WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU

FOLLOW US: @NTHSYDHEALTH

BROOKVALE GRAND OPENINGPAGE 5

THERAPY DOG

PAGE 4

SUNRISE CELEBRITY

PAGE 7

JMOS WELCOMED

PAGE 3

NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT

NSLHDFE

BRU

ARY

201

8 /

ISSU

E #6

message from the Board Chair

NSLHD NEWS | ISSUE #6 | FEBRUARY 20182

Dear colleagues

I was delighted to join members of the District Board on a tour of the new Northern Beaches Hospital. We were all incredibly impressed with the progress of works for this fantastic new facility for the Northern Beaches Community. On the tour we were able to see the new emergency department, special care nursery and mental health unit as well as the hospital’s education centre. These are going to be world-class facilities for staff to provide excellent healthcare to their patients.

The new hospital provides exciting opportunities but we also understand this represents a huge change for the staff at Manly and Mona Vale Hospitals - many of whom have been providing care to the community for a long time. The needs of these much valued staff are a priority and they will be provided every support as we transition to the new hospital

The Board and I are committed to ensuring there is strong clinician engagement at Northern Sydney Local Health District. Input from doctors, nurses and allied health professionals into decision making is vital in achieving our strategic goals and therefore achieving better health outcomes for the community.

To this end we have made progress on a number of initiatives to increase the engagement opportunities between clinicians and the Board and Chief Executive. In recent months we have implemented a series of walkabouts to ensure we are better known to District

staff. The program of Board breakfasts with emerging leaders has also been a great success and has provided us a further opportunity to gain a better understanding of the issues faced by staff from a wide and varied representation of the workforce.

Our newly appointed Chief Executive, Deb Willcox, has also spent her first few months meeting as many clinicians as possible and listening to what is important to them and where they see the priorities and opportunities. Deb’s open-door policy and determination to be as visible and accessible to staff as possible has been a critical step as we build on the trust and goodwill of our clinicians.

We are committed to ensuring the activities undertaken by NSLHD, from planning to service delivery, are shaped by our clinicians, and that this practice is firmly embedded in our decision making.

Our efforts to improve clinician engagement have been positively received and we will continue to build on this work to ensure together we provide the very best healthcare to our community.

Trevor Danos AM

Board Chair Northern Sydney Local Health District

FOLLOW US:@nthsydhealth

TWITTERFacebook

Northern Sydney Local Health District

youtube

FOLLOW US:@RoyalNorthshore@Rydehospital @Hornsbyhospital

WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU 3WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU

Intern doctors welcomed to NSLHD hospitalsThe start of 2018 brought many new beginnings, especially for our latest round of Junior Medical Officers (JMOs).

The fresh-faced university graduates scrubbed up at the beginning of February to begin their tenure across Northern Sydney Local Health District.

State-wide, 999 interns joined NSW Health as part of the NSW Government’s $107 million internship program, a new NSW record.

The JMOs were welcomed by their local MPs, with Hornsby MP Matt Kean and North Shore MP Felicity Wilson both dropping by to visit

some of the newly minted doctors.

In an added bonus, six of Royal North Shore Hospital’s doctors adorned the front page of The Mosman Daily on 22 February.

JMOs will rotate throughout the District during 2018, completing placements across a range of medical disciplines.

Ryde Hospital’s interns are all smiles ahead of their tenure. Matt Kean MP at Hornsby Hospital.

BIG RED KIDNEY BUS STOPS BY ROYAL NORTH SHORE HOSPITALAhead of embarking on its journey around NSW, Federal MP for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman dropped by to inspect the Big Red Kidney Bus.

The mobile service enables patients to undergo dialysis away from home, giving many the chance to travel and have a holiday

The bus embarked from RNSH on it’s holiday hot spot tour last year and made a short visit before travelling to other parts of the state.

After it left Royal North Shore, the Bus made its way to Kiama before heading to Nelson Bay, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and will finish up in Katoomba.

Kidney Health Australia (KHA) owns and operates the bus, with expert renal nurses and dialysis technicians provided by Royal North Shore Hospital to treat the patients.

RNSH Head of Renal Medicine Dr Bruce Cooper said the Bus gave

people who need dialysis the freedom to have a needed break.

“With more than 10,000 Australians living on haemodialysis, the Big Red Kidney Bus is a fantastic service for those travelling in NSW,” he said.

4 NSLHD NEWS | ISSUE #6 | FEBRUARY 2018

Royal North Shore’s Angus the therapy dog is Facebook famousHe’s a familiar (and cute!) face on Ward 7E, but Angus the therapy dog finally hit the big time this month.

The Cavoodle was simply going about one of his ward rounds but this time he had a camera crew in tow.

Youth radio station triple j chose Angus to be the star of one of their stories that went to air nationwide as part of Animal Week, and he was more than up to the task.

Angus showed his exceptional temperament as he visited patients along with his human and Delta Society volunteer handler, Emily Gregg.

Emily said it was great to see Angus’ impact.

“He brings a lot of joy to the patients and we visit the spinal injuries ward and we often visit patients who are in hospital for a long time,” she told Hack.

“You may not realise how much of a difference you’re making but often a family member or a nurse will tell you this patient is really feeling the impact of Angus so it’s good to see we’re making a difference.”

Patient Jay Stevens said the visit was very helpful in his recovery.

