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Message from the Chief Executive
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
Welcome to the August 2019 edition of Far West In Focus and the first days of spring.
The month has been busy across the District and on 2 August we held our biggest keynote event for the year - the Innovation and Staff Recognition Health Awards 2019. Although I was unable to attend the event in person, it was great to see staff present innovative projects that helped to make a difference in the way we provide care in the Far West. All the winners and finalists are to be congratulated and I strongly encourage everyone to think towards next year’s awards. I am always keen to see our staff recognised for excellence in service to our clients and patients. Well done to this year’s award recipients. Years of service to the District were also acknowledged as part of the ceremony, from those with 10 years of service up to 50 years’ service! Your commitment and dedication to serving your communities and the LHD in your respective roles is a credit to you all.
The LHD always welcomes interest from our political leaders and this was no less when Senator Deborah O’Neill and MP Chris Bowen (Federal Shadow Minister for Health) visited the Broken Hill Hospital and Community Health Centre this month. They thoroughly enjoyed touring both facilities and talking with managers and staff alike. The opportunity to promote the great work you all do to our political leaders is always welcomed and their interest in regional and remote health care was evident.
The People Matter Employee Survey 2019 results for Far West are being analysed to inform specific people and culture strategies for the District. Our participation rate was 69% - slightly lower than the 70% participation rate last year. The results also show a 2% decrease in the workplace culture index to 62% for 2019. The survey responses indicate that our staff are clear about their job requirements, support each other in achieving outcomes and strive to achieve customer/client satisfaction. Areas identified as requiring improvement included recruitment decisions, senior management communication and grievance resolution.
Nursing and Midwifery directorate has been busy with recruitment for the 2020 New Graduate RN/RM Program. We received 46 applications for the 2020 program and café style interviews were conducted this month in Broken Hill. The District
has received applications from NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory and even Western Australia. It is particularly pleasing that nine local undergraduate students from Broken Hill and Buronga have applied for new graduate Registered and Registered Midwife positions. The District will have 30 positions for 2020 across Broken Hill, Wentworth, Ivanhoe, Balranald, Tibooburra, Wilcannia and Dareton.
It’s an exciting time in the LHD for capital projects. The Tibooburra HealthOne project has moved into the construction phase with Hutchinsons Builders on site and staging for works and construction developed. Planning for the Buronga HealthOne continues including further work required in regard to the site and land requirements.
The District has recently established a ‘People and Culture’ Directorate and I welcome Ms Fiona Lawrance, who has been recruited to the Director’s position. Fiona started in the role on 26 August 2019 has extensive experience as a Human Resources Manager. She comes to the District from the position of Deputy Director, People and Culture at Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District. Fiona is well acquainted with working in rural and remote communities, including HR roles with Western NSW LHD and in Queensland Health.
The Broken Hill Health Service also had a new General Manager in Melissa Welsh. Melissa has a clinical and managerial background in Allied Health and previously worked as Clinical Redesign and Innovation Manager. I welcome her focus on safety and quality that she will bring to the role. We have also had a number of other new staff take up roles throughout the District and I wish them all the best. If you see a new staff member, make sure you say hello and make them feel welcome.
— Steve Rodwell, Chief Executive
Mr Stephen Rodwell
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
Innovation and Staff Recognition Health Awards 2019
Palliative Approach Framework and ENOCC system to prevent hospitalisation win top honours
The Far West LHD celebrated its 9th annual Health Innovations Awards on 2 August 2019 where winners in Eagle and Hawk categories were chosen from six project finalists along with an ACI and People’s Choice winner.
The awards recognise a culture of continuous improvement exists across the LHD and we look forward to hearing about all the great work being done in our LHD at next year’s awards ceremony.
Congratulations to all the award winners, the finalists and all those who entered a project. We look forward to hearing about all the great work being done in our LHD at next year’s awards ceremony.
ABOVE The Far West Palliative Approach Framework won the 2019 Far West LHD Health Innovation Award – Eagle
(Large Project) Category. The project was presented by Dr Sarah Wenham, Specialist Palliative Care Physician
(Centre) pictured with Melissa Cumming (left), Director Cancer and Palliative Care Services and Renee Cooper,
Palliative Care CNC
RIGHT: The Hawk (Small Project) Category was won by ‘Increasing the use of
ENOCC system to prevent hospitalisation’. This
project was presented by Carrie Barlow (right) and
Sue Cooper, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Dareton
Primary Health.
