responsible for: governance, clinical
practice, management and retention of nursing staff, industrial relations,
communication between clinical and non-clinical departments, strategic plans,
quality improvement and maintaining high levels of patient care aligned with
best practice, among other things.
Sue-ellen Blomfield (Maitland Private) and Veronica Zupan (North West Private)
are just two of Healthe Care’s many hard-working nursing directors.
Here’s a unique look into Sue-ellen’s and Veronica’s lives and experiences to date:
Veronica Zupan
Sue-ellen Blomfield
TURN OVER FOR THEIR STORY
ECHO WINTER 2015
05
Veronica Zupan (far right) with her
husband, youngest son and daughter.
Veronica Zupan, Director of Nursing, North West Private Hospital (TAS)
Veronica attributes her ability to “think outside the box” to her
upbringing firstly on a farm in Deddington, (renowned as the home to
British-born Australian colonial landscape painter John Glover) and later
another farm in Tasmania’s northern midlands for high school years.
“Living in the country on a farm, you become very self sufficient
and adaptable,” she said.
She began her nursing career nearly 30 years ago in 1986 as a student
nurse at Launceston General Hospital, which was, at the time, the
second last school for hospital-trained nurses in northern Tasmania.
After completing her training she began work in the Hospital’s
oncology ward which she found a “very rewarding and fulfilling
time as I developed skills with chemotherapy and palliative care”.
“I will never forget some of the patients I nursed during the final
phase of their life,” Veronica said.
In 1992 she decided to become a midwife, necessitating more
hospital-based training at Launceson General.
“I found midwifery to be my calling and spent the next 19 years
working in various midwifery roles from the postnatal ward to
06
ECHO WINTER 2015
becoming one of the first team of midwives within the Queen
Victoria Maternity Unit,” Veronica said.
As a level 2 midwife in the delivery suite, she began to relieve in the
Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) role and was eventually offered the NUM
role permanently which she performed for 10 years while completing
her Diploma in Health Management and Master of Clinical Midwifery.
While Veronica was working as the NUM she was asked to relieve
at a rural and remote facility in Tasmania for three months, which
led to her being asked to work at Campbell Town Health and
Community Service as its NUM and acting DON, prior to accepting
the position at North West Private Hospital.
Away from work, Veronica leads a very busy life spending time
with her family – a husband and four children – three boys aged
22, 20 and 12 and a girl aged 9, walking the dog, reading and
volunteering a lot of her time to Down Syndrome Tasmania in
various committee roles, the last two years as president.
She has been involved with the organisation since her daughter’s
birth in 2005 and has organised annual family camps in Tasmania,
the annual Gala Ball and been an active member of national and
local working parties to resolve issues relating to Down Syndrome.
Sue-ellen Blomfield, Director of Clinical Services, Maitland Private Hospital (NSW)
Sue-ellen Blomfield credits her upbringing in the close-knit northern
New South Wales tin mining town Tingha for her career in nursing.
One of four girls, she led a very active outdoor life “fishing, craybobbing and camping”, and spending time in the bush and the
family’s vegetable garden.
“In such a small town, I grew up with family connections that
stretched back several generations and had a strong sense of an
individual’s community obligations,” Sue-ellen said.
“My parents and we children were volunteers in numerous
community groups - ours was a town in which everyone knew and
looked out for one another.”
A “naïve country girl in the early 1990s”, she began her 25-year
nursing career at St Vincent’s Public Hospital in Darlinghurst. While
unprepared for the “extreme culture shock”, Sue-ellen admitted
the fast-paced lifestyle and workplace grounded her, stretched her
clinical boundaries and exposed her to a variety of clinical settings.
Following her stint at St Vincent’s, Sue-ellen was appointed to
Castlecrag Private Hospital. After four years with the Health Care
of Australia group (including a 12-month contract to Melbourne
Private), she was offered the role of DON at Castlecrag.
After three years, she became Director of Hospital and Nursing of
Castlecrag Private and Mosman Private Hospitals, which were then
owned by Mayne Health.
Sue-ellen said one of her career highlights was being appointed
to Mayne Health’s original commissioning team at the Prince of
Wales Private Hospital, the first co-located public/private venture
in New South Wales.
“I helped to implement and coordinate all aspects of commissioning
the new facility, employing rigorous strategies to recruit staff
during one of the most challenging and exciting phases of my
career,” she said. “From intense interviewing and visa applications,
to driving daily to the international airport to collect overseas
nurses, this experience taught me resilience and heightened my
human resource and staff engagement skills.”
After the birth of her first child, Aspen, Sue-ellen and husband
Tim, (who are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year) bought
100 acres in the Hunter Valley to realise their dream of growing
olive trees and raising children on the farm. This “seachange” from
nursing resulted in her managing their 10,000 tree Zephyr Grove
business, project managing construction of their new home and
having second daughter Arabella over eight years.
