BEAT
DEC2014
CONNECTING OUR PEOPLE ACROSS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT
Quadruple amputee Matthew Ames’ remarkable story
FORGET ME NEVER Alzheimer’s Australia Memory Walk & Jog
TAKING BUPA TO THE PEOPLE Bupa hits the road to improve community health
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HAPPIER
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“ I got off the phone and told my husband I had just had one of the quickest and most pleasant customer service experiences. Will definitely tell others the same.” Health Insurance Memb er “ I would like to say how supportive Bupa were when my late husband had a series of strokes. It was such a comfort to be able to press our button and know there was help on the other end, so thank you all for the wonderful help and peace of mind which you gave me.” Bupa Alarms Customer NZ
“ They were very professional, they answered all my questions, very pleasant to deal with. Basically a really good experience and I will definitely be coming back.”
Bupa Optical Customer
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“ Very efficient, great communication, listened to my problems with my eyes and really engaging communication, excellent service, really happy."
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WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT Matthew Ames wouldn’t be alive today if not for his wife Diane’s faith in his ability to cope with the enormous challenge of learning to live without limbs.
TAKING BUPA TO THE PEOPLE Bupa hits the road to reach out to people and communities who might otherwise miss out on accessible and professional healthcare.
FORGET ME NEVER Bupa Aged Care’s proud association with the Alzheimer’s Australia Memory Walk & Jog continued in Sydney on a beautiful September day.
BEAT
CONNECTING OUR PEOPLE ACROSS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
DEC2014
IN THIS ISSUE
WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT
Quadruple amputee Matthew Ames’ remarkable story
FORGET ME NEVER Alzheimer’s Australia Memory Walk & Jog
TAKING BUPA TO THE PEOPLE Bupa hits the road to improve community health
CONTENTS
Our cover: Inspirational couple and Bupa customers, Matthew Ames and his wife, Diane Photograph: Paul Harris
4
SMALL CLINIC – BIG AMBITIONS
17 CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
27 BUPA BLOOPER
9
A DAY IN THE LIFE
18 ONE BUPA
28 BUPA BITES
10 HEALTH & WELLBEING
22 RHYTHMS
30 EVERYDAY HERO
12 BETTER PRACTICE AWARD
24 HEALTHY HABITS
31 YEARS OF SERVICE
16 106 NOT OUT
26 BUPA BRAIN TRAINER
17 BUPA DOCTOR
27 TEAM MEMBER PROFILE
You can also read Beat magazine online at bupabeat.com.au BEAT | 3
Top to bottom: Susannah Purcell, George Street Clinic Receptionist Dr Tiarni Tomita attending to a patient Dr Gillian Rawlings, George Street GP
The recent opening of Bupa’s first Australian GP clinic in the centre of Sydney marks the start of an ambitious, innovative program aimed at improving patients’ health outcomes through enhanced coordination of care.
A SMALL CLINIC WITH BIG AMBITIONS As a major health insurer, Bupa has always helped pay for the healthcare Bupa members needed. Now the company is becoming a primary care provider for the whole community and is taking responsibility for the quality of consultations and follow-up care. And the team at Bupa Medical, the new standalone business that is opening a total of six clinics in Sydney by the end of next year, is taking that commitment to quality control very seriously. For Dr Ros Blakley, General Manager of Bupa Medical, the clinics are “a really tangible way to bring the Bupa purpose statement to life.” Integrated lifelong healthcare is one of the keys to creating ‘longer, healthier, happier lives’. “In order for us to make a difference, primary care is the centre of gravity,” says Ros.
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“It’s the start of the healthcare journey and the place where the most impact can be made on all kinds of conditions.” The first Bupa GPs have been handpicked for their commitment to a high level of care and emphasis on a preventive approach. The new clinic is led by an experienced practice manager who is also a practice nurse, so its procedures have been designed to suit the patients’ needs. Patients will experience the difference from the time they want to make their first appointment and are offered the convenient options of registering as a new patient and booking appointments online. The medical press were quick to pick up on the new payment model for doctors in the Bupa clinics, which puts them on a base
AT A GLANCE
The George Street Clinic Team salary with performance bonuses when various measurable outcomes are achieved. Benchmark medical standards are being set (based on guidelines set by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners), but customer satisfaction will eventually also be used to measure success. Some people in the profession will find the prospect of performance-based remuneration threatening, but Dr Gillian Rawlings is enthusiastic about its potential. Gillian, the co-founder of a very successful general practice in Tamworth, has recently moved back to Sydney – her hometown – and was approached to help open the first clinic in George Street. “It’s certainly worth trying different models to see what works,” she says. She can see the commitment to high-quality care attracting practitioners that share those values. The George Street clinic will help to ‘road test’ some of the innovations like collecting patient feedback at milestone intervals and sort out any teething problems before they
are rolled out across the other five clinics. “The Bupa Medical team seem very open to tweaking anything that’s not working.” One thing Gillian is sure will work is having the doctors supported by an experienced and resourceful practice nurse. “I think good practice nurses add another dimension of care: expert wound care, for instance, and the careful completion of care plans to make them really useful documents.” That co-operation between doctors and practice nurses is a small example of larger aspirations for an integrated approach. Bupa believes general practice provides the ideal platform for exploring opportunities to better integrate and co-ordinate care across medical, allied health, nursing and counselling services. The opening of the Sydney clinics complements the introduction of dedicated on-site GPs in a number of Bupa’s aged care homes over the past 18 months and adds to its growing portfolio of health delivery businesses including dental, optical, chronic disease coaching and medical assessment services. “We need to have a shared vision and explore possibilities for co-location of different Bupa businesses, like our retail and optical stores, to really bring life to One Bupa,” says Ros. “While we’re obviously starting off in a small way, the vision is very large.”
• Bupa is entering primary healthcare because it’s the start of the healthcare journey and where a significant impact can be made • Bupa’s GP Clinics will offer a differentiated approach, based on integrated, pro-active and preventative healthcare
George Street Clinic Practice Manager, Andres Ko, is also a practice nurse
BEAT | 5
Matthew Ames wouldn’t be alive today if not for his wife Diane’s faith in his ability to cope with the enormous and constant challenge of learning to live without limbs. Matthew rewards that faith every day.
Photograph: Paul Harris
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Matthew and daughter Emily after recovery from one of his operations.
WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT Just over two years ago, Brisbane father of four, Matthew Ames woke up in hospital to have his wife Diane explain that he had spent about three weeks in an induced coma with his life under constant threat, and that the medical team had been forced – with her consent – to amputate all four limbs to save him. What began as a persistent sore throat had quickly turned into a life-threatening case of toxic shock syndrome when streptococcal bacteria found its way into his bloodstream. His body shut down and the only way to stop the infection progressing was to amputate first his left arm, then the other three limbs. Even then, he was only given a 1% chance of survival. Life since then has been full of constant physical and psychological challenges, but Matthew describes himself as someone who’s always preferred to focus on what he can do rather than what he can’t. To those of us who are more inclined to grumble at minor inconveniences, his positivity is amazing. “There’s a lot to live for every day,” he says. “It’s been quite a ride, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” While no one could doubt Matthew’s own courage, he’s quick to acknowledge the support he’s received from other people, starting with the immense contribution of Diane and his children.