BELOW: The Health Innovation Awards 2019
project finalist presenters. More next page
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
The Agency for Clinical Innovation Award was won by ‘From little things big things grow – collection of stories’. This was
presented by Eureka Van De Merwe (left), former Essentials of Care Coordinator and Janet Masters, Safety Culture
Coordinator. The award was presented by Jenny Preece, Network Manager from the ACI.
They also shared the People’s Choice award with ‘Far West
Palliative Approach Framework’ (below).
Innovation and Staff Recognition Health Awards 2019
The Health Awards also recognise our staff for their excellent work and commitment to improve patient safety, clinical quality and health system performance.
Awards were presented to staff members in recognition of their exceptional service to the organisation and community. Award winners were chosen from peer nominations and consumers were also encouraged to nominate staff and teams for excellent service.
The following awards were presented, and unfortunately, not all winners were able to be present for the ceremony:
Staff excellence acknowledged
Administration and Support Staff
• Early Career Excellence: Creina Vlatko • Customer Service Excellence: Chris McLoughlin • Team Excellence: Finance Team • Leadership Excellence: Rebecca Polak
Allied Health Staff • Early Career Excellence: Joint Winners: 1. Community MHDA Team Peer Workers; 2. Mathury Jeyalingam • Clinical Excellence: Shamika Rathaweera • Team Excellence: ICPMR Pathology Team • Leadership Excellence: Kate van der Heuvel • Aboriginal Staff Excellence: Geraldine Rolton
Nursing Staff • Clinical Excellence: Karen Harding-Smith • Leadership Excellence: Barbara Turner
Medical Staff • Clinical Excellence and Leadership Excellence: Dr Sarah Wenham Peer Recognition for Staff Excellence (Staff Rounding): Employee of the Year – Melissa Welsh. Peer Recognition for Team Excellence (Staff Rounding): Team of the Year – District Properties Team. Consumer Recognition for Staff Excellence: Stuart McIntosh Consumer Recognition for Team Excellence: Day Surgery Team.
BELOW: Our judges on the day were: Tim O’Neill, John Harris, Meagan Hudson and Karen Burgess.
More next page
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
Thanks from the Health Awards organising committee!
The 2019 Innovation and Staff Recognition awards were again a success, thanks to the efforts of our staff in nominating projects and our colleagues and consumers for nominating staff for awards.
Our 9th awards ceremony since
becoming the Far West LHD in 2011 was for the first time held in the Broken Hill Community Health Centre (Wilyakali Palii-mala Kirra). We were determined to ensure that we again offered all sites across the LHD the opportunity to link in via video-conference, and one of the project teams even presented their project from Dareton using the technology available to us in the LHD. This has been one of the key goals of the organising committee: to lead by example in the use of telehealth to be inclusive of all our staff across the district – and we think it is working well. Whilst the technology worked seamlessly, the feedback from the day was that the venue was a bit small for the number of people who attended at the CHC.
The ceremony is also an opportunity to bring lots of people together, showing the strength of partnerships we have in our communities. Denise Hampton (UDRH) delivered the Acknowledgment of Country for the ceremony, Jenny Preece visited from the ACI to present the ACI award, Meagan Hudson and Dr Shannon Nott from RFDS assisted with judging of projects, as did John Harris (FWLHD Board Member), Karen Burgess (Broken Hill Health Council Chair), Lea Birmingham (Broken Hill Health Council) and staff members Tim O’Neill and Umer Qureshi. Our LHD executive assisted with presenting awards for staff recognition. Jenny Preece from the ACI also attends all the other rural LHD awards ceremonies, and she always appreciates the camaraderie that is evident in our LHD.
To all the staff providing services to our communities, thank you for your hard work in making improvements to the way we do business. We know there is a culture of continuous improvement across the LHD, and we look forward to hearing about all the great work being done at next year’s awards.
From the organisers
Innovation and Staff Recognition Health Awards 2019
Administration and Support Staff - Early Career Excellence: Creina Vlatko.
Peer Recognition for Team Excellence (Staff Rounding): Team of the Year – District Properties Team.
Medical Staff - Clinical Excellence/Leadership Excellence: Dr Sarah
Wenham.
Allied Health Staff - Team Excellence: ICPMR Pathology Team.
