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Department of Health
Welcome to the Autumn issue of the Department of Health Loddon Mallee Region Newsletter
From the Director….From the Director….From the Director….From the Director….
Inside this issue:
Victorian Public Healthcare Awards
2
Prevention news
Regional Management Forum
2-4
Aboriginal health news
Koolin Balit plan
SHDH raise the Aboriginal flag
National Close the Gap Day
5-6
Mental Health Bill 2014
PSRACS Aged Care Readiness Project
NSQHS Standards
6
Workforce news 7
Emergency Management
Meet Nerissa Fry
8
LMR staff positions and contact details
9
Newsletter Autumn 2014 Issue 07
Department of Health Loddon Mallee Region
Dear All
I trust this first edition for 2014 finds you well and truly immersed in the year, as we are here in the Department
of Health. Some exciting things have happened since our Spring 2013 edition. I am pleased to report that a
number of Loddon Mallee organisations featured in the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards held in November
last year. Congratulations to all who entered and received awards, especially Rochester and Elmore District
Health Services which was awarded rural health service of the year.
I would like to acknowledge a significant event which took place last month. The regional Koolin Balit plan was
approved by the Minister for Health. This means that a number of exciting projects, which will make a real
difference to the health and wellbeing of our Aboriginal communities over the longer term, can now
commence. Also, Congratulations to the Swan Hill District Health Board of Management for raising the
Aboriginal flag at the hospital. This symbolic gesture can only strengthen the relationship between the health
service and the Aboriginal community.
My thanks to everyone for their patience during the summer season, as we bombarded you with heatwave and
fire information. The level of preparedness within our sector is commendable. Many of our communities
suffered livestock and asset destruction from fires. We worked closely with our Human Services colleagues to
assist those who were affected.
I wish you all a Safe and Happy Easter and we thank you again for all your good work.
Ann-Maree Conners
Page 2 Department of Health
Victorian Public Healthcare Awards November 2013
Loddon Mallee region scooped the pools in the
2013 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards held in
November 2013. Dr Ken Armstrong of Bendigo
Community Health Services was the winner of the
Secretary’s Award for improving patient outcomes
and patient experience. In the excellence in quality
healthcare category, the Florey Institute of
Neuroscience and Mental Health and Bendigo
Health’s Victorian Stroke Telemedicine Bendigo
Project was a silver award winner.
Kyabram and District Health Service also received
a sliver award for the end of life care project in the
excellence in service provision category.
Congratulations to CEO Matt Sharp and staff at
Rochester and Elmore District Health Services for
winning the rural health service of the year, a
fantastic and well deserved achievement.
STOP PRESS…
The last few months have seen a number of
comings and goings in our public health services at
the executive level. We said farewell to Robert
Bulmer, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cohuna
District Hospital, who retired after over 40 years in
the public sector and welcome to new CEO Bill Hall.
We said farewell to Jennifer Gale, CEO Kyneton
District Health Service and welcome to new CEO
Maree Cuddihy. On Friday 28 March 2014 we
farewelled Matt Sharp, CEO Rochester and District
Health Services, who leaves to take up a new role
as Executive Director - Continuing Care,
Ambulatory, Mental Health and Statewide Services
at Eastern Health. Congratulations to Matt on this
exciting new appointment. We have recently
learned of the resignation of Directors of Nursing
Fiona Brew of Maryborough District Health Service
and Tracey Hynes of Kyneton District Health
Service. We wish you all success in the future and
thank our outgoing executives for their commitment
and hard work.
Prevention news
Regional Management Forum
The department worked with Regional Development
Victoria for several months to plan a 90 minute
session titled "Planning for Health and Wellbeing"
as part of the Loddon Mallee Region Management
Forum (RMF). This meeting was held on 21 March
2014. The Regional Director of Health, Ann-Maree
Conners hosted the session, which explored the
importance of health and wellbeing in our
communities and the role of state government
departments and local governments in influencing
population health and wellbeing, and how to apply a
health lens to organisational strategy and planning.
Key presentations provided information on Healthy
Together Victoria's complex systems thinking
approach and how our health and wellbeing is
shaped by determinants often outside the core
function of the health system. The session also
included a workshop, in which all members were
invited to participate.
Jason Russell, CEO, Shire of Gannawarra, shared
their approach to creating a healthy workplace and
healthy communities. They have incorporated
health and wellbeing priorities into their current
Council plan and engaged the community in
developing a suite of resources to demonstrate their
commitment to promoting healthy communities. De
Gilby, Department of Health (DH) and Sharon
Ruyg, from Healthy Together Grampians Goldfields
provided information on the Healthy Together
Victoria’s (HTV) Achievement Program for
Workplaces.
