NEWS NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT NSLHD
Main story celebrating naidoc week
Short blurb
Read more on Page x Pages 4 and 5
Leukaemia Study Breakthrough by Kolling Researchers Page 3
NSLHD Programme Finalist for International Award Page 7
WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU
Message from the chief executive
Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM
Dear colleagues,
attend the many NAIDOC activities across our district to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. I had the pleasure of attending the event held at Royal North Shore Hospital and I want to congratulate Peter Shine, NSLHD Executive Director of Aboriginal Health and Torres Straight Islander Health Service, and his team for their hard work in putting these events together. In other news, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park recently visited Royal North Shore Hospital to announce a $10.6 million investment aimed at making patient experience officer positions available across all emergency departments (EDs) within NSW hospitals. Patient experience officers act as a first point of contact for patients arriving to our emergency departments and they play a significant role in ensuring the patient’s experience is optimal and their wellbeing is prioritised. This initiative not only enhances patient care but also takes a substantial load off the clinicians and allows them to focus on treating patients. Our district is fortunate to have six patient experience officers working in our hospitals and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for having such a positive impact and for demonstrating the value of this position is to our patients.
As I move across the district, I always enjoy hearing from our people. Many come forward with suggestions, issues or questions and I find these interactions incredibly helpful in understanding what matters to you. It is essential that everyone feels they have an open line of communication with me, and the district’s executive team. This is why I am excited to be introducing regular virtual town hall meetings. Starting from 18 July, I will host these online meetings with a different member of the NSLHD executive team who will discuss a topic that is important to all staff. We will then open the forum for comments and questions. NSLHD Executive Director of People and Culture Paula Williscroft will join me for the first virtual town hall meeting. Paula will share the valuable insights gained from those of you who participated in the Health and Safety Listen and Learn sessions we ran in May. She will also update you on progress on our Psychosocial Risk Management Project and the launch of our first Sexual and Gender- based Harassment Safety Plan. The first session is scheduled for 2:00pm on Thursday 18 July and you can join online here: https://bit.ly/45XLaR6. For those of you who are unable to join the session, a recording will be made available on the intranet, ensuring everyone has access to the information shared.
Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM Chief Executive
It was wonderful to see so many staff
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 13| 12 JULY 2024
2
Dr Jenny Wang (front right) and her Kolling Institute Cancer and Stem Cell research team
Leukaemia Study Breakthrough by Kolling Researchers While there has been a great deal of encouraging progress with many cancer treatments over the last decade, the prognosis for people with acute myeloid leukaemia remains poor, with only 27 per cent of patients surviving more than five years after treatment. Lead researcher Dr Jenny Wang said there has been a sharp rise in the number of people with the deadly form of blood cancer in recent years and the trend is set to continue. There are now more than 135,000 people in Australia living with blood cancers, with 16 people losing their life to this disease every day. Jenny said blood cancers are particularly aggressive forms of cancer and very challenging to treat. “The majority of them are resistant to current chemotherapy treatments which means many people experience a relapse of their blood cancer. If even one cancer stem cell survives after treatment, the cancer can regenerate and come back,” she said. “Sadly, over 80 per cent of people will experience a relapse with their blood cancer.” The future for blood cancer treatment is expected to be stem cell-based treatment and Jenny’s team has made significant progress over the last 10 years broadening its understanding of the biology of the stem cells driving blood cancers.
Her cancer and stem cell laboratory team is now using that knowledge to progress the development of an effective, stem cell-targeted cancer treatment. Jenny said leukemia stem cells have their own protective mechanisms that make them resistant to anticancer drugs. “Our new treatment approach however, works by disrupting the ability of the leukemia stem cells to self-renew. Specifically, it destroys the unique protective antioxidant mechanism of malignant stem cells,” she said. “Reducing the antioxidant level makes malignant stem cells sensitive to standard chemotherapy and effectively kills these cells. “Encouragingly, it’s anticipated this treatment approach could be applied to other cancers as well, improving outcomes for a much larger range of cancers.”