Nursing Staff - Clinical Excellence: Karen
Harding-Smith.
Allied Health Staff - Leadership
Excellence: Kate van der Heuvel.
Administration and Support Staff - Team Excellence: Finance Team - Steve Gleeson and Creina Vlatko,
representing the team.
Allied Health Staff - Early Career Excellence: Joint Winners: 1. Community
MHDA Team Peer Workers; 2. Mathury Jeyalingam
(pictured).
Peer Recognition for Staff Excellence (Staff
Rounding): Employee of the Year – Melissa Welsh.
Allied Health Staff - Clinical Excellence:
Shamika Rathaweera
Staff excellence acknowledged
Long Service Awards next page
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
Innovation and Staff Recognition Health Awards 2019
The Health Innovation Awards is also an opportunity to recognise the years of service our employees have achieved. Long Service awards were presented in the following groups (Not all recipients were able to attend on the day):
Ten years of service: Kristy Kelly, Samantha Lloyd, Jane Stephens, Amy Langford, Carmel Horsburgh, Denika Novello, Roslyn Baartz, Debbie Everett, Elizabeth Ward, Barbara Bray, Michelle Donnelly, Tegan Muscat, Nicholas Hanford, Jane Cain, Michelle Richards, Michelle Bennetts and Kirsty Westley.
Twenty years of service Belinda Latham, Donna-Lynne Gers, Elissa Tweedie, Susan Cooper, Jennifer Baird, Brenda Brennan, Elizabeth Martin, Joanne Lenton, Kate Homfray, Paula Toohey, Kelli Morris and Geraldine McGettigan.
Thirty years of service: Vanessa Smith, Dennis O'Neill, Deidre Cocking, Jennifer Jolliffe, Janita Preston, Melissa Cumming, Susan Adams and Janet Daley. Forty years of service: Patricia Algate, Helen Kemp, Lita Anderson and Amanda Schuster. Fifty years of
service: Ron Clements.
Years of service
Amanda Schuster — 40 Years
Ron Clements — 50 Years
Donna-Lynne Gers, Elissa Tweedie, Jo Lenton and Paula Toohey — 20 Years
ABOVE: Michelle Bennetts and Kristy Westly — 10 Years
LEFT: Dennis O’Neill, Deidre Cocking, Melissa Cumming and Vanessa Smith — 30 Years.
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
New General Manager for Broken Hill Health Service
Melissa Welsh (pictured) has taken up the position of General Manager of the Broken Hill Health Service.
Mel commenced working in the public health system as an Occupational Therapist in 1997. She worked in Adelaide in a number of clinical and management roles until returning to live in Broken Hill in 2007 where she commenced as the Manager Occupational Therapy.
Her passion for service improvement led to taking on the role of Clinical Redesign and Innovation Manager for the LHD in 2014. She has completed post graduate studies in health management and leadership, and her experience within the Far West LHD Clinical Governance Unit means she has a strong focus on safety, quality and service improvement.
Mel said a focus on safety and quality in all that we do is important to her, including service improvement whenever we can. “I look forward to hearing from our staff and consumers to provide feedback about the things we are doing well, the things we can improve upon and ideas for improvement, because it is a team effort to keep this health service operating smoothly and safely.”
Mel is contactable via Gaylene Preston, Executive Assistant [email protected] or (08) 8080 1472.
Far West LHD Management Accountant Creina Vlatko and Child and Mental Health Services Clinician Michael Ellis have been successful in their applications to be included in Cohort 3 of the Next Generation of Leaders and Managers Program.
Creina and Michael will participate in the two year program which will involve two work placements, participating in a mentoring program, completing an individual development plan with placement supervisors as well as undertaking a Business Improvement Project which will all culminate in being awarded a Diploma of Leadership and Management at the completion of the Program.
The Next Generation of Leaders and Managers Program develops future leaders who foster cultures of
excellence, innovation and collaboration to ensure the delivery of safe, high quality healthcare to patients, families, carers and communities within NSW.
Two Far West LHD Staff members already part way through the Program.
Kate Williams and Corina Kemp have just returned from Sydney where they each presented their Business Improvement Plans to the Chief Executive of HETI. Kate’s plan focused on orientation procedures and a manual for casual clerks in the Health system. Corina presented her business improvement plan for an Aboriginal Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Trainee Logbook.
Kate and Corina will continue the program for the remaining of 2019 and into 2020.
