Monday 1 December 2014: The festive season is upon us Compliments of the season Last week, it was great to hear one of the leading world experts on Public sector innovation make the following statement at an international conference: “It seems like where ever I travel - from Rio to Sydney - many people in health know the Canterbury story. I’ve worked with numerous wonderful public sector innovation programmes around the world, and I still regard the Canterbury transformation as one of the most inspiring, innovative and incredibly effective programmes that I have seen” David Albury, Board Director Innovation Unit (UK) It is always lovely to hear people from outside New Zealand describing some of the characteristics about the Canterbury Health System that we so often don’t see ourselves. This type of feedback reflects on the so many amazing things that have and are continuing to occur within Canterbury on the back of so many talented and committed health professionals and support staff throughout the Canterbury Health System. It has once again been a very challenging year, and once again you have all made such a difference to the health and wellbeing of our community.
Welcome to Summer Summer can be a very busy and social time in Canterbury. Whether you’re going away or staying close to home, it’s a great time for catching up with friends and family and getting outside and enjoying the long balmy evenings. Unfortunately summer is also characterised by much more drinking and its sometimes ugly consequences. Our Emergency Department see the impacts of this first hand, but the impact of alcohol harm can be felt right across our health system. It is estimated that alcohol related disorders cost Canterbury District Health Board between $60-$70 million dollars a year. In a move designed to reduce alcohol-related harm, starting from today, the alcohol limit for drivers aged 20 years and over will be lowered. Under the changes the breath alcohol limits for adult drivers 20 years and over will reduce from 400 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol per litre of breath, to 250mcg. The blood alcohol limits will reduce from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, to 50mg. The limit for under 20 year-old drivers remains zero. There are a number of factors that affect your ability to tolerate alcohol, including your sex, weight, age, whether you have eaten and being tired. The Police have been clear on their messaging that any alcohol can affect your ability to drive, and the only way to ensure you can drive safely is not to drink at all. If you do decide to drink make a plan for staying safe, get a ride with someone who will not be drinking, appoint a designated driver, get a taxi, stay overnight, or arrange for someone to come and get you. If you are hosting a party or get together make sure there’s plenty of non-alcoholic drinks available and lots of good food. During Dry July I got to taste some very refreshing mocktails all of which are alcohol-free check out Herbal Colada punch, Ginger and Cranberry Mojita, July De-tonic, and Green Peaches. You may have seen the ‘Not Beersies’ advertising campaign which promotes water as a healthy alternative to alcohol. 100% icy fresh H2O goes down very well on a hot day!
Christmas arrives early for Christchurch Hospital’s Child Health division I am also delighted to announce that this year’s Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal has raised $103,908.12 for us. The appeal has been running for eight years and the cheque was handed over last Friday. There’s a great story and photos about the appeal on page 8. Have a safe and healthy summer. David Meates
Canterbury Medical Grand Round Friday 5 December 2014, 12.15-1.15pm (lunch from 11.50am) Venue: Rolleston Lecture Theatre Speaker: Dr Philip Parkin, Clinical Director Neurology Title: “What’s the best specialty in Medicine?” In what he warns will likely be a rambling discourse, Dr Philip Parkin will present the case for Clinical Neurology taking out the title. Speaker: Dr Greg Frazer, Specialist Respiratory Medicine Title: "Lung Cancer - an update" Chair: Kate Grundy Convenor:Ruth.Spearing@cdhb.health.nz DVD Recordings available within two weeks on majority of sessions Video Conference set up in: • Burwood Meeting Room • Meeting Room, Level 1 PMH • Wakanui Room, Ashburton • Telemedicine Room, Admin. Building 6 – Hillmorton
New partnership and new look for security services Canterbury District Health Board and Allied Security begin a new partnership for the delivery of security services on 8 December. Allied Security has previous experience in partnering with DHBs to provide security services. The company says it is committed to creating a working environment that values its team members, and through mentoring and training, professional development encourages security guards to take a high level of personal pride in their performance and appearance. Allied Security's Vision Allied Security will provide a professional approach to security services at Canterbury District Health Board that is aligned with CDHB’s commitment to putting the patient first. This means security guards will be trained to understand and act with a patient-centred focus within an environment of care. They will provide wide ranging security services for patients, visitors, staff and CDHB assets without compromising the delivery of high quality health care through a tried and tested approach of customer service, negotiation skills and empathetic communication. Part of the Allied approach, and in agreement with CDHB, is a new uniform for security personnel, which will be seen on hospital campuses from the 8 December. Shaun Evans, CDHB Security Services Manager, models the new uniform in the photo below. More updates to come.