Dr Jenny Wang
WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU
3
NAIDOC Week celebrations Staff, patients, and their families were treated to a number of NAIDOC Week events, as the district continues its commitment to strengthening and supporting the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This year’s theme chosen by the National NAIDOC Committee, is ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud’. The theme honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture – with fire a symbol of connection to country, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The events were held at Royal North Shore, Ryde, Hornsby, Mona Vale and Macquarie hospitals to mark the special week.
There were performances from First Nations Education, NSLHD Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service Peter Shine and the Kiris An Thara Torres Strait Islander dance troupe to celebrate, along with stalls set up for guests to learn more about the special week. In the lead up to the week, there was a pre- NAIDOC Week activity conducted across the district, where NSLHD’s ‘Ask the Question’ animation video was relaunched at emergency departments across the district. The video was released in 2019 and aims to encourage all staff across NSLHD to understand the importance of identification of consumers and clients of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin.
Mona Vale Hospital’s celebrations
Innovative musculoskeletal program heads to the bush In a further sign of the strength of the district’s clinical and research capabilities, Professor
are experiencing chronic musculoskeletal conditions like back, neck pain and arthritis, but few people in rural and regional areas are being offered evidence-informed care involving good advice and an exercise plan. “Instead, they are quickly stepping up to higher-cost and often unnecessary care such as imaging, surgery and preventable hospitalisations,” she said. “We know that people in these communities have poorer access to appropriate care and ultimately poorer musculoskeletal health. “Our large-scale program, named PACE RURAL, will be offered across the country for the first time, providing a high quality yet low- cost solution.”
Trudy Rebbeck has been awarded a $2.5 million grant to offer a musculoskeletal care program in rural and remote parts of Australia.
As a professor of allied health and a physiotherapist, Trudy will lead the
collaborative project involving University of Sydney, NSLHD and Kolling Institute researchers Michael Nicholas, Ian Cameron, Annette Kifley and Claire Ashton-James. She is excited to launch the initiative which has been funded as part of a $20 million boost for improved primary care and chronic pain treatment. Trudy said an increasing number of people
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 13| 12 JULY 2024
4
Executive Director of the NSLHD Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service Peter Shine performing at Royal North Shore Hospital’s NAIDOC Week celebrations
Kiris An Thara Torres Strait Islander dance troupe perform at Hornsby Hospital
‘Ask The Question’ video screening at RNSH
Ryde Hospital’s celebrations
It will involve a simple online tool at the point of care to identify people who may recover well and those who may not. Those who are likely to recover well can be guided by the online resource (Mypainhub.com) which provides accurate advice and exercises to aid recovery. People needing extra care will receive early virtual access to an expert allied health clinician. “For many people living in rural and remote parts of Australia, one of the biggest challenges is access to specialised healthcare, so we hope that through this program, we will broaden access to evidenced-based, effective care and importantly, improve long-term musculoskeletal health,” she said. “We know from our work in metropolitan
regions that increasing support from allied- health clinicians delivers better health outcomes for
higher risk individuals, so we expect this project will now provide a cost-effective solution in rural and remote Australia too.”
Professor Trudy Rebbeck
WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU
5
Hornsby Hospital volunteers
RNSH Patient Experience Officer welcomes Health Minister Royal North Shore Hospital’s Patient Experience Officer, Sunita Oberholzer, warmly welcomed NSW Health Minister Ryan Park during his recent visit to the hospital. During his visit, the Minister announced a $10.6 million investment aimed at making patient experience officer positions available across all NSW hospitals. Patient experience officers play an important role in providing additional support in emergency departments (EDs) to patients, carers, and their families. 70,000 reasons to smile More than $70,000 in clinical equipment has been donated by the volunteers at Hornsby Ku- ring-gai Hospital. The Pink Ladies and Men’s Auxiliary raises funds through its many fundraising initiatives such as the Pink Ladies’ Shop, craft and cake stalls and raffles. The donation enabled the hospital to buy equipment for the maternity, physiotherapy and children’s departments, as well as $2500 for wheelchairs to transport patients. Hospital General Manager Simon Hill thanked the volunteers and provided a morning tea for the men and women who give up their time to help the hospital and its staff. “The donations made each year by our Pink Ladies and Men’s Auxiliary Committee of important equipment ensures our staff can continue to provide a high level of care to our patients,” he said.