“Diane has an amazing ability to organise everything and keep life comparatively normal for the kids,” he says. And he will forever be grateful for the decision she made to give him this chance to go on beating the odds – not just surviving but thriving. Yet her response didn’t surprise him. “We’ve been together for a long time,” says Matthew. “She knows what I’m like.” What has surprised and moved both Matthew and Diane is the community
While no one could doubt Matthew’s own courage, he’s quick to acknowledge the support he’s received from other people starting with the immense contribution of Diane and his children. response to their situation. Their website (renovatingmatthew.com) records their thanks to many people they didn’t know before their lives changed so profoundly, who were happy to help in any way possible. One such helper was Warwick Palmer, Bupa’s Brisbane Call Centre Manager, who is a member of the football (aka soccer) club where Matthew had coached. As an active, outdoor sort of guy with young children, Matthew was involved with three sporting clubs. They all rallied
to the cause and Warwick’s first involvement was on a working bee to put in a lift well from the garage to get Matthew into the house. The first thing that struck Warwick was what a diverse group came along to help, with all sorts of different associations with the Ames’. “It’s a tribute to what sort of person Matt is and what sort of family they are,” Warwick says. “Everyone just wants to get involved.” Warwick also found it very moving to be working in a space filled with reminders of Matthew’s very active life before the amputations. “It really got to me”, he says. And it increased his admiration for Matthew. “It’s amazing how people can find the will to go on.” Warwick later helped organise a fundraising dinner on behalf of the football club. When he was picking up a football Bupa had donated to be auctioned on the night, he discovered that Matthew already had a strong Bupa connection. “It turned out that Matthew is a Bupa member and we were already very involved in helping him.” Warwick found that people within Bupa were just as keen to help the Ames family as the rest of the community. Just as one small example, Michael Cairns – a Bupa sales consultant – was in the office one day when Diane came in with a pile of claims. When he saw how many there were he asked about their
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Top to bottom: In Matthew’s words: “Finally able to clap hands – well, touch ends anyway, which means the beginning of new things.” Matthew and the children at Melbourne Zoo. Participating in the Bridge to Brisbane in September with family and friends and raising money for the Amputee and Family Support Group.
“ They’re just an inspiring couple. I was always struggling to work out who to give that money to. After meeting Matt and Diane, it was easy.” situation and arranged a $250 voucher for Diane to have the house cleaned because she was spending all her time at the hospital. Warwick himself is donating to the Renovating Matthew Foundation through the workplace giving program. “They’re just an inspiring couple. I was always struggling to work out who to give that money to. After meeting Matt and Diane, it was easy.” Matthew says he and Diane are also grateful that Bupa have made the process of claiming remarkably stress-free. “Paying the bills is one thing, but the connection has been seamless. It’s been really nice not having to worry about any of it. And I’ve appreciated the ability to choose what sort of treatment I get and being able to have the kids sleep over in my room when I was in hospital and come to the gym with me.” He’s currently preparing to be fitted with ‘bionic’ limbs, and that too presents an enormous challenge. He will be the first person in the world to have four prosthetic limbs all fitted to implants into the bone. The implants are in place, but they can’t support the limbs until enough bone regrows around them to make them stronger and less painful. It’s not even certain that the leg implants, which need to bear so much weight, will be successful. Matthew has been standing on temporary
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prosthetic legs for ninety minutes each morning to build up strength and test the level of pain. Then there’s yet another added degree of difficulty: most people using prosthetics have at least one amputation below the elbow. Because Matthew has lost both arms from the shoulder, he needs two full prosthetic arms with upper and lower sections that will have to be moved one at a time. “It will be quite slow and clunky, but I’ll get better with practice,” Matthew says. In the meantime he is coping incredibly well without limbs, taking part in events like the Bridge to Brisbane fun run in his wheelchair and making regular trips into hospital for various sorts of therapy. “I use my body in all sorts of ways I probably shouldn’t,” he cheerfully admits, “but I have no choice.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE
For Annabey Whitehead, Bupa’s Government and Regulatory Affairs Manager, influencing Australia’s most powerful politicians is all in a day’s work.
Annabey Whitehead 7am
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As the Government Policy and Regulatory Affairs Manager, Annabey Whitehead may be called on to promote Bupa’s purpose at any time of day. As you can probably tell, Annabey has a very long, constantly expanding to-do list. On a quiet night, Annabey likes to take the chance to unwind over dinner with friends… personal friends, that is, ! not the country’s Treasurer
akfast over, Annabey walks 8am Bre Sydney Harbour Bridge on
across the isn’t a lot of her way to work, but there she walks, As . view the ire adm time to s to issues tion solu Annabey brainstorms t day. tha ter oun enc ht her team mig Through the office door and 9amgo! Annabey starts work
it’s go go to tee up liaising with politicians’ staff ich is a tall wh gs, etin me icy important pol ans itici ’ diaries order: “Getting time in pol is not easy!” Annabey puts the finishing 10am on a briefing note for Bupa’s
touches ch ahead of his Global Chairman Lord Leit ister. Min e meeting with the Prim
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recently aged care be giving private residential ment. So ple sup tax providers a payroll s and opens yee plo em s ate rdin coo y Annabe let them to s cial offi talks with government n will isio dec this of act imp know what the key to talk to be on Bupa’s business and alternatives. influencers about possible Annabey continues work 4pm ing an event at Parliament
on organis Ageing and House with the Friends of arranged has y Seniors Group. Annabe as well as nd, atte to s MP of for a number e Services Car of Bupa’s Managing Director discuss the will o wh ley, Australia, Louis Dud are Bupa is lthc hea ted gra inte of del new mo using in its homes. abey attends dinner at The 7pmInstAnn key itute with Treasurer Joe Hoc Sydney as the keynote speaker.
