Autumn2018
Little moments that truly matter Stronger family connections through everyday fun
Building meaning into our Care Homes
How physical spaces can improve emotional wellbeing
Welcome Nicola Roxon
Our new Chairman on purpose, politics and sunrises!
Connecting our people across Australia and New Zealand
Bupa’s ‘Performance Energy’ program helps you prioritise your health and wellbeing. We all need energy to thrive in life! ‘Performance Energy’ helps you identify and take ownership of what matters most to you, so you can be at your best.
My non-negotiable... Exercise My non-negotiable is to exercise each day to maintain a weight that builds a healthy cardiovascular system. Eighteen months ago, I had a triple bypass and was told that had I not exercised for the past 15 years the circumstances of my situation would have been much different. Daily exercise makes me a happy person, I have improved relationships, and am able to handle conflict/build resilience. David Yuille, People Advisory Hub Yoga I ensure that I leave around 4.30pm twice a week to make it to my favourite yoga class which makes me mentally and physically healthier! Sarah Maconachie, Resourcing Walking I make sure I leave the office for a walk at some point during the day. Even if it’s 10 minutes, it makes a difference and I come back refreshed! Wendy Browne, Resourcing Meditation My non-negotiable is to meditate daily. This clears my mind, makes me feel very relaxed, and prepares me for a full day of focus, gratefulness and productivity. Sarah Chand, Digital Balance My aims for 2018 are to be balanced and thriving. So my non-negotiables are regular physical activity, spending time with family and friends, and listening to music. Richard Bowden, CEO A&NZ
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Lunch My non-negotiable is to take time away from my desk at lunch to eat in Café One with colleagues from across the Sydney office. This is a great opportunity to socialise and refresh, ensuring a productive afternoon ahead! Tom Leech, Resourcing
Kickboxing I have signed up for kickboxing, which is quite the sight as I’m a five-foot nothing, skinny guy. I block non-negotiable time in my diary twice a week for this. Dieter Lehmann, Director of Corporate Affairs, A&NZ
Workout I make time for a morning workout most days, on my exercise bike, and I use the Strava app to race against others virtually. So if you use Strava too, look out, we could be racing each other! Paul Bates, Chief Medical Officer, A&NZ Family My current nonnegotiable is social time with family and friends – and ensuring at least three times a week I am spending quality time talking and enjoying the stories and events that have unfolded during their week. This provides a great boost to my mood, feelings and makes me feel great. Michael Dusevic, People Advisory Hub
Laughter I’m inviting more laughter into my life this year, and increasing my exercise, by attending jazzercize classes! And I always aim to have breakfast or dinner with the kids, preferably both. Lorna Stewart, Chief Risk Officer
Music I can’t start the day without playing some uplifting music and dancing my way through getting ready, doing some exercises on Duolingo to get my brain going and when it’s good weather I’ll walk to work (it’s about 7km – but is incredibly scenic and features lots of nature and our beautiful harbour). Having my non-negotiables and sticking to them makes my mind feel at peace and I feel ready to take on any obstacles that may come my way. Shanice Duggan-Keefe, Organisational Development (NZ)
Look after your Performance Energy today To find out more about Performance Energy, please contact the Smile team. Australia: SmileProgramAustralia@bupa. com.au New Zealand: orgdev@bupa.co.nz You can also visit Workplace, or speak with your local Wellbeing Champion or Smile Representative.
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It’s the little family moments that truly matter
Nicola Roxon Driven by a care for others
When a project ‘just makes perfect sense’
Ask the dentist
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Please note that images of deceased Indigenous people are contained within this magazine
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Do headphones harm your hearing?
Diabetes. It’s not just about sugar. Eat well to reduce your risk.
Building meaning, purpose and joy into physical spaces
From blue fingers to a green thumb
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Rhythms Lorna Stewart
Career Trackers partnership goes from strength to strength
New partnerships create more value for all
Three days in the life Peter Hudson
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Bupa Bites Information from the world of Bupa
Making it safer and healthier by making it fun
Growing, leading and loving
Years of service No limits! beat | 3
It’s the little family moments that truly matter
Recent research conducted by Bupa has revealed that what parents care most about is the emotional wellbeing of their children. Also, further research has shown that strong family bonds form the foundation for wellbeing, and that spending time together helps to build these bonds. But parents acknowledge that it doesn’t have to be big chunks of time, and making the most of the little everyday moments you have together to connect, talk and laugh can make a really big difference.
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When Bupa was looking to create a platform to help promote health and wellbeing among Australian families, the first people to be asked their opinion on what’s best were mums and dads themselves. “When we researched families on what was important to them, and what they cared most about, the overwhelming response was the emotional wellbeing of their children,” explains Marcela Rigg, Marketing Engagement Manager (right). “We also knew from our wider research, that it’s through making the most of the little moments you have together is key to family health and wellbeing.”
And so Little Moments Matter was born, and the new Bupa Family Challenge, which is a free online program, for anyone to enter, and provides the tools and inspiration to make the most of everyday moments. It’s an eight week program and each Sunday, a new task is set for participating families, which can be anything from using downloadable cards to help prompt ‘team talk’ in the car, to exploring a new hill on a bike ride. Participants can then enter a monthly competition draw, which could see them winning a range of vouchers to redeem for family-friendly products and services.
“We launched the Bupa Family Challenge in late November 2017 and since then more that 3000 families have registered to participate,” says Marcela. One team member who jumped at the chance to get involved was Michelle Taylor (left), a Bupa Assistant, based in Adelaide. “Our family of three includes my husband Stacy and our 12 year old son Dallas, who is living with autism,” Michelle explains. “We try and get Dallas to do lots of activities, and in particular he loves playing cricket at the beach or in the backyard, which is a game that doesn’t rely heavily on verbal instructions. We also thought joining the challenge would help us find new ways to bring the family together, with lots of different steps we can take to have some fun.” Bupa Family Challenge participant, Peter from Queensland, also knows first hand just how special the little moments in family life can be. “My only son has just turned 18 and is now going to university, so it’s very important for us to find the time and activities to help us catch up,” explains Peter. “One family routine that we really enjoy is to walk the dog together and I learn more about
what’s happening in my son’s life in those 40 minutes of walking the dog, than I do from hours spent at home,” laughs Peter. For team ‘KC & Sunshine’ who signed up for Little Moments Matter, their weekly challenge, the Gratitude Game, might just become a new family ritual. “Thank you for the Gratitude Game! What a lovely way to remind us all of what’s important, like seeing my 5-year-old’s face after his older brother said, ‘I am so grateful for being with my brother over the holidays, he is my best buddy’. This may become a family ritual, like our Sunday Roast.” The Fongo family were given the ‘Play Outside’ challenge after joining Little Moments Matter, encouraging them to make the most of their seaside neighbourhood. “This week we went to the beach. We live close by but we do not get there nearly enough because life gets in the way. We had a great afternoon having lunch in the park then playing in the sand and swimming. This experience allowed us as a family to reconnect with each other and our local environment and motivated us to get to the beach more often.” And the early signs are positive that encouraging the Little Moments Matter is hitting the mark with many more mums and dads. “Our goal was for 5000 families to register for the Bupa Family Challenge in year one,” explains Marcela. “Within a month and a half of launching, we’d already achieved 25% of that target and we’ve been getting some very positive feedback from the families involved.” Further activities that Bupa supports to help families get together also include the Bupa Kid Fit Series, Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon, and the Tour Down Under.
A special day to celebrate making the most of the
Little Moments As part of the Little Moments Matter campaign and to celebrate Bupa’s partnership with Cricket Australia, Bupa team members had a chance to participate in a competition to win VIP tickets to the first day of the Adelaide Test. Michelle Taylor thought a day at the cricket would be perfect for her son Dallas, so after a little encouragement from her husband Stacy, wrote 25 words on what brings her family together – which just so happens to be cricket! Michelle won the competition and so it was off to the Adelaide Oval for Michelle, Dallas and Stacy, with lunch in the Dining Room where Dallas got to meet former test star Glenn McGrath, and enjoyed the best views in the house for Day One of the test. “It really was a great day, with Dallas being so well looked after. It’s made our beach and backyard cricket even more enjoyable, now that Dallas has experienced a Test match first hand.”
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Nicola Roxon’s many memorable achievements in Australian federal politics were characterised by a combination of her passion for improving people’s lives and her constructive, determined approach to overcoming obstacles. As the new Chairman of Bupa Australia and New Zealand, Nicola is looking forward to helping make our working lives even more rewarding and improving the wellbeing of the wider community.