The session has been deemed a great success and
members committed to reporting back at future
meetings of the RMF on actions taken in response
to the session.
So far we have heard that Department of Premier
and Cabinet (DPC) have requested DH to build
HTV into DPC's place-based government
Secretaries project (Secretary of DPC); the Premier
has written to the Minister for Health, signing DPC
up to the HTV Achievement Program and
Department of Justice have approached DH
wanting to join up their Communities that Care
initiative with HTV.
Page 3 Department of Health
Increasing Awareness and Early Detection of Bowel Cancer Project & GP Engagement Project
The department has funded Bendigo Community
Health Service (BCHS) to lead the project, and
Networking Health Victoria (working in partnership
with the Loddon Mallee Murray Medicare Local
(LMMML)) to implement the GP Engagement
Project in the City of Greater Bendigo and Shire of
Loddon. The projects are working in partnership to
increase knowledge and awareness of bowel
cancer risk, and to encourage greater uptake of
FOBT screening. BCHS has established
relationships with a wide range of health services,
organisations and community groups.
A particular focus is with those who represent
under-screened population groups including men,
low SES, CALD and Aboriginal. Health education
sessions with health professionals and community
groups are delivered by the project. The project is
currently developing a comprehensive social
marketing campaign for greater population reach for
implementation by June 2014.
LMMML has engaged 15 general practice clinics to
participate in the GP Engagement Project to build
improved systems to routinely engage patients in a
discussion regarding bowel cancer risk and to
increase FOBT screening. Evaluations of both
projects will be conducted by La Trobe University.
The project is due to be complete in October 2014.
For further information please contact De Gilby,
Manager, Public Health, on phone 5434 5608 or
email [email protected]
Supporting Patients to be Smokefree Project
Bendigo Health and Kyabram District Health
Services have been appointed by the department
as pilot organisations for the Supporting Patients to
be Smokefree project. Seven health services from
across the state will be the first in Victoria to test an
ABCD approach to systematically supporting
smoking cessation through identifying smoking
status (asking), providing advice and support (brief
intervention) and recording the action taken at the
point of health service discharge (communication at
discharge).
Did you know?
Bowel cancer is second only to lung cancer as the
most common cancer affecting Victorian men and
women.
The risk of being diagnosed by the age of 85 is 1 in
10 for males and 1 in 15 for females. Bowel cancer
accounts for 10% of all deaths from invasive
cancers in Australia. There is strong evidence that
when bowel cancer is detected early over 90% of
cancers can be treated successfully.
Bowel cancer is a cancer that affects the colon and
rectum (large bowel). Bowel cancer occurs slowly
over time in stages. Bowel cancer can occur without
visible symptoms; however symptoms can include
bleeding from the rectum, a persistent change in
bowel habits, abdominal pain and unexplained
weight loss, tiredness and anaemia.
While bowel cancer can occur at any age, the risk is
greater aged 50 and over. Other risk factors include
a personal or strong family history of bowel cancer,
being overweight or obese, smoking, and eating a
diet high in red or processed meats.
Protective factors that can reduce bowel cancer risk
include eating a healthy diet; not smoking;
exercising regularly; limiting alcohol intake;
maintaining a healthy weight and participating in
bowel cancer screening.
The National Health and Medical Research Council
(NHMRC) clinical practice guidelines for the
prevention, early detection and management of
colorectal cancer recommends screening for the
Australian population aged 50 years and over with
a faecal occult blood test (FOBT) at least every two
years. A FOBT looks for tiny amounts of blood in
the bowel motion which may be sign of a polyp or
early bowel cancer. If the FOBT result is positive a
colonoscopy is required to determine cause.
Page 4 Department of Health
Victorian Network of Smokefree Health Services (VNSHS)
The aim of the VNSHS is to increase the capacity of
Victorian healthcare services to adopt smokefree
policies and address the health impacts of smoking.
By providing opportunities for networking and
information sharing, the network enhances the
support available to healthcare services.
Membership is open to all Victorian healthcare
services including private and public services.
