MAN OF MANY TALENTS
Dr Luke Crantock turns
Everyday Medicine into everyday listening with hit podcast show
HOTEL PERKS FOR HOSPITAL PATIENTS
ON-DEMAND ROOM SERVICE
COMING TO SEM HOSPITALS
MEET OUR 2022 CAREGIVERS OF THE YEAR
I do hope that most of our caregivers took the time over the summer holidays to enjoy a much needed break. We work tirelessly over the year to ensure the people in our care are well looked after and in order to be able to do this, we must first take care of ourselves.
Whether it’s spent holidaying, catching up with friends and family, focusing on your garden or pursuing personal interests, breaks from the regular work routine help us maintain a healthy work-life balance and prepares us for returning to work feeling refreshed and ready to tackle another busy year ahead.
Before I focus on 2023, I’d like to acknowledge just how lovely it was to be able to close out 2022 with our first SEM hospital-wide end-of-year party. It was a great opportunity to come together and celebrate the year’s achievements as a team and to also celebrate the recipients of our annual Caregiver of the Year Awards. With the high calibre of nominations received it was an extremely hard process to narrow down the winners. We have an exceptional group of caregivers working hard across all three of our hospital locations who are all very deserving of acknowledgement but for the purposes of this award we rely on fellow caregivers to nominate their colleagues for this recognition. You can find out who won a Caregiver of the Year title, who was highly commended and the list of nominees on page 4-5.
Moving on from last year’s news and looking ahead at SJGHC on a national level, we are midway through our organisation’s St John of God Health Care Strategy 20202025. However, given it was endorsed prior to the pandemic taking hold, a refresh of the original plan was undertaken in order to identify key strategic initiatives that will help us continue to work toward our organisational goals.
While SJGHC’s core focus on patient and client experience, as well as clinical outcomes has not shifted, the workforce shortages and rising costs that we are experiencing as a result of COVID-19 will provide an ongoing challenge for the organisation to mitigate going forward.
We’re also seeing changes in our Group leadership team with the departure of CEO Dr Shane Kelly late last year. In the interim, existing COO Bryan Pyne has assumed the role of Group CEO in an acting capacity until an executive search is undertaken and a permanent replacement can be appointed. Stepping in for Bryan in the meantime has been SJG Murdoch Hospital CEO Ben Edwards.
Further changes include the resignation of Group Director Community Services and CEO St John of God Accord Lisa Evans, who many of our Berwick Hospital caregivers would know and whom many had the pleasure of working with during her time with us as Director of Nursing.
The following arrangements have been made to accommodate her departure:
• Michael Hogan has taken on the position of Acting Group Director Community Services while continuing his role as the CEO of St John of God Bendigo Hospital.
• Silvana Gugliandolo is operating as Acting CEO Accord.
Although significant Group leadership changes are afoot, it’s business as usual for our SEM hospitals. I look forward to the year ahead and sharing more information on the planning of Berwick Hospital’s Stage 4 redevelopment in the months to come.
If you’d like to keep abreast of the organisation’s vision to become the best performing health care organisation in Australia by 2025, you can find a “refreshed” version of SJGHC’s overall five-year strategy for FY23-25 period on Cora.
Until next time, take care.
Lisa NormanAfter a record start to the year for Berwick Hospital’s NPS scores, Lisa Norman reflects on how remarkable the overall results are across our SEM hospital network and why it’s important we continue to aim high in achieving exceptional patient experiences for everyone who comes into our care.
As I often say, a great patient experience relies upon every one of us doing our best to make our patients feel comfortable and safe. Oftentimes, patients arrive at our hospital feeling anxious and scared. They might be in our care for any number of reasons — having surgery, welcoming a new baby, recovering in rehab, are unwell and unsure of what the future holds, or sadly they may be commencing end of life care, or have a loved one beginning that journey.
Whatever that reason may be, a patient’s experience starts at pre-admission and doesn’t end until they are safely home. And to accurately monitor how our patients feel, we survey them and collate the results into an overall score – which often reflects the effort our caregivers have gone to in enhancing a person’s time in our care.
To understand how Net Promotor Scores (NPS) are determined, patients receive an SMS after discharge asking them to give a score between one and 10 when rating their experience with us.
If a patient scores 9 or 10 we receive 1 point. If they respond with a 7 or 8 we receive a 0, and if a patient scores us 6 or below we receive a -1. Therefore our overall score will exist somewhere between -100 and +100. In January Berwick Hospital received a score of +86.2. This is outstanding.
Since the commencement of NPS at SJGHC, Berwick has had 33,281 patients respond, achieving an average score of +82.8. Most hospitals seek to achieve a score of 70, so while a score in the 80s is remarkable, a score over 85 is exceptional.
To break it down further: of the 33,281 patients, 86% of the responses are what are considered to be “promoters” scoring 9 or 10, 11% are “passive” scoring 7 or 8, and 3% of the responses are “detractors” scoring 6 or below.