Nicola Roxon Driven by a care for others Sydney-born, but raised in Melbourne, Nicola Roxon made the transition from industrial lawyer to Federal Health Minister and then Australia’s first female Attorney General without losing sight of her core values. “I strongly believe that you can have a drive and ambition for success, as well as bringing your own personality to work without having to ‘check it in at the door’,” she says. “Most businesses, and especially Bupa, have people at the heart of them, and we need to continually guide our people in a way that is respectful to their needs, as well as inspiring them, so they can achieve their hopes and ambitions.” Throughout her career, Nicola has naturally gravitated towards roles that help others. “I love working in the health space, because when you do it well, you can have such an impact on people’s lives. And it is an area that really matters to the community.” As Federal Health Minister from 2007 to 2011, Nicola oversaw major reforms to Australia’s public hospital,
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primary care and preventative health systems. One iconic initiative, against the most ferocious opposition, was making Australia the first country to insist that all tobacco is sold in plain packaging with large, graphic health warnings.
“I love working in the health space, because when you do it well, you can have such an impact on people’s lives...” “There are a lot of similarities between what we do at Bupa and what I was doing in government. We are both major ‘payers’ into the Australian health system and Bupa now has a huge role to play, as a trusted market leader, to help keep the government informed on some of the big picture issues facing our industry.” Nicola was elected to the Federal Parliament in 1998. When Labor won the 2007 election, she became one of the first female senior cabinet ministers with a
very young child. “When I was in parliament, I was incredibly strict with the non-negotiables in my life, which included being home for dinner and bath time. I had to set boundaries, and put in place systems, to deal with that,” she recalls. “I don’t think there is a magic solution to balancing work and life, as it is incredibly individual to each person, but I’m very impressed that at Bupa, there is a genuine attempt to understand people’s different needs, and a determination to ensure there is much more to life than just work.” And parenthood, Nicola suggests, is one experience that can prepare people for success in today’s new business landscape. “Our changing world needs people who are adaptable, multi-skilled and empathetic, and these are exactly the skills you learn as a parent,” Nicola explains. “As we now look towards finding the right people based on capabilities and skills, rather than simply their CVs, it opens up a huge pool of energy and talent among people who might have left
Photograph taken by Nicola Roxon
the workforce for a period of time to raise children.” Since leaving federal politics, Nicola has taken on a range of roles that allow her to contribute the benefit of her experience and advocate for positive change. She is currently the Chair of the Cancer Council of Australia as well as having been a Director of Bupa Australia and New Zealand and the Bupa Health Foundation for three years. Away from work, Nicola is an avid walker around the bayside
“ My parents taught me at a young age about fairness and decency, generosity, having a go and helping others. When my father died, when I was 10, my mother taught me about independence and integrity. These values are the yardstick against which I continue to make my judgments today.”
Melbourne suburb of Middle Park and loves nothing more than capturing the sunrise or sunset on her camera. “There is something very calming about watching a sunrise or sunset,” she says, “and it can have such a wonderfully regenerative effect on your life.” At the dawn of a new era of leadership at Bupa, Nicola is excited about the opportunities ahead and the chance to ensure all of Bupa’s people have a positive frame of mind at work. “In moving from being a Director of Bupa to now Chairman, I’ve had to gain a deeper exposure to the business and think differently about how Australia and New Zealand are part of a broader international picture,” she says. “I’m very proud to be taking on this role, and want to ensure that every person at Bupa has a similar pride in what they do. So people can be proud advocates of Bupa and our role in society.”
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Tatia Pittham and her team were determined to help overcome the complexity of Australia’s health system for international visitors in the quickest possible time
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International student, Troy She, feels that Bupa truly wants to help ‘from the heart’
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Information sheets were translated into Hindi and Mandarin to further help simplify the Australian health system
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Bupa team member Bien Shiu felt the Health Navigator project seemed like a natural extension of Bupa’s purpose
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When a project ‘just makes perfect sense’ The development and launch of Bupa’s Health Navigator series of information tools for international students and visitors shows just how quickly ideas can come to life at Bupa, when a lot of passion and a little hard work combine to keep up the momentum!
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“For our international customers who need to be covered by health insurance, it can be a very complex and confusing process to try and understand the Australian health system - and it’s often a grudge purchase,” explains Tatia Pittham, Head of International Partnerships, Corporate & International (above). “We decided to help solve this problem by creating a series of information tools to explain how the health system works, and made sure they were available in multiple languages.” From assembling the handpicked project team and brainstorming possible solutions, it then took only three months, from September to December 2017, to create and deliver the first information items.
“We pushed ourselves to define what really was the ‘Minimal Viable Product’ we could deliver to make sure we could get it out in the quickest possible time,” explains Tatia. “And we didn’t want to reinvent the wheel, as we knew there was already a lot of content at Bupa that we could build on.” The ‘Minimal Viable Product’ ended up being a suite of four informative videos complemented by infographic flyers and fridge magnets, that were not only in English, but also translated into Mandarin and Hindi as well. “We felt that videos are a very accessible and engaging way of communicating information, especially if you’re not that confident with English,” says Tatia.
Keeping up the pace in production, the project team put out a call on Workplace to find Bupa people who were willing to be actors in the videos. “We were pleasantly surprised how easy it was to get people involved in making the videos, and although a few of them were a bit nervous to start with, everyone did a great job and seemed to be excited to be part of the project,” says Tatia. Bien Shiu, International Product Manager, Customer Experience, (far right) knows first hand the challenges international visitors face when navigating the health system and it was her role to be the ‘voice of the customer’ on the project team. “I hear and see it all the time among
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who is in her third year of a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Wollongong. “I’ve been a Bupa member for about three years now, and I’ve found them to be really passionate about helping you understand what is appropriate for you and what’s not. They have been very honest and seem to want to really help students from the heart,” says Troy.
“ We tell people we care, and there is no better way to show people we care than to help them in a way that’s bigger than just selling products and services.” For Bien, Health Navigator seemed like a natural extension of Bupa’s purpose and just made ‘perfect sense for Bupa to do’. “We tell people we care, and there is no better way to show people we care than to help them in a way that’s bigger than just selling products and services. As a major player in Australia, we feel we have a duty to help to educate the market and lead.”
The Health Navigator videos can be accessed at bupa.com.au/ovc-video
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my friends and family from overseas, just how confused they are about our health system,” says Bien. “And it’s not just international people who find our system difficult, so when you include language barriers and cultural differences into the mix, it takes the problem to a whole new level.” Bien originally arrived as a 10 year old in Australia from Hong Kong, and her family still has deep connections in the Chinese community, so she was delighted to be included on the project team, even though it was on top of her normal role. “We were all very passionate about the opportunity to build something valuable and it was one of those instances of all the stars aligning, with the support of the business, the budget being available and the ongoing commitment of the team members.” International Student and Bupa Customer, Troy She, from Hong Kong, was happy to be featured in one of the videos to help bring to life the international student experience. “I have been on that journey of not understanding the health care system to now understanding it,” says Troy,
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Tatia hopes that Health Navigator will not only be used by international students and visitors, but by other areas of the business to highlight Bupa’s commitment to international customers. “This is the first time we’ve done something with such broad language capabilities, and not just using subtitles, but shooting videos with people talking in Hindi and Mandarin. We’ll be actively monitoring site visits and video views, and taking on board ongoing feedback, to make sure we’re continually answering the right questions for our international customers.”
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ask the dentist
Ever had a question for your dentist, but were afraid to ask? Well now is your chance. Get honest answers to your dental queries from our very own Dental Surgeon, Dr Craig Wilson at askthedoc@bupa.com.au. Craig has been part of the Sydney Holistic Dental Centre team for the past 23 years after graduating with honours from The University of Sydney, and in his spare time loves a round of golf or fly fishing.
Ask the dentist? No fear! In this issue, Dr Craig Wilson tackles questions around bleeding gums, teeth whitening toothpastes and making sure your kids don’t follow in your footsteps on the way to the dentist!