Bendigo Health and Heathcote Health are
registered members. More information on the
network can be found at:
http://smokefreevictoria.com.au/html/s01_home/ho
me.asp
A health and wellbeing initiative for workplaces and workforces
The Achievement Program, a Healthy Together
Victoria initiative, is available to all organisations in
Victoria to support the development of healthy
workplaces and workforces. Given that nearly three
million Victorians are in full or part time work and
spend almost one-third of their total daily hours at
work, workplaces are an important setting for health
and wellbeing initiatives. The Achievement Program
provides an evidence-based framework and
resources for creating a healthy work environment
and culture to help improve and sustain health and
wellbeing in the workplace. For more information on
the Achievement Program please visit website:
www.health.vic.gov.au/prevention/achievementprog
ram or contact Clare Thurman, Regional Health
Promotion Advisor on phone 5434 5611 or email
Workplace health promotion in action
The Population Health, Service and Workforce
Planning team in Bendigo have been busy
promoting exercise in the office. At our 'On Your
Feet day' in February, a fund-raiser for the Baker
Institute - 15 staff joined in a challenge to climb the
Eureka tower! We managed to collectively climb
237 flights of stairs - the equivalent of climbing the
Eureka Tower 2.7 times!!
Participants also ensured they moved more and sat
less whenever possible; walking to colleagues
desks instead of emailing; standing to take phone
calls; walking or standing meetings and of course
using the stairs instead of the lift.
What the research says…
For over ten years Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes
Institute's (Baker IDI) Physical Activity laboratory
has been researching the effect of sedentary
behaviour on health. Studies, both from Baker IDI
and around the world, have consistently shown the
following health effects are associated with
excessive sitting:
• greater risk of premature death;
• greater risk of early death due to a
cardiovascular event;
• association with known risk factors of chronic
disease:
Fast facts…
• The average adult sits for eight to ten hours per day.
• Sitting uninterrupted for prolonged periods of time is a risk factor for poor health.
• Good health requires more than just getting 30 minutes of exercise a day; regular moderate-intensity physical activity is not a solution to being sedentary for the rest of your waking hours.
http://www.onyourfeet.org.au/event/OnYourFeetAustralia2014/TheResearch
Page 5 Department of Health
Aboriginal health news
Koolin Balit
The Koolin Balit Action Plan for the Loddon Mallee
Region (LMR) developed by the Loddon Mallee
Aboriginal Reference Group (LMARG) was
approved by the Minister for Health on 5 March
2014.
LMARG is the peak representative group for the
Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in
LMR and consists of Mallee District Aboriginal
Service with sites in Mildura and Swan Hill, Njernda
Aboriginal Corporation in Echuca, Murray Valley
Aboriginal Corporation in Robinvale and the
Bendigo and District Aboriginal Corporation in
Bendigo.
The Koolin Balit plan outlines 7 priorities for
investment including early years, healthy
communities, mental health, oral health, chronic
disease, aged care and family healing.
Project plans detailing activities for the first two
years are being developed so that the work can
commence soon.
For further information please contact Kate Glenie,
Manager, Aboriginal Health on phone 5434 5909 04
email [email protected]
Swan Hill District Health raise the Aboriginal Flag
The Aboriginal flag was raised for the first time at
the front of Swan Hill District Health on National
Close the Gap Day on Thursday 20th March 2014.
The national day highlights the commitment made
to closing the gap between the life expectancy of
Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Currently, Indigenous Australians live between 10
and 17 years less than non-Indigenous Australians.
The flag was raised by three generations of the
Stewart family, who were associated with the
hospital in its early days. Mathew Stewart was
quoted in the Guardian as saying “It is a historic
moment in the hospital's history and is symbolic of
their relationship with the community". "It will show
that the hospital has a connection to the
community."
In a speech at the ceremony, Swan Hill District
Health Board of Directors president Don Logan said
the hospital was involved in offering services to help
close the gap in life expectancy between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Aunty Deb Chaplin with Ted Rayment, CEO Swan Hill District Health at the flag raising ceremony
Swan Hill District Health’s Aboriginal Hospital
Liaison Officer Debra Chaplin said it had been a
proud moment to see the flag raised at the hospital.
"The hospital will be a more inviting place [to Aboriginal people], because it represents welcoming," she said. "When people see the flag they will see we are a culturally sensitive hospital.
National Close the Gap Day
On the 20th March 2014, Bendigo and District
Aboriginal Cooperative (BDAC) hosted a morning
tea on National Closing the Gap Day. Sharing this
event were partner agencies Centre Against Sexual
Assault, Department of Health, Amicus, Office of
Aboriginal Affairs, Primary Care Partnerships and
BDAC’s Board of Directors, staff and community
members.
The April edition of Koori Grapevine reported the
event, noting, “BDAC need to see the government
engaging and consulting with Aboriginal
Page 6 Department of Health
communities and organisations, and to recommit
additional funding and invest in real partnerships”.
BDAC’s Shane McLennan, Aunty Lyn Warren and Raylene Harradine
National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards
The NSQHS Standards are focused on the process
of care: what happens and how things are done
every day at point of care.