Corporate Security Services Manager Shaun Evans wearing the new uniform Friday 141 March Monday December 20142014
Monday’s Facilities Fast Facts Fast Facts – Burwood As the new buildings take shape, staff are beginning to look ahead and think about what the campus will be like as a place to work. One question that is starting to arise is – will there be enough parking for current staff, staff coming from The Princess Margaret Hospital, and for patients and visitors? The answer is yes. The eventual parking arrangements on the campus take into account all the anticipated volumes of extra traffic. It is also a condition of building consent that the project provides enough on-site parking.
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The map (click on map to enlarge) shows the logic of the final arrangements, with patient and visitor parking near the main entrance (blue), staff parking at the rear of the site (orange), and a dedicated area for afternoon and shift parking (green). If you are reading this as a hard copy the map can be found at cdhb.health.nz/About-CDHB/staff-resources/Documents/map_bwd.pdf Elsewhere on campus, please note that the old main entrance doors now have a container in front of them and are not accessible. Also the roadway into Gate 1 on Mairehau Road will again be closed from Wednesday 3 December for work on the fire ring main, although emergency/ambulance access will be maintained. Fast Facts – Christchurch It is starting to look more like a construction site at the rear of Christchurch Hospital (see photo below). The webcam now shows a vast 70,000 litre diesel tank that was delivered last week (green arrow). Another huge tank will arrive in the next week or so, for sewage. The tank is coming via the interisland ferry. The demolition of the old Oral Health building gets underway this week, beginning with the interior. There will be possible vibration and noise at the rear of Christchurch Women’s Hospital associated with a trial of sheet piling machinery. Sheet piling is needed to shore up the sides of the large excavations for the tanks mentioned above. Staff in areas likely to be affected have been notified about the trial. If the trial is acceptable to staff, then the main sheet piling work will go ahead. It’s worth noting that sheet piling was used while Christchurch Women’s Hospital was being built, with little effect on clinical staff or their work. There will also be noise associated with forthcoming concrete removal near the Oncology building. Again, staff have been notified.
Right: Progress on the area behind Christchurch Women’s Hospital.
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Bouquets Crisis Resolution, Specialist Mental Health Services A Grateful Father When a father (who once thought he could fix anything) receives a call for help from a daughter battling depression with its accompanying suicidal implications he realises how patently helpless he really is. During the past eighteen months I have watched my daughter's mental health deteriorate as she sought any device to block out the demons that plague her. She wouldn't let me in and chose her own remedies and research to manage, until late Saturday afternoon. On Saturday I got the call for help. "Help me Dad" can break your heart. I called Psych Emergency (an already overloaded Christchurch service) and felt immediately that we weren't alone. The team's [Isabelle Peach, Dara Bigwood and Tony Fitzgerald] immediate response after asking a few questions had a record of my daughter's particulars and summed up the situation professionally and they promptly went about the task saving her from herself and placing her in their care at Hillmorton Hospital. During the process my daughter tried to throw herself in front of a vehicle. I remember one of the team (Tony) rang me at about 11pm to say Sarah was safe. I felt tearful and so much relieved. You have a team of heroes in my book for which I am profoundly grateful. You are currently caring for one very frightened little girl who wants to be a good mother and wife. Please thank those that helped us last Saturday night and the team providing ongoing help that she is currently receiving. My heartfelt thanks. Ward 15, Christchurch Hospital I recently spent several days in Ward 15. My care was a team effort involving plenty of staff I saw, and plenty more I didn’t. I’m happy to say that my standard of care was very high. It seems unfair to pick one group, but I will: the nurses. My hour-by-hour comfort and confidence in my treatment relied heavily on their performance. Every single nurse involved in my care was wonderful – both competent and caring. While I fervently hope I never have need of their services again, I am confident about the standard of care I would receive should the need arise. Burwood Spinal Unit Rehabilitation (overall) I would rate as being of the highest level. The care and service given to me by specialists, surgeons, doctors, nurses and nurse aides was the finest care I have ever received. Ward 19, Christchurch Hospital I would like to thank all the staff of Ward 19 for their care and kindness during my recent stay. As a staff member of CDHB and of the older age group, I was very reassured to be cared for by the nurses of the future. I am delighted by the standard of care. Thank you again to all involved in my care.