The second highlight of Sue-ellen’s career came shortly after
Arabella was born. She returned to nursing as DON at Cessnock’s
Northern Coalfields Community Care Association (NCCCA), a large
not-for-profit aged care facility to deliver strategic and operational
leadership across three separate residential aged care facilities.
While the Cessnock community may remember her as Dorothy
from the Wizard of Oz or Carmen Miranda – roles Sue-ellen played
as a volunteer in the NCCCA’s annual Christmas pageants - she’s
proudest of her introduction of an annual memorial service for the
NCCCA to remember residents who had died throughout the year,
celebrate their lives and to recognise the important role staff and
quality nursing played in their final years.
Her management success can be attributed to her talent for
“harnessing the energy of a team and creating a dynamic, positive
environment for all staff”.
“I have developed a reputation for enabling and motivating staff, and
have been called upon more than once to bring together teams that
lacked cohesion,” Sue-ellen said. “Success comes from more than
just assembling the talent. It comes from enabling the talent to work
well together, through coaching and mentoring. Solid teams not only
produce quality outcomes for patients, they also ensure staff safety.”
Away from work, she likes to spend time with her family, enjoying the
fruits of their labour at the farm in Rothbury. She enjoys gardening,
especially growing vegetables, and likes to use her own product in
the kitchen, especially cooking with Arabella to entertain friends.
Sue-ellen begins every day begins with her mantra - “I can make a
positive difference in the day of both staff and patients.”
“As a senior staff member, I pride myself in being able to adapt
quickly to new work environments and schedules, and deal with a
wide range of complex issues concurrently,” she said. “I guess I am
still a country girl at heart.”
ECHO WINTER 2015
07
Belmont Private rolls out 35 beds to
treat older persons’ mental health
In August, Belmont Private Hospital opened its new 35-bed
private inpatient unit dedicated to the treatment of older
persons’ mental health.
Hospital CEO Jo Levin, said the new 35-bed unit had been
specifically developed to address the prevalence of mental
health disorders in Australia’s ageing baby boomer population.
“Ageing can pose a number of difficulties that may result
in mental health issues,” she said. “This can include memory
problems, depression and anxiety – all of which are common.”
It is thought that 15 percent of older people experience
depression, while 10 percent experience anxiety. It is also
believed that around 35 percent of people living in aged care
homes are potentially experiencing depression.
The incidence of memory problems and dementia are also
growing public concerns, with both issues set to double by
2030 and treble by 2050.
Programs are anticipated to include:
• Young @ Heart – a specialised group program to promote
healthy ageing, and to help people with issues such as
anxiety, depression and memory difficulties;
• Memory Clinic – a day patient assessment program to
assist in the early diagnosis and treatment of memory
disorders; and
• Healthy Minds – a day patient program to improve and
stimulate cognition, based on current evidence linking
exercise and social interaction with improved physical health.
“Our holistic approach will work in partnership with patients,
their families, carers and other service providers,” Jo said.
“We actively encourage patients and their loved ones to
seek help, rather than suffer in silence.”
According to Jo, seeking treatment for depression and
anxiety in older people is just as effective as in the young.
“It is proven that early intervention for sufferers of memory
disorders improves quality of life for the individual, and helps
to maintain independence,” she said.
Belmont’s older persons’ services and programs are tailored
from the successful models already in place at Healthe Care’s
Currumbin Clinic, a 104-bed private mental health hospital
on the Gold Coast.
“We will also align ourselves with experienced geriatricians to
ensure optimum care and outcomes for our patients,” Jo said.
“Inpatient admissions, day programs and outpatient
appointments will make it easier for older people to
access help.”
“Our education and therapeutic programs will also work off
what is currently in place at Currumbin Clinic, with a view to
expanding our offerings as demand requires,” she said.
08
ECHO WINTER 2015
Belmont Private’s new older persons
mental health unit. It provides an
additional 30 new beds and takes on
5 existing beds into the ward
The system enhances
surgical performance
as the surgeon is still
in charge, physically
feeling what is going on
and making decisions.
The Valley leads Victoria in pioneering robotic spinal surgery
Victorians needing spinal surgery can benefit from fewer
After uploading the results of a patient’s CT scan into a
complications and faster recovery times thanks to The Valley
computer attached to the robot, surgeons use the computer
Private Hospital’s exclusive spinal robotic surgery system,
to plan an operation around critical structures, including the
which surgeons began using in January.
spinal cord and nerves, before clamping the small cylindrical
Its investment in the Mazor Robotics Renaissance system has
robot to the patient’s spine.
made The Valley Private the first Victorian hospital to offer
An arm attached to the robot, programmed by the
such advanced spinal surgery techniques and only the second
Australia-wide to offer robotic-assisted spinal surgery.
The Valley CEO Neil Henderson said that acquiring the
Mazor Robotics Renaissance was part of The Valley’s ongoing
commitment to deliver the highest standard of care and
best treatment possible to its patients.