While Berwick’s results should be applauded, NPS scores for Frankston Hospital and Langmore Clinic/Pinelodge have equally achieved numbers worth celebrating. Over the past year Frankston has recorded an overall NPS score of 84.4, not to mention an all-time high of 96.3 in April 2022. That same month, Pinelodge also received an incredible NPS result of 90.9 and has maintained an average score of 78 since opening in August last year. Mental health facilities also use an additional survey called Your Experience of Service (YES) which is based on the Recovery Principles of the Australian National Standards for Mental Health Services, and seeks to obtain feedback on care provided. Last year Langmore Centre achieved 4.16 out of 5 for the overall effect it had on patient wellbeing and 4.35 out of 5 for patient experience. Fantastic achievements for both hospitals.
When our unit managers receive NPS results they make contact with patients who score their experience at a 6 or below to better understand how we could have made their experience more positive. While patients have the option to leave comments explaining their score within the survey, a follow up call provides a greater opportunity for us to reflect on the situation, learn how we can improve and importantly, apologise to our patients.
I encourage everyone to take a moment to think about the role we all play in enhancing a patient’s experience and what we can do individually to challenge ourselves in raising and exceeding their expectations wherever possible.
I’d like to finish with a message from Maya Angelou that I often share with our caregivers:
“People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Our SEM NPS scores are truly reflective of this statement and the passion and commitment of our caregivers in ensuring that every patient receives the best care and experience from us all, is deeply rooted in these results. Well done everyone. Thank you.
Our annual Caregiver of the Year award recognises caregivers who have lived the spirit of St John of God Health Care by going above and beyond in their regular roles to demonstrate our organisational values of hospitality, compassion, respect, justice or excellence.
Last year a number of nominations were received across our three hospitals with four highly commended caregivers, along with four CEO award winners, chosen to receive this top honour
– IT Support Officer, South East Melbourne Hospitals
What motivates you to go above and beyond?
“No matter how big or small the task, while being surrounded by technology, I can take the opportunity to help the caregivers to do their work efficiently and myself to face new challenges and learn something new every day.”
Anthony works across multiple SJGHC sites including the South East Melbourne hospitals providing a professional and timely service to our caregivers. Over the past few years Anthony has been involved in a number of hospital relocations where he played a pivotal role in ensuring IT equipment was installed, tested and working on time. Anthony’s work ethic, resilience and can-do attitude is an inspiration to us all. Anthony was acknowledged for his demonstration of the value EXCELLENCE through his contribution to the wellbeing and care of patients, visitors and caregivers across Berwick, Frankston and Langmore.
– Theatre Technician, Berwick Hospital
What motivates you to go above and beyond?
“My father always ran sporting clubs and had a knack of bringing people together and I was fortunate enough to follow in his footsteps. I have been at SJOG including the Berwick Bush Nursing Hospital for 20 years and at the end of April I will be starting into my 21st year. My parents taught me to be loyal to whoever employs you and show them respect. My father worked on the waterfront for 34 years and I would like to think he was a role model for me to continue his legacy. I love watching the young caregivers come through the ranks and I enjoy watching their journey within SJOG.”
No matter the time of day Rex always goes the extra mile to ensure his fellow caregivers feel included and part of the team always looking out for them in times of need. Rex is an inspiration to his work colleagues, and his dedication and commitment to Berwick Hospital is admirable. Rex was acknowledged for his demonstration of the value EXCELLENCE through his contribution to the wellbeing and care of patients, visitors and caregivers at St John of God Berwick Hospital.
What motivates you to go above and beyond?
“I want patients to feel like they have been treated with kindness, respect, feel cared about and receive the best therapy possible. I want to make whatever difference I can in their journey. The rewards are inbuilt in smiles, thankyous, and the gains the patients achieve that make a meaningful difference to their lives.”
Jenny has been instrumental in upskilling herself and the speech pathology team to work with patients after facial reanimation surgery. The work Jenny has established has seen exceptional outcomes for patient experiences. Jenny was acknowledged for her demonstration of the value EXCELLENCE through her contribution to the wellbeing and care of patients, visitors and caregivers at St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital.
Langmore Centre caregivers and SEM colleagues were recognised for their involvement in the Langmore relocation project and for their contribution to the delivery of a successful therapeutic space for our patients. Caregivers were given this award for demonstrating the organisation’s five values when caring for our patients, visitors and caregivers during the relocation of St John of God Pinelodge Clinic to St John of God Langmore Centre. Caregivers demonstrated commitment in EXCELLENCE and JUSTICE working as a team to oversee the pack up of Pinelodge Clinic and for their tireless involvement in developing orientation sessions, learning new workflows and the set-up of new departments and work areas. New caregivers and doctors were warmly welcomed by the team and the coordination of transfer of patients was done with HOSPITALITY, RESPECT and COMPASSION.
