Spring 2012 Inside this Issue
FROM THE CHAIR Dear Members, This is my first newsletter as incoming Chair of ISEPICH and it is my first chance to express my thanks and my excitement in taking on this role. It is an exciting and challenging time for Primary Care Partnerships (PCPs) across the state. ISEPICH is committed to being a strong agent for our diverse members across the Inner South East. I come to this role bringing the experience of 10 years in Mental Health Drug and Alcohol leadership at Inner South Community Health Service. My current role as General Manager, Organisational Support & Development. ISEPICH also has an experienced new Deputy Chair in June Gray and a new staff team led by Executive Officer Wendy Dawson who brings extensive experience and passion in integrated service planning. Our focus is to deliver on our core mission in service integration, population health planning, health promotion and integrated chronic disease management. As it is a transition year for PCPs, planning will be front and centre and there will be lots of opportunities for members to shape our planning. The Victorian Government has committed to PCPs in the medium term and we are funded until June 2015. In the new era of Medicare Locals ISEPICH has developed a strong, vibrant relationship with Bayside Medicare Local (BML) of which ISEPICH is a member. In addition BML are a member agency of ISEPICH and their CEO, Elizabeth Deveny sits on our Executive. This additional capacity for partnership planning in our region is a great opportunity to achieve more together. We are also working closely with Kingston Bayside PCP to work as effective partners delivering across the broader Inner South East and Middle South. Stay tuned. Finally, our reinvigorated Working Group structure provides the framework for achieving our purpose. Members of ISEPICH have the opportunity to drive the work together. So please get involved and I look forward to working together. Warm regards, Kent Burgess ISEPICH Chair
Message from ISEPICH Chair & Deputy Chair
Meet Robert Seifman—ISEPICH Executive
News on Diabetes Clinical Network progress to date
Bayside Medicare Local Latest News
Community Advisory Group Report
Membership to all ISEPICH Working Groups
Housing crises – the latest news
FROM THE DEPUTY CHAIR Dear Members. It is a pleasure to introduce myself in this newsletter as incoming Deputy Chair of ISEPICH. I look forward to working with you all during this next phase of Primary Care Partnerships devel‐ opment. As a Manager of RDNS sites at Altona, Moorabbin and currently Caulfield I bring many years of experience in the Home and Community Care field. I have been on the Executive of ISEPICH for the past 20 months and prior to this on the Executive of Kingston Bayside PCP for 12 months. I have a belief that it is only through the build‐ ing of strong partnerships that we can improve co‐ordination, address chronic conditions and promote healthy lifestyles to clients in our communities. Our members are from a diverse range of member agencies. This brings opportunities, I hope that everyone is able to bring their talents to our working groups. I am very much looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead working with all our members and new Executive team.
Regards, June Gray, Deputy ISEPICH Chair
Spring 2012
New board appointed to improve health care across Bayside A new board has been elected to Bayside Medicare Local to drive much-needed healthcare reforms towards better prevention, early intervention and more coordination of health services in the region. Bayside Medicare Local, which serves Melbourne’s southern suburbs, is one of 61 Medicare Locals now established across Australia, to bring all parts of the primary healthcare system together so that patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Improving access to after-hours primary health care services and supporting people and families to recover from mental illnesses are among the top priorities for the region. The board of directors was announced at a special general meeting. The directors are: Michael Nolan – a local GP who has provided team care to patients for 30 years, owns a medical practice in Cheltenham, and has served on boards of state and national primary care organisations, including General Practice Victoria and Australian General Practice Network. Alison Roberts – a Bayside resident and pharmacist with a keen interest in health reform, who is the Director of Policy and Practice at the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. Danielle Mazza – the head of the Department of General Practice at Monash University who brings extensive policy and practice experience to the board. Chris Fox – the CEO of the Central Bayside Community Health Services who has been the head of a number of health services including the Eastern Health Service, Peninsula Health Care Network and Box Hill Hospital, and a director on the transition board. Anne Lyon – a director on the transition board who has served in a number of senior governance roles in the health and community sector, and been involved in primary health programs in the innersouth. Anne was a clinician and nursing educator in her early professional life and has a masters in public policy and management. Steven Kaye – an experienced board director and doctor who became a passionate GP after a decade of hospital practice at Monash Medical Centre, Box Hill, Maroondah and Frankston hospitals. Steven has been actively involved over the past 15 years in the general practice division network and was deputy chair of the transition board.