“My gums have started bleeding just recently when I clean my teeth. What should I do?” Bleeding gums are a sign of inflammation, this is gum disease. It’s a the classic sign you should be seeing your dentist and hygienist. When you get a build up of bacteria at the junction where the gum meets the tooth, it will get to a certain thickness or mix of harmful bacteria that will produce an inflammatory response from your body. If you touch the gums with a toothbrush or floss it will bleed as a result. At a systemic level inflammation of the gums has been linked to heart disease, strokes, low birth weight in children, poor diabetes control, respiratory disease and even an increased incidence in some cancers. At a local level, gum disease causes the loss of the supporting structures of the tooth and can result in tooth loss, decay and the loss of dental implants. Gum disease is quite serious! At the early stages it is very easy to treat by a cleaning appointment and a daily oral health regime. If we get to it too late, it becomes very complex. You should definitely pay attention to your body’s signs that something is amiss. Prevention is generally very easy but takes a daily effort.
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“Do whitening toothpastes actually work?” Whitening toothpastes are a bit hit and miss. For teeth to become whiter they will need a bleaching agent to be held in close proximity to the tooth for an extended period of time. Whitening toothpastes will only be present in your mouth for a very brief time and therefore won’t really have any clinical effect. Beware of toothpastes that are very abrasive along these lines too (eg smoker’s toothpastes) as they can cause damage to enamel structure and an increase in sensitivity. If you’d really like to whiten your teeth, the best way is to visit your dentist, ensure you’re a good candidate (i.e. good gum health… there’s a theme here!) and undertake in-surgery whitening or a take home kit. The whitening solution needs to be of a specific concentration and provided by your dentist for reasons of safety.
“How do I make sure my children aren’t anxious about visiting a dentist like I can be at times?” The best way to avoid children’s dental anxiety is to set an example! Never let your fears come out in front of your kids. They’ll pick up on these vibes very quickly. I’d recommend getting them into a first dental visit as early as you can to let them become familiar with what dentists, hygienists and therapists do. Make it something fun and put some energy into it. Use positive reinforcement and avoid threats such as “behave, brush your teeth or he’ll use the drill”. That really makes us cringe and can set up a negative mindset for life. Encourage a great diet and early good hygiene practices… including flossing!
health & wellbeing
Do headphones harm your hearing? You’ve probably heard debate around headphones causing hearing damage. A lot of us use them, so we have asked Simon Davis, Bupa Audiologist, to fill us in on some of the facts.
To begin with, it’s important to understand that the ear consists of three core sections, the external ear which acts as a funnel for sound, the middle ear (‘eardrum’) which converts sound into vibrations, and the inner ear which contains the cochlea, the sensory hearing centre. A section within the cochlea contains a special fluid which moves microscopic hair-like nerve cells in response to the vibrations. The movement, in turn, stimulates the auditory nerve which is the ‘sound highway’ to our brain. You can think of these hair-like cells as blades of grass on a football field. Before a football game, the blades are standing straight and the grass looks flush. After one game, the grass might look a little trampled but it will come good again after some rest. In hearing, this is called a ‘temporary threshold shift’, which you may have experienced after leaving a rock concert. Permanent threshold shifts (a condition known as noiseinduced hearing loss) can occur if you have regularly been exposed to very high sounds for even a short period of time. This is like there’s been no break in play on the football field, and the grass is overused and trampled. It can be damaged beyond repair and develop dead patches. The louder the sound, the shorter the duration of exposure needed to cause permanent hearing loss. But what is loud? With extended exposure, noise levels greater than 85 decibels can cause lasting damage. We are talking about the sounds of a blender, hair dryer or standing next to a garbage truck for extended periods of time.
Apple encourage their users to ‘listen responsibly’ and suggest that users ‘follow a few common-sense recommendations’, such as: turning the volume down if you can’t hear the person next to you speak while using your headphones avoiding turning up the volume to block out noisy surrounds keeping track of and limit the amount of time that you use earbuds or headphones at high volume. A good rule of thumb, ‘no louder than ¾ volume for no more than one hour’, but this is only a rough guide. If you are concerned about your hearing, or are exposed to loud noises in recreational or work settings, you can make an appointment with an audiologist to have your hearing tested. Bupa are currently introducing audiology services throughout Australia, coupled with the Bupa Optical retail stores. Bupa Optical and Hearing stores are now open in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, with stores set to open in New South Wales by the end of the year.
So what’s the verdict on whether headphones affect hearing? Yes - if headphone volume is greater than 85dB, there is risk of causing permanent hearing loss. It is not the earphones that cause the damage, but the volume, duration and frequency at which you listen to loud music. It’s challenging to know when you hit that level as sound levels vary between devices, sound settings and the different types of earphones.
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health & wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing content provided by Bupa’s Health Content Team
Diabetes It’s not just about sugar. Eat well to reduce your risk. 2 3 When it comes to eating habits and risk of type 2 diabetes, you might be surprised to learn that it isn’t all about cutting out sugary foods. While it is true that having too much of the sweet stuff can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, so too can other unhealthy food choices. By Anika Podubinski – Bupa, Accredited Practising Dietitian
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With that in mind, here are five things you can do to whip your eating into shape. The aim is to keep your insulin working as well as it can each day in doing its important job of regulating glucose levels in the body.
Include legumes regularly (at least 2-3 times each week): Most legumes (such as beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas) are also high in fibre and are low GI. Research suggests they are a star performer for blood glucose control.
Choose whole grains: Whole grains (e.g. multigrain bread, oats and brown rice) are higher in fibre and have a lower glycaemic index (GI) than their processed counterparts. This means it takes the body longer to digest them, leading to a slower release of glucose (sugar) into the blood.
Balancing your diet in these ways can help prevent weight gain and spikes in blood sugar. Keeping your blood sugar levels as steady as possible now may help you avoid developing type 2 diabetes later.
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Focus on healthy fats: Have you heard of the Mediterranean way of eating? This style of eating has been linked with many health benefits, including lower rates of type 2 diabetes. This is partly because the main source of fats in the diet are healthier unsaturated sources such as nuts, seeds, fish and olive oil. Replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fatty acids seems to benefit insulin sensitivity, and therefore the ease with which the body can metabolise glucose.
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Start the day with breakfast: A healthy breakfast is a good opportunity to kick start your metabolism and to get in some extra fibre and whole grains. If you don’t eat breakfast, your blood glucose may be low as the day gets going, which could tempt you to grab sugary or fatty foods for a quick energy fix.
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Switch energy-rich for nutrientrich: Vegetables are rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and contain much less empty energy or kilojoules than energy-dense foods and drinks such as fried chips, cakes, pastries, soft drinks, and alcohol. The latter tend to be rapidly digested (glycaemic index is generally high) and can cause substantial fluctuations in blood sugar.
For many people, sweet potatoes are the perfect healthy comfort food to go for when the weather changes with the seasons. They are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and contain dietary fibre to boot. In cooler areas in Australia, the harvest time for sweet potatoes is generally just before winter. The orange-flesh and purple-skinned varieties are great for autumn recipes.
Copping it sweet! Microwave baked sweet potato (serves one) All you will need to cook this warm, fluffy baked sweet potato recipe is a microwave. How easy is that? Ingredients • 1 medium-sized sweet potato, skin on • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, or olive oil spray • 1 tablespoon reduced-fat tasty cheese, grated • 1/3 cup turkey, poached or roasted, shredded • 1 cup spinach leaves • 6 cherry tomatoes • 1 large dollop of reduced-fat natural yoghurt
Method
Dietitian tips
1 Wash the sweet potato and dry thoroughly with a paper towel. 2 Use a knife to poke four holes into the sweet potato, approximately 2.5cm deep. 3 Rub or spray the sweet potato with olive oil and place it on a microwave-safe plate. 4 Cook in the microwave on high power for 5 minutes. 5 Turn the sweet potato and cook for another 5 minutes. Time may vary, depending on its size. 6 Once cooked, carefully remove the sweet potato from the microwave and cut lengthways in half. 7 Top with grated cheese and shredded turkey, and microwave for another minute, or until the cheese melts. 8 Remove the sweet potato from microwave and top with cherry tomatoes, spinach leaves and finally a large dollop of yoghurt and enjoy!
• To save time, pre-bake the sweet potato at home. • Experiment with different toppings. After all, variety is the spice of life! • Instead of turkey, try roast beef or skinless chicken; or canned fish, beans or lentils. • Use your favourite vegetables and make it as colourful as possible. This will provide a wide range of antioxidants, beneficial for your health. • For those who like extra flavour, add fresh or dried herbs. Recipe provided by Josephine Lee – Bupa, Accredited Practising Dietitian
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Building meaning, purpose and joy into physical spaces Our physical environment can have such an impact on our social and emotional wellbeing, especially for people living with dementia. Two Bupa Care Homes show how creating physical spaces that have meaning and purpose can bring comfort, familiarity and joy to the lives of people living with dementia.