Cara Tattersall – Art Therapist, Langmore (Respect)
Irene Hunter – Senior Administration Clerk, Berwick (Excellence)
Jeni Whitefield – Administration Officer Frankston (Excellence)
Seamus O’Donnell – Maintenance Officer, SEM (Excellence)
Aldrich Malayang – RN Surgical Ward (Excellence)
Amanda Owen – NUM Maternity Ward (Excellence)
Angela Brown – Administration Officer Surgical Ward (Compassion)
Brenda Rice – Menu Monitor (Hospitality)
Cathy Rose – Pastoral Practitioner (Compassion)
Cheryl Kishere – Environmental Services Assistant (Hospitality)
Deb Cunningham – Speech Pathologist (Excellence)
Donna Howard – Patient Care Assistant (Respect)
DPU PCAs - Berwick (Compassion)
Ellie Pritchard – Midwife/Lactation Consultant (Compassion)
Front Office Team - Berwick (Excellence)
Georgia Mermigas – Food Services Assistant (Hospitality)
Juliet Auger – Care Coordinator (Compassion)
Kate Kang – ANUM Heatherton Ward (Excellence)
Kathryn Bottern – Art Therapist (Excellence)
Krystal Pratt – EN Surgical Ward (Respect)
Kylie Peterson – NUM Frankston (Excellence)
Lauro Jnr Barretto – Environmental Services Assistant (Hospitality)
Lily Bond – Granada Ward (Compassion)
Mandy Fidanza – NUM Medical Ward (Excellence)
Mandy Tapscott – EN Rehabilitation Unit (Excellence)
Monika Whitehead – ANUM Day Oncology (Excellence)
Natalie Atgiaras – EN Nursing Bank (Compassion)
OT department - Frankston (Respect and Compassion)
Paula Millar – EN Granada Ward (Compassion)
Rachael Russell – Allied Health (Excellence)
Rivka George – Occupational Therapist (Excellence)
Speech Pathology Team - Frankston (Excellence)
Stephanie Whyte – Music Therapist (Excellence)
Stephanie Wong – Pastoral Practitioner (Compassion)
Sue Patterson – Administration Clerk (Hospitality)
In Australia the average time an employee stays working at the same company is 3.3 years, with only one in four people remaining up to 10. But here within our SEM hospitals we had almost 100 caregivers receive their five year service award last year. Forty-one reached 10 years, 21 hit 15, an impressive 15 made it to 20, two of us celebrated 25 years and an incredible four of our caregivers notched up a three-decade-long career milestone.
Employee recognition is an integral part of SJGHC culture and the fact that we had so many people celebrating a workplace anniversary in 2022 is a true testament to their unwavering dedication to our organisation and the people they continue to care for.
As the old saying goes – A reliable employee is the best gift a leader can get. So this annual event of recognising significant years of service is, without a doubt, celebrated for a number of beneficial reasons.
We thank you for your continued years of service, we thank you for your hard work and commitment, we thank you for being a team member we can rely upon, and most of all, we thank you for being part of our SJGHC family.
30 years
Maree Airdrie
Cassandra Clark
Gaynor Donaldson
Leonie Wills
15 years
Kathleen Berry
Georgeta Calescu
Sharon Canobie
Junior Chidzanja
25 years
Sandi Hatfield
Karen Thompson
Jo-Angela Boucher
Mary Carmichael
Robyn Court
Kumar Ebenezer
Nadine Ednie
Marta Krejci
Odette Lyons
Olga Molceanova
Susanne McCreath
Casey O’Bediah
Suzanne Patterson
Raelene Pearson
Angela Smith
Patrick Weber
Simone Weremijenko
Susan Davies
Abigail Davis
Imelda Galant
Keren Gillespie
Jo-anne Keon-Cohen
Christopher La Brooy
Monique Lane
Marie Licciardi
Laura Losinski
Pamela Luxmoore
Pamela Lynch
Susan Marquez
Debra McDonald
Kathleen Reti
Theresa Stacey
Chelsey Sherriff
Claire Sykes
Sachindra Amarasekera
Ratha Au
Sandra Brameld
Lisa Carman
Justine Carroll
Vimbai Chundu
Margaret Coe
Carol Coulson
Karen Cowap
Scholastica Adams
Michelle Allan
Juliet Auger
Bianca Ball
Tamara Barclay
Belinda Barnard
Kerri Bone
Katie Cao
Leah Chivers
Marie-Helena Clelie
Michelle Cooper
Stephen Connolly
Joanne Connolly
Natasa Cottee
Mary Mhargaret Cruz
Belinda Davidson
Chloe Debernardi
Miralyn De Erio
David Deluao
Sithara Dissanayaka
Mummy Tapu Dyer
Christine Eble
Daniel Cox
Susan Daly
Maida Dedic
Deborah Ditchburn
Elizabeth Fivaz
Helena Gordon
Rosemary Jenkins
Joanne Garner
Jessy George
Nancy George
Anthony Gomez
Meagan Evans
Alice Fabbri
Jessy Franco
Megan Fulton
Geoffrey Gartlan
Julie George
Romany Goonan
Samp Gurusinghe
Arachchige
Jennifer Gwozdziewski
Nicola Harvey
Dianne Hatch
Stephanie Healey
Bryce Hohenhaus
Taneesha Hunter
Jinu James
Eibsso Jarra
Jisha John
Mieke Johnson
Asha Maria Jose
Bennet Joseph
Julie Joseph
Christine Gonzales
Christine Huni
Novella Hickman
Jennifer Jimenez
Patricia John
Fiona Keith
Jo-Anne Lake
Graciela Marzovilla
Jacob Mathew
Herson Mercado
Neena Prince
Nicey Joseph
Tressa Joseph
Jasmine Kallergis
Jasminder Kaur, Princym Kulangara Dominic
Sze Lau
Doreen Leber
Wei Li
Alma Lim
Mi Mi Ly
Kyllie Linke
Anna Linda Maine
Mandy Loechel
Minxian Lv
Kylie Mather
Kochurani Mathew
Lettish Mathew
Laura Maxwell
Julie McGirr
Joanna Moffatt
Melinda Noblet
Jennifer O’Brien
Brenda Rice
Jean Scotland
Mark Tarrant
Tillie Tempest
Maureen Thornhill
Katherine Simunic
Carolyn Stoopman
Sobi Sunny
Elliott White
Vanessa Wootton
Charito Octaviano
Monica O’Halloran
Suzanne Parsons
Bindu Paul
Arun Plamuriyil Surendran
Michelle Richards
Kristin Rundell
Deborah Sage
Christopher Sanchez
Rizalyn Santos
Geerish Seebaluck
Yvette Segundo
Kathryn Stanton
Kathleen Tannahill
Emily Taylor
Pernita Taylor
Jancy Thomas
Sandra White
Kristen Williams
Kannika Wisetchat
Julian Woods
Colleen Wright
From Wednesday March 22, Berwick Hospital patients will have the ability to “eat what they want, when they want it”, when a new on-demand room service system replaces the traditional set meal time format where orders are placed in advance for the entire day.