“Once we were convinced of the positive impact on clinical
outcomes, the decision was easy,” Mr Henderson said.
“Mazor Robotics technology has been clinically validated
to ensure 1.5mm accuracy for increased patient safety
computer, is used to guide the surgeon’s instruments to the
precise position and angle where incisions should be made.
The system enhances surgical performance as the surgeon
is still in charge, physically feeling what is going on and
making decisions.
However, when performing surgical procedures and
working the drill for themselves it is the degree of pinpoint
accuracy the robot contributes that surgeons say increases
screw placement for example by an estimated nine percent
compared to freehand spine surgery.”
to achieve 99 percent accuracy.
The system, which comprises a mobile work station
Among the surgeons offering procedures using the new
and console plus a small cylindrical-shaped robot, has
technology at The Valley Private are neurosurgeons Ales
revolutionised surgeries such as spinal fusion operations and
Aliashkevich, Ron Jithoo, Nicholas Maartens, Girish Nair,
is suitable for minimally invasive procedures to correcting
Chris Thien, and Professor Richard Bittar, and orthopaedic
complex spinal deformities.
surgeon John Choi.
ECHO WINTER 2015
09
GOINGS ON:
Double celebrations
at Dubbo
Front: - Thea Stone
L to R) Macia Mceac(front) w ith (back
Stone at the celebrathern and Deirdre
ory morning tea.
Dubbo Private Hospital celebrated
the work of its nurses on
International Nurses Day 12 May this
year with a fundraising morning tea
as part of Australia’s Biggest Morning
tea program to raise funds for the
Cancer Council for research and to
support cancer sufferers. International
Nurses Day marks the anniversary of
one of the most famous historic nurses’
birthday – Florence Nightingale. Staff
and patients raised $370 and enjoyed
the celebrations in the patient’s lounge.
arsen and
uhart, P am Lrn
l
L to R: P am Ul rq
lebrating Inteivatate.iona
Marg Hazel ce
Pr
Nurses Day at Dubbo
Gosford nurses turn back the clock
Staff from Gosford Private got into the ANZAC spirit
to represent nurses and support the region’s veterans
at the Central Coast’s ANZAC Centenary parade and
later at Blue Tongue Stadium on 18 April. The request
for nurses to be represented was made by Gosford
RSL’s sub branch to Hospital CEO Matt Kelly.
Gosford Private’s DVA Liaison Officer Deborah
Lang marched along with enrolled nurse Kerrie
Nunns from the medical ward and Deborah’s
sister Margaret Melnyk, who could both fit the
small-sized historic nurses outfits (hired from a
local theatrical hire shop). Veils were supplied by
the Hospital.
010
ECHO WINTER 2015
Gosford Private nurs
outfits for the ANZAes in historic nursing
centre Kerrie Nunns C celebrations L-R
and Margaret Melnyk
Winter 2015
Maitland Private Hospital’s new
medical/rehabilitation ward
e
land Privesatt
it
a
M
f
o
t
n
g
pme he second lar gion
Redevelo
re
it t
a
w ill m oksepital in the Hunter
private h
Maitland Private Hospital’s new 44 bed medical/
rehabilitation ward is on track to open in October.
When it opens, it will bring the total number of beds
at the Hospital to 154, making Maitland Private the
second largest private hospital in the Hunter region
and the largest in Healthe Care Australia’s portfolio.
Hard to miss Mayo at Laurieton Festival
Awareness of mental health issues and the services offered
by Mayo Private Hospital was definitely raised by Hospital
mascot, Mayo the elephant (pictured) and the Hospital’s keen
team, including CEO Peter Johnson at Laurieton’s Slice of
Haven Food and Wine Festival on 24 May.
According to Mr Johnson, Mayo’s participation at Slice was
“a great success with a lot of positive feedback and great
radio interviews about the hospital and the elephant”.
Those who assisted on the day or with preparations for the
Hospital’s stand included Peter Cizzio, Kirsten MacKinnon,
Margaret Adams, Michelle Dixon, Rhonda Guest, Dan
Connor, Graham and Sally Brunton and CEO Peter
Johnson. More than 30 Can Assist caps were sold on the
day to raise money for Healthe Care’s chosen charity, The
Cancer Assistance Network.
ECHO WINTER 2015
011
GOINGS ON:
Brisbane Waters recognises stellar nurses
Brisbane Waters Private Hospital took the opportunity to
acknowledge the hard work done by all nurses on International
Nurses Day 2015 in May with an afternoon tea and awards ceremony.
All staff were also asked to nominate colleagues who they felt had
excelled in their nursing roles. The winners were Rachel Henderson
(Nurse of the Year), Kate Lawton (Clinical Support Person of the
Year) and Dianne Brown (Non-Clinical Support Person of the Year).
