MerriNews
Volume 14. December 2016
Inside this issue:
1. BACK PAIN CLINIC SUCCESS
2. PREPPING FOR THE NDIS
3. YGLAM SHARE THEIR SELF CARE TIPS
4. HOW WE SUPPORT YOUNG CARERS
In this issue:
3. N o more pains; many gains
4. How to prep for the NDIS
5. Self care 101
7. Celebrating and acknowledging carers
7. Supporting young carers’ needs
Merri Health @MerriHealth
© All applicable copyrights reserved for Merri Health. No part of this publication may be replicated in any manner or medium, without the permission of Merri Health, except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).
Welcome As 2016 draws to a close it’s an opportunity to reflect on what has been an extremely busy year for Merri Health and to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of our staff. With the current ongoing reforms occurring across the sector I would like to acknowledge and thank the significant work and investment made to support the organisation transition in this new environment by our staff across the organisation. There have been multiple working groups and reviews of current service delivery models that have taken place with significant investment and effort from our staff to ensure we can continue to deliver and expand our services to the communities we support.
into an integrated primary care centre to further expand our services.
In December we underwent a full cycle accreditation review against four standards applicable to the service delivery we provide. The outcome of the accreditation was hugely successful and highlights the commitment and high quality of services we deliver by our staff with us meeting all standards and achieving several met with merit achievements.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our staff, supporters, partners and clients for their commitment and support to Merri Health and for the commitment in delivering services that support our communities and also wish everyone the best wishes of the season.
With the recent purchase of the ‘Merri Corner’ planning is underway and will continue in coming months for the planned redevelopment of the site
2. | MerriNews December 2016
2017 will be another busy year for our organisation as we continue to make the transition to alternative funding streams and expand our service delivery across the catchments we deliver to communities. Our initial transition into the NDIS is progressing well and we will continue this rollout as the NDIS is further expanded across Victoria.
Nigel Fidgeon Chief Executive Officer – Merri Health
No more pains; many gains
Merri Health and Melbourne Health’s Back pain Assessment & Management Service (BAMS) was awarded for Excellence in providing alternative care paths, at the Victorian Public Healthcare Award.
Merri Health and Melbourne Health’s back pain clinic was awarded for their innovative and successful service.
The back pain project was established to provide improved patient access to evidence-based, non-surgical, individual and group therapy services in the community, a lot sooner than they would be seen in a hospital. BAMS can also help treat that person onsite, which has helped reduce hospital and surgical wait lists significantly. Neurosurgery waiting list has reduced from 1501 to 621 patients and orthopaedic spinal surgery reduced from 139 to 35 patients 18 months post BAMS implementation. Patients are seen in the BAMS within 10 weeks of referral (compared to 2 years wait with traditional spinal surgery clinics).
Bringing country home Residents have had their artwork, a mosaic table, chosen by Minster Martin Foley to feature on his 2016 Christmas card! The artwork creation was part of a garden transformation by The Queens Lodge art group, who set out to create a communal and relaxing space for residents of the lodge with the support of Merri Health and Arts Access. The Queens Lodge is a supported residential service that offer accommodation and low level of care for people who need support in everyday life, such as people who are frail or have a disability. After 18 months of hard work, the residents now have a space that they can enjoy! The project, named “Bringing Country Home,” had residents involved in the design, creation and
Results have been very positive, with 1,267 patients triaged into the BAMS to date, and of these: • 52 % were referred for physiotherapy and 31% had medications altered, reflecting best practice of optimising non-surgical management. • 25% had further investigations (7% MRI, 5% x-ray, 4% bone scan) and 6% were referred for spinal injections. The low number of MRI scans represents a potential costsaving of $90K per annum to the health system. • 4% were referred to chronic pain services, and 3% to neurosurgery or orthopaedics. The BAMS model commenced July 2014, and is supported by Workforce Innovation Project Grant funding awarded by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). To find out more about BAM, call (03) 9350 4000
helping in the manual labour of the garden. The garden is an important space for the residents as it is where most of them meet and walk through on a daily basis. As such, different spaces were created so that there were quiet and social areas. Not only has this been a busy time for the residents, it has been a journey that has empowered them to have ownership of the space in which they live. The residents said that it has been a rewarding and productive process. The Queens Lodge art group has existed for a number of years and in this time has developed many projects. The first of these was “Connecting to Country,” which had the residents creating art to explore their relationship to Australia’s native landscape. To find out more about how we support Supported Residential Services and its residents, call (03) 9355 9900.