This new streamlined approach is expected to improve patient experience, satisfaction levels, and importantly, clinical outcomes, while driving sustainability and decreasing food costs in the process.
Developed in consultation with chefs and dietitians, the a la carte menu caters to a variety of tastes as well as cultural, nutritional and dietary requirements. Patients can choose from an array of pasta dishes, build their own burger or stir-fry, opt for kosher-friendly or gluten free dishes, and even order small bites and snacks such as potato wedges, party pies or any one of the 20-plus sweet food or dessert options.
Meals can be placed by phone or via tablet at any time between 6:30am and 8:00pm and will arrive within 45 minutes of making an order. For patients who prefer to follow more of a routine or for those who may need extra assistance, up to three meals can be ordered in advance and can even be placed on behalf of the patient by family members or friends. Provisions in food preparation can also be added to orders such as, providing the ability for meals to come already precut and/or condiments pre-spread. Roaming “menu monitors” will also be on hand to offer support when needed.
Not only does this food delivery format put the freedom of choice firmly back into a patient’s hands, the hospital also benefits from a reduction in food and paper waste, cost savings are achieved through the elimination of delivering unwanted meals, and patients benefit from an increase in nutritional intake which results in a decreased need for oral nutritional supplements.
As part of an ongoing national roll-out, Berwick Hospital will be the first in line to adopt a new 5-star on-demand food delivery service this month.
Research suggests that patients can consume more energy and proteins if they eat when they are hungry, and as a result, patients can improve or maximise their opportunities for a speedier recovery. Caregivers can also better monitor consumption rates of their patients with the system’s ability to automatically alert caregivers to a patient who consecutively misses ordering a meal or conversely, orders too many.
Modelling of the new system indicates that having more freedom and flexibility to order at a patient’s own discretion has resulted in less food wastage overall. The previous method of delivering food meant patients were being served six times a day when you include morning and afternoon tea as well as supper. This order on-demand option has alternatively seen that number drop to an average of 2.8 servings of food a day. Which means hospitals are seeing a reduction in food waste and manual labour.
NPS data collated after this new system was introduced at other hospitals also shows a remarkable increase to patient satisfaction rates, with Murdoch Hospital experiencing a rise from 54.9% to 84.5% postimplementation.
The multi-million dollar project which is gradually being adopted by all SJGHC hospitals is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with Frankston set to follow suit around mid-2023. An alternative version is expected to be implemented at Langmore Centre that better aligns with the group meal time approach that is a fundamental part of a patient’s treatment plan. A date for its completion is yet to be set.
In the lead up to the launch of Berwick’s new on-demand room service format, caregivers are invited to join in on a tasting session of the new menu which is set to be held early this month.
With eggs benny on the menu for breakfast, beef massaman curry for lunch, a build- your-own burger for dinner and an extensive snack and dessert menu to choose from, there’s sure to be something for everyone’s tastebuds, and cultural and dietary requirements to boot.
Keep a look out for more information to come.
The theory that people are either left-brain dominant (analytical, methodical and scientific) or right-brain dominant (creative, artistic and intuitive) has for decades served as a basis for stereotyping medical professionals.
And while it’s been largely debunked in recent years, our very own gastroenterologist, Luke Crantock, is continuing to do his part to dispel the myth even further by foraying into the field of media arts with his successful podcast series, Everyday Medicine.
Launched amid the onset of the pandemic, Luke diverted his attention and talents to filling an educational void that emerged as a result of the Great Lockdown of 2020.
“The Covid pandemic with enforced lockdowns and restrictions isolated GPs and those in specialties from educational opportunities. As such, I felt motivated to help bridge the gap,” informs Luke, who initially chose to use the podcasting platform to share his expert knowledge on digestive health issues.
Luke admits that when he first considered starting his own series, he didn’t start out with much of a plan. Despite believing he had plenty to say on the topics of hepatitis and liver disease, once the podcast gained momentum, Luke diversified from his own specialised subject matter and pursued more of a journalistic approach to the content he wanted to share.
