The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 4, Vol 1, 2011 Midwife student awarded David Bowler Memorial Award Chelsea Anderson, a lab assistant/ collector at BH hospital pathology, has been awarded the 2011 David Bowler Memorial Award. Chelsea is studying to be a midwife and expects to graduate in 2013. The David Bowler Memorial Award, sponsored by the Far West Local Health District and BH City Council, is an annual grant that commemorates the name and work of the late Dr Bowler, who was a highly-respected paediatrician at BHHS. Chelsea said she hopes to join the BH Maternity Team as a registered midwife and has thoroughly enjoyed her clinical placements with the Unit. Congratulations Chelsea and it is very pleasing to hear she aims to practice here upon her graduation. Chelsea Anderson is aiming to join the BH Maternity Unit upon graduation as a midwife The “Have Your Say Survey” is now closed and I was pleased to see at the end of each week the Far West LHD had the highest response rate of any LHD. The team that promoted and championed the survey did a great job and I am looking forward to the results of the survey. Hopefully it will provide a basis to make the LHD a rewarding and supportive place to work. * * * * * The transition to the new organisation is continuing and hopefully causing minimal disruption to each of you that is providing services to the community. * * * * * It is a pleasure to announce that Dale Sutton has been appointed to the LHD Director of Nursing and Midwifery position for the LHD and Lyndall Morris has been appointed to the Director of Clinical Governance. Recruitment continues for the other second tier positions. * * * * * The end of the financial year is looming large but we are still to finalise our budget for next financial year. As part of re- establishing the LHD as a separate entity we have built a staff profile and prepared a draft budget for discussion with the Department of Health. A key focus of the changes we are pursuing is to provide all cost centre managers with the information to manage effectively. * * * * * I hope each of you have a safe and enjoyable long weekend and those of you who are working get some time to enjoy with your family and friends. Stuart Riley, Chief Executive Top marks for survey results
Transcript
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 4, Vol 1, 2011
Midwife student awarded David Bowler Memorial Award
Chelsea Anderson, a lab assistant/collector at BH hospital pathology, has been awarded the 2011 David Bowler Memorial Award.
Chelsea is studying to be a midwife and expects to graduate in 2013.
The David Bowler Memorial Award, sponsored by the Far West Local Health District and BH City Council, is an annual grant that commemorates the name and work of the late Dr Bowler, who was a highly-respected paediatrician at BHHS.
Chelsea said she hopes to join the BH Maternity Team as a registered midwife and has thoroughly enjoyed her clinical placements with the Unit.
Congratulations Chelsea and it is very pleasing to hear she aims to practice here upon her graduation.
Chelsea Anderson is aiming to join the BH Maternity Unit upon graduation as a midwife
The “Have Your Say Survey” is now closed and I was pleased to see at the end of each week the Far West LHD had the highest response rate of any LHD.
The team that promoted and championed the survey did a great job and I am looking forward to the results of the survey. Hopefully it will provide a basis to make the LHD a rewarding and supportive place to work.
* * * * * The transition to the
new organisation is continuing and hopefully causing minimal disruption to each of you that is
providing services to the community.
* * * * * It is a pleasure to
announce that Dale Sutton has been appointed to the LHD Director of Nursing and Midwifery position for the LHD and Lyndall Morris has been appointed to the Director of Clinical Governance.
Recruitment continues for the other second tier positions.
* * * * * The end of the financial
year is looming large but we are still to finalise our budget for next financial year. As part of re-
establishing the LHD as a separate entity we have built a staff profile and prepared a draft budget for discussion with the Department of Health.
A key focus of the changes we are pursuing is to provide all cost centre managers with the information to manage effectively.
* * * * * I hope each of you have
a safe and enjoyable long weekend and those of you who are working get some time to enjoy with your family and friends.
Stuart Riley, Chief Executive
Top marks for survey results
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 4, Vol 1, 2011
PAGE 2
Nurses celebrate IND with special function
At the function, NUM Geraldine Casey presented some door prizes,
including to winners Debbie Fobister and Shelley Forrest
Nurses Darwin Andrews and Jasmin Mathews had the honour of cutting the International Nurses Day cake!
Director of Nursing Dale Sutton congratulated all nurses for their hard work and dedication to
their profession
The Health Service joined in celebrating International Nurses Day on May 12.