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HEALTH& WELLBEING
Health & Wellbeing content provided by Bupa’s Health Content Team
ON YOUR FEET Tips to help you sit less, and move more, at work include:
Stand up for your health As part of our commitment to healthier workplaces, Bupa is currently collecting the last of the data in the ‘Bupa Healthier Workplace Study’. One of the main measurements of the 12-month research program involves recording how much moving and standing we do during the working day. This is because research suggests sitting for too long through the day can be detrimental to your health and Bupa wants to ensure team members limit sitting,
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and get on their feet, as much as possible. The ‘Bupa Healthier Workplace Study’ is designed to measure the benefits of a number of health initiatives throughout Bupa and is being independently evaluated by Baker IDI and the University of Queensland. For more information on the benefits of active lifestyles, download the Department of Health’s ‘Australia’s Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines’ at health.gov.au
• Stand and take a break from your computer every 30 minutes • Stand or walk around during phone calls • Eat your lunch away from your desk • Move your bin away from your desk • Use the stairs • Walk to your colleague’s desk instead of phoning or emailing them • Refill your water bottle throughout the day • Stand at the back of the room during presentations • Have standing or walking meetings
Dip into the colours of Christmas The healthier The traditional colours of Christmas include pine green, Christmas heart red and snow white and we have prepared a delicious and nutritious share platter idea that looks gift guide as festive as it tastes. Tomato Salsa 4 ripe tomatoes ½ red onion 2 tbs coriander 2 tsp lemon juice Chilli to taste
1 Lebanese cucumber 1 clove of garlic 1 tbs olive oil Pepper to taste
Dice up tomatoes, cucumber and onion. Add one clove of crushed garlic. Season with coriander, olive oil and lemon juice. Finally, season with pepper and chilli to taste.
We don’t have to give each other just chocolates, alcohol and shortbreads this Christmas. Here are some alternatives that might just set you and your loved ones up for some healthy New Year’s resolutions.
ss Gym Pa
Fitnes tracking s device
Guacamole 3 ripe avocados Juice of one lime Chilli flakes Pepper
4 ripe tomatoes chopped Juice of one lemon 1 teaspoon crushed garlic Sweat resi stant headpho nes
Remove avocado flesh from the skin and mash until almost smooth, but still a little chunky. Chop up tomatoes into rough small chunks. Mix avocado and tomatoes in a bowl and add other ingredients; lime juice, lemon juice & garlic. Add chilli flakes and pepper to taste. Serve with either multigrain pita chips or vegetable sticks.
r gea ing Box
air kit Bike rep
Tzatziki 400g natural yoghurt – reduced fat 2 Lebanese cucumbers, deseeded 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 lemon, rind finely grated Juice of 1 lemon
t Workou gear
Grate the cucumbers. Mix together yoghurt, cucumber and garlic and lemon rind. Flavour with lemon juice to taste. Serve the dips with mixed crudités (vegetable sticks) or if you want to keep on theme go for celery and green and red capsicum pieces
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Effective communication with a generous serving of fun have been the key ingredients in Bupa Aged Care Homes’ recent success in Australia.
BETTER PRACTICE AWARDS The Australian Aged Care Quality Agency’s ‘Better Practice Awards’ were introduced in 2011 to recognise homes that excel at what they do. Quality Agency CEO, Nick Ryan explains that winning homes “don’t just meet minimum standards, but are strong examples of innovation and excellent care of older Australians”.
BETTER PRACTICE = BETTER PERFORMANCE 12 | BEAT
In 2014, Bupa Aged Care Homes in Australia have been recognised for the quality of life their residents enjoy. A variety of bold new initiatives have been well received by our people, residents and the community at large. The icing on the cake is that these initiatives have also produced a great result for Bupa at the prestigious annual Better Practice Awards, with four wins for a variety of exciting aged care programs happening right around Australia. Bupa Bellarine in Victoria took home two awards – both in the Resident Lifestyle category. The first award was for a very modern initiative, which involves live-streaming Sunday Catholic mass into the home, where it’s broadcast on a big screen for interested residents. Local pastoral workers from St. Mary’s Church also attend to provide communion. Bupa Bellarine General Manager Heather McKibbin says the improvement to residents’ lives has been plain to see: “The residents are feeling much more connected with the community, and the church is feeling more connected with the home.” Residents invite family and friends to attend the live-streamed mass with them, and attendance has exceeded expectations. The second award Bupa Bellarine won was for its Play Days initiative, designed to inject some laughter and spontaneity into the residents’ day. These Play Days include all kinds of entertainment for residents and our Bupa team: fancy dress costumes, joke cards for residents to read out to one another, and even tablecloths made of paper so the residents (and sometimes our people!) can have fun drawing. “It’s had a really positive impact on the culture of the home,” Heather explains. It’s easy to see why, because, as Heather says, the initiative is based on the all-too-true motto that, “you don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing”. Bupa Cardiff in New South Wales won a Better Practice award in the Health and Personal Care category for its initiative, known as the Palliative Care Link Nurse program. This program is designed to simplify and streamline the flow of information between residents,
Bupa Bellarine won two awards on 2014, including one in the ‘Resident Lifestyle’ section for its Play Days program (above and far left)
The link nurse program means that residents don’t have to be constantly rushed to and from hospital, because “we are constantly in contact with the palliative care outreach team,” says Anita. And this gives residents’ families peace of mind. Bupa New Farm in Queensland also won a Better Practice Award in the ‘Health & Personal Care’ section for its Water Therapy Program aimed at residents with dementia. Aside from the Better Practice awards, Bupa Woodville in South Australia also recently won another award: the Leading Aged Services South Australia Aged Care Excellence Award for 2014, for lifestyle officer Juan Barrientos’ Lifestyle Dementia Program. This program was designed to engage residents of Bupa Woodville through, among other things, a puppet show and an app called Talking Tom, which uses animated characters to generate positive emotional responses in residents. Juan’s response to winning the award really resonated: “I feel I’d already got a reward in my personal life as the residents smile every morning when I see them. For me, that smile is precious. I can’t see the residents as just a job, we need to see them with their qualities and individual needs with a lot of love and compassion and to care for them as part of our family.” Juan’s story reinforces a sage piece of advice that Heather McKibbin offers to other leaders in the Bupa community: “Talk to your residents and listen to your people, because they’ve got fabulous ideas – they’ve got the answers.”
families and healthcare professionals. “Now we have one dedicated palliative care link nurse, who’s on call 24 hours a day,” says Bupa Cardiff General Manager, Anita Agafonoff. Anita explains that the program is designed to offer a ‘continuity of care’, with one nurse acting as a sort of communications ‘link’ in the chain between the community, residents, friends, family, our people, GPs, palliative care outreach teams and social and pastoral workers. This is designed to give a resident emotional support in their final days, establishing and recording their wishes, and giving their loved ones the opportunity to participate in their care planning.
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(Far left) Chartwell and Rototuna Dental Centres, part of Bupa Dental Corporation, are committed to re-engaging school-aged patients. (Left) Bupa Optical’s Mobile Eyecare Services Manager in Victoria, Trevor Clarke, performs an on-site eyetest. (Far right) Pam Liddy, a resident at the Bupa Aged Care Home in Edithvale, Victoria has rediscovered the joys of reading since Bupa Optical’s mobile service assessed her eyes and supplied her with a pair of prescription glasses.
TAKING BUPA TO THE PEOPLE
(and bringing the people to Bupa) Reaching out to people and communities who might otherwise miss out on accessible and professional healthcare is Bupa’s burning ambition.