L-R Brisbane W aters
Hospital CEO Kathy mBeanagement w ith the w inners:
Kate L awton, Dianne verley, Rachel Henderson,
Brown and Clinical Se
rvices
Director P atrice
Blume.
Hurstville Maternity Unit on show for
parents-to-be
odd's thnrdee
D
e
is
u
o
L
rivate CEO ue, Armaeni,Oapen Day
Hurstvileles -P(L-R) Dominiq
o th
niec w elcomed visitoirrss tto the new unit.
Morrisssecyorted them upsta
and e
About 80 sets of prospective parents as well as staff, family
and friends of Hurstville Private Hospital streamed through
and inspected its new level 4 maternity unit at the unit’s
inaugural open day on 30 May, showcasing part of the
Hospital’s multi-million dollar transformation.
The new maternity unit includes new delivery suites, patient
rooms and a purpose-built special care nursery.
The unit is a welcome addition to the Hospital which was
already a very popular maternity hospital, having provided
obstetric services for more than 25 years. The top floor
contemporary designed private rooms feature views from
the city skyline to the Blue Mountains.
Some of th
Open Day guesetsgoenodjoies
yed.
012
ECHO WINTER 2015
Guests had the opportunity to ask the Hospital’s maternity
team vital questions, and enjoyed cupcakes and children
were treated to face painting.
Hugh
i
Winter 2015
Lingard nurse goes from ‘chasing the disco’ and nearly
40 to world-class triathlete
Since 2011, up to 150 staff from Lingard Private Hospital and
their families have participated in Newcastle’s annual 10km
fun run – The Hill to Harbour.
Little did registered nurse Hugh Bonney know that his
approach to HCA CEO Steve Atkins to ‘sponsor a few
lads’ for that first fun run would fuel a growing interest in
running amongst Hospital staff, and be part of the journey
for his own transformation into a world-class triathlete
representing Australia.
Hugh joined Lingard Private in 2008 as a registered nurse,
working in the operating theatre. A dedicated nurse, he
has consistently led the pack at each Hill to Harbour since
2011. His passion for fitness and competition has helped him
improve and transform into an impressive athlete, at more
than 40 years of age.
Karen Gallagher, CEO Lingard Private Hospital
Hugh’s story…
“Triathlon certainly is a metaphor for life,” he said. “In a sport
where you can swim, cycle and run up to 226km in one
day, it deserves its title as the single toughest day in sports.
It’s not only tough, it’s a shaken cocktail of excitement, joy,
torture and relief ... just like life.”
“When I’m not buzzing around Lingard Private’s busy
Truscott operating theatres, I’m busy
preparing my body for some of the
world’s toughest triathlon races.”
h running in Port Macquarie's
ironman competition 2014.
“In 2011, after years of inactivity,
putting on fifteen kilos and ‘chasing
the disco’, I started to get puffed by
just putting my socks on. Something
had to change. Years earlier I had
raced a triathlon and enjoyed it, so I
decided to return.”
“A 3.8km swim, 180km
bike leg, and 42km run on
a baking hot island off the
coast of Mexico seemed like
a logical place to begin. I got
into great shape and began
the race well - only to be
reduced to a dribbling mess
with deranged electrolytes,
walking to an eleven hour
finish in 384th position.”
aim
ns his w ayditostanclce
Hugh Bonneyat ru
pic
m
ly
O
the gold an
March 2015.
event in W ollongong,
“I was devastated and cried hyponatremic tears into my
complimentary margarita. In true tough Man Nurse fashion
I sobered up and re-committed to completing the ironman
distance upright and without medical intervention.”
“2014 Port Macquarie was my target and in almost cyclonic
conditions I tapped out a time just over ten hours, coming in
at almost the top 100 out of 2000 and clear-headed, unlike
my Caribbean effort.”
“Fast forward to season 2015 and a switch to the shorter
Olympic distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike leg and 10km run).
My focus and hard work over the previous three years has
started to pay off.”
“A trip to the West Australian state sprint titles resulted in
gold in the 40-44 year-old age group. The big goal was the
Australian Olympic distance championship in Wollongong in
March. I managed to win gold on a perfect day and am now
off to Chicago in September for the world championships.”
“Healthe Care has been kind enough to help me in my
quest for a world title and I will wear the big black and blue
Healthe Care logo on the front of my speedos with pride as
I battle the Europeans and Yanks. Thanks Healthe Care. Go
the Aussie battler!”
ECHO WINTER 2015
013
New Zealand’s loss is Queensland’s gain as it was the Gold
Coast’s sub-tropical weather and ‘vibrancy’ during a 2007
conference that convinced psychiatrist Brad Ng to relocate
from his childhood hometown of Auckland to Queensland’s
glitter strip a year later.
Along with his wife, who is a general surgeon, Dr Ng said
they were both “very fortunate” to obtain jobs in the public
hospital system.
