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A free health newsletter from Mayo Private Hospital Taree – part of the Healthe Care Group.
CHECK YOUR PULSEOne in four people experience an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (AF) and it can lead to strokes or other potentially life threatening conditions.
“AF is the most common heart rhythm abnormality,” says local cardiologist Dr Seshasayee Narasimhan (Dr Sesh). “Most at risk are females, people over 65 years, and those with a history of heart disease, obesity, or kidney or thyroid disease. With appropriate treatment, people can lead a normal life.”
Symptoms of AF can be vague but may include:Chest painPounding heart, or sensation of ‘heart skipping a beat’BreathlessnessFeeling dizzy or faint
For an appointment with Dr Sesh, ask your GP for a referral and phone 02 6551 0722.
NEXT ISSUE:- Official opening of Mayo redevelopment
- Pain management service extended
The first procedure in the Mayo’s new integrated operating theatre was performed on 22 January.The new theatre is part of the $10 million redevelopment of Mayo Private Hospital which now has three commissioned operating theatres and a fourth for future commissioning.
“The new theatre opens up more operating sessions for surgeons, reduces waiting times for surgery and brings new specialties to the hospital,” says Sue Cini, Mayo Theatre Manager.
The new theatre’s integrated system controls the operating room’s digital devices, surgical lights, in-light camera and endoscopy equipment and it also ‘remembers’ the surgeon’s favourite settings for next time. Wall-mounted flat screens facilitate training - staff can see on-screen in real time, the intricate work of the surgeon.
“The integrated operating suite provides a single point of control for all images, audio and data the surgical team needs,” says theatre equipment specialists, Device Technologies.
Dr Chris Pollock, Psychiatrist When Chris Pollock was 12 years old, he watched his doctor stitch a gash in his leg and decided, then and there, he wanted to be a doctor. He grew up on the Central Coast of NSW and studied medicine at the University of New South Wales, Sydney.
He worked in a number of areas including paediatrics, gastroenterology and accident and emergency before finding his niche in psychiatry. “Accident and emergency medicine was dramatic and exciting but patients were only there for a short time before being transferred elsewhere. I always wanted to follow their progress,” says Dr Pollock, Clinical Director of Mental Health Services at Mayo Private Hospital.
He specialised in psychiatry and psychotherapy and started working in Taree in 2003. He treats people of all ages for a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, drug and alcohol dependency, marital issues, post-traumatic stress disorder and long-term management of psychosis.
Dr Pollock is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and a member of the Australian Medical Association. He has consulting rooms at Mayo Specialist Centre where he consults Monday, Thursday and Friday. He also provides education sessions for GPs and the general public.
Dr Pollock was an inaugural Director of Down Syndrome Australia – a national not-for-profit organisation for people with Down Syndrome and their carers. In his spare time he pursues his life-long interest in photography and art history. He is married and has three children.
For an appointment, phone Dr Pollock’s rooms on 02 6552 0071.
NEW OPERATING THEATRE OPENS
SUMMER 2013 NEWSLETTER
INPROFILE
The first patient to have an
operation in the new theatre,
Laureen Mitchell, receives flowers
from the Mayo
MENTAL HEALTH UNIT EXPANDS
The expansion of Mayo Private Hospital’s Mental Health Unit was completed in January. Story continues on page 2...
Rehabilitation programs can help people maximise functional independence and quality of life after surgery, injury or disease. Rehab provides support, education and skills to help people live more confidently and safely in their homes and community.
Mayo Private Hospital’s rehabilitation service is led by rehabilitation physician Dr Rajen Ragavan, supported by medical specialists, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, exercise physiologists, contracted speech pathologists and hydrotherapy.
“Rehabilitation programs are available for inpatients and outpatients; anyone in the community,” says Dr Ragavan. “Rehabilitation programs are run at the Mayo in conjunction with the Physiotherapy Network. Each person is carefully assessed and a rehab program is designed specifically for them.”
Rehabilitation can be very beneficial following:• Brain injury and strokes• Accidents and trauma• Surgery, joint replacements and amputations• Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions• Chronic pain• Acute or chronic illness
To access Mayo’s rehab services, ask your doctor for a referral and phone 02 6551 0722.
REHABILITATION - BACK TO YOUR BEST
“2012 came to a rapid close with a very busy year-end for the Mayo. The organisation has achieved a lot in the short time since Healthe Care Australia took on full operation of the Mayo Healthcare Group on 1 July 2012.
Highlights:• Completion of the new operating
theatre, with the first operation performed 22 Jan
• Opening of new mental health beds 21 Jan• Pathology moved into new premises 29 Jan• New renal dialysis unit opened 4 Feb• Rollout of high-tech, hand-held mobile devices for Mayo
Home Nursing team 4 Feb • Completion of refurbished medical/rehab/surgical beds
late February• New radiology site to be completed late Feb/early March
Thanks to all patients, visitors, staff and doctors for your support and cooperation while these developments were undertaken. The upgrades ensure the Mayo will continue to serve the growing needs of the community well into the future.” - Brett Goods, CEO/DON, Mayo Private Hospital and Mayo Home Nursing Service.