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“Just as our own homes are made up of meaningful spaces, filled with items of importance and personal memories, we are aiming to do exactly the same at Cashmere View in our hospital-level dementia areas,” explains Pam Roberts, Registered Nurse, Cashmere View Home in Christchurch, New Zealand. “Although we can never make it truly a home, we can do our very best to make it home-like.” For Pam and her team at Cashmere View, creating physical spaces with meaning and purpose for people living with dementia is all about knowing the needs and desires of the residents. “We have to take a Person First approach to
understand the residents as people, so we don’t just create spaces that we might think are great, but end up having no meaning or relevance for them.” At Cashmere View, such spaces have included a music room, with an old-fashioned phonograph player, an office with a working typewriter and picnic areas along hallways, complete with rugs and baskets full of treats. “It’s important that whatever spaces we create are not just static, but are tactile, working areas that you can physically engage with and use as intended,” explains Pam. A further benefit of creating meaningful spaces is that they
prompt discussions that friends, family and team members can have with residents about important experiences in their lives. “How we create these areas is a bit of a moving feast, but it is always linked to the residents ‘Map of Life’ and what we find has been, or still is, important for them,” says Beth McDougall, Dementia Care Advisor, Bupa New Zealand. “Then these areas become a great talking point for visitors, who could pick up a packet of seeds in a space devoted to gardening and say ‘oh gosh, remember how you used to love getting out in the garden’, and then this can help stimulate meaningful
conversations and reminiscences.” Bupa Bellarine, in Victoria, Australia is a new Care Home that was opened in February 2017, and creating a home-like, domestic feel for the higher needs dementia areas was at the very heart of the design process. “All of the bedrooms open out into wider communal areas that link to the dining and lounge rooms, just like you would have at home,” explains Jannie Piercy, General Manager, Bupa Bellarine. “And where we do have hallways, they always lead to a destination space, and never just a dead end.” But it’s the meaning that the residents themselves have created to the spaces at Bupa Bellarine that truly makes it a special place. “Firstly, the two ‘communities’ were named by the residents after places of interest to them in the Geelong region - You Yangs and Bellarine Heights - and this can help stimulate conversation and jog memories,” explains Jannie. “Then the
visitors for a treat or two. Another space the residents thought should be ‘re-purposed’ was a storage cupboard off the main living area that is now a ‘mens-shed’ style area.
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“ I really enjoy the shop and like it a lot, Vic and I always come down here and sit at the shop for a chat and of course my favourite thing at the shop now is Vic himself,” residents changed the nature of certain areas to make them more enjoyable, such as our resident Margaret King who looked at the traditional nurses station at the entrance and decided, quite naturally, that it should be turned into a corner shop filled with lollies and treats.” And that’s just what the team at Bupa Bellarine did, creating the ‘Spotted Frog’ shop at the front of the nurses station, that is now such a popular place for residents to congregate and chat, and to bring
“We say to family members that ‘you’ll never be stuck for something to talk about when you visit mum or dad’ because it’s all about giving our residents the tools and motivation to help them access their memories,” explains Jannie. For resident June, the Spotted Frog is a very popular spot to visit after morning and afternoon tea with her fellow resident, and close friend, Vic. “I really enjoy the shop and like it a lot,” says June. “Vic and I always come down here and sit at the shop for a chat and of course
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my favourite thing at the shop now is Vic himself,” laughs June, after Vic took his turn as the shopkeeper! The shop is also part of the residents’ weekly routine, with trips to the local supermarket where the residents themselves decide what to buy, and then sell. But perhaps the greatest stamp of approval for Bupa Bellarine’s high needs dementia areas - or ‘Memory Support Communities’ as they’re officially known at Bellarine - is that residents from other parts of the Care Home regularly pop down to enjoy the surroundings and fellowship. For Jannie and her team, while providing the highest level of clinical care is a given, they also strive exceptionally hard to bring joy to the lives of residents with dementia. And by the number of residents from other areas of the home visiting the Memory Support Community, it seems that the word is spreading about how much joy is being experienced in the You Yangs and Bellarine Heights!
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Building meaning into physical spaces includes creating tactile experiences, such as touching a fur throw, as Jannie Piercy illustrates
2 A working phonograph in the music space at Cashmere
View in NZ builds on the sensory experiences
3 Well known items placed in the garden help prompt
discussions and reminiscences at Bupa Bellarine
4 Making sure all hallways lead to destinations, not dead
ends, helps create a homely feel at Bupa Bellarine
5 The repurposed Nurses Station, now known as the
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‘Spotted Frog’ café, is a well loved socialising space for residents at Bupa Bellarine beat | 15
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In April 2018, Marnie Butler, Hospital Claims Analyst, Health & Benefits Management, retires after being with Bupa and its predecessors for 47 years. While a lot has changed over that time, Marnie’s reason for happily turning up each day – her work colleagues has remained the one constant.
From blue fingers to a green thumb 1
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Marnie Butler proudly wearing her MBF uniform in the 70s!
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Brisbane in 1971, where Marnie arrived for her very first job out of high school at MBF
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Beautiful Carters Ridge in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast where Marnie is looking forward to gardening and growing her own fruit and vegetables
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Marnie Butler Marnie’s advice for career success
971 1 A lways act with honour and integrity 2B e true to yourself
3D o the best you can in any job you’re given and put in 110%
Back in February 1971, Australia was a very different place. John Gorton was Prime Minister, Sesame Street had just premiered on the ABC and National Service was still compulsory for young men. And on the morning of Thursday the 11th of February in 1971, Marnie Butler walked through the doors of MBF’s Brisbane offices, accompanied by her father, for her very first day of work. “Originally, my family was from way out west in Queensland, so I was very excited to get my first job out of high school in Brisbane, and I think I was paid the grand sum of around ‘two and six’,” laughs Marnie. “Back then, everything was processed manually and my first task was to put the covers on members’ books. Most members had a blue cover for their book, but if they were heavy users of hospital claims, they had a pink one,” explains Marnie. “Everything was recorded on a utilisation sheet in the back of the members book and all the manual receipts for their payments were
placed in the front. I’d go home every night with bright blue fingers because of all the carbon paper we used!” Marnie also paints a very different picture of the working environment back in the 70s, with rituals such as the tea lady, and her trolley laden with goodies, and the end of the day ‘bell’. “When it was time to finish work, everyone would be poised at their desks waiting for the bell to ring at 5pm, and then it was a mad dash through the office to the elevator to catch your train or bus home,” laughs Marnie. Transferring into the service ‘branches’ a couple of years later, Marnie found herself situated in a small ‘boxed in’ office at the back of the Women’s Lingerie Department of David Jones. “There were no individual stores then for MBF, so we camped out the back of one of the major retailers, like Myer or David Jones, to process claims and sign up members. Needless to say security wasn’t high on the agenda, but there
weren’t any incidents either,” laughs Marnie. After working in a number of branch positions, Marnie returned to the Adelaide Street, Brisbane office as a Hospital Claims Assessor for a few years, before transferring to her current role as Hospital Claims Analyst in 2008. “It gives me huge satisfaction working with our team to ultimately save Bupa money through our analysis of hospital claims,” says Marnie. While the biggest change Marnie has experienced in her career was the merger of MBF, Mutual Community and HBA to become Bupa, there is one constant that has kept her turning up each day for the last 47 years. “The people are the reason I’m still here and I’ve loved working at Bupa and have the greatest respect for my colleagues and managers. I originally thought you’d have to take me out in a wheel chair before I’d leave, but now I know it’s time to move on. I’m keen to enjoy life at my small farm at Carters
Ridge on the Sunshine Coast, with all my animals and the garden, where I hope to become quite selfsufficient, growing my own fruit and vegetables. There is nothing better than home grown organic produce without pesticides!”
“ The people are the reason I’m still here and I’ve loved working at Bupa and have the greatest respect for my colleagues and managers. I thought you’d have to take me out in a wheel chair before I’d leave, but now I know it’s time to move on. And when Marnie finally finishes up in April after 47 years with Bupa, there is one thing she is looking forward to most. “I can’t wait to wake up in the morning in the country and simply ask myself, ‘well what am I going to do today?’,” laughs Marnie.