“It really just evolved,” says Luke. “Sometimes it was a result of particular health issues that piqued my interest, for which I set about finding the right medical professionals to provide insight for me and my listeners. Other times content was derived from patient interactions,” Luke explains, adding that sometimes it would be discussions with his patients also under the care of other specialists who might share with him the new or emerging treatment options being prescribed to them that would motivate him to explore further.
When asked how he has managed the non-linear shift in career paths, Luke admits that managing his full time role as a gastroenterologist while moonlighting as a podcaster hasn’t always been easy.
“It’s quite time consuming,” he says. “But I just fit it in as best I can. Even if it means staying back after work to get the podcast done.” To Luke’s surprise one of the most difficult challenges to overcome in his pursuit to become a bone-fide podcaster was getting people to agree to being part of his ‘on air’ show.
“I didn’t expect people to feel so overwhelmed with the idea,” says Luke who likely has a new-found respect for journalists since dipping his toe in the media field.
Despite some unwillingness to contribute or having a mapped-out plan with a clear direction in the beginning, Luke’s podcast has recently surpassed 100 episodes which is considered to be a pretty significant milestone when measuring the success of a podcast series.
The weekly show which explores conversations with colleagues and aims to help its listeners in their medical practices has continued to rack up other key achievements since its inception in August 2020 as well.
Annual Spotify results for 2022 lists Everyday Medicine as one of its top 30 per cent most globally shared podcasts and top 15 per cent for most followed. Data also shows that Luke has created 1350 minutes of new content — which represents 95 per cent more than other creators in Spotify’s Health and Fitness category for that year.
“It’s been incredibly humbling — the amount of time people have given me to share what they know to the benefit of my audience,” comments Luke.
St John of God Berwick Hospital gastroenterologist and man of many talents, Dr Luke Crantock, shares how he spends his time juggling patients during the day and podcasting at night — all in the name of GP education.
For Luke it’s a labour of love for which he is not quite sure what the future holds. “I’ve really enjoyed the learning that has come with this experience,” he shares, noting that some of the most interesting topics he has had the opportunity to explore revolve around the rise of virtual medicine/ ER departments and medical breakthroughs such as the discovery of a pathway to the regeneration of insulin in pancreatic stem cells that may lead to new therapies to treat Type 1 and 2 diabetes.
“I found that really fascinating,” says Luke, who adds that while those topics really appealed to him, the biggest listener rates came from episode 37 which attracted 211 per cent more streams than average and discussed the subject of, ‘Why we get fat and what we can do about it,’ with Professor Joseph Proietto, an endocrinologist who specialises in diabetes and obesity.
While Luke remains unclear about the future of the series, he is hopeful that by getting the word out to the medical community, new listeners might drive fresh ideas and expand contributor and content opportunities.
In the meantime, Luke is focusing on updating the podcast’s piano intro — which not surprisingly for a man of many talents — he wrote and performed himself.
If you have a topic you’d like to hear covered or you’d like to be a guest on Luke’s Everyday Medicine podcast series, send an email to manager@gihealth.com.au with your ideas. Everyday Medicine can be found on both Apple and Android podcast platforms.
together for the first time since joining forces three years ago.
As part of formation, each year SJGHC managers must partake in activities that are purposeful, reflective and ongoing in the lives of participants. This year, managers have been offered the opportunity to undertake The Immersion Experience as part of their formation requirements. This key initiative allows managers to experience other parts of either the hospital they work at or at another SEM hospital altogether. By observing how other teams and caregivers interact and by learning about the different roles that exist, managers can actively improve workplace morale through the insight and appreciation they gain for their colleagues and the individual contribution that caregivers make to the successful running of our hospitals.
Choosing to take part in the immersion experience as part of her formation obligations, Tori McCarthy, NUM of Berwick’s surgical unit made her way over to Frankston Hospital to walk in the footsteps of her fellow caregivers. Working across the executive office, Granada ward, palliative care, administration and allied health care, Tori was able to achieve a better understanding of how a rehabilitation facility operates and how other hospitals work to uphold SJGHC’s mission and values. In her own words, Tori shares her experience below…
On December 12 last year, I headed over to Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital to participate in the formation activity: ‘Department Immersion Experience’. I chose Frankston as I haven’t had any experience in rehab and was hoping to gain further knowledge. I had heard that it was a 60-bed hospital, which is dramatically different to Berwick and was looking forward to experiencing the differences and similarities of both sites.
I had a great day and gained insight into how other departments run and how other caregivers work. Everyone was exceptionally welcoming and friendly.
To start off the day I met with Karen Ward, Director Clinical Services. I spent half an hour or so discussing the hospital and what her day looked like. I was taken on a tour of the hospital and from there I headed to the multidisciplinary bed meeting, working with the RAN (rehabilitation assessor nurse), allied health care (AHC), NUMs, OT, physio and pastoral care. Here the hospital inpatients were discussed, involving OT and physio to ensure discharge planning was achieved. They also discussed bed availability and discharges, and any patients they were concerned about. I felt that this team worked really well together, showing excellence in all of their individual fields, and everyone respected each other and appreciated their knowledge and input.