“It makes you feel better when the little dog’s here,” he said. “He’s got a good smile on him.”

Brookvale Community Health Centre

Health Minister and Member for Wakehurst Brad Hazzard helps eight-month-old Harry and mum Bec Gilfillan officially open the centre along with Member for Manly James Griffin, Health Infrastructure Chief Executive Sam Sangster, Natalie Ward MLC and Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan.

Brookvale Community Health Centre is home to BreastScreen NSW. Physiotherapy services will also be available at BCHC

WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU 5

completed and officially opened

Dental services are also available at the new facility. Brookvale Community Health Centre is located on Pittwater Road.

Minister for Health Brad Hazzard enlisted the help of one of the Brookvale Community Health Centre’s youngest clients during the official opening of the new $50 million centre.

In front of a large crowd of guests, the Health Minister and eight month old Harry Gilfillan performed the official unveiling of the plaque.

Minister Hazzard also toured the facility with local Member for Manly James Griffin and Chief Executive Deb Willcox.

The Minister met with clients and some of the centres’ 200 staff.

More than 20 services are now

operating from the purpose-built facility, including aged care and rehabilitation services, child and family health, community nursing and mental health services.

Community drug and alcohol programs and BreastScreen NSW services are also based within the centre.

Mr Hazzard said the state-of the art facility is part of the Government’s $100 million commitment to community health facilities for the rapidly growing Northern Beaches area.

Mr Griffin also welcomed the opening of the large, modern

centre.

“This is an amazing one-stop-shop bringing the very best of healthcare directly to families on the Northern Beaches.

“It will offer valuable support in a central location across from Warringah Mall,” Mr Griffin said.

Northern Beaches Redevelopment Community Lead Heather Gough said the range of services within the centre means that clients will easily be able to receive help from several services, resulting in better health outcomes overall.

NSLHD NEWS | ISSUE #6 | FEBRUARY 20186

Dr Michelle Mulligan with Deborah Latta, Healthscopes Project Director and NSLHD Board Chairman Trevor Danos AM.

Brian Blood, Andrew Goodsall, Dr Michelle Milligan, Don Marples, Travor Danos AM and John Hunter

NSLHD Board wowed by Northern Beaches HospitalMembers of the Northern Sydney Local Health District Board were impressed with the progress of works for the new Northern Beaches Hospital during a recent site visit.

Healthscope’s Project Director Deborah Latta led members of the Board and the Audit and Risk Committee on a tour of the hospital, which included the new emergency department, special care nursery and mental health unit.

Ms Latta said the construction and fit-out of the hospital is progressing well, with the builders currently ahead of schedule.

“We are looking forward to the final stage of works being completed and the installation of equipment.”

The group also inspected the hospital’s education centre, which will accommodate up to 150 people in the large conference room. The centre will be kitted out with the latest technology and education resources.

Board chairman Trevor Danos AM welcomed the opportunity to inspect the progress of works, saying the new hospital is looking fantastic.

“I was really impressed with the

quality of the workmanship and the smart design.

“It’s clear there has been a large amount of consultation in the planning of this new hospital, and that those carefully made decisions will assist the operation of this facility for many years to come.

“With the building works close

to completion in many areas, we certainly got a sense of what it will be like to be a patient here, and what it will be like working in this wonderful healthcare facility.

“We have reached an exciting point and I know many of our teams are keenly waiting for the hospital’s opening in late October,” he said.

The main foyer of Northern Beaches Hospital is taking shape.

FOLLOW US:@nthsydhealth

TWITTER

WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU 7

This month we welcomed new management trainees who will be joining the District’s new Graduate Health Management Program.

The two-year program has been created to establish tomorrow’s leaders in health management and they will be provided opportunities to gain work experience in a number of areas including executive and operational management as well as finance.

While undertaking three 17-week rotations in year one and six-monthly in year two or a placement with the CE they will also study for their Masters in Health Service Management at the University of Tasmania.

NSLHD Chief Executive, Deb Willcox welcomed new trainees Emily Gregg, James Lee, Rachel Prince and Jessica Zinghini and said working in the health system was more than

just a job.

“The public health system, our clinicians and patients deserve the best managers and this new program provides outstanding opportunities to work in a variety of health management positions, seeing how our services work first hand and study at the same time and study at the same time,” she said.

Trainees ready for 2018 grad program with NSLHD

Sunrise star’s first mammogramSunrise host Samantha Armytage swung by BreastScreen St Leonards this month as part of the program’s health checks series.

Armytage, who is 41 and was having her first mammogram, was welcomed by Director of BreastScreen NSW Northern Sydney and Central Coast Meredith Kay.

Meredith said it was great to see Sam setting a great example and being “breast aware”.

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in NSW, with 1 in 8 developing the disease during their lifetime,” she said.

For the record, Sam received the all clear live on air.

Meredith Kay and Samantha Armytage at BreastScreen St Leonards.

Rachel Prince, James Lee, Jessica Zinghini and Emily Gregg will become familiar faces in the District as they complete their studies.

TELEPHONE HEALTHCOACHING SERVICE

HELP PATIENTS GET HEALTHY

Refer them to the FREEGet Healthy Information & Coaching ServiceUse the Health Professional Referral Form Click on Get Healthy on the NSLHD Intranet Home Page or visit http://intranet.nslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/ClinicalNet/healthprom/programs/Pages/Get%20Healthy.aspx