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Rhythms Lorna Stewart brings warmth, humanity and passion to her role as Bupa’s Chief Risk Officer for Australia and New Zealand, with a sharp eye for detail honed in professional services and a variety of regulated industries. Just stand clear though, if the Proclaimers come on the radio, or if Lorna hasn’t had that first cup of coffee in the morning after a cuddle with her daughters!
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Lorna Stewart Keeping in touch I’m an avid follower of politics and current affairs, so I check the BBC News online every single day. From a work perspective, I love reading the Australian Financial Review, which I think is a brilliant business newspaper.
Why Bupa? I was previously working with PwC and was placed on secondment at Bupa in Melbourne. I could feel the passion and energy immediately and jumped at the chance to join permanently when a role was offered. I now love working for a company that has a true purpose, and can strive to achieve it without the ongoing demands of shareholders. Role of a Risk Expert What we’re aiming to do is understand the risks that might prevent Bupa from achieving our operational and strategic objectives. By putting in place good governance procedures, the right controls and training our team members, we can help everyone at Bupa make good decisions that keep us safe and on track. We operate in a very complex landscape across all of our businesses, with two different legal jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand, as well as having to comply with some European regulatory requirements, so avoiding risks in what we do is critical.
Can’t start the morning without Definitely a wee cuddle from my children, Emma who is 8 and Sophie who is 6, who both keep me totally grounded and focused on what’s really important. Even if I’m travelling, I’ll start the morning with a virtual cuddle using Facetime. And then it’s definitely a coffee, now that I’ve become a true Melburnian, and without it, my team would say I’m somewhat grumpy!
Secret passion I love my music and singing, even though I’m the worst singer in the world, and have a soft spot for Soft Rock! I can’t resist singing along to Bon Jovi’s ‘Living on a Prayer’ or especially The Proclaimers’ ‘500 Miles’ if that comes on in the car, with the whole family getting involved and bouncing along!
Risk priorities for 2018 Information security, and ensuring all of our customer records and information is safe, is one of the main priorities for 2018. While we’re working closely with Information Services to achieve this, we view information security as everyone’s priority and a whole of business issue.
What I miss most about Scotland While I miss my family and friends, technology makes that easier because it’s so simple keep in touch. Therefore, what I really miss most from home is the Glaswegian sense of humour, which is typically so dry and so quick. Leadership style I always try and treat people exactly how I’d like to be treated and I aim to get to know a little about the person behind the job title. I like to think I’m a good reader of people, having enjoyed a rounded Scottish upbringing, where more than 95% of people attend the local comprehensive school, so I was exposed to all manner of personality types, characters and intelligence levels very early on. I also try and bring my full self to work and be as open and honest as I can. A great learning in my career was working for the Group Treasurer of Scottish Power who was a man of the highest integrity. He had a saying that has stuck with me: “You won’t always make the right decision, but if people believe you made it for the right reasons, they’ll always back you.”
Keeping fit and active Two or three times a week, I attend Jazzercise Classes, or what we like to call ‘Mum’s Night Out’, a high energy dancing session with lots of cheesy music and plenty of laughter. Favourite weekend activity We love the good weather in Australia, and the outdoors lifestyle that goes with it, and on weekends you’ll find the whole family cycling along the bayside bike trails in Melbourne, stopping along the way at a park or perhaps a coffee shop. If I wasn’t Bupa’s Chief Risk Officer... I’d be a Travel Writer! I love to travel, even if it’s just locally, and would love even more to write about it. Two favourite destinations for me are the Florida Keys, which holds a special place in my heart because that’s where Graham and I got engaged, and the Great Barrier Reef, off Port Douglas, where the whole family including my parents went snorkelling recently and experienced the beauty of reef.
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performance
Career Trackers partnership goes from strength to strength An important initiative arising out of Bupa’s first Reconciliation Action Plan, launched in June 2015, was the creation of Bupa’s Reconciliation Employment Strategy, which is designed to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage and improve employment opportunities at every stage of Bupa’s employment process.
To help achieve this, Bupa formed a partnership with Career Trackers, a national non-profit organisation that creates internship opportunities for Indigenous university students, and in November 2015, Bupa welcomed two interns to the Melbourne office, Jirra Moffat and Natasha Ward (who was recently invited to speak at the official breakfast marking the 10th Anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generation held in Parliament House, Canberra). Fastrack to Summer 2017/18, and Bupa now has 16 Career Tracker interns and was recently recognised with the ‘Career Trackers Corporate Plus Award for 2018’, the highest recognition an employment partner can receive.
Two of last summer’s interns, Toby Saunders and Haidee Allan, give us a snapshot of what it’s really like to work over your holiday break at Bupa. “I’ve done two internships previously, both with banks, and this year was the first time I actually got to choose where I wanted to be placed,” says Toby Saunders, who is currently studying a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Technology Sydney. “I requested Bupa because I’m a sporty person, and like keeping fit and active, and it seemed like a good match.” Toby started on the 20th November 2017, working with Health Systems and Strategy Integration
in Sydney. “My team is great and the role is really enjoyable. It’s a good environment in which to succeed, with help if you need it, and everyone knows each other and backs each other up.” Putting his studies to good use, Toby was asked to do a research report on the available evidence around ‘pre-habilitation’, which at Bupa aims to give people who are about to undertake rehabilitation the tools and knowledge for the best preparation. “I’ve really liked doing this project as it fits with my studies and I’ve been continually busy, putting my mind to good use.” Haidee Allan (right), who is studying a Bachelor of Communications at The University of Newcastle, returned
“If you don’t think something is right, then challenge it.”
New Scholarship Launched Starting in 2018, Bupa Australia will honour the legacy of Dr Evelyn Scott AO with the “If you don’t think something is right, then challenge it.” The Dr Evelyn Scott Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women in Higher Education Scholarship. Dr Scott was one of the leading figures of the decade-long campaign to change the constitution, allowing
for the Commonwealth to make laws for Indigenous people and to have Indigenous people included in official census data. The 1967 vote remains the most successful referendum in Australian history. The scholarship will be worth $6,000 and will be given annually to an Indigenous woman currently studying full-time at university.
Dr Scott’s family has proudly given permission to use her name and image in this story.
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“ Before I started working here, I had a tendency to think RAPs might be a bit tokenistic, but to see what Bupa has done over the last three years is amazing.”
for a second summer internship at Bupa in November 2017, working with the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability team. “It’s such a warm and welcoming environment and it’s been very exciting to have helped with the McGrath Day at the Sydney Test Match and to have seen the launch of the new Bupa scholarship honouring Dr Evelyn Scott (see side panel).” Haidee was also involved in surveying Bupa team members to help inform the development of the next RAP, which is due this year and will cover the period of 2018-2020. “It’s honestly so cool to see how far things have come since 2015,” says Haidee. “Before I started working here, I had a tendency to think RAPs might be a bit tokenistic, but to see what Bupa has done over the last three years is amazing.” Reflecting on their involvement with Career Trackers, both Toby and Haidee agree that the support and encouragement through the program has been invaluable. “It really has opened me up and I have found a better self, by knowing my strengths and my weaknesses and how I can improve. My supervisor Jay calls me every week to check in, and the networks and friendships you make are brilliant,” says Toby. For Haidee, it didn’t take long to decide that the Career Trackers program was for her. “It really is a no brainer, because of all the support, guidance, experience and friendships you have along the way.”
Natasha Ward speaks at Parliament House One of Bupa’s very first Career Tracker interns, Natasha Ward, was invited to speak at the official breakfast marking the 10th Anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generation, at Parliament House on the morning of the 13th February 2018. Natasha gave a speech on the intergenerational impact of the Stolen Generation, discussing how she navigated High School, her path to being accepted into her dream course and plans for the future. Alongside Natasha giving her speech were
Honourable Senator, the Hon. Nigel Scullion, Bill Shorten, Former Prime Minister, Hon. Kevin Rudd, Chair of the Healing Foundation Florence Onus and Michael McLeod, CEO of Message Stick. The impact of Natasha’s words, based around the themes of unity, hope for the future and pride, was evident with many Elders and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders approaching Natasha with messages of support, and Kevin Rudd referencing her in his own speech.
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new ways of working
New partnerships create more value for all Over the last 12 months, Bupa’s Digital and Enterprise Growth team have been working hard to find organisations to partner with, in order to find new customers for Bupa, as well as adding more value to the relationship with existing customers.