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Recently, Bupa has been spearheading a number of initiatives to help improve the availability of quality healthcare to people from all walks of life. In New Zealand, Chartwell Dental Centre and Rototuna Dental Centre, part of Bupa’s network of some 200 dental practices, have established a mobile dental van to help counteract a noticeable drop-off in the number of older kids attending dental appointments; specifically, to re-engage teenagers with proper dental care. “What we identified about three years ago in New Zealand was that there was a very real opportunity to improve dental care for adolescents still in school,” explains Brian Cornish of Chartwell Dental Centre. The Chartwell and Rototuna team began by developing a targeted advertising campaign, hoping to convince parents to bring their kids in for dental checkups. That strategy was initially very successful:
“We more than doubled our patient volume just by doing that, but then we kind of reached a plateau,” says Brian. The reason for this ‘plateau’ was that parents were finding it very difficult to organise time off from their work – and also time off from school for their kids – so that they could actually take their children to the dentist. When he realised a lack of time was the major obstacle standing between kids and better dental hygiene, Brian had a light-bulb moment. “We decided to innovate, using a mobile dental unit. Taking it to a school, locating it on-site and promoting the dental unit as being available to all mums and dads and students,” says Brian. Brian is chuffed when he explains that around 80–85% of students at Hamilton Girls’ High School ended up visiting the dental van.
“I didn’t have reading glasses, I couldn’t read small print, but now I can! So that’s great.” To put that in perspective, less than 50% of students were regularly attending a dentist prior to visiting the Chartwell and Rototuna Dental Centre van. One of the initiative’s greatest victories was in alleviating the fear many teenagers had of receiving dental treatment. “Fear is still the greatest reason for people not attending dentist practices. So we used staff that were very sympathetic to the kids’ positions, and were very non-threatening,” explains Brian. The Chartwell and Rototuna Dental Centre van is looking to be fully booked in 2015.
Bupa Dental Corporation has plans to expand their mobile dental services in 2015, with mobile dental vans that will visit many locations including Bupa Care Homes and a mobile dental unit that will service our corporate partners. Another of Bupa’s successful accessible care initiatives was launched in mid-2013, Bupa Optical’s mobile eyecare services. With teams already established in Sydney and in Melbourne – but servicing much larger areas in their respective states – the mobile service transports full optometry equipment and a wide selection of frames, enabling it to conduct professional eye-testing on-site. Bupa Optical’s Mobile Eyecare Services Manager in Victoria, Trevor Clarke, says the service “effectively provides what you would get from an in-store visit to an optometrist and a retail practice”. But the key
difference between a bricks-and-mortar optometrist and Trevor’s specialised optical mobile service is that “we bring that service to you. We can bring it anywhere: to any school, university, business, organisation or home.” At the moment, Trevor is visiting Bupa Aged Care Homes offering assistance to “residents who may have forgotten to go for a regular eye test, or that may be frail or immobile”. One of Trevor’s (very satisfied) customers is Pam Liddy. Pam describes Trevor’s service as “absolutely wonderful”. “I didn’t have reading glasses, I couldn’t read small print, but now I can! So that’s great,” Pam says enthusiastically. Pam is elated to once again be able to read magazines and keep up to date with current affairs in the daily papers. And it seems the customers aren’t the only ones to get a buzz out of Bupa Optical’s mobile service: “By far this is the most exciting role I’ve held, going out to different locations, interacting with the different Bupa Teams and sharing the same vision, caring for people and making them happy,” says Trevor. Bupa Dental Corporation has plans to expand their mobile dental services in 2015, with mobile dental vans that will visit many locations including Bupa Care Homes and a mobile dental unit that will service our corporate partners.
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106 Reaching the very grand, extra-old age of 106 must take a fair bit of luck, but it surely also involves plenty of good management. Alf Powell, who’s now a resident of the Bupa Aged Care Home in Tamworth, has certainly made some good decisions along the way. The only one he mentions regretting is retiring too early. He declared that part of his life closed while he still felt he had plenty left in the tank. And another 50-odd years of retirement have shown how right he was. We won’t all make our centuries, but we can all benefit from Alf’s secret of a long life: trying to
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NOT OUT avoid stress. He’s obviously been pretty successful at it, and these days he’s getting a bit of help from the Bupa Tamworth team. That approach even extended to his most recent birthday. “Alf enjoys his daily routine,” explains Dorothy Howard, one of the Bupa nurses. “He likes to take it easy in the morning, having a second cup of coffee at morning tea before getting up. Then he usually takes a stroll on the verandah before lunch. We organised his birthday party for the afternoon so he wouldn’t feel too rushed.” “These special occasions are so important at Bupa Tamworth. We value the close relationships we have with our residents and their families. ‘Person-First’ care is all about knowing the individual. We derive great satisfaction from making our residents feel valued and special.” Alf has plenty of family living close by in
Tamworth and his younger descendants must sometimes struggle to understand how much he’s lived through. He was born into a very different world – before the First World War, let alone the Second. When good old-fashioned names like Alfred were standard issue, as were good manners and common sense. Life could also be a bit harder. It’s no longer legal to take a fulltime job at 14, as Alf did. He’d left school just in time for the summer holidays in 1922. Enjoying a bit of time off with his mates might have been nice, but his dad reminded him that he wasn’t a schoolboy anymore – and “only schoolkids have holidays.” “Alf is a popular gent, with lots of friends and family,” says Dorothy. “Smartly dressed in his tie and sports coat, he was a real celebrity at his party. Even the local paper came to take his photo.”
FAKING IT Q. I s there a healthy way to get a suntan?
BUPA DR Dr Tim Ross
As we approach summer, our resident doctor answers your questions about whether there is such a thing as a healthy tan and confirms that we should all keep an eye out for any changes to the shapes of our moles.
A. Yes, it’s called a spray tan. A suntan is darkening of your skin as it tries to defend itself against the damaging sun by depositing melanin, the brown stuff. That’s also where melanomas, the most dangerous skin cancers, come from. Skin that is damaged repeatedly by the sun has a higher risk of developing skin cancer. Fortunately, not having a suntan has become more acceptable. The ‘permatan’ look more commonly gets comments of amusement than admiration. By all means colour up, but do it with a bottle of fake tan or get a spray at a salon. When in the sun, cover up with sunscreen, a hat and use the shade.
YOUR OWN INSPECTOR Q. S hould I inspect the moles and freckles on my skin more often in the summer? A. A ‘skin check’ is something that most GPs, and all dermatologists can perform to monitor your skin. This is recommended on a yearly basis for people over the age of 20 who have had no previous skin cancers. People with lighter skin, or more than 100 moles, need to be more careful. By all means, keep an eye on your skin, and the skin of those close to you, and seek advice if you see any change. You are likely to pay more attention to your skin in summer as it is more visible with less clothing. So to answer the question “Should I?” – for sure; take the opportunity.