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Community Participation
The current year has seen a significant turnover in membership of the Community Advisory Group with a total of 7 new members out of a membership of 9. The loss of members and subsequent new membership has required a focus on the role and purpose of the group. Significant discussions have been held on the most appropriate role for CAG particularly within the context of the review of ISEPICH and emerging regional structures. The group has actively participated in the development of a range of ISEPICH projects including: The Physical Activities website Port Phillip Health and Wellbeing Plan for 2013-2015. Medical Student project aimed at reducing levels of smoking amongst residents of rooming and boarding houses. A planning meeting was held that identified key priorities for the coming year. Develop greater understanding of community health issues. Seek active participation in local groups with a similar purpose Enhance role of CAG in Groups and working parties within ISEPICH and linked structures. It is pleasing to note that members of the group are extremely active and meetings have a high level of energy and participation. John Wise Chair, Community Advisory Group
Spring 2012
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Housing crises – the latest news “Along with the traditional services provided by Emergency Relief (ER), such as the provision of food, clothing, transport assistance, and other material aid, a large proportion of an ER agency’s time and resources is being directed towards housing support. This includes providing showers, meals, swags, and clothing to homeless clients; money for rent for clients seeking to maintain their housing tenure; and money towards bond for clients seeking to enter the private mar‐ ket. Worryingly, ER services are experiencing greater de‐ mand and are increasingly providing supplementary sup‐ port due to a lack of housing services in their region. ER providers are increasingly advocating on behalf of clients around housing issues and placing clients in emergency accommodation sourced from the agency’s own resources. The key findings (n=130) were: Across 130 agencies, the total number of clients that presented to Victorian ER providers over the last 12 months was 266,694. The 130 agencies that responded to this survey repre‐ sent approximately 18.6% of all Victorian organisations that provide ER. More than a third of respondents indicated that be‐ tween 51‐100% of their clients presented with a housing related issue over the last 12 months, with respondents identifying housing insecurity as a major cause of clients seeking ER. “ Report from ER Victoria and CISVic. November 2012. Contact ISEPICH@portphillip.vic.gov.au for a pdf copy. ER Victoria is the peak body for the Victorian emergency relief sector. CISVic is the peak body for the community information & support sector
News on progress with the much anticipated Diabetes Clinical Network Following the March 2012 State‐wide Diabetes Workshop convened by Diabetes South East (DSE) Consortium, a diabetes round table discussion was recently organised at the Minister’s request. The aim was to discuss improving diabetes prevention and control across the State. Strategic advice to inform diabetes‐related activities of the Australian National Preventive Health Agency was also developed. Professor Helena Teede was invited to participate along with consumer representatives, Diabetes Australia, Medicare locals, Jim Best NHMRC/ St Vincents and Paul Zimmet from Baker IDI. Professor Teede presented the earlier workshop outcomes on behalf of the Diabetes South East Consortium. It was agreed that in the first instance a high level advisory group comprised of round table participants will progress the establishment of the statewide diabetes clinical network and issues raised in the round table including an overarching framework.