CEO’S UPDATE
IN PROFILE Dr John Le Roux, Orthopaedic SurgeonAs a young student in Cape Town, South Africa, Johan Le Roux had a gift for woodwork and crafting things with his hands. When he later studied medicine, surgery was a natural fit for him and he trained as an orthopaedic surgeon.
Dr Le Roux specialises in general orthopaedic surgery including knee and hip replacements, trauma, sports injuries and upper limb and shoulder surgery. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the Australian Orthopaedic Association and the South African Orthopaedic Association.
He came to Australia in 1998 on a working holiday as a junior doctor. After further training in South Africa, he moved to Australia permanently with his family.
“We lived in Ballarat for three-and-a-half years. It was a great place and we felt very welcome. However, our family loves water sports and Ballarat is a long way from the ocean!”
“One of the reasons we moved here was for a better work/life balance and we’re really enjoying it. I love to surf and paddle, my wife enjoys outdoor sports and we get to spend more time with our two boys,” says Dr Le Roux. He even hopes to find time to learn a musical instrument with his children.
Dr Le Roux has been living in Forster for a year and works in Forster and Taree, in both public and private hospitals. He started operating at Mayo Private Hospital in Taree in February and has consulting rooms at the Mayo Healthcare Centre, co-located with the hospital. To make an appointment, phone 02 6550 0705.
Continued from page 1... The project included a new wing, increased the number of inpatient mental health beds from 9 to 20 and larger dining/lounge facilities.
The Unit, based in Taree, is the only private mental health inpatient facility between Newcastle and Coffs Harbour.
“We’re all very proud to be able to increase services for people with mental health disorders in the mid north coast. The increase in number of beds is most helpful in this respect,” says Dr Chris Pollock, Clinical Director of Mental Health Services at Mayo Private Hospital.
“In addition we have begun a very exciting staff training and upskilling program in order to provide the best service possible.”
To access Mayo’s mental health services, ask your GP for a referral. For enquiries or to arrange an admission, please call 02 6552 0071.
MENTAL HEALTH UNIT EXPANDS
HOME NURSING GOES HI TECH
YEARS OF SERVICE AWARDS
Mayo Home Nursing went ‘live’ in February with hand-held mobile devices, allowing nurses who work in the patient’s home to securely access and update care information while on the go.
ComCare – from the Silver Chain Group in Western Australia – is an application designed by community nurses for community nurses. When nurses visit clients in the home, their smartphone device shows the care needed for that person at that time and alerts to any changes to medication or treatment.
“The new ComCare system can benefit clients and staff,” says Karen Martin, Service Coordinator, Mayo Home Nursing. “One benefit is better communication between staff and local GPs. This collaborative approach to care coordination gives the best possible outcomes for clients.”
“Technology change can be difficult and we thank the Home Nursing team for their hard work during the rollout of Comcare,” says Mayo CEO, Brett Goods.
Mayo Private Hospital offers a broad range of health services in your local area. The skill and accessibility of local specialists and staff is complemented by visiting specialists and the expertise of allied health professionals.
Medical & Dental:• Cardiology• Dental• Dermatology• Ear, nose and throat• Echocardiography• Gastroenterology• General surgery• Gynaecology• Medical imaging/radiology (MRI
service to commence March 2013)• Mental health services• Ophthalmology• Oral and maxillofacial• Orthopaedics• Pathology• Psychiatry• Rehabilitation (inpatient and day-
rehab programs)• Renal dialysis• Sleep studies unit• Urology
Allied health services & nursing services:• Dietitian• Exercise physiology• Hydrotherapy• Injury management• Massage• Mayo Home nursing• Occupational therapy• Pathology laboratory/collections• Physiotherapy/allied health• Psychology
Starting soon:• Pain management (radiology-
guided injection)
SERVICES AT MAYO
STAFF PROFILE Brian PoultonThirty years ago, while visiting his parents in Taree, Brian saw some land for sale and bought it. It was a fairly spontaneous purchase – at the time he was working in Sydney as a compositor in the printing trade. He built a mud brick home on his new property and has lived here ever since.
When the computer era took over theprinting trade, the compositor’s role steadily declined. Brian worked in construction and bush regeneration projects and he and his wife and three young children travelled around Australia for a few years.
Brian started working in the maintenance department at Mayo Private Hospital in 2003 and has seen a lot of change and growth in that time. “I’ve been working here for 10 years and I’ve never had two days the same. I love my job!”
The past six months have been particularly hectic for Brian during the hospital redevelopment and he’s been “jack of all trades” managing day-to-day hospital maintenance around the logistics of new construction works. “It’s been very busy but we have really good people to work with. I’m looking forward to the next few years; I think it will be a positive time for the hospital.”
After recent trips to Nepal and Canada, Brian is also looking forward to his next travelling expedition. He hopes to one day build his own art studio and get back to painting, drawing and stained glass.