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While internally, Bupa has been collaborating with different areas of the business for a few years – with cross referrals occurring across Optical, Dental, Audiology and Health Insurance – partnering with external companies is a totally new approach to help create value for customers and grow the business. “It’s been important for us to recognise that value means different things to different people, for example some people just want to save money, while others might want added value or to earn more rewards points,” explains Fabio Tiani, Director Digital and Enterprise Growth. “Partnering with other organisations gives us the opportunity to really broaden our value proposition to many different customer types.” For the Velocity Frequent Flyer
program, which has been evolving its offering to be much more than simply flights, an introductory meeting with Bupa brokered by the International and Corporate Partnerships team proved just the ticket to help create a new partnership. “We hadn’t previously been in the health insurance space at Velocity because we simply couldn’t find the right partner or model for us,” explains Barbara Iliopoulos, Partnership Development Manager, Velocity Frequent Flyer. “We’re really excited about partnering with Bupa, because we feel there is a 100% alignment with such a strong brand and it’s a really powerful value proposition not only for our members, but also Bupa’s customers.” As part of
Fabio Tiani, Director Digital and Enterprise Growth
day in the life
“ The health insurance market is continually changing, and we need to be doing things differently to stay ahead. Through these partnerships we can continually add value to our existing members, while innovating with our products and offers to attract new members.”
Barbara Iliopoulos, Partnership Development Manager, Velocity Frequent Flyer
the partnership, Bupa members now receive 10% off all Virgin Australia flights. Also, Velocity is encouraging its Frequent Flyers to take out health cover by offering a significant amount of points if they join Bupa. If a Bupa member is also part of the Velocity Frequent Flyer program, they can also receive up to 20 points for every dollar spent on a hotel booking through the Kaligo website. “That benefit can really add up and you can help subsidise a lot of the costs of your flights simply through the points you earn on booking hotels through Kaligo,” says Barbara. While identifying likely organisations to partner with may be relatively straightforward – large customer bases, trusted, credible brands – connecting with them in
ways that generate interest, can be challenging. “Organisations that can help us provide a real customer benefit are the ones we are interested in talking to. Determining what value we can provide to Bupa members and our partners’ customer group is critical in delivering a successful and sustainable proposition”. Bupa continues to focus on partnerships with trusted, credible brands which have larger membership bases. This includes the Hawthorn Football Club, the school-to-parent app ‘Skool Bag’ and PayPal. “When PayPal approached us requesting to be a payment option for Bupa, we sensed an opportunity,” says Olivia Borton, Head of Partnership Management, Digital & Enterprise Growth team, Bupa Australia and New Zealand. “So Bupa customers will shortly be able to transact with us via PayPal and we will be able to promote Bupa offers to PayPal’s more than seven million customer accounts.” “The health insurance market is continually changing, and we need to be doing things differently to stay ahead,” explains Olivia. “Through these partnerships, we can continually add value to our existing members, while innovating with our products and offers to attract new members.”
When sponsorships become partnerships Celebrating the launch of Bupa’s new partnership with the Hawthorn Football Club is from left, Dwayne Crombie, Managing Director Private Health Insurance, Justin Reeves, CEO, Hawthorn Football Club and Peter Hudson, Bupa’s Head of Market Development.
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“A lot of what I do at Bupa is ambassadorial style engagements, where I might speak at an opening, or help to find someone who can.”
Three days in the life Peter Hudson Bupa’s Head of Market Development, Peter Hudson AM, has enjoyed success at the highest levels of the sporting and business worlds, and while he’s a few years past the ‘official’ retirement age, ‘Huddo’ (as he is affectionately known) loves nothing more than working three days a week for Bupa, who he joined more than 20 years ago as the then General Manager of Victoria and Tasmania for MBF.
DAY 1
AM
10-minute tram ride from home to Bupa’s Exhibition Street Offices, grab a coffee, then straight into it.
Peter’s role has two pivotal elements. One is being a brand ambassador for the Bupa business. This ranges from attending events sponsored by Bupa to drive publicity and engagement to attending Aged Care Home openings to highlight Bupa’s presence and importance in the local community. The second element to Peter’s role is working closing with the Corporate Business Development Managers to chase and obtain new corporate clients. Retention is also important and Peter works with the Corporate Account Managers to help retain current Corporate Clients.
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Early light lunch, typically a salad from the next-door coffee shop, before Peter jumps in the car on official Bupa business!
Up and about early at 6.30am, breakfast is a bowl of cereal for Peter, while getting ready for whatever the next three days might throw at him!
First up, it’s Peter’s fortnightly oneon-one meeting with John Huijsen, Bupa’s Director of International and Corporate Partnerships. “I report to John, and every couple of weeks we have a discussion around goals and objectives and the progress of our negotiations with potential corporate partners,” says Peter.
DAY 1 PM
The International and Corporate Partnerships revenue target for 2018 is $297.6 million, so continuing to drive this sector plays a crucial role to Bupa’s success. “I work really closely with the Bupa’s Business Development Managers (BDM). and would speak with them everyday,” says Peter. “We’re always discussing companies Bupa is targeting and what connections we might have in common to help get an appointment.” Quick check of emails to keep on top of the correspondence received over the previous five days and then the phone calls begin with the goal to get time with Corporate Businesses to pitch Bupa’s Health Insurance Corporate offering!
Today, it’s off to Geelong to help open the new Bupa Bellarine Aged Care Home (see story also on page 14). “A lot of what I do at Bupa is ambassadorial style engagements, where I might speak at an opening, or help to find someone who can, such as Frank Costa, the former President of the Geelong Football Club, who was the guest of honour recently at one of our football themed Care Home openings in the Geelong region.” Back in Melbourne, Peter rarely has a weeknight free and tonight’s no exception. As a Board Member of the Monash University Medical Foundation, Peter attends a seminar style meeting, typically held in the city, where a guest speaker will talk on a specific topic to members of the Foundation, friends and Monash Alumni. Tonight, the topic is ‘Learn how to have a limitless mindset’ delivered by Dr William Tan. Peter is a self confessed night owl, which he puts down to his days running a pub in Tasmania for 15 years, so ‘lights out’ is typically around 11.30pm.
DAY 2
AM
Same morning routine, cereal for breakfast, check of the news and then onto the tram for the quick 10-minute commute into town. This morning Peter is focused on planning for the Bupa 2018 KidFit Series, which includes the KidFit Triathalon and Family Fun Run Events in Tasmania. Peter will attend each event during late February and early March, and of course has a soft spot for Tasmania, being locally born and bred. Peter started playing Australian Rules football in Tasmania, where his first team was the New Norfolk Football Club, and after a stellar career at the Hawthorn Football Club, Peter returned to Tasmania and played for the Glenorchy Football Club, kicking 616 goals in only 81 games! Peter was involved in the creation of KidFit, which is an event series open to children of all abilities aged 7-15yrs. “This is our 19th year of the series and is a great way for families to be active together in a friendly environment and for kids to have fun with their families and create lifelong memories together. “I’ve been a part of all the events over the past 19 years and I’m looking forward to attending all the events again this year! It’s been fantastic to see the positive impact that it’s had on Tasmanian families over the years and this is now being passed on to the next generation. We’ve had some parents come up to us to tell us that they used to take part in the triathlon as youngsters, and now they’re bringing their kids along. It’s a great day out.”
DAY 3
DAY 2
PM
Today, Peter attends a corporate lunch event with the City Hawks, a Hawthorn Football Club supporter group of CBD-based business people, and a key networking event for Bupa to build prospective corporate partnerships. “Bupa’s sponsorship of the Hawthorn Football Club actually goes back 20 odd years and continues to be a key partnership,” says Peter. Back at Bupa after lunch, and keeping the Hawthorn Football Club theme going, Peter has a meeting and photo shoot organised with Dwayne Crombie, Managing Director Private Health Insurance, and the Hawthorn CEO, Justin Reeves, to celebrate the signing of a new corporate partnership between Bupa and the club. Peter normally finishes up around 6pm, and used to walk home everyday, but a hip replacement in August of 2017 has temporarily curtailed his long walks, so it’s back onto the tram. Rare evening without an official engagement, so tonight Peter and his wife Stephanie take a friend visiting from Tasmania out to dinner at favourite local eatery, Peko Peko.