Monday 1 December 2014
Xmas feast fun Staff at Christchurch Hospital were provided with a festive feast last week. A selection of delicious food was served up including ham or chicken, gourmet spuds, salad or coleslaw and not to forget peas and carrots. It could be finished off with either a sweet treat of steamed Christmas pud and custard, or a fabulous fresh fruit salad. As usual the annual staff Christmas lunch was so popular, the queue often extended out down the stairs to the corridor past AMAU. A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped with serving and collection duties. A voluntary gold coin collection went to the Christchurch City Mission Christmas Fund. Thanks also to Magician El Grego who provided light entertainment for the hungry punters as they queued while Graham Waldrop serenaded diners in the Café with a collection of well-known cover hits.
Magician El Grego entertains people waiting in the queue
Frank Connor got into the spirit of the event—he’s collecting the gold coin donation.
Hot potato, hot potato—Allan Katzef on service duty
Monday 1 December 2014
Graham Waldrop entertains
Scholarship recipients grateful for opportunity For the first time Pegasus Health has awarded nursing scholarships to nursing students from refugee or migrant backgrounds. The four scholarship recipients are: Nida Alizadah (Afghanistan), Ade George, (Nigeria), Ai Niida (Japan) and Anna Inhwa Lee (South Korea). Nida, a refugee from Afghanistan who settled in Christchurch in 2004, lived in her home country when the Taleban were at their strongest. The future looked bleak, she says, and increased threats drove her father to join others on the ship the Tampa, which ended up in Australia. He was settled in New Zealand and sponsored Nida, her mother, and two brothers, to come to this country. The extremist régime Nida lived under put in place severe restrictions on girls’ education, so after completing secondary school in Christchurch she was thrilled to be in the position of being able to choose a future career. “I, once a young refugee girl from one of the world’s most troubled countries, was so pleased to have such a unique opportunity to create my future,” she says. She wanted a profession through which she could be of service to humanity. Nursing was ideal. “Ever since I embarked on a life full of peace and opportunities in New Zealand I have always dreamt of being capable of giving back to my society what it had gifted me – hope.” She was also aware that it was a significant milestone for her family as she was the first female in her family’s history to attend tertiary education. “I fully realise my fortune and constantly remind myself of the millions of deprived girls in Afghanistan and around the world who have lost hope.” Ade George, originally from Nigeria, says she chose nursing so she could touch the lives of others and reduce barriers to healthcare for ethnic minorities. She hopes to work in primary care and develop links with religious and community leaders to educate people on issues such as smoking and diabetes. Ai Niida, formerly of Japan, said becoming a nurse has been her goal since her brother, who had cerebral palsy, died 18 years ago. Years later when she lived in Christchurch, meeting a group of Japanese Red Cross nurses sent to support Japanese migrants affected by the Canterbury earthquakes also inspired her. Generalisations and stereotypes can lead to misunderstandings and misdiagnosis, which can adversely affect health outcomes, she says. “I strongly believe we need more health professionals who truly understand cultural, religious and language differences.” For example, in Japanese culture, mental disorders are regarded as a sign of weakness, while enduring pain and distress is a virtue. Anna Inhwa Lee (South Korea) moved to Christchurch with her family in 2002 when she was 10 years old. She is passionate about promoting health service delivery to New Zealand Koreans. There are big differences between the Korean and New Zealand health systems which have the potential to cause confusion among Korean migrants, she says. “For instance, in Korea there is no primary, secondary and tertiary health systems, so Korean people do not have a General Practitioner and there is no role of a General Practice Nurse.” She knows of elderly Koreans who travel by bus to the other side of Christchurch so they can talk to a Korean-speaking Pharmacist.
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Continued…. “Some do not know the reason they are taking certain medications, their dose, frequency, side effects, precautions and contraindications. These stories really upset me as a future nurse. I want to help.” Refugee and Migrant Health Manager for Pegasus, Wayne Reid, said as part of the application process, each applicant wrote a 1000 word essay. “Reading these was both humbling and rewarding. The final decision was not easy. This is the future face of health, a workforce which reflects our diverse cultures.”
At the scholarship presentation: From left, Professor Andrew Hornblow (Chair, Pegasus Community Board); Ai Niida (Japanese), Ade George (Nigerian); Anna Inhwa Lee (Korean); Nida Alizadah (Afghani); Natu Rama (Chair, Pegasus CALD Health Reference Group), and Vince Barry (CEO, Pegasus Health).