Last year, Dr Ng moved “in earnest” to private practice at
Currumbin Clinic as he felt it was time for a change but he
still spends some time at Robina Hospital’s Persistent Pain
Clinic, about 15 minutes north of Currumbin Clinic.
He has been practising as a consultant psychiatrist at
Currumbin Clinic since 2010.
While Dr Ng admits to being brought up in “various Chinese
restaurants and takeaway restaurants around Auckland”,
things may have turned out very differently if he had
followed through with his initial goal of studying history and
law at university.
Thankfully, he changed his mind at the last minute.
In Profile:
Dr Bradley Ng
MBChB, FRANZCP, FACLM
Cert POA PgDipCBT MHL GradDipMed
Consultant Psychiatrist,
Currumbin Clinic
014
ECHO WINTER 2015
“I have always been interested in the mind and how our
current knowledge of it is constantly expanding,” Dr Ng said.
“I was blessed with some excellent psychiatry mentors early
in my career. As a medical student and junior doctor, they
introduced me to so many aspects of psychiatry - biological,
psychological, social, historical, philosophical and spiritual.”
He said that in his second year of medical school, he
undertook a small research project with the late Professor
Ian Falloon that introduced the idea that care of patients
with serious mental illness was equally determined by social
and community factors, as well as medication. Another
mentor arranged a four-week stint for him as a medical
student in a state-run institution in the United States which
he found “a real eye opener”.
But it was as a junior doctor that he met his major influence - Dr
Shailesh Kumar - who had just left the Institute of Psychiatry in
London and had moved to New Zealand. Dr Kumar convinced
him that psychiatry was rewarding, had a credible evidence
base specialty and got him involved in research.
HCA staff wellbeing remains a
corporate priority
While primarily an older
person’s psychiatrist,
Dr Ng’s interests are
varied and include health law,
medico-legal work, persistent
pain and most recently,
transcranial magnetic
stimulation (TMS).
Dr Ng said Currumbin Clinic’s eagerness to embrace new
treatments such as TMS was “definitely a positive” for his
patients’ outcomes.
“My most recent interest is transcranial magnetic stimulation,
a novel procedure in the treatment of depression,” he said.
“It involves the use of magnetic fields to stimulate certain
areas of the brain in patients with depression. It is very safe
and done with the patient fully conscious – hence it is very
different from electroconvulsive therapy, which is still a good
procedure.”
Healthe Care doesn’t just focus on patient well-being,
it has also made it easier and more affordable for its
workforce to become healthier and more productive
through special corporate health insurance plans.
The plans, negotiated with health insurers Medibank
Private, HCF, Bupa and nib, have been rolled out to
provide all permanent and casual Healthe Care Australia
staff with easy access to health insurance plans that are
more extensive and flexible than current retail plans and
at discount rates.
Staff will need to make private arrangements to pay for
any health insurance premiums as salary sacrifice and
payroll deduction cannot be used for this purpose.
Health insurance representatives from all four health
insurance companies have been authorised to visit HCA
sites two to four times a year to speak to staff about
the new corporate health insurance plans and to provide
promotional material.
For further information and contact details or to
arrange a phone appointment with a health insurance
representative, visit LOTI.
When not working, Dr Ng, who is married with two
children – a son “who loves documentaries” and “a talkative
princess” - prefers to “embrace hobbies that are slow”.
He professes to love slow cooking, painstakingly preparing
dishes such as osso bucco, and plays “complicated and fiddly
board games” with his son.
“I have recently delved back into vinyl music so I can listen to
blues and jazz while patiently waiting for my wine collection
to mature and peak - reds from Bordeaux and Hawkes Bay,
and whites from Clare and Eden Valleys,” Dr Ng said.
ECHO WINTER 2015
015
Queen’s Birthday award recipient
champions perinatal disorders
When asked how she received her award, Mary said, “I don’t
actually know how I received it, or who was involved. It’s top
secret.”
She has a sneaking suspicion some colleagues and patients
may have lent a helping hand in the rigorous application and
assessment process.
“Although I have some ideas, I cannot pinpoint a specific
person, nor do I wish to,” she said. “This process is about
anonymous recognition and I appreciate that. This is
an opportunity, through recognition of my efforts, to
raise awareness about perinatal mood disorders and the
treatment options available.”
Mary attributes her recognition, as well as the success of
Mary Williams AM
the Brisbane Centre for Postnatal Disorders, to the dynamic
environment at Belmont Private and its evidence-based
When first meeting Mary Williams, Belmont Private
program focus for inpatients and day patients.
Hospital’s Area Manager - a veteran member of nursing
“For more than 20 years at Belmont, I’ve thoroughly
staff with more than 20 years’ service to the Hospital - you
enjoyed watching us grow from a low key facility to what is
cannot help but warm to her. The combination of her petite
now, without a doubt, a pre-eminent private mental health
frame, confident demeanour and engaging smile could melt
hospital in Queensland,” she said.
even the iciest of people.