MerriNews December 2016 | 3.
We took the oath against violence
Merri Health is incredibly proud to have stood with our partners and local community, making our voices heard as we said no to violence against women. On Friday, 25 November we took the oath to never remain silent, as we marched with our partners Moreland City Council, Victoria Police, Casa Cultura and the MFB as part of White Ribbon Day. We heard from Moreland City Council CEO Nerina Di Lorenzo and new Mayor Cr Helen Davidson, as well as members of the local Victoria Police, who informed us on some shocking statistics on violence in the home. White Ribbon Day is the annual maleled campaign for the prevention of violence against women. This year we came together to raise awareness and engage with the community, urging them to stand together with us in our commitment to this cause. Thank you to everyone who joined us on the day and said no to violence. Have you seen our ‘Healthcare that moves with you’ t-shirts? If you see us around wearing them, come and have a chat!
How to prep for the NDIS Your first contact with the NDIS is the most important to communicate exactly what you need. We’ve put together our tips for preparing for your NDIS planning meeting so that you can get the most out of the NDIS. • When contacted by the planner insist on a face to face meeting. • Bring someone you trust to the meeting to assist (Merri Health staff are available). • Prepare a carer impact statement – Your Merri Health Worker can assist you with this. • Prepare in advance any questions you may have. • Gather any support letters, reports and documents regarding your needs • If you have the opportunity send the planner relevant information prior to the meeting. • Talk to your Merri Health Worker about meeting with you before the NDIS planning meeting to assist with preparations. • At the planning meeting describe your worst day to the planner. • Think of any creative ways to assist the planner to understand you eg photos,
mobile phone video of you engaging in an activity or communicating with others. • Familiarise yourself with the NDIS website and particularly “My NDIS Pathway” document. • If possible chat to someone else who has already gone through the process or chat to an advocacy agency such as VALID. • If you need an interpreter ask the planner for interpreters to be funded in the plan • If the availability of respite is important to you or your family, write down the reasons why this is needed, and what you can achieve when someone other than your family is supporting you. Think about what you want to achieve in life. You can take advantage of what the NDIS can offer – so be specific. Your Merri Health worker can assist you with this.
How can we help? We have many services that we can help you with under the NDIS. Call 1300 MERRI H (1300 63774 4) or email ndis@ merrihealth.org.au 4. | MerriNews December 2016
Self Care 101 YGLAM participant KC, has been involved in the group’s social media campaign #ThisCampaignIsQueer. During Mental Health Week, they wrote an article on the importance of self care. “Self care is the art of looking after oneself. This can be as simple as taking time out to read a book or have a nice, relaxing bath. However, there are also people who, due to physical or psychological barriers, frequently need to engage in self care activities in order to get by day to day. Simple self care techniques can help with executive dysfunction, can ease anxiety, make daily tasks more manageable for people with low energy levels, and can improve your general mental health and wellbeing. It’s important for everyone to engage in self care from time to time, regardless of what mental state you are currently in. As someone who has multiple disorders and mental illnesses, self care has become a vital part of my daily life, although it has taken a great deal of time and effort to find what specific techniques work best for me. I have compiled a list of things that I personally find to be incredibly effective, particularly for symptoms such as lack of motivation and/or energy, negative thinking patterns, panic attacks, executive dysfunction, poor
concentration and distractibility. However, not everybody will respond to certain activities in the same way. I suggest using this piece as a starting point; you may find that some tasks work for you but not others, or that you may need to modify some of the tasks to suit your specific needs. You might even find that none of the tasks work for you, and that’s perfectly okay! Maybe try thinking about why they don’t work and creating your own self care techniques based on that, or jump on google and search for other ideas.” Go to https://goo.gl/wx6iQb to read the article in full.