Knitted gifts for Neonatal unit Christchurch Women’s Hospitals’ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was the lucky recipient of more than 80 beautifully knitted garments for babies last week. Booties, singlets, hats, cardigans and layettes were knitted by inmates at Christchurch Women’s Prison using wool donated by The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem (Order of St Lazarus). Two Corrections Officers presented the items to CDHB Neonatal Paediatrician, Nicola Austin. “This is the first time we have received knitted items from this group and they are keen to provide more. Some of these lovely sets will be given as Christmas presents to parents of young babies in our care and others will go to families in need,” says Nicola. Left: Jan Hadfield from the Order of St Lazarus
Right: Corrections Officers Jo Stewart and Tracy Tyro with some of the donated items.
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Donation from Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal Christchurch Hospital’s Child Health division received a welcome early Christmas present last Friday – a cheque for $103,908.12 from the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal. Countdown Area Manager, Christchurch, Tom Dear, told those gathered at the cheque presentation ceremony at Countdown Eastgate that it’s been the appeal’s most successful year yet. “I want to thank our customers, suppliers and your generosity Pauline Clark and Countdown Area Manager for making that happen. I applaud you for your passion, drive Tom Dear and energy.” Tom, who himself raised $1100 by walking a half marathon, also paid tribute to West Melton girl, Maddie Collins, who acts as an ambassador for the appeal. Maddie has kidney disease, Nephrotic Syndrome FSGS and has a donated kidney. “Despite the trials and tribulations of your own health you have been prepared to help us,” he said. Regan Austin, Area Champion for Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal and Store Manager for Countdown, Eastgate, praised the work of Countdown staff. “I am very pleased to say that our area raised the most in the whole country. I would especially like to thank the store champions. Without their support and motivation we wouldn’t have raised so much,” she said. CDHB General Manager, Medical-Surgical and Womens-Childrens Health, Pauline Clark, said CDHB, the team in Child Health and the whole Christchurch Hospital campus are humbled by the amount of money that was raised and the efforts involved. “The fact that people find enough energy and passion to use their discretionary time to raise money for us is humbling, and the contribution continues to grow. We value this highly. You are investing in our country’s dreams – our children – thank you.” This year two expensive items, resuscitaires, costing $22,000 each would be bought, along with other items such as breast pumps and bed wetting monitors. A resuscitaire is a resuscitation cart which has a heated table and can monitor and assess an unwell baby and provide oxygen. Now in its eighth year, the appeal runs from August until the end of October and involves a series of local and national fundraising events organised by Countdown supermarkets, support offices and local district health boards. The appeal has raised $8.2 million over the past eight years for children’s wards around the country.
Countdown Eastgate Manager Regan Austin with children from the Samoan Early Childhood Centre Tino e Tasi who entertained at the presentation.
Monday 1 December 2014
User Account Management– enrol now to save yourself frustration later No more hanging on the phone to the ISG Service Desk to reset your computer password or get back into your locked user account! From tomorrow you’ll be able to sort this out yourself. Look on the Intranet under Workday Essentials – Password Reset / Unlock Account The new Account Management site shows how to: Enrol / update with User Account Management Unlock your account and reset your password Update your phone book / enrolled mobile number and other internal phone book numbers. To make sure you can achieve this self-service status you need to enrol now – before you need to reset or unlock. Questions you may have: What is a user account? All CDHB staff needing to use computers on the CDHB network will have a user account and a password. Your user account holds security information about which systems and applications you have access to within your role at CDHB. When you first start up a computer there is a prompt which says something like: Press CTRL + ALT + Delete to log on. You are unable to use this computer until you put in a login name and password. What is a locked user account? If an incorrect password is entered against your login name more than 5 times within 30 minutes, the system will lock you out. This means you will not be able to get into any CDHB computer using your login. Why is my user account locked? It could be locked because: The wrong password was entered against the user login more than 5 times Your password has expired and you’ve tried to login more than 5 times Your account has expired and you’ve tried to login more than 5 times Someone else uses the computer but tries their password against your login You have recently changed your password and your old password is still stored within an application on your computer. That application could be automatically trying to access the system by using your old password. What is a locked computer? If someone else is logged on to the computer and has locked it out (by pushing CTRL + ALT + Delete and choosing ‘lock this computer’) you will not be able to use it unless you switch user and put in your login and password. It will show you who has been using the computer. Sometimes people don’t realise that someone else has been using the computer and they try and use their password with the other person’s logon. This will lead to a locked user account for the person who is currently logged on. To find answers to other questions concerning User Account Management and detailed information check out the documentation.