MEET A MEMBER OF THE ISEPICH EXECUTIVE Robert Seifman practices as a member of the Victorian Bar (and has done so for over thirty years). He has served on many charitable committees in the past including United Jewish Education Board and Jewish Welfare (the forerunner of Jewish Care). The Executive were delighted to receive his nomination during the election process in April 2012 and have warmly welcomed him. Robert has volunteered to take on the Executive role of chairing an innovative and important ISEPICH committee that will lead ISEPICH human rights and social inclusion priorities. The role of the committee (working title: Get Moving It’s Local) includes providing advice (to Executive and to staff) on upcoming ISEPICH work in the areas of reconciliation, family violence and violence against women, gambling prevention and promotion of mobility and independence through the physical activity website. Robert is currently the President of Kosher Meals on Wheels which supplies a service to the Jewish community. All members of the committee serve in a voluntary capacity as do the deliverers of products to aged people in their own home. Robert is acutely aware of the needs of the aged and infirm as he serves as power of attorney for his dementia beset uncle who is 84 and his 89 year old mother. Kosher Meals on Wheels interacts with hospitals, the prison system and aged care facilities all of which he monitors and visits. Robert holds a Masters Degree in Criminology and sits on the Appeals Board of the Football Federation of Victoria providing experience in dealing with confrontational situations, mediations (both as an advocate and as a mediator). This is also relevant to council and statutory authorities. He is multi lingual (German Hebrew Yiddish and French) and has experience in mentoring and as a part time teacher. His commitment to community participation is well known and he regularly attends communal functions in relation to the committees on which he serves.
Spring 2012
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ISEPICH has recently reviewed its Partnership Agreement similar to a Constitution for ISEPICH. The steering committees and working groups have been reviewed and reinvigorated. Expressions of Interest/Nominations to join these groups was advertised. This page contains the current lists of committees, there Chairs and members representing member agencies. ISEPICH is looking forward to an active and interesting 2013.
SCIDM Working Group Anna Peterson Anna Thomas Chris Hill Freda Goldberg Jill Day June Gray Katherine Baggaley Maureen Smith Julie Rooney Sally Howe
Alfred Health ISEPICH Community Advisory Group Bentleigh Bayside Community Health Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre Bayside Medicare Local Royal District Nursing Service Inner South Community Health Service Aged Care Assessment Service City of Port Phillip Cabrini Health
Get Moving, It’s Local (working title) Chloe Millar Cara Kennedy Emma Asscher Helena Bishop Jackie Gleeson Erika Robertson Ghislaine Sweet Noelle Taylor Robert Seifman (Chair) Tracey Collins
ISEPICH Community Advisory Group Hanover St Kilda Legal Services WHISE (Women’s Health in the South East) Bentleigh Bayside Community Health City Of Port Phillip City Of Port Phillip City Of Port Phillip Kosher Meals on Wheels Gamblers Help Southern
ISEPICH Executive Members Kent Burgess (Chairperson) Inner South Community Health Service June Gray (Deputy Chairperson) Royal District Nursing Service Leo Kelly City of Port Phillip Stephen Lardner City of Stonington Elizabeth Deveny Bayside Medicare Local John Ashfield Alfred Health Rebecca Colcott City of Glen Eira Chris Hill Bentleigh Bayside Community Health
Health Promotion, Prevention and Population Health Steering Committee (HipPipH)
Eva Orr WHISE (Women’s Health in the South East)
David Godden Annette Forde Colleen Slater Deb Hubbard Genevieve Nolan Freda Goldberg
Michele Lewis MECWA Care
Helena Bishop Jackie Gleeson June Gray Lucy Squires Mark Saunders Megan Buick Michelle Guille Laura Newstead Stephen Lardner Ghislaine Sweet
Inner South Community Health Service City of Stonnington Caulfield Hospital Dept of Health Arthritis Vic Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre WHISE Bentleigh Bayside Community Health Royal District Nursing Service City of Glen Eira City of Glen Eira Bayside Medicare Local Dept of Health ISEPICH City Manager, City of Stonnington (Chair) City of Port Phillip
Ahmed Zeed New Hope Foundation Inc. Robert Seifman Kosher Meals On Wheels Mary Riley Port Phillip Community Group John Wise ISEPICH Community Advisory Group