Image drawn by Charlie Osborne, YGLAM participant
Fresh success The Community Grocer Fawkner was originally planned to last 3 months as a pilot. One year later, and the grocer is still running, experiencing an average of 100 customers a week. • In its first year, Fawkner has seen over 50 markets had over 4,000 customers - many who return to do their weekly fruit and vegetable shopping. • The Community Grocer finished as a finalist in the Minister for Health Volunteer Awards 2016. • Since launching, we have developed partnerships with local food relief and community food security agencies such as Hope Cafe, Open Table, Fawkner’s Welcome Dinner for newly arrived community members, and the Fawkner Community House. • The team behind the grocer have also run special events and extra markets as part of the Fawkner Food Festival and two local primary schools.
• The quantity of produce on offer has increased by 75%, and variety of produce on offer has expanded by 270%. • 14 volunteers have been active in working at the market, in a range of roles. The market runs 9.30am-12.30pm at CB Smith Reserve every Wednesday with a free vegetable barbecue from noon. Any leftover produce is donated to relief agencies. Calling for volunteers! Currently the market is seeking volunteers! If you are interested in helping out on a Wednesday morning, email Donna Anastasiadis at donna.anastasiadis@merrihealth.org.au or call 03 8319 7437. MerriNews December 2016 | 5.
Celebrating and acknowledging carers This year CarerLinks North held a series of events in celebration, acknowledgement and appreciation of the huge contribution carers make to our community. Young Carers Little Dreamers Festival
Family Fun Day
Young carers from northern Melbourne attended the the Little Dreamers Festival on Saturday, 15 October. Acknowledging that young carers are just like superheroes, the theme this year was superheroes!
CarerLinks North hosted a family fun day at Funfields amusement park on Saturday, 22 October.
CarerLinks North supported a small group of young carers to attend, and met other young carers and their families at the Treasury Gardens. The event was put on for young carers and their families and included a petting zoo, jumping castles, blender bikes, cooking workshops, circus workshops, arts & crafts, nail art, airbrush tattoos, superhero training and live entertainment. There were also food trucks on site which made the festival atmosphere even better.
Despite the wet and freezing weather, approximately 40 guests still attended and enjoyed the fun rides, barbeque and live music. All children who attended received a goodie bag to take home with them. Positive feedback from the day included: • 80% of attendees said they would be likely to recommend CarerLinks North to others. • 100% of attendees felt the CarerLinks North staff were friendly and helpful. • 80% of attendees found the location and venue appropriate and fun.
Thank You Lunch
CarerLinks North Koorie Lunch
On Wednesday, 19 October, CarerLinks North hosted the Annual Carers Week Lunch Celebration. Carers from the north of Melbourne were invited to a lunch at Montsalvat, the European style artist’s colony established in the 1940’s in Eltham.
This year we hosted the CarerLinks North Koorie Lunch at the Lynda Blundell Centre in Dallas on Thursday, 10 November.
The theme this year was relaxation and acknowledgement. As such, 80 carers enjoyed a buffet lunch and dessert, live music, with the option of a massage and tour of the Montsalvat grounds. Guests also heard from Donna, a motivational presenter, who inspired by sharing her personal story. Donna survived a stroke at 8 years-old and now runs marathons! Carers were given a gratitude pack full of goodies to take home with them and help them keep relaxing. 6. | MerriNews December 2016 you. It was wonderful to take a day away” “Thank - Attendee
The Retro Girls entertained everyone and got the dancefloor started until a buffet lunch and dessert was served to the 60 guests. Throughout the day, attendees could chat with Merri Health staff about the services and support we provide. All guests were invited to make up a goodie bag to take away with them. 75% of attendees said that they had not heard of CarerLinks North before the lunch, so it was a great success to connect with the community and to increase their awareness of our services.
Supporting young carer’s needs After working closely with some of our young carers we are excited to announce we are making some changes to our Young Carer Program! After consulting with young carers, we found that young carers wanted regular, fun opportunities to establish, develop and maintain friendships and networks with other young carers. As a result, we will be updating our young carers program.
needs of children and teenagers who have a family member living with a mental illness.
In 2017, we will be offering a regular after school program and school holiday activities for young carers.