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Monday 1 December 2014
First SI PICS ‘open office’ a success, AND there’s now a SharePoint site! SI PICS = South Island Patient Information Care System. From next September, it’ll vastly improve patient management and flow through our system – streamlining the patient journey and saving both patient and clinician valuable time. Considering that the PICs team and Orion Health only agreed to give the ‘open office’ a try on Monday and the event itself was on Thursday morning, the first one went really well and is sure to build from here. About 20 people, a good mix from Hillmorton, Christchurch and The Princess Margaret Hospital staff came through during the course of the morning, with Dennis Kettle (Orion Health) and Andrew Hall (Function Design Group, FDG) taking turns to demonstrate the system and field questions. The key purpose of the open office sessions is to raise awareness that PICS is coming and that it’s going to be well worth the wait, and to engage future users. The team is also offering the opportunity for “hands on” interaction with the system (try it and see). During this early development stage, user input is especially vital in shaping a system that works better for everybody. The PICS team are pleased to announce that their SharePoint site is now live on the CDHB intranet home page under Projects. http://cdhbintranet/corporate/PICS/SitePages/Home.aspx The development of a page on the intranet is a key step in ensuring there is a single place you can go for the latest information, to find out more about the project, to remind yourself of things you have read before and to introduce the team. It’s early days yet but as we have more to tell you, the site will grow and become ever more useful.
Entries for the MPBE $10,000 Health Innovation Challenge now closed The MPBE $10,000 Health Innovation Challenge, offered in association with Via Innovations closed yesterday. Entries will be judged during December and the winner will be announced early in the New Year. The winner/s will receive $10,000 worth of development time, materials and marketing to help make their idea a reality. ‘Runner-up’ projects may also be considered for development. Remember though that the MPBE team is always available to work with you on any equipment development or modification needs you have. More information for potential innovators who want to find out about MPBE’s capabilities can be found at www.cdhb.health.nz/mpbe. You can contact them on ext. 80852; (03) 364 0852 or by email at mpbe@cdhb.health.nz
Monday 1 December 2014
Learning Forum Webinar: UpToDate Product Enhancements: Easier, Faster Access to Clinical Questions Staff are invited to join the next Learning Forum webinar, UpToDate Product Enhancements: Easier, Faster Access to Clinical Questions. Are you using UpToDate in the most efficient manner? Would you like to gain access to evidence based clinical information, faster? Join for this informative webinar to learn how to quickly get to the right clinical decisions at the point of care. Clinicians will benefit from hearing from two of UpToDate’s senior product managers sharing a review of the robust product features implemented in 2014. This session includes:
New search enhancements and user interface designed to help clinicians find answers to clinical questions faster than ever, UpToDate Anywhere for broad access to clinical answers, and a summary of our newest specialty, Palliative Care. Click below to register for the session that works best for you: Wednesday December 10 at 1:00am EST (NZ time)
Register Today When: December 10 This complimentary session is being offered worldwide. Duration: 30 minutes Cost: Free
Wednesday December 10 at 7:00am EST (NZ time) Wednesday December 10 at 4:30pm EDT (NZ time) This valuable webinar will help you and your colleagues enhance the use of UpToDate where ever you are providing care – in the hospital, at the office or while on remote assignment.
Consumer Council Update As part of continuing expansion and increased consumer participation across the Canterbury Health System, Consumer Council members are actively involved in a number of projects: the Patient Portal Pilot CDHB Health, Quality and Safety looking at falls visual aids which is part of the Falls Prevention Programme and is currently being trialled in a Christchurch Hospital ward – The Falls visual aids project ensures staff and visitors know at a perspective on what vulnerable patients require to assist them with mobility. Consumer Council members were particularly interested in the language used and advocated for awareness that the use of medical/clinical terms around patient care may have a significant impact on peoples’ status in the community when they leave hospital. Infection Prevention and control board. The Consumer Council are currently recruiting for three new members to represent: 1. Alcohol and Drug Addiction. 2. Chronic Conditions, and 3. Men’s Health Nomination forms for these positions can be accessed by emailing consumercouncil@cdhb.health.nz; if you or someone you know is interested in providing consumer representation for any of the above areas. For any queries relating to the Consumer Council or to request their participation please email consumercouncil@cdhb.health.nz or phone Wayne Turp (03) 364 4130. Monday 1 December 2014
Something For You CDHB Staff Christmas
At Something For You we value: Wellbeing; Community; Family & Friends and Caring for One Another. This holiday season we’d like to give you the opportunity to win! Our partners have generously supplied us with some prizes – from electronics, home wares, books, gym memberships, beauty therapy, vouchers and more! Submit your photo living the values of Something For You (email SomethingForYou@cdhb.health.nz) by 12 December. Vote for your favourite photo from today, the photos with the most votes will be in for a prize. Photos will appear on the Something For You Christmas page. For ideas and entries already supplied visit: Something For You.
