NSLHD News February 28

NSLHD News February 28

NEWS

NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT NSLHD

MACQUARIE HOSPITAL’S PARKVIEW UNIT REINVIGORATED Renovations at Macquarie Hospital’s Parkview Unit have recently been completed. Read more on Page 4

#endpjparalysis at ryde Page 3

NEW GENES IDENTIFIED IN SPREAD OF OVARIAN CANCER Page 5

Leaders in healthcare, partners in wellbeing

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Message FROM the acting Chief executive Dr Tamsin Waterhouse

message FROM the CHAIRMAN Trevor Danos AM

Welcome to what has already been a busy 2020.

Following the Mt White volcano tragedy in December last year, many patients were transported to Royal North Shore Hospital from New Zealand where our staff carried out remarkable care. The bushfire crisis has seen more than 50 of our staff from across the District head to the State’s south to support Murrumbidgee and Southern NSW Local Health Districts. Taking a dramatic turn in weather events, the recent storms personally affected many of our own staff, and also saw our hardworking community health staff and disaster recovery teams supporting vulnerable patients. This start to the year has been particularly challenging for many of our staff and I would like to thank you all for your hard work and support. The coronavirus has posed additional challenges for our staff, but their management, knowledge and compassion in response to the situation have been exceptional. Thank you to everyone during this time, especially those in our emergency departments, infection control and public health units. Two new members have joined the Northern Sydney Local Health District Board this year – a warm welcome to Ms Kimberley Reynolds and Dr Stephanie Teoh who have been appointed for a three-year term until 31 December 2022. Kimberley has a wealth of executive experience in both the NSW Government and private sector in driving organisational performance and supporting organisations in achieving a consumer focused service. Kimberley was previously a member of the NSLHD Consumer Committee and will continue in that role (as well as taking on other responsibilities).

Stephanie is an experienced General Practitioner having worked both in Australia and China. Stephanie is the Clinical Director of Osana Cremorne, a primary healthcare service aimed at supporting the health and wellbeing of patients with chronic disease. Stephanie is passionate about primary care and improving the health of individuals and communities as a whole. I would also like to congratulate Mr Anthony Hollis on his re-appointment to the Board until 31 December 2022. Anthony has for a number of years given the Board excellent advice and insight on issues of modern technology and customer focus. I look forward to working with the Board Members throughout 2020 as we continue to develop our services and drive further successes for the District. Lastly, I am particularly pleased that the year ahead is filled with fantastic events to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible work our people do every day. I am especially looking forward to our Innovation projects, Northern Lights showcases and Exceptional People Awards.

Trevor Danos AM

Board Chair Northern Sydney Local Health District

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staff in pyjamas to get patients up and moving

“We want our patients to feel less vulnerable by being in their normal clothes rather than a hospital gown or pyjamas,” he said. “We want to get them up, dressed and moving so we can get them home faster and safely back to their loved ones where they belong.” The feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive with the majority of those surveyed about the initiative saying they prefer to wear their own clothes over hospital gowns or pyjamas, and getting dressed improved their mood, their motivation to mobilise and their ability to look after themselves. #EndPJparalysis is part of a global movement and Ryde is one of several hospitals undertaking the initiative in NSW.

Ryde staff don their pyjamas to encourage patients to get up, dressed and moving.

For the past 12 months, Ryde Hospital has been running the #endPJparalysis campaign in a bid to reduce the risk of patients deconditioning while in hospital. To celebrate the one year mark, staff were called on to wear their pyjamas to work to create discussion and raise awareness of the campaign.

impressive results, having helped patients on over 4400 occasions on the acute wards and more than 7000 occasions on the rehabilitation wards at Ryde to get up, dressed and moving over the last year. Director of Nursing and Midwifery Drew Hilditch- Roberts said the initiative is all about empowering patients.

The initiative is seeing

Speaking up for safety comes to ryde The Speaking Up For Safety strategy has officially launched at Ryde Hospital, the second hospital in the district where it has been implemented. The program empowers all staff – clinical and non-clinical – to respect and support each other to ‘speak up’ about safety and quality.

everyone,” she said. “We are hoping to train all staff working at Ryde, bringing benefits to both their patients and fellow colleagues.” For more information on Speaking Up For Safety, visit the intranet: bit.ly/32vV0sW

Following the success of the initiative at Royal North Shore, Ryde staff will be encouraged to attend training sessions on how to respectfully and effectively communicate concerns. Four staff members have already been accredited and will start delivering the training sessions in early-March. Ryde’s General Manager Heather Gough said it builds on NSLHD’s culture of providing safe and high quality healthcare. “This is a really important initiative for

Staff at the launch of Speaking Up For Safety at Ryde.