PM
This afternoon, Peter has been asked by Kain Nunn, Transformation Director, Australia and New Zealand, to address some of his people on team work and achieving goals. “I had great coaches throughout my football playing days, from my very first coach, who was my father, to my next coach, Trevor Leo who was also a school teacher, through to John Kennedy at Hawthorn. All of them instilled in me the importance of discipline and teamwork for success, which stayed with me not only in my playing days, but also in running the pub in Tassie, being the CEO of Hawthorn and now in my role at Bupa,” says Peter.
DAY 3 AM Up first is a phone meeting with Ballarat Health Services where Peter is discussing Bupa’s involvement in their upcoming Expo at the Ballarat Hospital. Last meeting before lunch is with a prospective company Bupa is hoping to partner with and Peter is joined by Business Development Manager Bharath Rao whose good work in simply cold calling the prospect secured the meeting. “We embrace a range of prospecting techniques to target companies, from good old fashioned cold calling through to finding mutual contacts who might be able to introduce us,” says Peter.
Final check of emails for the day and tying up of any loose ends so Peter can relax over the next five days. “I do keep a watchout for emails on the days I’m not working, as they can stack up somewhat,” laughs Peter. Then it’s into the car and Peter heads down to his beloved weekend getaway to join his wife at their holiday house in Blairgowrie. “Every opportunity we have, we’ll get down to the beach,” says Peter. As the Number One ticket holder at Hawthorn, winter weekends are mainly spent at official functions at home games, but during summer, it’s all about relaxing at the beach, watching sport on TV and short walks around the beautiful seaside village of Blairgowrie. beat | 25
2017 financial results
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In 2017 our Bupa business performed strongly, despite the challenging economy. “Thank you for all you and your team do to make this solid performance possible, despite the challenging operating environment,” says Richard Bowden, CEO A&NZ. Our Australia and New Zealand business contributed 40% of the global revenue, increasing the number of Bupa customers, against the market trend which saw fewer Australians covered by private health insurance. A snapshot of 2017 • Successful delivery of our Health Insurance transformation agenda • Strong growth in the International Student market in Health Insurance. • Bringing the aged care businesses together to become Bupa Villages and Aged Care, with development of six new villages approved, including our first in Australia. • Getting back to basics in BACA • Securing a two-year extension of the medical visa services contract with the Department of Home Affairs • Opening of Bupa Therapy, the first disability therapy centre of its kind in Australia • Approval of Bupa Optical & Hearing expansion plans with around 30 new stores to open over the next 3-4 years. For more, read the 2017 Group Annual report on www.bupa.com
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Bupa at 70
1947–2017
Come on, get happy!
Lowest premium increase in 16 years
Bupa joins The 30% Club
There is growing recognition across the world that ‘progress’ should not just focus on economic growth, but should also include enhancing the happiness and wellbeing of people. This idea is celebrated each year on March 20 - United Nations International Day of Happiness.
Following approval by Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, Bupa has announced an average health insurance premium increase of 3.99 per cent - the lowest increase in 16 years. This change will take effect from 1 April 2018.
Our Inclusion and Diversity agenda is accelerating and globally Bupa have proudly joined The 30% Club! “We are proud signatories of The 30% Club and we will continue to push to be as diverse as the societies we serve,” says Nigel Sullivan, Chief People Officer, Bupa.
At Bupa’s recent resilience presentations, Hugh van Cuylenburg spoke about the importance of practicing gratitude to enhance happiness. Karen Molcher, a Corporate Health Nurse with Bupa Wellness attended one of these sessions. She was inspired to go home and create gratitude blackboards for her daughters and their families. “Families these days are so consumed with electronics, so I decided we needed something visual that all of the family could contribute to. It’s working, as now that the new school year routine is being re-established, every evening they are talking over dinner,” Karen shares. ‘We have a family dinner on Tuesdays and have always used it to ask about our days and weeks. So now instead of focusing on negatives, we focus on what has been good for the day or week. The main thing is that it stimulates conversations and refocuses to positives.’ For more ideas on happiness, please visit www.dayofhappiness.net
In addition to the premium increase, we’ll also be making some changes to our products. • Keeping premiums affordable - We understand that increasing health insurance costs create difficulties for many Australians so we are removing medical procedures that offer no proven clinical benefit and reinvesting in areas that give our customers better value for money. • Providing value for money - We’re reducing out of pocket costs such as introducing gap-free dental care on a number of common preventative dental services at selected dentists and removing excess payments in hospitals on selected products for children up to 25 years. • Simplifying things for our customers - We’re making our products simpler to understand. This will require an industrywide approach to things such as consistent language but it also comes down to what’s included in our policies and ensuring that customers can easily know if they are covered for something or not.
Launched in the United Kingdom in 2010, The 30% Club campaign aims to achieve a minimum of 30% women on FTSE-100 boards (the 100 largest publicly listed companies in the UK). Since 2010, the campaign has expanded into ten countries beyond the UK, while still focusing on its core mantra of ‘Growth through Diversity’. “Bupa is really serious about gender diversity and I think that it matters on a human level, not just a business level,” explains Nicola Roxon, the incoming Chairman of Bupa Australia and New Zealand. “Women make up more than half the population, and represent a huge amount of the talent and energy, so businesses that aren’t helping women realise their full potential, are really limiting themselves and their futures”. “I’m pleased that Bupa is taking such a lead on this, with the global CEO, global CFO and new Chair in Australia all being women,” says Nicola.
Happy 70th birthday! To mark our 70th anniversary we’re sharing ‘Bupa at 70’ a brand new ebook, where you can read about: • The beginning of Bupa • 1950s: Bupa branches out • 1960s: Proud to serve community • 1970s: The Bupa family • 1980s: Expansion and competition • 1990s: Taking care of the lives in our hands • 2000s: Helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives • 2010s: New ambitions Lord Leitch, Chairman, says “I am immensely proud of all we have achieved since the provident associations and other organisations first came together seventy years ago to create a new kind of private company: Bupa. We have come a long way since 1947, a journey mapped out between these covers. We look back on the achievements of the pioneering individuals and organisations who established Bupa, admiring their determination to stand for choice, quality and independence in healthcare”. “We are excited about what the future holds, and have no doubt that Bupa’s next seventy years will be just as inspiring as our first” he adds. You can find the ebook by searching ‘Bupa at 70’ on Workplace
So with women making up 69% of our Bupa’s total workforce and 45% of our board, we are setting an example!
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everyday heroes
Making it safer and healthier by making it fun Two emerging stars from Bupa Medical Visa Services (BMVS) Adelaide were hand picked to be Wellness, Health & Safety Ambassadors, a role they have jumped into feet first and truly made their own, to the benefit of not only their customers and fellow team members, but also themselves. What do you do if you’re working part time at BMVS, studying a Psychology degree full time and also raising a beautiful five-year-old daughter? Well if you’re Cherie Crispin, Receptionist/Concierge from BMVS Adelaide, you gladly put your hand up when selected for an additional role as a Voluntary Wellness, Health & Safety Ambassador! Alongside her, fellow Ambassador, Julianna Spalding, Health Assessor, the pair help to create a highly positive, healthy and safe environment at BMVS Adelaide. “I’m really passionate about making sure people’s lives at work are as enjoyable as possible, and I also like to try and put a fun spin on anything educational we do,” explains Cherie. A recent example was the team’s ‘Movember Moustache Competition Day’, where the funniest fake mo’s were rewarded, all alongside learning more about men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. 28 | beat
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The ‘R U Ok Day’ was similarly successful, with a fun, themed lunch for the team, combined with shared fundraising activities and information sessions. “The day really stood out and hopefully the team took a lot out of it,” says Juliana Spalding. “Some people may not know they’re depressed at work, and days like these show there are ways we can do something positively to work through the issues.” The Wellness, Health & Safety Ambassador roles were created about two years ago, as part of BMVS’s commitment to the highest levels of safety for customers and team members. “We felt that the best way of understanding and influencing issues around safety and risk was to have a direct line of sight through our customer-facing team members,” explains Carolynne Wilson, Quality and Development Manager, Bupa Medical Visa Services. “This now means we have people who can identify any risks straight away and also inform and motivate their fellow team members on health and wellness issues and activities.” “As well as the health and safety
benefits our Ambassadors bring, we also see the role as a valuable professional development opportunity for team members, as they have the opportunity to positively inform and influence others and get exposed to senior leaders on an ongoing basis,” explains Carolynne. The time commitment for the Wellness, Health & Safety Ambassador role is, on average, a couple of hours a week, along with a regular monthly teleconference where all the ambassadors check in with each other.
