Download5 MB - The Marian Centre
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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