A message from the Secretary, virtual care supporting regional and Aboriginal communities, Clozapine consumers and diabetics. Celebrations for Diwali, sonographers and allied health professionals. |
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As we see the rain continue, and local communities once again impacted across the state, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the teams who continue to actively respond to these challenges including our disaster recovery teams who are providing support. The dedication and determination of everyone involved is second-to-none as you support your community and each other.
I am constantly reminded of the ways our staff continue to find innovative ways to deliver the very best healthcare. Last week we celebrated Virtual Care Awareness Week. |
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In today’s edition we have highlighted some of our virtual care teams who do an incredible job connecting patients with clinical expertise, no matter where they live.
Also on celebrating the diversity of our workforce, tomorrow is Australasian Sonographer’s Day which is an opportunity to recognise the important work of sonographers across the system. Your expertise allows us to deliver high-quality care and protect the health of our communities – thank you.
Finally, I’d like to wish a very bright and happy Diwali to all staff and families who celebrate. Kind regards,
Susan Pearce
Secretary, NSW Health |
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Recovery team ready to go |
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The Mid North Coast Local Health District’s Disaster Recovery Team is ready to go at a moment’s notice to help communities affected by flooding. The team, which can support emergency response and recovery operations across the state, has begun preparing its resources for immediate deployment if needed. The District’s Disaster Recovery and Farmgate programs were born out of NSW Health's response to drought and then bushfires and more recently expanded to cover flood response and recovery. The team provides mental health support to individuals, families, farmers and small businesses affected by natural disasters. |
| Mid North Coast Disaster Recovery Team |
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The service is community-facing, providing outreach support at Evacuation and Recovery Centres, community events, wellbeing clinics as well as individual appointments as required. “Our team of disaster recovery specialist clinicians, Farmgate social workers and our Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) Coordinator never cease to amaze me with their continued enthusiasm to help disaster-affected communities” said team manager Adam Ulrick. “Our model of working as one team has really improved efficiencies in information sharing and coordination of recovery programs and education across the spectrum of stakeholders. “We have been providing mental health support to communities through the cumulative effects of drought, bushfire and now multiple floods that have occurred in the past three years. This also included a lengthy deployment to Northern NSW Local Health District earlier this year to assist communities after those catastrophic floods.” Mr Ulrick said. While the Mid North Coast is experiencing some minor to moderate flooding, the team continues to monitor the statewide situation closely and is ready to go when needed. |
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Changes to IPTAAS are ‘lifechanging’ for clients |
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A Coffs Harbour pensioner described changes to the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) as ‘lifechanging’. Seventy-three-year-old Michael, who travels to Sydney every two months for specialist eye treatment, is now entitled to almost double the financial assistance he was previously receiving.
When the team at Port Macquarie’s IPTAAS office told Michael that reimbursement amounts for travel and accommodation had increased from 1 August, he wasn’t sure how much more he would receive. |
| IPTAAS Port Macquarie team |
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“I thought it might be an extra 20 bucks or so, which makes a big difference when you’re on the pension and every cent counts.
“Well, you could have blown me over when I saw it was almost double what I was getting back before. I thought it must have been a mistake.”
Port Macquarie’s IPTAAS office coordinator Samantha Piper said the team has loved sharing the exciting news with clients.
“There’s no greater satisfaction than knowing that through your team’s efforts you’re helping people access support they otherwise may not have pursued. When patients visit our office and you see the relief and gratitude on their faces, it’s really wonderful.”
IPTAAS supports people living in rural, regional and remote NSW to access health services and treatment not available locally.
The recent changes make the scheme available to more people and increase subsidies for patients. For more information see the IPTAAS FAQ or the IPTAAS website. |
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Feedback from around the table |
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The Aboriginal Cultural Support Team from RPA Virtual Hospital of Sydney Local Health District has supported nearly 4,000 local Aboriginal community members since January 2022. The team was established in mid-2021 during the COVID-19 Delta outbreak to introduce patients to virtual care and help them feel comfortable to access and use virtual services. Alexis Joseph, member of the Aboriginal Cultural Support Team, was a champion in delivering care to Aboriginal communities during this incredibly difficult time.