The Department of Health is the regulator in the
process. There are many tools and resources
available to assist health services:
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in
Health Care http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/
• Public Health Accreditation in Victoria
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/accreditation/
• ACSQ Advice Centre / Help Line:
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1800 304 056
Networking between health services is also proving
to be a great way of supporting preparation. In the
Loddon Mallee Region the quality managers
participate in a support network, which provides an
avenue for support and sharing of resources.
A private blog has also been developed by the
quality network, to share ideas and as a repository
for information. For further information please
contact Lynda Treloar, Manager Acute Care on ph.
5434 5609 or email [email protected]
Mental Health Bill 2014
On 18 February 2014, the Victorian Government
introduced the Mental Health Bill 2014 (the Bill) into
Parliament.
A new Mental Health Act for Victoria is a key
element to the government’s mental health reform
agenda, and places people living with mental illness
and families at the centre of mental health
treatment and care.
The Bill has been drafted following extensive policy
consultations with the community. The Bill makes
significant changes to compulsory assessment and
treatment of people living with mental illness. It will
ensure that people living with mental illness are
supported to make or participate in decisions about
their treatment and care and will recognise the
important role of families and carers in supporting
their recovery.
While the Bill is in Parliament, the government will
continue to talk with the community about the
reforms. To help with this, The Mental Health Bill
2014 – An explanatory guide has been released
and can be accessed on the following web link:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/mhactref
orm
For further information please visit the above
website or contact the enquiry line on
1300 656 692 or [email protected]
or the Regional Manager, Mental Health, Melissa
Knight, on phone 54345508 or email
PSRACS Aged Care Readiness Project
The Aged Care readiness project has been
implemented to support public sector residential
aged care providers to prepare for the
Commonwealth's aged care regulatory changes.
The project has been contracted to Victorian
Healthcare Association (VHA) and commenced in
September 2013. Deliverables for the project
include:
• a financial management tool
Page 7 Department of Health
• an organisational readiness tool
• delivery of e-bulletins
• professional development forums including a
health executive and board forum
Events to date
• Initial briefing forums have taken place
• A second round of forums focusing on the
financial management tool took place in the
Region in February, facilitated by VHA's Michael
Rhook
• A range of tools have been released
Upcoming events
• An executive forum will take place on 8 May
2014 at the Melbourne Convention Centre
• The third round of forums will take place in
Loddon Mallee Region on 17 June 2014
For further information please contact Manager,
Aged Care, Patricia Deering on phone 54345531 or
email [email protected]
Workforce news
LMR ICT in Allied Health Service Delivery
The Loddon Mallee Region (LMR) Information
Communication Technologies (ICT) in Allied Health
Service Delivery project is an initiative of the
Loddon Mallee Allied Health Network (LMAHN)
Reference Group. The aim of the project is to
explore the extent of ICT use in the delivery of allied
health services within the Loddon Mallee region,
with a particular focus on clinician’s:
• experience of ICT in health service delivery;
• attitudes towards ICT and, more broadly, use of
technology for work and also personal use; and
• barriers and enablers to use of ICT to support
allied health clinicians in their clinical work and
professional learning
The project is being conducted by researchers at La
Trobe Rural Health School. A survey of allied
health clinicians across the region has been
undertaken to inform the research project, which is
investigating the barriers and enablers experienced
by allied health clinicians in using technology to
support work and professional learning.
Study findings will contribute information about rural
Victorian Allied Health practitioners utilising modern
technology to improve their quality of service
provision.
For further information please contact Nerissa Fry,
Senior Project Officer, Allied Health Workforce
Development and Planning on phone 5434 5698 or
email [email protected]
Clinical Training Network
Loddon Mallee (LM) stakeholder representatives
have been duly elected for each sector onto the
2014 CTN Committee (see table). Elections were
held in December 2013 and were open for
stakeholders from each sector to vote their
representative onto the committee.
For further information please contact: Glen
Wallace, Coordinator Loddon Mallee Clinical
Training Network, on phone. 54548402 or email
2014 Loddon Mallee CTN Committee
ACCHO/Aboriginal Health/Indigenous Health
Shane McLennan
Aged Care Susan Fantig
Community Health Linda Henderson
Department of Health (regional office)
Ann-Maree Conners
Higher Education Lesley McKarney
Higher Education Geoff Solarsh
Mental Health Ivane St Claire
Public Health
(large regional)
Peter Faulkner
(Chair)
Public Health
(large regional)
Robyn Lindsay
(Deputy Chair)
Public Health
(local area)
Fiona Brew
Public Health
(local area)
John Carey
Public Health
(regional - Mildura)
Simone Heald
Vocational Educational Training (VET)
John Giudice
Page 8 Department of Health
Emergency Management
VicEmergency
The VicEmergency website is the primary site for
fire and flood warnings and shows emergency
incidents in Victoria on a real-time Google Map
display. The site includes bushfire and grassfire
incidents, as well as other emergencies such as
storms, power outages and traffic incidents. Visitors
can also access planning and recovery information
on fire and flood. A single all-emergencies website
supports the Victorian Government's all hazards, all
agencies approach to emergency management.