IND helps raise the profile of the nursing profession — whilst recognising the wonderful contributions nurses make to healthcare and their achievements and dedication to their work.
The theme for IND 2011 was Closing the Gap: Increasing access and equity.
Working as a team whilst facing and overcoming challenges was another major theme for the day.
Nurses celebrated the day with an official function that evening with a special cake — and those on shift were treated to pizza dinner!
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 4, Vol 1, 2011
Our Maternity Unit team celebrated International Midwives Day on 5th May with a cake and barbecue in the BH Hospital foyer.
The celebration put a spotlight on midwives and acknowledged their dedication, reliability and hard work in their chosen field of health care.
International Midwives Day is a special day to help recognise our staff who enthusiastically help our mums and dads through pregnancy and birth, but also helps to showcase midwifery as a rewarding career in nursing.
A key message promoted is that midwives are an integral part of the health system. Acting NUM of Maternity Unit, Liz Bennett, said as a midwife, it is an amazing privilege
to be able to build professional relationships with women and their families during pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period. The recurrent theme for International Midwives Day 2011 is 'the world needs midwives now more than ever.' This theme was created in 2009 in response to a need to increase Midwife numbers around the world to achieve WHO Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
Celebrating International Midwives Day
Midwives celebrate their amazing profession
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TOP: From left: Local MP John Williams, Minister Kevin Humphries, DON Dale Sutton and CNC
Taryn Banks.
LEFT: The Minister discussing mental health care with MHIPU A/NUM
Rob Wardle.
The BH Hospital and Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Services hosted a ministerial visit this month. The Hon Kevin Humphries, Minister assisting the Minister for Health (Mental Health) was in town with his government colleagues and took the opportunity to inspect the local MHDA services and meet with staff. The Minister was particularly interested in how the Mental Health Inpatient Unit operated and plans for its future. He also inspected MHDA Services Dept. The Minister appreciated meeting with staff and getting an appreciation for Far West MHDA services.
Minister drops in to visit MHDA
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 4, Vol 1, 2011
PAGE 4
Latest group of
JMOs welcomed Broken Hill Health Service
welcomed our Term 3 Junior Medical Officers this month.
These doctors are part of the BH Hospital, Canterbury Hospital and Concord Hospital Network and are here on an 11 week secondment.
During their secondment the residents will spend time working at the BH Hospital in various departments.
They also spend week with the RFDS attending remote clinics and spending time at the base and with on-call doctor.
I’m sure they all will enjoy their time here and treasure the unique experience.
Our latest group of JMOS: (Sitting L to R) Dr Sunita Puran Singh, Paediatrics Resident; Dr Ketaki Ballurkar, Medical Resident; Dr
Elliot Larkin-Carlston, Medical Registrar. (Standing L to R): Dr Bob Jang, Surgical Resident; Dr Joseph Lee, ED Resident; Dr Catherine
Phan, Medical Registrar and Dr Fenfen Cai, Medical Resident
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has requested the Far West Local Health District inform its staff about Census night and provide information about the Census activity that will take place in the next few months in the lead up to Census night. The following advice from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is for your information:
2011 Census Night The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will conduct the next national Census of
Population and Housing on Tuesday 9 August 2011. The Far West Local Health District is an important stakeholder for the 2011 Census.
The Census provides a reliable basis for the estimation of the population of each of the States, Territories and Local Government Areas, primarily for electoral purposes and the distribution of government funding. It also provides the characteristics of the population and its housing within small geographic areas and for small population groups. Census information provides an objective basis for decision making and planning, and is used by government and non-government organisations to determine the provision of services to the community.
The ABS will write to every hospital, nursing home and healthcare establishment in NSW to advise of the forthcoming Census and to seek their cooperation. During May and June, Area Supervisors will approach these establishments to introduce themselves and recruit special collection staff to undertake the delivery and collection of forms.
Every person in Australia on Census night needs to complete a Census form. Patients in hospitals and residents in nursing homes are given the opportunity, wherever possible, to complete Census forms in the same way as other members of the public. To facilitate their participation, the ABS recruits staff of the establishment as special collection staff. These staff are responsible for distributing a personal form and privacy envelope to each person spending Census night in that establishment, and collecting the completed forms. In instances where a person is physically unable to complete a form themselves, then alternative arrangements can be made.