Got your own question for Dr Tim? Just email it to askthedoc@bupa.com.au
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Our journey towards reconciliation October saw the announcement by Dean Holden, Bupa ANZ Managing Director, that Bupa has commenced its journey towards creating a Reconciliation Action Plan in an exciting step towards our 2020 ambition to be a healthcare partner to millions more. The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) will begin by scoping initiatives that will benefit both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and Bupa, before developing a clear plan agreed by Bupa’s ANZ Leadership Team.
“ Bupa has a significant opportunity to make a positive contribution to Indigenous Australians” The Reconciliation Working Group, chaired by Director of Corporate Affairs Dieter Lehmann, will drive this process and one of its members is Leigh Sellers, WA & QLD Regional General Manager, Retail Network. “Bupa has a significant opportunity to make a positive contribution to Indigenous Australians”, explains Leigh. “What we can offer in terms of employment opportunities as well as using our health expertise, in areas such as dental and optical, are all ways that we can make a difference.” During the scoping phase, the Working Group is seeking expressions of interest for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders at Bupa to help shape the RAP. The action plan arising from this scoping phase will be launched mid2015, with the implementation of the proposed actions to follow over the next two to three years. Contact corporateresponsibility@bupa.com.au for more information.
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ONE BUPA
Dr Ved Berani is a firm believer in the far-reaching benefits of preventative oral healthcare for the whole community, but recognises that many people have been held back from having as much treatment as they should by cost concerns. So he’s very enthusiastic about the new level of public confidence Bupa’s expanding role as a dental care provider is creating.
Putting more smiles on more faces “The mouth is the gateway to the body,” says Ved, the principal of Bupa-owned Healthy Smiles Dental Group in Blackburn, an eastern suburb of Melbourne. “Your digestive system starts in the mouth, and current research is exploring the co-relationship between dental issues and chronic disease. Dental cavities and gum disease are being linked to conditions like diabetes and heart disease.” Australians spend over five billion dollars on dental treatment each year. The benefits of preventative care or ‘active maintenance’ as dentists call it, and seeing your dentist before there’s a problem can offer dramatic benefits towards maintaining good oral health. While he acknowledges that many people get nervous about the treatment itself, for Ved it’s finance that’s “the number one factor in the neglect of oral health.” He has observed that patients with ancillary cover are more proactive about having check-ups. “The first thing patients do after taking out private cover is book a dental appointment.” Dental Corporation became a part of Bupa eighteen months ago. Bupa now has some 200 dental practices, over half of which are part of Bupa’s Members First network, including Healthy Smiles Dental Group. Ved feels a lot of new patients walk into other dental practices with some trepidation,
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but the Bupa brand gives first-time patients at Healthy Smiles Dental Group immediate confidence in the quality of care. “It creates a lot of instant goodwill, and that’s a very important thing,” he says. Bupa Dental Corporation’s plans are to continue to grow the business and acquire new practices – provided they’re the right ones.
Bupa dental practices will quickly become synonymous with “the best value for money, hassle-free dentistry and the highest quality care.” “We’re looking at the top end of the market,” explains Chris Chambers, Executive Director of Bupa Dental Corporation. “That’s why we attract great clinicians like Ved, who are just focussed on the best clinical outcomes.” As a co-founder of Dental Corporation, Chris has seen how the strength of the Bupa brand has boosted the network’s ability to attract both top operators and new patients. “I think we can really transform the business in a way we couldn’t have without Bupa,” he says. “They’ve been fantastic partners and having the blue cube sprinkled across the network really helps – piggybacking on the
outstanding job Bupa’s done of positioning itself in the marketplace.” Bupa Dental Corporation is also now able to promote the practices direct to Bupa Health Insurance members, who get the best possible rebate if they choose a Members First practice as well as being attracted by the Bupa-wide commitment to care. “When Bupa took over Dental Corporation, we were just ecstatic, because we could see the potential,” says Ved. He believes the Bupa dental practices will quickly become synonymous with “the best value for money, hassle-free dentistry – because you know exactly what the fee is and what your insurance will cover – and the highest quality care.” To show its confidence in the quality of its practices’ care, Bupa Dental Corporation has adopted the practice accreditation standards launched by the Australian Dental Association just last year. “While it’s voluntary for the industry,” says Chris, “we’re taking the viewpoint that it’s mandatory for our practices.” Ved sees accreditation as “the biggest bonus we could ever have.” For him, it’s official recognition of the high standards he has always maintained and that the public now associate with the Bupa brand.
Husband & wife team Ved and Priyanka Berani have been working together as dentist and practice manager (respectively) since 2004. Ved explains the secret of their success. “Focus on what you do best, don’t take work home, and stay in your own office!”
AT A GLANCE • Bupa recently launched a Bupa Dental website bupa.com.au/dental, making it easier for our Health Insurance customers to find their closest Bupa owned, Members First practice • Bupa’s 200 plus dental practices service more than one million patients a year across Australia and New Zealand
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DEMENTIA
FORGET ME NEVER
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Bupa’s global campaign to improve the day-to-day life of people living with dementia is diverse and multifaceted.
For three years running, Bupa Care Services Australia has been proud to be the sponsor of the Alzheimer’s Australia Memory Walk & Jog events in New South Wales and South Australia. The Sydney Memory Walk & Jog held on Sunday, September 14 was a great success with over 2,000 people in attendance. Bupa Ambassador Guy Leech led the 7.5km race and joined Alzheimer’s Australia Ambassador, Ita Buttrose to present the event prizes. Alzheimer’s Australia NSW CEO The Hon. John Watkins said he was heartened by Bupa’s continued support for the flagship event. “Memory Walk & Jog is the major fundraising and awareness raising event for Alzheimer’s Australia NSW and we’re really pleased that Bupa will again support such an important event,” says John. Bupa has supported the Memory Walk & Jog since 2012. It’s raised more than $500,000 from the 2012 and 2013 events which has gone towards helping people with dementia, their families and carers. In 2014, nearly 7,000 people took part in the official Memory Walk & Jog events in Sydney, Port Macquarie, Wollongong and the Hunter raising another $500,000. Bupa Care Services Managing Director Louis Dudley says Bupa donated $80,000 to make the events possible. “A large proportion of Bupa Aged Care’s 6,000 residents are living with a diagnosis of dementia so we are acutely aware of the valuable work done by Alzheimer’s Australia and the need to rally behind the ‘Race against dementia’,” Louis says.