MRI - UPDATEA Medicare-funded MRI will be available to public and private patients from early March when Mayo Private Hospital’s new radiology and medical imaging facility is complete.
“The MRI will be used by Manning Rural Referral (public) Hospital patients as well as Mayo Private and outpatients,” says Mayo CEO Brett Goods. “Taree has not had an MRI before. Now people will have access to a Medicare-funded MRI closer to home.” Healthcare Imaging Services will install and operate the MRI.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is a scan that produces detailed images of the body. MRI scans are used to diagnose tumours, strokes, cancer, sports injuries and brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
With a combined 340 years of service between them, 42 staff members from Mayo Private Hospital and Mayo Home Nursing were honoured in December. The longest-serving staff member, Christine Jobson, was acknowledged for 20 years of service. Five staff received recognition for 15 years of service; 13 staff for 10 years of service; and 23 staff for five years of service.
“Recognising the years of service of our staff is an important acknowledgement of their contribution across the organisation,” says Mayo CEO Brett Goods. “Some of the staff have held a number of different roles at Mayo Healthcare Group over the years. Each staff member is integral to the organisation’s success and we thank them.”
a member of the group
STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS The Mayo congratulates staff member, Michelle Higgins, who has recently completed a Diploma in Community Services Management. Michelle is Mayo Home Nursing’s Case Manager, located in the Port Macquarie office.
“It has been a journey going back to study and looking at a computer instead of books” says Michelle.
“I thank the Mayo for the opportunity. It was very much a learning curve but one I enjoyed and I’ve learnt a lot.”
Dr Reichan Walther (Dr Rachel), DermatologistDr Rachel first visited Australia in 2003 while on honeymoon and fell in love with the lifestyle. At the time she was living in Germany where she trained as a dermatologist.
After becoming a dermatologist, she did further training which qualified her to do skin surgery. She also researched new treatments for psoriasis usingphototherapy and biologics (the use of light sources and medication to treat psoriasis).
Dr Rachel ran her own surgery in Germany for six years and spent four years in the United Kingdom. In 2011 she moved to the Manning region where she worked with Port Macquarie dermatologist, Dr Ian Hamann, before opening her own practice in Taree in January 2013. She is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Dermatologists, a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the German Dermatology Society and the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
She is a specialist consultant in dermatology and venereology (sexually transmitted diseases), allergology (allergy-related skin conditions) and laser treatment. “Half of my practice is dermatology and half is skin surgery. I treat anything from moles to psoriasis to skin cancer in children right through to the elderly,” says Dr Rachel. She also offers cosmetic and laser treatments for removal of wrinkles and photodynamic therapy – a non-surgical treatment for early-stage skin cancers.
“I enjoy living in this area and feel very welcome,” says Dr Rachel. “When I’m not working I enjoy learning to play the piano and I recently started flying lessons.”
Dr Rachel consults and operates at Mayo Private Hospital, Monday to Thursday and in Forster on Friday. To make an appointment phone 02 6551 0102 or email [email protected]
For more information please phone: 02 6539 3600 or visit www.mayoprivate.com.au
The health information provided within this newsletter is general in nature and not to be substituted for the advice of your own doctor.
A luncheon was held in Taree recently to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Friends of Mayo – women and men who volunteer their time each week to run the hospital kiosk, support patients and fundraise for much-needed hospital equipment.
Over the years, the team of 25+ volunteers led by Friends of Mayo President, Roma Woolnough and Secretary, Marcia Jarman, have raised funds to refurbish a patient lounge room, purchase defibrillators and special chairs, patient-lifting equipment and much more.
“Some of our volunteers knit cuddle bears for children, or slippers and bed socks, or sew special cushions to make patients comfortable after breast surgery. Others sit and talk to patients who might be lonely. We enjoy the opportunity to give back to the community,” says Roma.
The Mayo sincerely thanks all its volunteers – past and present – who contribute so much through their fundraising efforts and their support of patients and staff. If you would like to volunteer, call Roma on 02 6552 4543.
After 15 years of service at the Mayo’s current site, Robert Gander has decided to move to new ventures. The Mayo sincerely thanks Robert for his commitment and contribution to the organisation (most recently as manager of catering, housekeeping and laundry) and wishes him well in the future.
Mayo Injury Management:• Provides independent claims management assistance• Improves outcomes for injured workers• Improves workplace safety• Helps reduce workers’ compensation insurance premiums• Offers workplace mediation and dispute resolution• Minimises the economic and social costs of work-related
injury and disease• Is an accredited Work Cover provider
The Mayo Injury Management team includes allied health professionals, occupational therapists, psychologists, rehab counsellors, exercise physiologists, workplace educators, employment consultants and certified workplace trainers.
Mayo Injury Management’s head office is located in Taree and it services the area from the Central Coast to Coffs Harbour. It provides onsite and offsite assessments across all industry sectors. Call Mayo Injury Management today on 02 6539 0700 or email [email protected]
WORKPLACE INJURY MANAGEMENT
FRIENDS OF MAYO
OFF TO NEW ADVENTURES
INPROFILE