Far West staff join HETI Next Generation of Leaders and Managers Program The People and Culture Unit
formally known as the Human Resource Department, would like to welcome our new Director Fiona Lawrance (pictured).
The unit consists of: Director People and Culture
Fiona Lawrance — 08 8080 2224
HealthRoster / Payroll / StaffLink [email protected] Deb Curyer — 08 8080 1488
Sonia McCully — 08 8080 1681 Human Resources
[email protected] Lianne McManus — 08 8080 1483
Recruitment [email protected] Karen Winter — 08 8080 1498 Racheal Nagas — 08 8080 1353
Salary Packaging Karen Winter — [email protected] 08 8080 1498
New Director
PAGE 7
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
White Cliffs HS have taken procession of their new ED bed. The staff thanked Ryan and Mitch for installing it for
them and Mitch for trying it out. Luckily for Marg Tate (left) and Belinda Latham his recovery was swift!
Diana Pike is the new ADON for BH Health Service.
Originally from far north Queensland, Diana (pictured) has worked at a number of facilities and areas including in paediatrics, surgical, ED, ICU and midwifery. She has also worked at NSW Air Ambulance.
Diana moved to Broken Hill in September 2017 with her husband. She has worked as a casual between ED, ICU and Maternity. She also worked at the RFDS. She was previously in the role of After Hours Clinical Support preior to taking on her current position. Diana has a Post Grad Cert in Aeromed Retreivals, Post Grad Dip in Midwifery, and a Masters
The Far West LHD has welcomed Sally Aitken (pictured) to the role of Health Service Manager at Ivanhoe Health Service.
Sally has over seven years’ experience working in primary health care and a post graduate degree in neonatal care. She spent the last four years working as a Registered Nurse at the Kalkaringi Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory.
Sally is no stranger to living and working in small remote communities and is looking forward to her new role at Ivanhoe.
“It’s a new experience for me and I’m very excited to be at Ivanhoe in the manager’s role. I understand the challenges that small communities can have as well as the opportunities,” she said.
Sally said she was looking forward to meeting everyone at Ivanhoe and becoming part of the community.
“I’m very much looking forward to working with residents and all our health service staff there in helping to keep everyone healthy and happy,” she said.
Far West LHD District Health Services Manager, Denise McCallum, welcomed Sally to the LHD. “We are very pleased to have Sally join us and we wish her all the best in her new role. We know that the Ivanhoe community will give her a warm welcome.”
New Health Service Manager for Ivanhoe
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
Cancer Services held a Prostate Awareness and Health Promotion stall in the BH Hospital foyer on Wednesday 14 August 2019.
Sandra Turley and Garry Halliday from Cancer Services were joined by Kathy Mitchell from Chronic Care. In addition to information and advice about prostate cancer, people’s blood pressure and smoking status were checked, with smoking cessation advice provided as required.
Sandra Turley, Cancer Care Coordinator said: “I was pleased that of all the people who came to talk to us, only three people were smokers.”
Five people were referred for follow up about high blood pressure.
Prostate health promotion
Healthy food still remains the cheaper option at local supermarkets, following a study by Far West LHD Dietetic students on affordability which compared prices over a six year period.
University of Wollongong students have worked with our Dietetics Department to re-investigate the affordability of the 2013 Broken Hill Practical Healthy Food Basket and 2014 Broken Hill “Unhealthy” Food Basket at local supermarkets.
These baskets are based on feeding a family of four or two with either a practical, healthy diet or a more common diet including takeaway and convenience foods. At all supermarkets the healthy basket was about 50% cheaper for both families when compared to the unhealthy (more common eating style) basket.
You can read all about the study at on our website. UOW Students Katherine Russell and Olivia Fischer
presented their final results of the study and recommendations to a group of relevant stakeholders including local dietitians and community service agencies.
The Dietetics Dept will aim to re-cost these baskets on a regular basis to track local food costs over time. We’re extremely grateful for our student cohorts who have made this ongoing research possible.
Dietetic students present healthy food basket affordability study
Olivia Fischer and Katherine Russell presented their findings on the latest food basket affordability study
PAGE 9
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
BH Hospital Kiosk customers can now pay for their purchases with PayWay.
The Kiosk had previously been cash only and customers (including staff and patients) caught without cash and missing out was not uncommon.
The introduction of PayWay has been popular with customers and Kiosk volunteers have embraced the easy-to-use system.