“ We felt that the best way of understanding and influencing issues around safety and risk was to have a direct line of sight through our customerfacing team members,” But Cherie and Juliana very much enjoy going above and beyond! “It’s such a good feeling to see people smile when they come into work. We are tight knit group and it’s so important that we promote a positive outlook and vibe to help create a stress-free work environment,” says Cherie. Dr Ting Ting Wang is one of BMVS Adelaide’s Panel Physicians who enjoys the constant efforts of Cherie and Julianna to promote positivity in the workplace. “They are both brilliant, they are really passionate about what they do and you can tell they really care,” says Dr Ting Ting. “They’re regularly sending out emails, suggesting diet or exercise tips, and because they make the information
fun and whacky by adding cartoons or characters, you really do take a lot more notice.” As well as helping others, both Cherie and Julianna enjoy personal benefits from undertaking their additional roles. “I was on a personal journey to try and be healthier myself,” explain Juliana. “My manager approached me to take on the role and I thought it would be a great way to help others, while also staying motivated to help myself, by living the actions we are promoting as ambassadors.” For Cherie, who is a big believer in positive psychology, the voluntary position has been beneficial for both her studies and work at BMVS. “What I learn from my role as the Wellness, Health & Safety Ambassador strengthens my psychological studies by being able to apply what I am learning in a real life setting, and vice versa, which I can then use to perform my role well and educate fellow colleagues on health and wellness issues, so everything feeds back into each other brilliantly,” says Cherie.
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1 Tasty treats for the Biggest Morning 5
Tea to help digest the cancer awareness messages
2 Yellow balloons theme up the R U Ok Day 3 Juliana Spalding and Cherie Crispin
bring fun and joy to serious messages for the BMVS Adelaide team
4 More Biggest Morning Tea treats 5 Not just talking about healthy eating
habits but bringing them to life as tasty snacks
6 Movember’s funniest moustache
competition broadens the fun, and the important message around men’s health, to all team members
7 Photos, memories and quotes from the
team bring Grateful Week to life in a very personal way
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When Amber Westwood is working at Bupa, and away from her son Sebastion, she wants to make sure every hour is making a difference
Growing, leading and loving There’s an old saying that if you love your job, you’ll never work another day in your life. That’s certainly true for Amber Westwood, Store Leader, Customer Growth, Brisbane, but there is also another very important reason for Amber to feel rewarded during her working day.
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“I have an 8 year old son Sebastian, and when you’re away from your child, you want to ensure you’re making the most of every single hour that you’re not there with him,” explains Amber. “For me, working at Bupa is more than just a job, because there is something very special about the feeling you’re making a tangible difference to people’s lives.” Amber is currently the Store Manager of the Brisbane CBD Retail Team, having joined Bupa nine years ago in the MBF Contact Centre. “I love the communication and interaction you have with customers in sales roles, and I feel very much aligned with Bupa’s values and philosophy of being a customer-led organisation,” says Amber. Never one to sit back and hope opportunity knocks, Amber has
“ For me, working at Bupa is more than just a job, because there is something very special about the feeling you’re making a tangible difference to people’s lives.”
been highly active in embracing the many development and leadership programs available at Bupa. “I really enjoy self development and look for any opportunity to expand my knowledge and all the Bupa programs I’ve been lucky enough to do have been fantastic,” says Amber. This list of programs Amber has undertaken is quite extensive, from the ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Qualified Leaders’ Programs in 2015 to ‘Gender Agenda’ in 2016. “The programs have really shaped how I lead my team, while also giving me much greater self confidence as well as a support network with the other attendees because we have built such a great bond,” says Amber. “But the biggest take out for me is the celebrated successes and the belief in yourself that you’re not an imposter as a leader.”
As the Brisbane Store Manager, Amber also actively encourages self-development among her team. “I instill in my team from day one that if you want to build a career at Bupa, all the development opportunities are there for you,” explains Amber. “We then have robust discussions around each person’s ambitions in the team to ensure I can help them achieve what they desire, and as an example, one of my team members is currently going through the Future Leaders program.” “Nine years is a long time to be in the one organisation, but I really do love working at Bupa because there’s not many places where you can get the sense of truly making a difference and every day I am at work, I’m making that active choice to go and not be with my son, Sebastian.”
years of ser vice
No limits! Once again, we celebrate the anniversaries of those who continue to bring boundless enthusiasm and positivity to their careers at Bupa.
40YEARS
10YEARS
Irene Dawson Julie Rohde
35YEARS Christine Beckett
30YEARS Robert Hansen Carolyn White Julie Heritage Cherie Herbison Agnes Cox Pagona Soderholm Gerard Bakker Joanne King
25YEARS Katica Bezjak Merryn Ryan Moka Puhotau Gayleen Tomlinson Mirella Moppi Anne Tindle Margaret Reiha
20YEARS Shirley Kajewski Vilimaina Ratucadre Elisabeth Schickerling Sharyne Dallas Jude Turner Gillian Wason Pat Warren Mojgan Farahani Yvonne Frew Suzanne Haines Dorothy Shaw Cecilia Wyber Paul Chambers Sii Hansen Tracey Matthews
15YEARS Maria Amituania Zorica Caruana Sabah Dagher Suzanne Davis Anna Diorio Suzanne Donelly Serena Hafukava Naomi Jensen Loreeca O’Donnell Fiona O’Neill Nirmaladevi Santhirasekaran Ema Sinamoni Anne Spicer Roma Marshall Elizabeth Montgomery Kellie Davis Iris Moselen Christine Bloemen Sylvia Erickson Leeann Matthews Salina Hick Tiffany Simon Rose Maddicks Sukumar Rakkhit Lalith De Silva Karen Scheer Sean McCormick Jillian Munro Gina Bevan Zareena Begum-ali Nola Fiveash Debbie Richardson Allan Bartlett Nazima Ahmed
Umu Bah Eva Kroon Mulunesh Buta Janet Carothers Prakash Chand Dianne Clouten Deborah Connelly Pauline Cummings Dianne Deeks Marites Del Rosario Karen Eckersley Lynette Eddie Rodica Georgescu Patience Goto Jo Jiang Mahin Kaeidi-majd Kathleen Keith-Storey Anil Kumar Ronald Lacey Gladys Lagarto Analyn La Rosa Alicia Marquez Terri McCormack Megan Mulkerin Puhenthirar Mutausamy Cheryl Paizs Genalyn Pallada Guan Peng Qi Shamin Rahman Sonya Riley Wainikiti Saladrau Micheal Smith Niraj Thapa Logeswaran Vallipuram Varghese Varghese Danielle Whitford Ida Williamson Jeanette Williams Shuwa Zhou Stephanie Walker Amanda Chambers Sally Maree Walker
10YEARS
Mary Little Lynette Anderson Lynette Andrews Mary Duffy Jacintha Kearney Harmony Ruruku Prema Sherpa Jennyfer Encarnacion Anna Konareva Glenn Scott Daphne White Steven Shingler Yvette Robinson Margaret Higgison Miliana Puamau Ricky Baranggot Gail Richardson Aiga Cleverly Virisila Taito Shoran Lata Lynda Fleury Vickey Johnston Michelle Kapsalis Edmund Waters Natalie Smith Joe Daly Arthur Tsen Jason McGregor Suzzanne Tindall Catherine Green Andy Poumale Fiona Khao Joanne Baynie Sylvie McKay Wendy Mantle Emma Gardner Keeley Russell Noreen Tamayo Christina Park Rosemarie Walls Vinh Pham Joseph Musgrove
10YEARS
Anuradha Brachio Nei Taremon Ricky Hu Whitney Webb Carolyn Kresevic Debbie Smith Bernard Wong Deborah Taylor Antoinette Hraibi Fatette Sayed Janice Campbell Joanne Munro Angela Humberstone Diane Lowe Jennifer Jamieson Ellena Craig Pamela Borman Claire Roberts Marina Binder Georgie Gavriloska Barbara Derrick Shirley Mong Katrina Miller Shelley Goodman Susan Perry Stacey Wills Saman Munshizada Leonie Gromek Maria Giles Alison Dellar Jan Shepherd Suluvaipou Isopo Suzanne Rangi Graham Scott Christine Cairns Rereao Tabokai Maara Masipei Serina Ratupeliloa Rosemary Khan Sarah Cox Tauilo Nwafor Miimetua Togo beat | 31
Life is a gift. Take care of it.
Search for “Life is a gift. Take care of it.” on Workplace to find out more about this campaign