Are you or do you know someone school aged who plays a large caring role at home? Support is available. Call CarerLinks North on (03) 9495 2500 or email carerlinksnorth@ merrihealth.org.au
We will also be strengthening our relationships with other community organisations to support us to deliver the program, and to proactively respond to the
The young carer program will also offer future opportunities for carers to volunteer or undertake student placements.
All carers are eligible for free health and wellbeing coaching with a trained professional. Call 1800 052 222 or carerlinksnorth@ merrihealth.org.au
Switching the focus to male carers CarerLinks North conducted a male carer focus group to find out how to better engage and assist them in their caring role. Knowing that 44% of carers in Australian are male and that only 31% of carers accessing our carer services are male, CarerLinks North have been looking at different ways to increase male carer participation in order to work through their hardships and decrease their stress levels. Coinciding with a broader community focus on men’s health throughout November by campaigns such as Movember, the Health and Wellbeing Coaching team at CarerLinks North conducted a male carer focus group. The objective of our male carer focus group was to: • Understand the caring role from a male perspective. • Understand the needs of male carers.
Listening and working with carers
• Identify services that CarerLinks North can provide to better meet the needs of males in a caring role.
We have been busy reaching out to carers to hear what is important to them. In 2016 we have:
The focus group was a success, with several male carers participating from diverse backgrounds and caring roles.
Consulted with 68 carers about our services, events, activities and promotional material We hosted 5 sessions specifically dedicated to seeking feedback and input from carers We launched our carer engagement approach
We recruited 20 carers to our carer engagement register
Key positives identified were that male carers appreciated the opportunity to share stories and information with other men and wanted practical tools to help with their day to day caring roles, as well as peer support. The team is now working towards creating a service that addresses these needs. If you want to learn more about our Carer Health and Wellbeing coaching contact us on (03) 9495 2500 or carerlinksnorth@merrihealth.org.au MerriNews December 2016 | 7.
Congratulations Russ Congratulations to Russ Pirie, who was awarded as one of the 20 finalists in the world for The Commonwealth Youth Worker Award 2016! As the YGLAM Project Officer, he has led its theatre programme for young queer people as a way of supporting them, and developing their drama skills and self-confidence. Alongside of this year’s theatre production, YGLAM have been working on #ThisCampaignIsQueer, a social media campaign aimed to show young queer people that they are not alone. If you would like to get involved in YGLAM, email russ.pirie@ merrihealth.org.au or call (03) 9355 9920
Closing period Merri Health will be closed from 5:00pm on Friday, 23 December and will reopen in the New Year at 9:00am on Tuesday, 3 January. If you have a dental emergency during this period, call The Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne on (03) 9341 1040. Carers, for emergency respite, please ring 1800 052 222. We’d like to wish you a relaxing and safe festive season.
Brunswick 11 Glenlyon Road Brunswick VIC 3056 Ph: (03) 9387 6711
Brunswick West PAG 382-386 Moreland Road Brunswick West VIC 3055 Ph: (03) 9386 3575
Fawkner 79 Jukes Road Fawkner VIC 3060 Ph: (03) 9357 2444
Thornbury 298 Victoria Road Thornbury VIC 3071 Ph: (03) 9484 5314
Chifley Drive, Preston Level 2, 110 Chifley Drive Preston VIC 3072 Ph: (03) 9495 2500
Coburg 93 Bell Street Coburg VIC 3058 Ph: (03) 9350 4000
Harding Street, Coburg 1st Floor, 368 Sydney Road Coburg VIC 3058 Ph: (03) 8319 7400
Glenroy 5D Cromwell Street Glenroy VIC 3046 Ph: (03) 9304 9200
Victoria Street, Coburg 21 Victoria Street Coburg VIC 3058 Ph: (03) 9355 9900
Interchange North West Shop 9E Anderson Street Pascoe Vale VIC 3044 Ph: (03) 9350 4600
Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is provided by Merri Health and is for general information purposes only. While information is current at the time of publication, subsequent changes to events may occur. Merri Health ventures to provide current and accurate information and we make no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or availability, with respect to this publication. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore at your own risk. In no event will MCHS and its employees be responsible or liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or significant loss or damage, or any type loss or damage whatsoever, suffered by any person as the result of reliance on information contained in this publication.