It’s hoped PayWay will increase sales at the Kiosk, with all money raised used to buy equipment for the hospital.
Hospital Kiosk volunteers Betty Williams (left) and Carol Rowlands demonstrating the new PayWay machine.
No reason for cashless Kiosk customers to miss out again
Senator Deborah O’Neill and MP Chris Bowen with (from left) Mel Welsh (GM BHHS), Jodie Miller (Director MHDA), Steve Rodwell (CE) and
Kathryn Morrison (DONM BHHS) and BELOW (from left) Jodie Miller, Steve Rodwell, Tim O’Neill (ADDONM/CGU), Rebecca Smith
(Occupational Therapy & A/Physiotherapy Manager) and Leanne Hastwell (Child and Family Health Manager).
Senator Deborah O’Neill and Federal MP Chris Bowen enjoyed stopping for a chat with
staff during their visit, including Andrew Sommerville, Oral Health Therapist and (below) Ian Davies, CAMHS Clinician.
The LHD hosted a visit this month by Labor Senator Deborah O’Neill (Duty Senator for Parkes electorate) and Chris Bowen MP (Federal Shadow Minister for Health).
The visit included a tour of the Broken Hill Hospital and meeting and chatting with staff along the way. This continued when they dropped into the Community Health Centre in Sulphide Street and staff members took the opportunity to give our visitors an in depth explanation of the services we provide to the
community.
Far West LHD welcomes visit by Federal politicians
PAGE 10
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
The annual Coomealla ClubGRANTS presentation evening was held on August 25 2019 with successful applicants presented with their cheques.
Dareton Primary Health Palliative Care Nurse Joe Kervin attended the presentation evening to accept cheques on our behalf for three successful applications totalling $21,550.
Dareton Health received $3,700 for the purchase of two Palliative Care Lift Chairs, $9,350 for the purchase of a vein finder and stand and $8,500 to continue the Move2Music program.
In addition to the successful ClubGRANTS, the Club’s General Manager Craig Muir, donated two Pulse Oximeters to the health centre as a thank you for facilitating the Club’s staff Influenza Vaccination program and providing health checks to the Club staff.
The LHD is extremely grateful for these grants which will
greatly assist in the care of our patients.
Successful grant applications for Dareton Primary Health
Coomealla Sporting Club representatives present staff with the new Pulse Oximeter (from left) Vivianne Gilby, Clare Taylor, Trish Algate, Taylah Horwood, Darryl Wescombe and Kiara
Baxter-Mannix.
Jan Zino, Director of Coomealla Sporting Club tries out the new chair, with Joe Kervin.
Our Palliative Care Service based at Dareton Primary Health has graduated the first intake of Community Palliative Care Volunteers after they completed the 25 hour Induction Training Program to prepare them for volunteering in the community.
The Palliative Care Volunteer Program sought volunteers to become involved in the Community Palliative Care Volunteer Service to visit palliative care patients in their homes in Buronga, Gol Gol, Dareton, Wentworth and the surrounding NSW region.
Four volunteers were presented their Certificate of Achievement at a graduation ceremony on Wednesday, 28 August 2019. They can now help patients living at home who are receiving Specialist Palliative Care Services and are eligible for Community Palliative Care Volunteer Services.
Congratulations to our new volunteers and all the best in your time with FWLHD.
The first Community Palliative Care volunteers for Dareton area with staff: (Back row, from left) Renee Cooper, CNC Broken Hill; Ruth Gordon, Community Palliative Care (CPC) Volunteer; Triona Allen, CPC Volunteer Coordinator; Janet Pearce, CPC Volunteer Coordinator Broken Hill; Christian Luther, CPC Volunteer. Front row: Michelle Fortuna, CPC Volunteer and Pamela Stidiford, CPC Volunteer.
Community Palliative Care volunteers complete induction training
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
The NSW Health Statewide Biobank is a NSW Government asset to support research collaboration and enable greater, simpler and more cost-effective participation in biospecimen research.
The NSWHSB Facility: Located within the Professor Marie Bashir Centre on the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Campus, this statewide resource is a game changer for health and medical research throughout NSW. It will provide a pathway to better research that leads to better treatment
for patients. It’s the first and largest
facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and uses large-scale robotic technology to store and process millions of bio-specimens for world-class health and medical research.