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works reinvigorate ParkVIEW at Macquarie

CE Deb Wilcox officially opens the newly renovated Parkview Unit

Consumers at Macquarie Hospital’s Parkview Unit are enjoying a new gym, courtyard and sensory room after the completion of capital works at the site. The project, which was Mental Health Therapeutic Environments Minor Capital Works Program, was officially capped off with a morning tea. Chief Executive Deb Willcox joined Macquarie and Mental Health executive staff and consumers for the celebrations, test driving the new gym equipment and sensory room. “It is really pleasing to see this project complete, I know how hard the staff here at Macquarie and within our mental health team worked to make it possible,” Deb said. made possible with $500,000 from the

“These improvements are going to have very real impacts for consumers, from the new gym equipment that forms an important part of the Wellbeing Unit to the sensory room which will provide a new therapeutic space.” Senior occupational therapist at Macquarie Kate Priddle said the new sensory room was an exciting addition to the campus. “The use of sensory modulation in adult mental health settings is a rapid growth area with increasing evidence base to support its use as an effective therapeutic intervention,” she said. “We’re taking the lead here in Parkview, enhancing the capacity of the whole multidisciplinary team to use sensory modulation in a person-centred, trauma-

informed capacity for the wellbeing of our consumers who are experiencing distress.” Senior exercise physiologist Kristine Grainger said the gym has been well received by consumers, carers and staff. “Some days we have more than half the unit joining in the gym groups or using the equipment,” she said. “Consumer feedback is that they really value having something so positive to engage in on the unit and enjoy the wide variety of equipment, exercise programs and expertise of the exercise physiologists

and physiotherapist available to them.”

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NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 3| 28 FEBRUARY 2020

International focus on our ovarian cancer research In an exciting breakthrough, researchers from the Kolling Institute’s Bill Walsh Lab have identified new genes involved in the spread of ovarian cancer.

Tragically, it is the deadliest female cancer, claiming more than 900 lives in Australia each year. Most women are diagnosed relatively late, when the cancer has spread, significantly reducing their chances of survival. The ovarian cancer research team from the Bill Walsh Lab is focusing its efforts on the role of the tumour microenvironment. Newest team member Dr Razia Zakarya said this microenvironment provides the support network that the tumour cells need to survive and spread throughout the body.

Dr Razia Zakarya, A/Prof Viive Howell and Dr Emily Colvin

investigating the role of a specific cell in the ovarian tumour microenvironment called a cancer-associated fibroblast. “We have identified new genes that are switched on in these fibroblasts and influence ovarian tumour spread. Our results also suggest that these genes may even play a role in how ovarian tumours avoid destruction by the immune system,” she said. Research Director A/Prof Viive Howell said there is a real need for more research to improve outcomes for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

“We are very grateful for the generous support from patient donations for this research,” she said. “These exciting results confirm the crucial role of the tumor microenvironment in the spread of ovarian cancer. We hope to continue this research to find new ways to target the tumor microenvironment and control ovarian cancer spread.” The research is receiving international attention following publication in the journal Cancer Science.

“With the tumour cells relying heavily on their

local microenvironment, it is emerging as an important target,” she said. Lead author Dr Emily Colvin said we have been

Gathering ideas for your success Throughout February and March we’ve been asking team members for their views on Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at NSLHD.

Participants have been generous, sharing their experiences, thoughts and ideas on issues impacting on the development and maintenance of a positive workplace culture. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to be involved in the consultations, either by attending a focus group, or by completing the on-line survey. It’s not too late. If you’d like to complete the survey you can access it at https://www.surveymonkey. com/r/DIBPlan

The results of these consultations will be used to help us develop a strategy which maximises how we value and embed these features in our organisation. Each campus hosted at least two focus groups, but we also held a number of targeted consultations, where people from particular groups were able to discuss relevant issues.

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