Globally, dementia is one of the four main health conditions that Bupa focuses on, in terms of research, sponsorship and community awareness. “About 70% of our residents are living with a diagnosis of dementia,” says Marg Ryan, Bupa’s Head of Dementia Services. “We have a philosophy of care that we call ‘Person-First’,” says Marg. The Person-First philosophy is embraced by Bupa in Australia as well as New Zealand, Spain, and the UK. Person-First is at the heart of Bupa’s approach to supporting a person with dementia. “One of the key things in being able to care and support someone who’s living with dementia is understanding who they are as a person first; understanding their life history and their story, and how they’ve done things, which becomes part of their personality,” explains Marg. The philosophy is about empowering team members to tailor their care of a resident to improve that person’s quality of life. Marg encourages staff to focus on the “here and now” when it comes to assisting people living with dementia, because “every 30 seconds counts when you’re trying to create meaningful moments for residents. It’s not about tomorrow, it’s not about yesterday – it’s about now.”
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RHYTHMS 22 | BEAT
Gráinne Moss, Managing Director of Bupa Care Services New Zealand, has experienced life in two kinds of fast lane. She may no longer be ranked in the top ten in the world, but still does some pretty serious swimming. HOW I RELAX At home with family and friends, playing games. My son, who is six, plays a mean game of chess. Sometimes that’s serious chess and sometimes it’s ‘Bomb chess’ where he seems to be able to bomb all my pieces. Another big favourite in our family is a card game called Monopoly Deal. It’s great fun and travels with us. With four kids and two adults, it gets very competitive!
MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT Having a lovely husband, four great kids, Orla, Aoife, Leo and Anna, and a close and humour-filled relationship with my parents.
MY (OTHER) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS I started competitive swimming at seven and haven’t stopped yet. The highlights of my swimming career include being ranked in the World Top Ten, and becoming the first Irish woman to swim the English Channel and Cook Strait. Someone told me I still hold the Northern Irish record for Under 9 50m Butterfly – if that’s true, that would be cool as well.
MY EXERCISE ROUTINE I get up early and swim a couple of times a week from 6am to 7am. If I try to leave it until after work it never happens. That morning swim really does set up the day well and gives me heaps of energy.
MY NEXT CHALLENGE I am in training for a series of sea swims around Auckland. There is a race every Tuesday night at the beach where I live and that’s fun. It’s great for the family to have an excuse to head to the beach as, even though we live quite close, you can do with a push to get there.
WHAT I’M READING
A REMARKABLE STORY AND INSPIRATIONAL READ
I am and have always been a read-aholic. In the last two years my two eldest kids have been reading great books that we can read together – or not! There’s stealing of books from each other’s rooms or having to buy one and get the same book from the library. We are currently devouring the Percy Jackson series which contains lots of Greek and Roman mythology. I am not-so-patiently waiting for Aoife to finish the last of the series so I can get my hands on it. Now Orla and Aoife want to go and visit Italy and Greece.
Bupa customer Matthew Ames’s story is a remarkable one that may change the way you look at life. His book ‘Will to Live’, co-authored with his wife Diane and sister Kate, tells the story of how Matthew lived through a one per cent chance of survival when all his limbs were amputated to overcome toxic shock syndrome. And so began an inspiring story of an ordinary family’s courage and determination to make the most of a terrible situation.
WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I really tend to go back to my Celtic roots in music: The Waterboys, Van Morrison and Ed Sheeran.
WHAT I’M WATCHING I am loving having young kids and a great excuse to watch all the old and new Disney classics and the wonderful kids’ animation movies.
Matthew is featured on page 6 of this issue of Beat.
ONE THING I CAN LIVE WITHOUT TV. When we moved into a house in 1999, the TV aerial was in the wrong place and we never got round to changing it. All of a sudden we found we had so much more time and we haven’t had one ever since.
BREATHE EASY Olympian Matt Welsh provides this breathing tip for kids preparing for the Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon, but we think it’s appropriate for all of us!
THERE SHOULD BE MORE… Charm and manners.
THERE SHOULD BE FEWER… Kids living without peace, security and education.
CALLING ALL YOUNG TRY-ATHLETES For the last seven years, Bupa has been a proud partner of the Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon in Australia. More than 18,000 children are expected to compete in 2015 across the 13 TRYathlons, starting in Sydney on January 16 and concluding on the Sunshine Coast on May 24. Bupa helps parents and children prepare for the event with the Bupa Get Ready Program, led by Bupa ambassador and Olympic swimmer Matt Welsh. For more details visit: try.weetbix.com.au
“Whether you’re in the pool, or on your bike or feet, it’s your breathing that delivers the oxygen your body needs to perform. Strong exhaling (breathing out) is actually just as important as inhaling (breathing in). Try breathing in rhythm with long and deep breaths, to help your heart rate stay as slow as possible. And even if you are working on getting faster, try not to end up gasping for breath – that’s a sign that you are working too hard. If you can still talk while jogging or riding, you’re on the right track.”
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Sometimes achieving individual goals requires a team effort. Many people within Bupa spend their working lives encouraging and helping members to lead healthier lives. Now, as Geoffrey Bond from the Health Customer Service Contact Centre in Brisbane explains, we’re picking up the very healthy habit of helping each other too.
HEALTHY SUPPORT DON’T FORGET Bupa offers a range of healthy lifestyle support packages and programs for team members, including information packs, seminars, pedometer challenges, discounted entry into fun runs and cycling events, and refunds on nicotine replacement therapies. For details on the latest offers, access your local intranet or notice boards.
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You may have heard about Bupa’s Chief Customer Officer, Gus Norris recently quitting smoking after 30 years. Melbourne Lapse Team coach, Frank Moroni, a smoker himself for over 25 years, was inspired by Gus’s tale of success to help form a Contact Centre Quit Smoking Team which is now running a support group blog on the intranet. “When I shared Gus’s story with my other team mates – Jacqueline Lane, Sarah Spiteri and Martine Banks – they all agreed that now’s the time to give up,” says Frank. “We had a plan, set ourselves a goal, joined forces and worked as a team to give up on September 1.” The members of the team are drawing on each other’s support to keep going and are
extending the offer of much-needed support to any other Bupa employees who want to quit. “If you’re thinking about giving up and would like to join us as a team, then I challenge you to share your story and photos with us,” Frank says. Brisbane-based Customer Service representative Jessica Neemia, 26 (pictured at right with her main motivation, three-year-old son Issac) knows just how influential a blog can be. Initially inspired by an ongoing blog she stumbled upon on the Health Insurance intranet, Jessica is well on her way to achieving her goal of never lighting up again, and enjoying the massive health and financial benefits.
“ The money I’m now saving from not buying smokes will be providing us with a fantastic holiday next year...”