The FireReady app provides access to official
warnings, information on planned burns and other
types of incidents across Victoria attended by
Country Fire Authority (CFA), the Department of
Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) and the
Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB)
• The VicEmergency website has a real-time
Google Map display with emergency events
including fires, floods, storms, power outages,
hazardous material incidents and traffic
incidents
• It also includes important planning and recovery
information on fire and flood
• More information about VicEmergency is
available on the ‘About this site’ tab on the
website www.emergency.vic.gov.au
Heat health alert system
Over the Summer Season Loddon Mallee Region
experienced heat health alerts on 14 days. All of
our weather districts experienced 5 or more heat
health alert warnings. Overall health and community
services were well prepared for extreme heat
events. Under the Department of Health Emergency
Preparedness Clients and Services Policy, many
agencies reported cessation of programs, such as
Planned Activity Groups on the days of extreme
heat. Impacts reported by health services ranged
from no increases in Emergency Department
presentations and admissions to a small increase in
numbers of presentations and admissions in
relation to the heat wave.
Meet Nerissa Fry- Senior Project Officer
My professional background
After VCE I studied Education for 2 years, before realising that ‘loving children’ and ‘loving to teach a group of children’ is not the same thing. I then studied Desktop Publishing/Office Administration before completing a Bachelor of Public Health.
My role at the Department of Health
I am responsible for the Regional Allied Health Workforce Development and Planning Program, which aims to enhance allied health recruitment and retention activities in non-metropolitan Victoria.
How long have you worked for the Department of Health?
I commenced my employment at the then Bendigo and Region Psychiatric Services (BARPS), just over 20 years ago and have worked in many other program areas
What do you like about your job?
I value the relationships I have developed within the Department and in the health sector. I appreciate the diversity within my role, from organising conferences to representing the region on state- wide groups to policy development.
What do you find most challenging about your job?
The need to promote the benefits of living and working in a rural or regional area to practitioners in metropolitan centres - to me the benefits are obvious!
What do you enjoy about living and working in the Loddon Mallee Region?
Clearly we have the best people, weather and landscape – the only thing we are missing is a beach!
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
One of my favourite activities is going on family holidays to the beach. I also like to host dinner parties, play family board games, socialise with girlfriends, go to the movies and dance to 80’s music!
Page 9 Department of Health
Loddon Mallee Region staff positions & contact details
Name Position Ph Number
Ann-Maree Conners Director, Health and Aged Care 5434 5583
Tammy Hancock Executive Assistant to the Director 5434 5576
Annette Toohey Manager, Social & Environmental Health 5434 5590
Max Murphy Regional Environmental Health Officer 5434 5538
Melissa Knight Manager, Mental Health 5434 5508
Jenny Collins Primary Health PASA 5434 5507
Kate Glenie Manager, Aboriginal Health 5434 5909
Jane Tydd Primary Health, Mental Health AoD PASA 5434 5619
Andrew Kallaur Manager, Health & Aged Care 5434 5690
Patricia Deering Manager, Aged Care 5434 5531
Faye Ennor-Severs HACC PASA 5434 5597
Pam Oakley Aged Care and Palliative Care PASA 5434 5588
Maggie Fernie HACC PASA 5434 5632
Liz Foster HACC – ASM Industry Consultant 5434 5591
Leanne Fary Aboriginal Services Advisor 5434 5539
Jason Stevens Manager – Finance, Performance &
Governance
5434 5595
Kevin Bowe SRS Authorised Officer / Finance, Performance
and Governance PASA
5434 5639
Liz Cleary Finance and Governance PASA 5434 5589
Lynda Treloar Manager, Acute Care 5434 5609
Liz Brooks Manager, Population Health, Service and
Workforce Planning
5434 5545
De Gilby Manager, Public Health 5434 5608
Clare Thurman Regional Health Promotion Advisor 5434 5611
Nerissa Fry Senior Project Officer, Allied Health. Workforce
Development & Planning
5434 5696
Authorised by the Victorian Government, Melbourne. To receive this publication in an accessible format phone
Department of Health, Loddon Mallee Region 5434 5576