You can take a closer look
at the NSWHSB facility here, and more information is available on the NSW Health Statewide Biobank website.
The NSWHSB provides access to a new, more collaborative model of biobanking.
Tapping into a network of over 300 NSW Health Pathology collection centres, we enable projects and partnerships throughout NSW. Whether you want to do research in the capital cities, or in the country, we can collect, store and process biospecimens from your
patients and enable research wherever you are in NSW or indeed Australia. The NSWHSB provides:
standardised agreements to accelerate research and support the transfer of human biospecimens
between hospitals, biobanks and researchers
guidance on informed participant consent, through the delivery of a plain English Consent Toolkit and best practice consent materials
access to LabVantage, a
world-class Biobank Information Management System (BIMS) to allow you to control, manage and protect annotated data about each specimen
advice and assistance from biobanking and clinical research specialists to help them generate more outcomes from their work
best practice access policy and incidental findings policy, developed together with OHMR to help you control how to share and utilise your participants’ donations
All of this is designed to enable high quality, interoperable biospecimen collections that let us work together to find new or better treatments for illness and disease.
Collaborate with the NSWHSB: Biobanking is a statewide service and is available to all NSW Health researchers. Because each
project is incredibly unique, our approach is tailored to the specific needs of each of our partners.If you would like to discuss partnership or collaboration opportunities with
the NSWHSB, or arrange a tour, please contact:
Chief Operating Officer, NSWHSB, (02) 4920 4138 [email protected]
We look forward to working with you to support your ongoing research and the research of generations to come.
Links:
Website | biobank.health.nsw.gov.au Twitter | twitter.com/NSWHSBiobank YouTube | http://bit.ly/2yUivh4 Email | [email protected]
Logo competition - The Art of Healing
The VAN Health Service is seeking a logo that represents healing in Aboriginal culture in a visual way, to be used as an ongoing cultural representation within the service.
Prizes will be awarded for child ($50 voucher), adolescent ($50 voucher) and adult ($100 voucher) entries.
Submissions can be lodged at the BH Community Health Centre, BH Hospital, Headspace, Maari Ma, Lifeline, Warra Warra and 123 Community Hub. Entries close on 31 October 2019.
NSW Health Statewide Biobank
FWLHD has engaged the services of Barrington Group Australia Pty Ltd and their software package Smartek to handle some of our Contractor Management Compliance Risks. This will change how the FWLHD manages contractor related information and processes.
All contractors undertaking work on a FWLHD site will now need to be registered with Smartek. Failure to register with Smartek will result in the contractor being unable to access any FWLHD site.
Trials are currently being conducted at the Broken Hill
Health Service and Broken Hill Community Health Centre to ensure full system suitability and to address any issues that may occur prior to full FWLHD rollout.
In readiness for the Smartek system trial, compliance checking sites have been installed at the Broken Hill Health Service, one at Reception and one in the Maintenance Workshop. One additional compliance checking site is active at the Broken Hill Community Health Centre Reception. Contractor compliance checking sites will be located at each FWLHD site
once Broken Hill trials have been completed
Smartek and the contractor consult with each other to gather required information such as insurance information, induction processes and licencing requirements to ensure full legal compliance prior to site arrival.
Once the contractor supplies all necessary documentation to Smartek and is certified as correct and current, Smartek photo ID cards will be issued to the company upon uploading of employee photos.
Once the system is fully operational please ensure that all engaged contractors display their photo Smartek ID card at all times whilst onsite.
Once registered, the contractor will be able to use this registration for all sites that they provide services to within FWLHD and other Smartek enabled sites across Australia.
Further updates will be given as the Smartek system evolves through the FWLHD. For more information, please visit www.smartek.biz or phone 1300 238 724.
Contractor management software rollout for FWLHD
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
NSW Health staff are being given the opportunity to develop their digital health skills in an increasingly data-rich healthcare environment.
A new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) explores how clinical practice is being transformed by the tremendous potential offered by growing pools of data captured in digital systems such as the electronic medical record (eMR) and the Electronic Record for Intensive Care (eRIC).
The ‘Using clinical health data, information and knowledge for better healthcare’ MOOC comprises more than 30 videos and associated learning resources in an engaging 12- to 25-hour self-directed course which learners can complete over four to five weeks.
Demonstrating the emerging role of data in decision-making, evidence-based practice and quality patient care, the MOOC explains key concepts of working with data in a health setting and common activities throughout the data lifecycle.