Read the latest SCIRT news here
Monday 1 December 2014
Information / Reporting Analyst Does developing performance dashboards, poring over monitoring reports and digging around in data sound good to you? The Canterbury and West Coast District Health Boards have huge challenges ahead and there’s much we want to achieve. In order to deliver the best care for our population we need to understand and recognise what we do well, and what we need to do better. Here’s a chance for you to use your numerical and analytical skills to help evaluate and articulate the performance of the Canterbury and West Coast Health Systems, and to be part of two uniquely different organisations making real gains in improving the health of their populations. Your initial focus will be on: Supporting the Accountability Team to develop the Annual Plans, Statements of Intent and Māori Health Plans of the Canterbury and West Coast DHBs. Preparing Statements of Service Performance that provide our community with a fair and accurate summary of our achievements. Supporting the development and delivery of a coherent reporting framework that allow our leadership teams to track project activity in the context of system level outcomes. Sound easy? In order to achieve this: you will love working with and presenting data; you will be able to focus on the small details but still see the bigger picture; you will have a reputation for consistently delivering high quality work; and your graphs and charts will be a thing of beauty. This is a full-time position and is based in Christchurch but there will be occasional travel to the West Coast. Before you submit your application please read the position description. Your application should include a covering letter (of no more than a page) outlining why you are perfect for this role, your CV and a completed application form through the CDHB Careers website. To find out more contact Stacey Flintoff, Recruitment Specialist on (03) 378 6676 or email: stacey.flintoff@cdhb.health.nz
We’d love you to join us and share, like, or retweet our posts. Want to know more about roles available at the Canterbury District Health Board?
Visit: https://cdhb.careercentre.net.nz
Monday 1 December 2014
One minute with… Dan Coward, General Manager, Older Persons, Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation What does your job involve? I have the privilege of being in a leadership role across a really diverse group of services, from the community dental service across South Canterbury all the way to North Canterbury; orthopaedics across the campus and West Coast; community focused teams including CREST, Psychiatric Support for the Elderly and the list goes on; our rehabilitation services including the specialist areas of the spinal and brain injury units through to the inpatient environment of older persons health. It provides me the opportunity to look at what we do, how we do it and where we need to provide the focus, (plus the odd meeting). Why did you choose to work in this field? I became involved with CDHB during the development of the central city plan and a number of the anchor projects and was impressed at the organisation’s vision and innovation. The more I looked the more I realised it was an organisation that I felt I could be part of and I have not regretted it. What do you like about it? The people make a place, and having such a diverse group of people you never get tired of learning about each part of our service. Couple that with how complex the entire health system is, the challenge of understanding and learning is stimulating. Knowing that we want to make a difference to the wellbeing of someone is a special field to be involved in. What are the challenging bits? For me the challenging bits have been the language and coming to grips with the complexity and the size. I don’t believe people realise how big an organisation we are, the true extent of services we provide, not just to Canterbury but to the South Island, and for some services the lower half of the North Island. Because of the size and expectations, ensuring I am able to get out amongst the teams, to understand and see what they do and be visible, is the challenge for me. It’s a good reminder that to do the role effectively, it is not an office role. Who do you most admire in a professional capacity at work and why? There are a number of people I admire but I think it is the ethos I admire the most. That the many disciplines that all contribute to the delivery of care, whether medical, clinical or support all believe and want to make a difference. The last book I read was… The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo. If I could be anywhere in the world right now it would be… In a small seaside village in Italy. My ultimate Sunday would involve… It has to involve a good book, and the hammock I have next to my olive trees and preferably an ice cold drink….like a soda and lime! One food I really dislike is… Parsnip My favourite music is… Mumford and Sons is my current music choice. If you would like to take part in this column or would like to nominate someone please contact Naomi.Gilling@cdhb.health.nz.
Monday 1 December 2014
Monday 1 December 2014