- Mark Harding, Director NSW Census Management Unit.
PAGE 5
Nurse Helen Connolly recently enjoyed a relaxing week at Shoal Bay with free accommodation courtesy of The Lamp magazine.
Helen won the prize after entering a competition in the December issue.
She won a week’s accommodation in a 3-bedroom unit at Shoal Bay. Helen and family met up with friends and had a relaxing time, enjoying beautiful scenery and fantastic accommodation with beach views.
“The fish and chips were great, but not caught by us as we were too busy relaxing or shopping!”
Helen likes reading The Lamp and says its easy to enter the competitions, which she does on a regular basis.
“You only have to put your name on an envelope with a 60c stamp.”
It’s the third time Helen has won a Lamp competition — and the second holiday accommodation! The first holiday was a weekend visit to the Jenolan Caves — which she included in an annual holiday.
Helen urged her nursing colleagues to consider entering the competitions.
“You never know, you’ve got to be in it to win it!”
The Lamp a lucky read for Helen!
Helen Connolly recommends the Lamp to her colleagues...especially the competitions!
BH Health Council members Brian White, Ross Hunter & Pam Tucker
Health Council call for help The BH Health Council continues to give voice to
issues that affect the health and wellbeing of the community. The council is looking for more members, who can come from all sectors of the community.
Diversity is welcome to bring a truly independent consumer perspective to the council’s role.
Call Nursing Admin for application forms.
Bowel cancer screening the key Our Cancer Services staff helped to promote a very
important health message this month — Bowel Cancer Awareness Week and the importance of screening.
Early detection of bowel cancer can save lives and promoting the ‘get yourself screened’ message came easy with an information display in the BH Hospital foyer and talking to the public at two local pharmacies during information days.
Cancer Care Co-ordinator Sandra Turley and Jen Carter at the hospital display
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 4, Vol 1, 2011
Fun and Fitness for Carers Program 2011 The Fun and Fitness for Carers Program was recently offered to carers of children in
Broken Hill. Foster carers, kinship and grandparent carers came together to join in this group run over six weeks. This has been possible due to a funding grant from the Australian Better Health Initiative with Child & Family Health partnering with local community services.
The program was well attended during six weeks with the group meeting in Sturt Park. The main aim of this program was to raise awareness amongst carers to care for themselves, so they then can care for others. These carers have an important job to do when raising children. With good knowledge of healthy eating and exercise they can influence the children in their care to do the same.
Each of the six sessions started with a gentle walk for a warm up, then 45 minutes of Tai Chi with a local instructor. A healthy morning tea of cool water and fresh fruit was shared amongst the group while listening to health professionals on the topics of healthy eating, back care, awareness of waist measurements and how this impacts on our health, as well as the importance of exercise on the brain.
The pre and post evaluations have seen a definite growth in knowledge of how to eat healthy and the importance of daily exercise for better health.
Geraldine Kaczmarek and Dianna Robinson have co-ordinated this group to challenge what they are eating and to include exercise into their daily routines. To finish off the last week each participant received a goodie bag with information about the Measure Up campaign, then shared a healthy lunch with local Dietician Heidi Drenkhahn. We were also able to extend the Tai Chi lessons for an additional six sessions, which the carers were excited about. Well done everyone!
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 4, Vol 1, 2011
PAGE 6
Thanks to everyone who has submitted articles and photos for Far West in Focus. Remember, the newsletter is your vehicle to tell your colleagues what you have been up to or to communicate workplace information — as well as celebrate our events and achievements. Keep up the good work and keep those submissions coming in! Send to [email protected]
Men’s Health Forum A Men’s Health Forum will be presented in Broken Hill on
Wednesday, June 15 at which a number of local health practitioners will talk on a variety of topics.
The topics will be relevant to men of all ages and partners are encouraged to attend as well.
Speakers will talk about vascular health, COPD, prostate and related health problems, diabetes, depression, medication, physical wellbeing and exercise.
The forum will be held at the Demo Club at 6.30pm for 7pm starting with dinner and followed by a question and answer panel discussion.
People can register to attend by contacting South Pharmacy 8087 2266 or Cancer Services on 8080 1197 or 8080 1577. The cost is $22 which covers a three-course dinner. Registration closes Monday, 13 June at 3pm.