“NSW Health alone creates over 100 terabytes of clinical and
corporate data each month,” said Dr Zoran Bolevich, NSW Health Chief Information Officer.
“Increasingly, skills and knowledge in basic data analysis are required of our workforce to inform practice, and this MOOC helps to demystify an area that is growing in importance.”
eHealth NSW and the Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) developed the MOOC in collaboration with the University of Sydney and the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre.
Its launch coincides with international reports predicting clinical staff will need the skills to navigate an increasingly data-rich healthcare environment.
For instance, by 2039, 90 per cent of all jobs in England’s National Health Service (NHS) will require some element of digital skills, according to the Topol Review, delivered on behalf of the UK’s Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Search ‘Clinical health data’ in My Health Learning.
Dive into data for better patient care — MOOC
Quality Board Communication
— Advance Care Planning Advance Care Planning is thinking about your future, and putting
things in place so that your choices will be known and acted on if you cannot express these choices yourself later in life.
This may happen if you have a sudden accident, become very ill or develop a condition such as dementia that affects your memory and your planning ability. Planning ahead can include issues related to your finances, lifestyle or health care.
Advance Care Plan, Enduring Guardianship, Power of Attorney and a Will help you provide for future legal, health and financial deci-sions. When you have planned ahead you can rest assured that you and your loved ones will be looked after if circumstances change through your life. Your rights and wishes can be respected if they are properly documented. For further information about planning ahead documents:
NSW Health Advance Care Planning- http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/patients/acp
NSW Government Planning Ahead Tools - www.planningaheadtools.com.au or call 1300 887 529.
Alzheimers Australia Start 2 Talk - https://www.fightdementia.org.au/planning-ahead or call 1800 100 500
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
TELEHEALTH WOUND MANAGEMENT
Why is Telehealth Wound
Management important? Chronic and complex wounds have been associated with
substantial use of resources and increased expenses for both the patient and their carer/family and the health service, along with multiple emergency presentations and increased pain and suffering to the patient.
Wound incidence and severity can be reduced by early identification of patients at risk and improving the effectiveness of care. The timely and frequent specialist assessment of patients with complex and chronic wounds is essential to ensure appropriate prevention and treatment strategies are in effect throughout the wound healing process.
The telehealth model of care will allow for delivery of a virtual wound clinic, where patients are able to receive prompt, timely and cost-effective review by a Wound Management CNS whilst also obtaining support from the clinician at the patient end.
Please contact FWLHD Wound Management for more information: Megan Jordan, Clinical Nurse Specialist Wound Management, on 08 8080 2236 or 0437 064 618, or email [email protected]
The Far West Health Library is available to all health staff and students within the FWLHD. The library is located at the University Department of Rural Health and opening
hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5:00 pm.
‘On the Shelf this Spring’
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The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
Salary Packaging
Want to increase your take home pay, why not take time to go through the benefits of Salary Packaging. It will only take 10 minutes to discuss the benefits available to you and enjoy the great savings by paying less tax.
Did you know you can still do Salary Packaging with a HELP debt
It is true that Salary Packaging, while decreasing your taxable income, actually increases your income for HELP repayment calculations. But the fact is, you’ll have to repay your HELP debt one day, and Salary Packaging gives you the chance to use your tax savings to help pay your HELP debt. You’ll still have the same, or even a little more, cash in hand, and your HELP will be paid off sooner.
See below for an example, or ask the Salary Packaging department for figures based on your current income, to take to your financial adviser.
No Salary Packaging
Taxable Income $60,000
HELP repayment $ 2,400
With Salary Packaging
Taxable Income $49,047
Reportable FB amount $16,998
Income for HELP calculation $66,045
HELP repayment $ 2,972
Tax savings $ 1,889
Less Extra HELP paid $ 572
Remaining Tax saving $ 1,317
By Salary Packaging, you get an extra $1,317 cash, and you have an extra $572 paid off your HELP debt, which means you’ll get it paid off sooner !
Karen is located at the Broken Hill Community Health
Centre Tuesday to Friday and at Broken Hill Health Service every Monday. If you would like to make an appointment please ring Karen on 8080 1498 or email [email protected]
Salary Packaging staff are unable to provide advice as to the suitability or otherwise of Salary Packaging for any individual. Far West Local Health District recommends that employees seek independent financial advice
before entering into any of the arrangements offered.