“To be honest, I didn’t realise how much time and money I was spending on cigarettes,” Jessica says. “The money I’m now saving from not buying smokes will be providing us with a fantastic holiday next year, something I haven’t been able to afford for far too long.” “And if I have a weak moment or start doubting myself, I know I can reach out through the online blog for support and it’s right there waiting for me.” Setting goals and achieving them is something Bupa’s Head of International Markets, Jeremy Norton, (pictured far right) undertakes professionally on a daily basis. But it’s also a practice that has filtered through to his personal life as the busy 41-year-
old juggles a demanding work schedule with his personal quest to shed some kilos and find his `healthier you’. Like the smokers determined to quit, Jeremy hasn’t had to face his challenge alone. He and over 100 Bupa employees Australia-wide have signed up to the Dietitian Coaching Service to help them reach a range of nutrition-related goals. Everyone that signs up is assigned a coach dietitian. In Jeremy’s case that’s Rosalyn D’Angelo, whose constant support has allowed him to shed fourteen kilograms and over ten centimetres around the waist. “We had to take into account that Jeremy travels a lot for work, so he’s not always in complete control of what he’s eating. I was
FOR EACH OTHER able to give him a few strategies to choose the healthier option when eating out,” says Rosalyn. “It has been good to try different tactics and approaches in consultation with Rosalyn,” agrees Jeremy. “She quickly discovered one of the greatest challenges was my constant interstate travel. Not surprisingly, hotel buffet breakfasts need to be avoided at all costs!” “Having this support structure in place has made it much easier to be accountable for, and motivated by, the goals I have set myself.” For Jeremy, Jessica and Frank’s group and all the other Bupa people trying to lead healthier lives, ready access to encouragement and practical support at work can make success much easier to achieve.
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Sudoku
An active brain is a healthy brain. Keeping your brain active means constantly challenging your brain with the kind of thinking that you don’t normally do. And that’s why in each issue of Beat, we’ll bring you different brain trainer challenges, to help keep your brain active and healthy!
SUDOKU INSTRUCTIONS Each column must contain all of the numbers 1 through 9 Each row must contain all of the numbers 1 through 9 Each block must contain all of the numbers 1 through 9
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7 2
8 4
9
6 4 8
3 9 1 4 7 7 5 3 8 9 9 8 4 2 4 5 3 9 8 8 7 2 5
WordPlay
BUPA BRAIN TRAINER
H I L E T E R A H
WORDPLAY INSTRUCTIONS Make as many words as you can with a minimum of four letters. Each word must contain the centre letter ‘T’, and at least one word must contain all 9 letters... the clue for the main word is something BUPA wants all our people to be. RATINGS 0–10 WORDS: 10–20 WORDS: 20–30 WORDS: 30+ WORDS:
HEAD SCRATCHER QUICK THINKER MASTERMIND BRAINIAC
Answers on page 29
TEAM MEMBER PROFILE Rebecca Wyatt
John Travolta can dance. He can act. He can even sing a bit. But don’t ever let him near a needle!
How the Disney style of customer service can inspire confidence in people like Bupa’s own Rebecca Wyatt. If anyone needs to be good at meeting customers’ expectations, the crew at Disney World in Florida do. After all, for many of their 52.5 million visitors each year – especially the young ones – a trip to Disney World is the fulfillment of a dream. And helping the reality live up to the dream is not always easy. Whether people are just frustrated by having to wait too long for a ride or there’s a more serious problem, the Disney team has a strategy for making things right and trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again. The Disney systems for delivering a service and recovering the situation if something goes wrong were two of the themes covered in the Disney Institute Approach to Quality Service workshop, which Rebecca Wyatt attended after being recognised as one of Bupa’s 2013 Customer Service Top Achievers and winning the grand prize in a draw on the Gold Coast.
BUPA BLOOPER
“It was a great opportunity and I’m very grateful”, says Rebecca. She says a lot of the other people in the workshop were small business owners and hearing their expectations of their employees gave her fresh insight into other people’s expectations of her as a Claim Assessor in Health Insurance. She was impressed by the message that small details only a few people notice, like an elephant winking in one of the Disney World attractions, can create a much better experience for those few. But most of all the workshop changed her attitude to providing feedback. “If you don’t let people know how you feel, nothing can improve,” she says. “It definitely made me more outspoken and confident. I’ve always been a bit shy, but now I know the importance of speaking up.”
Pulp Fiction. Great movie. Fantastic actors. But it’s unlikely to ever make it as a medical training film on how to revive someone using an adrenaline-filled syringe. We all remember the scene that ends with John Travolta injecting the life-saving medicine directly into the heart of the ‘patient’, who escapes death and is magically cured. While very dramatic, it’s also a very bad practice and a terrible idea if your aim is to actually help the patient get better. In the end, it wouldn’t matter whether the medication would actually work or not. It’s the method of delivery that is the problem. If you stick a needle into somebody’s heart, they may bleed to death from the hole you just inflicted. Think of the heart as a balloon and the blood as air. Now puncture the balloon and try to stop the air coming out. You get the picture. So from a medical education point of view, you’d probably learn more about saving lives from Travolta’s moves in Saturday Night Fever. If you see anything from old shows or movies that is medically ridiculous, send them in to us at beat@bupa.com.au
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Information and insights from the world of Bupa to keep you up to date on Global, Market and Business Unit news.
BUPA BITES
C U LT U R E
The Global People Survey
Cricket Australia Partnership
The Global People Survey is our annual check-in with all 74,000 employees across Bupa globally, giving us the opportunity to make the changes that matter most to us and create a place where we all love to work.
Australia’s new national centre for excellence in cricket has become the Bupa National Cricket Centre or Bupa NCC, furthering Bupa’s support for the Australian cricket team and demonstrating our ambition to inspire more people to be active and live longer, healthier, happier lives. The coaching and medical team will also become the Bupa Support Team, with access to our global health expertise.
In Australia and New Zealand, we heard from more people than ever before with more than 11,000 people telling us what it’s like to work here. That’s 1500 more people than the last survey and gives us the insights and valuable feedback we need to work together within our teams, and across our businesses to take meaningful action. Our 2014 results show that engagement has lifted by one percent in our region, while more teams have taken action with an improvement of six percent compared to this time last year. It’s part of our 2020 ambition for people to be healthier from working here and we can now measure our impact on the health of our people, with our new Healthy Culture index at 76 percent. Our GPS participation and results have greatly improved in 2014, but there is still work to do. If you haven’t already, speak to your manager about how you can take action and stay tuned for updates on our progress towards creating a place where we all love to work.
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PA R T N E R S H I P
The Bupa NCC is a world-class venue that provides elite training facilities – not just for the Australian Cricket Team, but for the nation’s emerging male and female players as well. Speaking about our partnership with Cricket Australia, John Moore – Marketing Director, Australia and New Zealand – said: “Bupa is proud to be associated with the Bupa NCC as part of our ongoing commitment to Cricket Australia. This commitment includes sharing our healthcare expertise with all coaching and support staff, with the Bupa Support Team continuing to support the health and wellbeing of the players.” Bupa will also provide some health analytics to help Cricket Australia with injury prevention and keep injury rates low.