“Our growth and success have been further supported by
Currently, Mary heads up the Brisbane Centre for Postnatal
our association with different societies including The Marcé
Disorders (BCPND) – Queensland’s only private mental
Society and the Cannan Institute, allowing us to keep up to
health service with a dedicated 10-bed mother and baby
date with perinatal research across the globe.”
unit. The BCPND is also Healthe Care’s only dedicated unit
for the treatment of perinatal disorders.
A mother of five, her professional experience and
commendations are impressive.
In June, Mary was recognised in the 2015 Queens Birthday
Honours List, as an esteemed Member of the Order of Australia
and recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (AM).
“By tailoring our treatment and
education programs, I honestly
believe this has enabled us, from a
perinatal perspective, to be ahead
of the game globally.”
The award acknowledges Mary’s significant contribution to
016
mental health nursing, as well as her longstanding role as
Mary holds a Double Certificate in Nursing and has also
an advocate and spokesperson for perinatal mood disorders.
studied psychology.
ECHO WINTER 2015
About the
Brisbane
Centre for
Postnatal
Disorders
Established in 1991, the Brisbane Centre for
Postnatal Disorders provides treatment and support
to women with mental health disorders in the
perinatal period.
Understanding the needs of mothers and their
babies, it enables infants under 12 months of age to
stay with their mother during admission.
The Centre’s assistance and education programs also
consider patients’ partners in order to support the
family unit.
The Centre is staffed by experienced maternal and
child health nurses, mental health nurses, midwives
and allied health professionals and is regularly
attended by a visiting paediatrician.
For further information please contact the Brisbane
Centre for Postnatal Disorders on 07 3398 0111 or
visit www.belmontprivate.com.au
ECHO WINTER 2015
017
The Marian Centre’s receptionist raises
nearly $8K for blood cancer research
Patients and staff at Subiaco’s Marian Centre in Western
Australia have really got into the spirit of multiple fund raising
activities to help find a cure for blood cancer, commonly
known as leukaemia, raising nearly $8000.
Cancer survivor and the person in charge of reception
and patient accounts at the Marian Centre, Jo Gallagher,
changed many people’s lives by personally participating in
the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave.
Jo was inspired to ‘shave for a cure’ by her friend and
colleague Errol, who is still battling cancer. With an original
fundraising goal of $2000, both staff and patients rallied to
support Jo in her quest. Fundraising began in earnest early
with patients and staff kickstarting the fundraising effort by
creating a special edition of the Centre’s Made in Marian
internal newsletter which was sold through reception and
Marian Centre
receptionist Jo
Gallagher before
losing her locks
018
ECHO WINTER 2015
which was also widely publicised on social media, LOTI and
in the summer edition of ECHO.
On 13th March, the Marian Centre held a Biggest Morning
Tea event in the dining room so all patients and staff
members could participate. For a gold coin, donation people
could get their hair sprayed in crazy colours, nails painted, or
purchase a cress head made by the Centre’s Activity Group.
Jo’s hair was plaited and then her long braids were cut off
before her head was shaved. Her braids were donated to
Variety - The Children’s Charity and their Princess Charlotte
Alopecia Program. They will be used to make a wig for
someone who has lost their hair due to alopecia - a common
hair loss medical condition. Congratulations to Jo for raising
$7910 and thank-you to all who donated, participated and
supported Jo during the fundraising campaign.
Jo with her freshly shaved
head and her braids which will
be used in Variety’s Princess
Charlotte Alopecia Program
L-R Monash University Associate Professor Chris Hensman, Emily Hargreaves
and The Valley & South Eastern Hospitals' CEO Neil Henderson
Another first for The Valley: training future
doctors inhouse with Monash University
Final year Monash university medical student Emily Hargreaves
was the first Monash med student to complete six weeks of
inhouse training and work experience at The Valley Private
Hospital as part of her elective rotation last year.
It’s the first time the private hospital has collaborated
with Monash University to provide students with valuable
exposure to the entire patient experience, from a private
hospital perspective.
According to Monash’s Academic Director of Clinical
Programs, Associate Professor Chris Wright, the new option
for Monash students to undertake elective rotation at The
Valley Private includes didactic lectures, exposure to ward
work (including assessment and investigation of patients),
clinical immersion in the operating rooms, and hands on
sessions to acquire surgical skills.
Emily’s ‘pilot’ rotation included a wide mix of complex
cases covering cardiac neurosurgery, advanced laparoscopy,
orthopaedics and urology, ICU and anaesthetics using state
of the art new technology such as 3D cameras for advanced
laparoscopic surgery and spinal robotics.
Speaking about her experience at The Valley, Emily said it
was “fantastic to be the first to experience this previously
untapped resource”.
“All staff, not exclusively medical staff, have been very
forthcoming in helping me to navigate the workings of the
hospital,” she said.