They are the first point of contact for patients when they arrive, offering guidance and information on ED processes and waiting times, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. Importantly, they also alleviate the workload of busy clinicians, allowing them to focus more on treating patients. Sunita joined the Royal North Shore Hospital ED team in October 2020, after leaving her Qantas role due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She finds her new role incredibly rewarding and values the opportunity to make a positive impact on the local community. “Coming to work each day with the knowledge that I am going to positively impact many people’s days has been an immense privilege,” Sunita said. “It is deeply gratifying to know that you are helping patients and their families feel more comfortable with their hospital experience, especially during stressful times. And this, in turn, improves the staff’s ability to provide exceptional care.” Sunita is one of three patient experience officers at Royal North Shore Hospital. There are two patient experience officers at Hornsby Hospital and one at Ryde Hospital. The feedback from both patients and staff so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Their presence not only relieves pressure on busy clinicians but also significantly enhances patient’s experience and wellbeing.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park with Sunita Oberholzer at RNSH’s ED
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 13| 12 JULY 2024
6
First-of-its-kind Masterclass a success Chairing a meeting is considered a skill, much like a conductor of an orchestra. To help staff master chairing meetings
“People don’t recognise the importance of the chair. The chair sets the tone of the meeting. It’s the job of the chair to listen to all of the differing views and find common ground,” she said. The masterclass was the first in a series planned by the Advancing Women in Medical Leadership working group to support staff and help reduce the potential barriers that exist for women progressing into medical leadership positions.
successfully, the NSLHD Advancing Women in Medical Leadership working group held the first of a series of masterclasses, focusing on effective chairing of meetings. The event was held at Royal North Shore Hospital and was attended virtually by staff and guests, with over 250 attendees participating both online and in person. Chair of the working group Professor Margaret Schnitzler was joined by lawyer, Helen Conway, a chief executive officer and respected public servant to discuss the topic of chairing meetings. “The chair of the meeting is like the conductor of an orchestra. The meeting is about the people in it; the chair needs to get the best out of the guests,” said Margaret. Helen emphasised the often- underappreciated importance of the chair in setting the tone and facilitating productive discussions. including the Geriatric Outreach Service (the ARRT, GRACE and BRACE teams) and the geriatrician to GP specialist outreach program. This programme helps keep frail and older people out of the emergency department by giving them access to specialists and community-based care. It offers more options for those experiencing health declines, making it easier for them to stay at home safely. It has been highly successful in reducing emergency visits and unplanned admissions, resulting in an estimated $10.9 million cost avoidance in 2023 from the Geriatric Outreach Service alone. NSLHD’s Geriatric Outreach Service provides rapid support to elderly individuals at risk of immediate hospitalisation. The service aims to reduce hospital admissions through its outreach model, improving outcomes for patients and alleviating pressures on emergency departments and NSW Ambulance. Since 2022, NSLHD’s geriatric care service has handled 10,864 referrals for 6,712
Helen Conway and Professor Margaret Schnitzler
NSLHD Programme Finalist for International Award The Collaborative Commissioning for Frail and Older People Programme has been shortlisted for the Mastercard Award for Hospital Operational Excellence at the International Hospital Federation Awards. The programme is a partnership between NSLHD and Sydney North Health Network, encompassing several services and initiatives,
patients, with 68 per cent from aged care homes. This initiative has successfully managed over 75 per cent of these cases without hospitalisation. The service recently expanded its operational hours until 8 PM weekdays and launched a weekend virtual service, enabling safe at- home management for older people who require ambulance assistance, reducing hospital visits. This recognition highlights the programme’s success in supporting vulnerable older people, improving healthcare outcomes, and setting a standard for operational excellence in healthcare. The winners of this international award will be announced in September.
Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Geriatric Outreach team (GRACE)
WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU
7
Write your Will online
for FREE
14 - 20 July
The NORTH Foundation has partnered with Safewill - Australia’s leading
online Will-writing platform - to offer the opportunity to write a bespoke Will
for FREE (usually $160). Scan the QR code to create your legally valid Will.
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online