After the meeting I headed to work alongside the palliative care ANUM on Granada ward for a couple of hours. This was great. Having not worked in palliative care before I found this extremely interesting and rewarding. There were four palliative care patients, two of those were approaching end-of-life. I helped out at the bedside with a couple of patients, listened to their needs and assisted with their general care. I observed palliative care nurses interact with these end-of-life patients. They show so much compassion and respect. Always going above and beyond and making the patients feel as comfortable as possible. The patients themselves were extremely grateful. The whole encounter for myself was very rewarding.
I joined in on the palliative care team meeting, where all four patients were discussed with the palliative care doctor, NUM, allied health rep and pastoral care. This was done very professionally with the patient’s best outcome being the optimum result for everyone involved. Justice was shown I feel in this respect. All caregivers had the patient’s best interests at heart.
I then spent a bit of time with the NUM of Granada, and then attended a doctor case conference. This was interesting. I learnt about what health fund expectations were of rehab, and how the multidisciplinary teams work
The St John of God Health Care Formation for Leaders Framework articulates the means by which leaders are afforded opportunities to develop a deep understanding and personal affinity for the Mission, Vision and Values that are foundational to St John of God Health Care as a Catholic health and community services ministry.
Tori follows in the footsteps of her
together to meet these expectations. Everyone involved in this meeting was quite respectful, and I appreciated them letting me be involved and participating. It was great to see all aspects of the health profession working together to get the best outcomes for the patient, trying to get them independent enough to get home. Especially with Christmas not far away.
Next I decided to work alongside administration staff. This was great as I have never had any insight into their jobs. I did some work in the background helping with upcoming admissions. Then I spent some time on front reception. It was great working alongside Kathleen. We greeted everyone who entered the hospital and worked on the admissions for the day, doing fund checks and data entry. We also managed the outpatient lists for the day. I enjoyed this as everything was completely new. The team in the admin office seemed to work well and cohesively together. Kathleen on front reception was very kind, friendly and respectful to all who entered the hospital and those who called, showing a great deal of hospitality in the process.
She was particularly great at continuing to get a lot of work done on the computer for upcoming admissions at the same time.
Lastly I spent an hour working alongside the RAN/AHC. Sharon was great. She manages the bed access and the nurses on the road. She was looking at referrals coming in and where they can be admitted. She liaises with the ward, checking on whether they are able to take on the patients depending on staffing. Sharon shows excellence in her role, being able to assess the patients and decide their eligibility for rehab from all external hospitals. She also shows gratitude and empathy to the wards and their staff regularly. Her communication skills are exceptional.
Overall I really enjoyed my experience at SJGFRH. It was great to see how another hospital runs, even if it was only a few departments within the facility. I spent six hours at Frankston across exec office, AHC, bed meetings, Granada ward, palliative care and in admin. I felt that the values of SJGHC and the mission were clearly on display in each of the departments I worked in.
It’s been a little over six months since our Pinelodge Clinic caregivers made the move to Berwick. To recognise this milestone we asked a handful of our Langmore caregivers to reflect on the relocation and what they do or don’t enjoy about their new Gibb St home.
“I am loving it here at Langmore and I look forward to coming to this workplace every day.”
– Monica Alvarez, Environmental Services Assistant
“I miss the old consulting area at PLC as there was more space and confidentiality. I do love it at Langmore though, the new building is fantastic and I enjoy being more central in the hospital now.”
– Ammie Saechua, Receptionist, Consulting Suites
“Love it, enjoy interacting now with patients on the ward at the open ward clerk desk, as well as the modern facilities and the lovely décor at Langmore.”
“I like Langmore due to it being more spacious, but it took some getting used to due to the new layout. I’ve since grown into it. TMS is a great space.”
– Cairon Matungamire, TMSEN
“Love the new hospital environment for both caregivers and patients. Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful when orientating to this new site.”
– Emina Music, EN, Heatherton Unit
–
KayeFlight, Ward Clerk, Brighton
“I miss the old location of ECT as is was so central to the ward/nurses. Absolutely love the new space and set up though. Patients have more space, lay out is efficient and the treatment room is amazing. All caregivers and doctors for ECT agree.”
– Sue Hart, ECT Coordinator & ANUM
Joining the St John of God Health Care SEM family in March last year, Nicki has had a long and varied career working in human resources (HR) across many different health care organisations. With a desire to encourage people to do their best and a self-confessed ability to talk a lot, Nicki not only felt drawn to the field of HR but felt particularly fulfilled working in roles within the community health care sector. “I loved being part of a team with a bigger purpose. Being able to serve the community and see that the small part I play ultimately contributes to benefiting those in need.”
Do you live locally or grow up in the area?
I live in Blackburn, we bought our house 20 years ago as a five year plan, to do some improvements and then move — we’re running behind schedule!
We have a full house, my husband Mark and I have two teenagers — a daughter and a son, two cats who are 17-years-old and our fur-child dog Charlie (five) who commands all of our attention.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always had an interest in health, I wanted to be a physio or occupational therapist.
What is something you are good at?
Talking to people.
What takes up most of your time outside of work?
Driving teenagers to all their sport and social activities and walking the dog.