“At the Valley Private, I was offered a thorough exposure
to a diverse range of departments – radiology, ICU, diverse
surgical specialties – as well as technology and cases to
which I would never have been afforded access in the public
teaching sector.”
“I will certainly be recommending this placement to fellow
students in the future.”
Both The Valley Private’s executive team and its surgical
specialists are committed to ensuring the elective experience
is of the highest quality, according to The Valley & South
Eastern Private Hospitals’ CEO Neil Henderson.
“The vast majority of our visiting medical officers work at
Monash University,” Mr Henderson said “Together, we’re
keen to make a positive contribution to the training of
future generations of doctors.”
In the future, The Valley Private is expected to extend inhouse
training opportunities to include post graduate specialist
surgeons and practising surgeons wanting to master the new
technology, not currently available in the public hospital system.
ECHO WINTER 2015
019
Dr Victar Hsieh - Interventional Cardiologist,
Lucy Chen - Receptionist
New heart centre at Hurstville Private
The way we manage cardiac care has changed significantly
over the last ten years thanks to improved technology,
enhanced cardiac services and new ways of caring for you in
hospital, and when you’re discharged.
Cardiac services at Hurstville Private Hospital will soon be
offered in a contemporary and purpose-built new facility.
The new Hurstville Private Cardiac Centre will include:
• Coronary Care Unit (CCU) with 8 beds
• Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with 7 beds
• Cardiac Diagnostic Unit
• Two interventional laboratories for cardiac procedures
All cardiac services will be located close together and related
services and an Intensive Care Unit will be within ready
access of the new centre.
Louise Dodd, CEO of Hurstville Private says,
“We’ve spent hours consulting with local cardiologists,
interventionalists and clinicians regarding the new Hurstville
Private Heart Centre to make sure it meets the clinical needs
for the community. We are excited about the opportunities
for delivering the best cardiac care to local patients.”
“Patients will appreciate having spacious, light-filled single
rooms, with individual ensuite facilities
“It will be a world-class facility and raises the standard of
care for cardiac care treatment.”
“It’s all about providing the best outcome for patients.”
The cardiac diagnostic unit opened in May this year and has
had great support from the local community, recently the
hospital held an educational meeting for local clinicians with
over 40 in attendance.
By enhancing services at Hurstville Private, we’re ensuring
that this critical cardiac care service continues to occur
within the area and to grow and save lives.
020
ECHO WINTER 2015
NEWS FROM HR
The 2015FY National Love Your Work winner has been
announced. Congratulations to Helen O’Neil, a midwife
at North West Private Hospital.
Helen is an extremely dedicated midwife who is
approaching her 22nd year of service at North West
Private Hospital. During her time at North West Private
Hospital, Helen has developed a passion for helping
people who have experienced pregnancy loss including
miscarriage and still birth.
Helen provides care during labour and the postnatal
period for women who have unfortunately experienced
the loss of a baby. Helen will then follow these ladies
in the community for a number of weeks or as long
as an individual may need her support. Helen has spent
hundreds of hours of her own time supporting patients
and their families through these difficult times.
Additionally Helen also provides much needed education
to nursing and medical staff within the facility to give
them the skills and confidence to care for women who
experience pregnancy loss.
In August last year Helen developed and co-facilitated
a two day workshop entitled “Making a Difference
Following Pregnancy Loss” which was attended
by around 50 participants from a broad range of
backgrounds including, nurses, councillors, doctors,
social workers, psychologists and chaplains. Subsequently
Helen was asked to present this workshop in Hobart
which she has recently done with another being planned
for Launceston.
Helen’s dedication and care provides much needed
support in an under resourced area and has an
extremely positive reflection on the maternity care and
services provided by North West Private Hospital to the
community of North West Tasmania.
Congratulations to Helen O’Neil, a
midwife at North West Private Hospital
Congratulations to all our Love Your Work Finalists
across Australia:
Belmont – Mary Williams
Gosford – Phillipe Iles
Brisbane Waters – Jacqueline Clason
Currumbin Clinic – Anna Semple
Dubbo – Bernadette Davy
Healthe Work Melbourne – Mary Katinis
Head Office – Georgie Chilvers
Community Care/Hunter Nursing – Jeanette Hawkes
Hurstville – Suellen Brandon
Lingard – Olivia Watson
Maitland – Chia Yei Loh
Toronto – Vaughan Gerrish
Mayo – Donna Chant
South Eastern – Kylie Morgan
Marian Centre – Gillian Smith
The Valley – Deirdre Thomson
Brunswick – Gabriel Legg
ECHO WINTER 2015
021
NEWS FROM HR continued
Service Recognition Program
Staff recognition was an important and common theme our staff reflected
on in the staff satisfaction surveys. As a result of your feedback, one initiative
was the creation of a National Service Recognition program which was
launched on 1st July 2014.
Service recognition is for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 years service and beyond.
Particular congratulations to Susan Graham, a Chef at Lingard Private
Hospital who celebrated her 40 years service over the past 12 months!