Recruitment Tip for Interviewing
Interviews In accordance with Recruitment & Selection of Staff to
NSW Health Policy (PD2017_040), the selection process must assess the suitability and relative merit of all applicants for the position.
Recruitment and selection processes usually include a formal interview involving direct contact with applicants either face-to-face or via interactive visual medium (eg video-conference, phone, skpe) Note: Direct contact allows for visual identification of the interviewee. Telephone interviews should only be utilised in the limited circumstances where there are no other options available to the panel.
All selection panel members should take part in the interviews. If this is not possible, there must always be a minimum of two people conducting any interview, job specialist and independent.
Interview questions must be clear, unambiguous and directly relate to the selection criteria and position / role description.
The panel should ask a common set of initial questions of all applicants. It may also need to ask follow-up questions exploring issues raised by the applicant or eliciting further information.
Where an applicant’s work history contains blank periods, the panel should explore these further at the interview.
Supporting documentation may be required in some instances and any issues should be followed up in referee checks. It is recommended that interview outcomes are recorded online in ROB to facilitate reporting and talent management.
Tasks required after shortlisting has occurred
Call applicant to invite to interview (applicants require 3 days’ notice, this does not have to be business days) unless applicant agrees to relinquish 3 days’ notice.
Move applicants to Interview Schedule – Start Checks in ROB. After an hour ROB will send a system generated email to all applicants selected for interview to complete their pre-hire checks (this is mandatory for applicants to complete prior to interview).
If this task has not been completed you will not know what ID to verify.
Candidates should be followed up to complete this task prior to interview. Once this task is completed the Convenor will receive an email advising ID to be verified. ID is to be sighted on the day of interview.
Things to Remember Ensure you have a minimum of 2 panel members: It must
be a Job specialist and an Independent. Please ensure the applicants for interview are in the step
interview schedule – start checks prior to interview. Check applicants have completed pre-hire checks prior to
interview. Applicants will show in On-boarding once they have
completed their pre-hire checks. Pre-hire checks can be validated at the time of interview to save delays
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Submissions can be sent to [email protected]. The newsletter can be found on the Far West LHD website at www.fwlhd.health.nsw.gov.au
Policy Watch — PDs available on MOH internet The following documents have been published on the NSW Ministry of Health internet site http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies. These documents are official NSW Health policy. Compliance with Policy Directives is mandatory.
The Far West Local Health District Newsletter Edition 8, Vol 9, August 2019
Are you and your staff wanting some extra education on wound management? Why not dial into one of the education sessions with Western and FWLHD? See below for details. All clinicians are welcome. Please contact CNS Wound Management for more information or enquiries.
Wounded Wednesday Education videoconferences (Western and FWLHD)
Date Time Topic Dial in code
Location BHHS
2 October 2-3pm Pain management and wounds. How does pain effect wound healing?
4100481 Skylab
6 November 2-3pm Pressure Injury 4100481 Skylab
4 December 2-3pm Wound care products 4100481 Skylab
Performance Unit
A new Unit has been established in the Finance and Corporate Services directorate known as the Performance Unit.
The Performance Unit will encompass Health Information Services, Medical Records and clinical coding and costing with an intention to promote a strategic approach to the counting, coding and costing of data across the District.
Noni Inglis and the Finance and Corporate Services Team welcomed the new Unit to the Directorate.
Title Document Number Date Issued
Remuneration Rates for Sessional Visiting Medical Officers IB2019_033 21/08/2019
Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme Policy (IPTAAS) PD2019_039 20/08/2019
Intravascular Access Devices (IVAD) - Infection Prevention & Control PD2019_040 16/08/2019
Increased Rates of Pay and Allowances for Nursing and Midwifery Staff IB2019_032 16/08/2019
Surveillance & Response for Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales (CPE) in NSW Health Facilities GL2019_012 16/08/2019
Visiting Medical Officers - Rural Doctors' Settlement Package Hospitals Indexation of Fees 1/8/2019 IB2019_027 20/08/2019
Identifying the Carer at Patient Registration IB2019_031 16/08/2019
Babies - Safe Sleeping Practices PD2019_038 20/08/2019
Integrated Prevention and Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect Frame-work
PD2019_041 23/08/2019
Strengthening Practice - Implantable Medical Devices IB2019_035 27/08/2019