What’s your favourite thing to do on a weekend?
Taking the dog to the beach for long walks or long lunches with friends.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
I like meeting new people and talking but don’t really like being the centre of attention.
Do you play an instrument? If not, what would you like to learn to play?
I don’t have any musical talent, I’d like to learn the guitar — it’s fascinating watching people play. How do they know where their fingers are supposed to go?
Do you have any phobias?
I don’t like heights — I went on a ski lift once and closed my eyes the whole way.
What has been your favourite holiday?
We took the kids on a kayaking holiday in Fiji, kayaking from island to island and staying in villages with locals. No TV, no phones, no internet. Perfect!
If you could pick anywhere else in the world to go, where would it be?
I’d love to go to Antarctica.
What’s your favourite season?
I love autumn, the colours of the trees changing and the days getting cooler.
What skill do you think you could improve on?
I’m not a very good cook. Luckily my husband does most of the cooking.
What’s something you’re really bad at?
Minimising my chocolate intake.
If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
I’d have worried less about what other people thought and more about what I wanted. I love animals and would have a rescue farm if I could.
Who do you look up to?
So many people around me have different skills, talent, attitudes, perspectives, intellect, motivation and stories — I look up to people I can learn from.
What was your first paying job?
My first job was wiping tables in a food court of a shopping centre, I was 14.
Did you learn a new skill or did anything positive happen to you during Covid?
We had an opportunity to go to the snow, skiing between lockdowns, it was a fabulous ‘spur of the moment’ trip away.
What do you love most about your job/workplace?
I love that where I work serves the community, that the people I work with are respectful, warm, friendly, supportive, fun and caring. That we are held to a set of values that sets the culture. I love that my job is to help caregivers to help patients.
With the Cardiac Diagnostic Clinic now up and running let’s meet the team responsible for providing a much needed service to Berwick Hospital’s surrounding communities. Headed up by Consulting Suite Manager Julie Gould, the team consists of Consulting Suite NUM Simone VanDerSchoot and cardiac sonographers, Anya Beling and Shane Yole, with support from Cardiovascular Interventional Laboratory (CIVIL) NUM Erinn Vogt.
Offering cardiac tests for inpatients and outpatients, the new clinic expands the cardiac services onsite at Berwick Hospital to effectively offer a one-stop shop for patients who previously had to be referred further afield for diagnostic tests. Supported by a respected cohort of more than 35 cardiologists, a patient who now comes to SJGBH
for cardiac diagnostic tests can also have their treatment onsite if it’s discovered that procedures such as inserting stents, pacemakers or defibrillators, electrophysiology studies or other cardiac services need to be performed. It also enables patients to stay under the supervision of their local GP instead of being sent elsewhere for cardiologist care.
Importantly for the growth of cardiac services at SJGBH, the establishment of this onsite Cardiac Diagnostic Clinic generates referrals to the angiography suite and admissions to the Cardiac Care Unit. It will also support treatment options for future cardiac presentations expected to come through the proposed emergency department being built as part of Berwick Hospital’s Stage 4 redevelopment.
in relation to the purchase of any vehicle.
At the close of each calendar year, leaders across our South East Melbourne hospitals come together to combine an end-of-year celebration with a team building or community-focused exercise. Last year The Berwick Conference of The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul was the happy recipient of this annual event.
Through the generosity of our SEM caregivers and local community members, 18 tubs of donated items were gathered and brought to Sandhurst Golf Club where the SEM leadership team spent an afternoon creating around 80 hampers for families and individuals throughout Berwick, Beaconsfield and Officer in the lead up to Christmas last year.
“It’s difficult to describe the look of appreciation on the faces of some of our companions when we drop off the hampers but we know it comes from the heart,” shared Blake Stanwick, president of the Berwick Conference of Saint Vincent de Paul. “The young children can be particularly delightful. Especially when we have to explain that we are neither Santa Claus nor Father Christmas.”
Do you enjoy participating in events like Elf on the Shelf, dress up days or Where’s Wally?
Do you have your own ideas on how we can come together to have some fun?
Are you a caregiver at our Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital or Langmore Centre?
Yes? Then we need you to join in the fun of planning future events and activities by becoming part of our Wellness Committee.
If you can offer 30-60 minutes of your time once a month, please get in touch with the following representatives:
Frankston: Karissa Monks on 9788 3301 or Leanne Kolcze on 0437 834 921.
Langmore: Emily Taylor on ext.37012 or visit her in the neurosuite.
Did you know you can get standard child/adult and Gold Class movie tickets at a discount, with $1.50 from each ticket sold going to cancer research?
All you have to do is reach out to our lovely ladies in Environmental Services: Gaynor (Gaynor.Donaldson@sjog.org.au) and Maree (Maree.Airdrie@sjog.org.au) and you can get access to any session at any time for the following prices:
• Gold Class $37
• Adult $16.50
• Child $14.00
A new format for the annual Tony Howarth Awards is set to give caregivers more time to nominate and more opportunities to have health, safety and wellbeing initiatives formally recognised and celebrated.
Designed to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and proactive approach caregivers and teams have towards safety, health and wellbeing at St John of God Health Care, the new process will enable caregivers to nominate a team or individual in one of three rounds throughout the year: February, April or June.