As a gesture of appreciation and
congratulations, employees are
provided with a choice of service
gift, engraved to commemorate
their service with Healthe Care.
If it is not possible to engrave the
gift itself they receive a service
engraved key-ring with their gift.
It is pleasing to report that
over 400 staff have received a
service recognition gift during
the past 12 months. All sites
have embraced the program
and staff feedback has been
extremely positive.
Susan G
L ingard PrivatraehaHmospi
tal
LearnConnect
August 2015 saw the release and implementation of Healthe Care’s new
Learning Management Suite – LearnConnect. This is very exciting for the
Group with our first electronic and automated National Education system
and database. Each site has a dedicated Site Administrator who is responsible
for managing the program and allocating learning to staff within their site.
The Education page on LOTI has been revamped allowing staff easy access
to Log in to LearnConnect. Once logged in staff can access past training they
have completed, training they have been assigned and are yet to complete
or they can access a library of training courses they may be interested in
completing. The system is also helpful for Nursing staff to keep track of their
CPD points.
022
ECHO WINTER 2015
Townsville strengthens Healthe Care’s
private mental health portfolio
Last month Healthe Care opened its newest facility in
the heart of Townsville, Queensland.
Townsville Private Clinic’s services and programs are
‘Townsville Private Clinic’ is Townsville’s first private,
voluntary inpatient mental health facility. Over the past
eight months, it has been redeveloped from an existing
government building into a modern 60 bed mental
health clinic on Wills Street in Townsville’s CBD.
treatment services, and will include:
The Clinic provides sought after, specialist private
inpatient, day patient and outpatient mental health
services for the wider north Queensland community.
Initially it will deliver a capacity of 60 private mental
health inpatient beds, along with specialist consulting
rooms and day patient program group rooms.
• Mental health therapy programs for inpatients
With over 24 years’ professional experience working
in private mental health and prior to that working in
public mental health, Patrick McGurrin as Townsville
Private Clinic CEO, in conjunction with Queensland’s
Regional Executive team, Healthe Care’s National
Procurement and IT teams, Greg Campbell as National
Development and Construction Manager, as well as
support from Currumbin Clinic and Belmont Private
Hospital – has overseen key aspects of construction
and service development.
focus for every patient.
Patrick has been a committed member of the Healthe
Care team and for the past 10 years as Hospital
Director and CEO of Belmont Private Hospital, our
150 bed private mental health hospital in Brisbane.
“Townsville was identified by Healthe Care as an area
where there is little, if no, private inpatient mental
health services available locally. Townsville Private Clinic
now allows Healthe Care to deliver quality, effective
and integrated private health care services to the wider
North Queensland community”, says Patrick.
Kate Cross has also been appointed as Clinical Services
Manager, responsible for Clinical Services care delivery.
Kate has relocated from Healthe Care’s Currumbin Clinic
on the southern Gold Coast, where she was Admissions
and Assessment Co-Ordinator for the last four years.
tailored from Healthe Care’s existing model and
• Acute admissions
• Mood and Anxiety Disorders
• Older Persons’ Mental Illness
• Emergency and Military Mental Health Services
• Therapeutic mental health day and evening programs
The Clinic will work in partnership with Psychiatrists,
General Practitioners, Townsville Public Hospital and
its A&E department, public mental health and key
referrers to ensure recovery and an individualised
“By leveraging off our expertise in delivering private
mental health services across our other Queensland
sites in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, we have also
received widespread interest from specialist consultants
seeking to establish private practice”, says Patrick.
Dr Anna Lazzari, Consultant Psychiatrist has commenced
and is now accepting bookings and private mental
health referrals. Dr Lazzari specialises in adult general
psychiatry, intellectual disability and psychosis, and is
also experienced in the treatment of mood disorders,
eating disorders, perinatal disorders, veterans’ mental
health concerns and brain injuries. Since relocating
from Melbourne to Townsville in 2008, she has gained
experience in most areas of local mental health and
most recently, extensive expertise in rehabilitation
psychiatry. Dr Lazzari has the role of Chief Training
Supervisor for the Townsville Psychiatry Registrars and
has also held the position of Adjunct Senior Lecturer at
the James Cook Medical School since 2008.
The Clinic has also appointed its first intake of nursing,
allied health and support services staff.
For further information visit
townsvilleprivateclinic.com.au
ECHO WINTER 2015
023
Echo is a Healthe Care Group publication which is distributed
to staff, visiting medical professionals and executive management.
Accessible to download at www.healthecare.com.au,
the publication is also available for public readership.
To advertise please contact Louisa Cairns on 02 9215 8200
or by email at [email protected]
Healthe Care
Level 13, 160 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
PO Box 21297, World Square NSW 2002
T +61 2 9215 8200 F +61 2 9700 9078
www.healthecare.com.au
LIKE US ON
FACEBOOK