Getting social with the Tooth Fairy In October 2014, Bupa UK launched its biggest ever social media campaign, ‘The Story of the Tooth Fairy’. The campaign targets families and invites parents to create their own personalised video. The video tells the story of what happens to teeth when they are collected by the tooth fairy and highlights the importance of keeping teeth clean, even at a young age. It starts in a bedroom which can be personalised to have the child’s name on the door as well as their photo placed on a table beside the bed. As a final touch, it also has a personal thank you note to the child from the Tooth Fairy. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of Bupa’s wider offering beyond health insurance and build the profile of the UK dental clinics. In the UK, the dental offering is branded ‘Bupa Dentists’. Running for three months, the Story of the Tooth Fairy is designed to be shared on social media platforms for friends and family to see. They are then invited to make their own version of the film. If you’d like to know more, or even create your very own story, visit toothfairy.bupa.co.uk
VISAS
Bupa Medical Visa Services starts off-shore processing service Bupa Medical Visa Services commenced its off-shore processing service in September, one of the four services we deliver for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. We welcomed a team of eight Medical Officers located in Sydney and Melbourne. This team is responsible for processing the results of visa medical assessments conducted oversees for people wanting to migrate temporarily or permanently to Australia. Bupa Medical Visa Services provides this service for the nearly 140 countries that have an Australian visa medical panel, with the biggest number of assessments taking place in China, India, Philippines and Vietnam. The off-shore processing service complements the existing ‘on-shore’ services of the six Bupa branded Medical Centres in capital cities as well as Bupa’s 33 regional partners. The ‘off-shore service’ will process more than 250,000 medical assessments each year, which is in addition to the 250,000 visa health assessments conducted within Australia every year. These health checks are provided for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to ensure people applying for Australian visas satisfy the Federal Government’s health requirements.
Braintrainer Answers
MARKETING
WORDS: aether alert alit alter atelier earth eater either elate elater elite ether halite halt halter haltere hart hate hater hath health HEALTHIER heart hearth heat heater heath heather heathier hereat heth hilt hither irate laith late later lath lathe lather lathier lati leather lite liter lithe lither litre rate rath rathe reheat relate relet relit retail retial retie retile rite tail tailer tale taler tare teal tear telia terai thaler thee their there three tier tile tiler tire trail tree trial
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Bupa optometrist Van Tran has an unusual approach to making the most of her annual leave.
EVERYDAY HERO Van Tran
For the past ten years, Bupa optometrist Van Tran has been thumbing her nose at the typical approach to holidaying. Instead of lying on a beach or drinking margaritas, Van has been dedicating two weeks of her annual leave every year to volunteering with the Vietnam Vision project, helping to remove cataracts and restore the sight of hundreds of disadvantaged people. Vietnam Vision was established in 2002, the same year Van graduated from The University of Melbourne. A couple of years later, Van started to think about travelling overseas. “I was interested in going somewhere,” says Van, but she didn’t know exactly where she wanted to go. That was until she heard about the Vietnam Vision project on the radio. The rest is history. Today, Van helps with pre-screening tests to determine whether patients have cataracts (rather than a different eye disease that would need to be
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treated elsewhere). If they have cataracts, removal surgery is performed at no charge. Van says it doesn’t necessarily require a heroic mindset to get involved in such selfless work. In fact, she’s adamant that her reason for volunteering is really quite straightforward: “It’s the same reason I wanted to become an optometrist really; I wanted to help with improving people’s sight.” “Also, I’m from a Vietnamese background, and so I just wanted to go back to the… motherland, I guess,” Van says, laughing, “and help out there.” Van says working in Vietnam is a far cry from her usual post at the Bupa Optical store in Highpoint, Victoria. “It’s a lot more fast-paced! It’s full on, all day. You’ve got to get through a lot more patients. Plus I have seen some eye diseases in Vietnam that I haven’t seen back in Australia.”
But Van and the Vision Vietnam team work effectively and efficiently, because, as Van explains, “we try to keep the operation as close to Australian standards as possible – we use Australian methods and Australian surgeons.” Bupa has been so impressed by Van’s efforts in Vietnam that the company has started to donate sunglasses for use by the cataracts patients, whose eyes are highly sensitive to sunlight as they recover from the surgery. “This year, I brought over almost a hundred pairs of sunglasses that Bupa donated and they are handed out in a post-op pack for the patients,” says Van. As if this work wasn’t enough to keep Van busy, she has also helped out on a related project run by Cambodia Vision a couple of times too. It’s admirable work that all stems from a simple yet compelling goal: to help restore people’s sight.
YEARS OF SERVICE
FOREVER BUPA
People love working at Bupa... and here’s the proof!
41
YEARS
Phyllis Saccone
35
YEARS
Robyn Tinworth
30
YEARS
Fay Brischetto Margaret Carroll
25 YEARS
15 YEARS
10 YEARS
Elizabeth Allen Patricia Andersen Janette Browning Julie Carl Uinise Kafatolu Doris Khor Brenda Langenbaker Patricia Sainsbury Angelian Singh Georgina Van Buuren Kerry Williams Roslyn Wilson
Anita Agafonoff John Antoniolli Lyn Avenell Leonie Baiton Freda Cilia Annegret Danneberg Zeenat-Ara Fox Phillip Gattenhof Helen Hohtoulas Helen Huxham Sa Ioane Desi Kassios Christine Kovacs Mary Lykourinos Shirley Mataa Petina Merriman Teresita Quiniones Trixie Quinn Suzanne Smith-Marston Liz Tarau Robert Uglesic Debbie Williams Rose Woolley
Luisa Aholelei Kirsten Arner Lynley Barker Sandra Bertoliatti Eva Bodnar Melissa Bullen Anthony Burge Pauline Caslick Louise Cherrington Sharyn Cordner Mamata Dutta Rangi Faneva Namit Gandhi Iris Glennan Reete Gounder Bandana Halka Alison Hancock Caroline Hawke Jie He Lupe Helu Bayani Hernandez Faye Howard Peter Hudson Janet Hunter Perla James Patricia Johnston Emanuel Katsilioris
20 YEARS Wan Chung Irma Cincotta Kirsten Day Loris Del Piccolo Savitri Gounder Christine Mollenhauer Patricia Sundin Colleen Symister Seok-Khim Tan Sharron Watson
Regina Kojo Ursula Kromer Jagjit Kuar Mohini Lata Heather Lintern Sukhi Mangat Ioana Margina Suzan Maurice Karen McEvoy Angus Norris Helene Orwin Indu Pahuja Jennifer Pender-Brookes Sandra Pietrafesa Paul Ray Lila Ristevska Ruth Sanjorjo Mumtaz Shaikh Sotia Sisaro Chris Smythe Trudy Steele Rosanna Stevens Laurence Tanga Clare Taylor Fabio Tiani Timothy Turner Lila Walsh BEAT | 31
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