Winners from each round will be awarded at their local hospital/service and all nominees will automatically be entered into the final round with award winners to be announced during National Safe Work Month in October.
Recipients of each round will receive a morning tea for their team and be presented with a certificate of excellence.
Final winners will then be invited to attend an awards ceremony with the Board of St John of God Health Care in November (Perth or Melbourne) and will receive cash towards safety or wellbeing initiatives.
There are four nomination categories:
• Best solution to a work health and safety risk (individual or team)
• Health and safety representative of the year (individual)
• Commitment to the prevention of mental injury in the workplace (group or team)
• Leadership excellence award (individual or team)
Submissions can be for initiatives implemented from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.
If you know caregivers who are leading the way in making safety a part of their everyday work, make sure they are recognised by nominating them.
Our approach to safety is in line with our Mission and Values and at the core of everything we do — we all have a part to play.
Nominations are open for the first round, simply scan the QR code below (or on the posters at your hospital/service) for the nomination form or download from Cora or Pulse
For more information please contact OHSandWellness@sjog.org.au
Garisha stands a chance of walking with the help of life-changing surgeryGarisha and her mum supported by caregivers before receiving life-changing surgery at our Berwick Hospital.
Born in Vanuatu with bilateral talipes, commonly known as club feet, Garisha spent her early years attempting to move with extreme difficulty. Talipes is a birth defect which sees the feet twisted and bent out of shape. To further complicate matters, Garisha lost her left foot in an attempt to correct her condition when Garisha was just four-years-old.
What started out as hope for a new life for Garisha, quickly turned into a nightmare when a visiting doctor to Port Vila agreed to operate on her feet. While talipes is correctable with early intervention for those born in Australia and although the surgery initially went well, the inadequate resources in place to provide follow-up care in Vanuatu, resulted in Garisha becoming so unwell that and in order to save her life, there was no option but to amputate her foot.
With her right foot already severely dysfunctional, Garisha’s quality of life has suffered considerably since her left foot was removed — taking her ability to stand away with it.
Fortunately for Garisha, Dr Samuel Kemuel, General Surgeon at Port Vila Hospital in Vanuatu alerted Children First Foundation to her story, “When I saw Garisha, I knew she needed help immediately. That’s why I reached out to Children First Foundation for help,” says Dr Kemuel. “There are many other children we see here at Port Vila Hospital who need help too, but we simply don’t have the resources.”
Children First Foundation, together with St John of God Berwick Hospital and orthopaedic surgeon Professor Ton Tran, brought Garisha to Australia earlier this year in an effort to repair Garisha’s remaining foot and help her walk — a life-changing opportunity which will allow her to lead an independent life in the future.
Following the surgery which was undertaken in late January, Professor Tran explains, “Not only did Garisha undergo surgical correction of her right foot, but a revision of her amputation stump was also conducted so a better fitting lower limb prosthesis could be created,” offers Dr Tran. “Garisha was expected to be in a wheelchair for around three weeks following surgery to give her time to heal and enable the fitting of the orthotics and prosthesis. She will then learn to walk with the help of the Children First rehabilitation team,” he adds.
Despite the anxiety that naturally occurs with ensuing surgery, Garisha expressed her excitement over the journey ahead and the ability for her to fulfil her dream of one day being able to wear shoes.
“I am excited I will be able to stand up, and not always be sitting down on the ground,” Garisha says. “I can’t wait to get my first pair of shoes so I can be just like my sisters and my friends at school. Pink is my favourite colour, and I wish for some pink sandals.”
Like most little girls, Garisha loves colouring, playing with dolls, and having fun with her friends. Yet what she wants to do more than anything is wear her first pair of shoes — something most seven-year-olds take for granted.
Late last year 817 SEM caregivers responded to our annual Caregiver Engagement Survey providing an overall mean score of 3.93 out of 5. This is a pleasing result given the many challenges we have faced over the past couple of years. It reminds us that the most consistent factor in caregiver satisfaction is not the external influences but how we treat each other. These results show us that we have a workplace that is generally allowing people to feel satisfied and supported.
57%
In SEM our strengths have been identified in the following areas:
• Teams hold themselves accountable for providing safe, high quality of care and/or services.
• Caregivers go the extra mile at work to ensure patient/client safety.
• SJGHC is a safe place to work.
• Leaders hold caregivers/teams accountable for providing a safe, high quality care/service.
• Caregivers are proud to work for SJGHC.
3.93
77%
Engagement surveys also offer us an opportunity to consider where we can enhance the caregiver experience so the following areas are where we have scored lowest and we need to consider strategies for improvement:
• Involving caregivers in decisions that affect their work.
• Poor performance is not tolerated from individuals and groups.
• Recognising excellent performance.
• Provide opportunities at SJGHC for professional development.
• Good balance in allocation of resources.
1. Our HR Business Partner, Nicki Hockley, is planning a number of caregiver focus groups that will provide information on the SEM and local hospital results, with the aim to gather your thoughts on new strategies and determine how we can improve. If you are unable to attend these sessions we will create other ways for you to provide your input.
2. This will enable the leadership team to develop a plan to enhance the SEM hospital work environment.