“I was born and raised in that community, I grew up in that community and it’s nice to know that we are able to support Aboriginal people. We are dedicated to making sure that the community is safe, so we are working to apply our practices into other models of care,” said Alexis.
An Elder’s roundtable was Alexis’ idea. Seven Aboriginal community Elders have now attended two informal discussions to provide feedback on their virtual care experiences.
Aboriginal Elder, Aunty Evelyn Pipe shared her gratitude for the support given by Alexis and the team when she had COVID-19. “Alexis made a big difference. I was so ill and frightened, but she was so relaxed and caring,” Aunty Evelyn said. The team’s openness to collaborate with community groups and the positive response from patients has supported the transition of the Aboriginal Cultural Support Team into a permanent part of RPA Virtual Hospital. Miranda Shaw, General Manager of RPA Virtual Hospital will be presenting an action plan to implement the learnings from the Roundtable.
“It’s essential for RPA Virtual to provide this type of care to our Aboriginal patients. We’re excited to have the team stay permanently and have developed an action plan to better meet the needs of Aboriginal patients,” said Miranda. |
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Aboriginal Elders at the Roundtable |
| Alexis Joseph with Aunty Evelyn
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Australasian Sonographer's Day |
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October 27 is Australasian Sonographers Day. A day dedicated to the incredible work and expertise of our sonographers who are right beside patients to protect their health and improve their experience. Melanie Ferguson and Gina Blackburn are two medical imaging professionals from the Gilgandra practice out of Western New South Wales LHD.
Between the two of them, there is close to 30 years’ experience in sonography.
“There are so many parts to sonography that make it enjoyable. Sometimes we are one-on-one with patients for a long time, and we get to know them and build a connection,” Gina said.
The imaging service in Gilgandra provides patients and their families from rural Western NSW the opportunity to access important services closer to home.
“I’m originally from Gilgandra and I’m proud to be able to bring this service to my town. Breaking down some of the barriers that people face when accessing medical imaging is really important to us,” Melanie said.
“Being a sonographer in a small rural community is really rewarding. Melanie and I share the same passion about making a difference to people in these communities, so we are always encouraging each other,” Gina said.
The field of medical imaging has grown and changed over the years. New technologies and improved practices allow Sonographers like Melanie and Gina to provide so much more to patients and their care team.
“The profession has exploded over the years. It’s kept me interested because I’m always learning new skills, but also because every patient and every scan is different,” Melanie said.
Melanie and Gina had a combined celebration for Australasian Sonographers Day and Allied Health Professions Day with a cosy morning tea last week.
Thank you, Melanie and Gina and all NSW Health Sonographers, for making a difference in our communities. |
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Gina Blackburn (left), Melanie Ferguson (right) |
| Gilgandra Allied Health staff |
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Remote diabetes monitoring |
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Around one in eight adults in the Western Sydney Local Health District population have diabetes, making it a hotspot in NSW. Regular testing of emergency department patients at Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals found that 30 percent of patients tested are pre-diabetic and 18 percent are diabetic.
Professor Glen Maberly, Director of Western Sydney Diabetes (WSD), knew that a virtual care model could be the key to providing treatment and support to local patients with diabetes. |
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Western Sydney Diabetes team wearing NSW Health virtual care t-shirts |
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“COVID-19 did many things to many people, but it also accelerated technology that transformed the way we use virtual care and the way we interact with the community," Glen said. The WSD team were early adopters of the NSW Health Agency for Clinical Innovation
myVirtualCare platform. Within two weeks, the team was able to provide fully virtual care. Over time, the WSD team implemented virtual tools including educational videos, lifestyle apps and remote blood sugar monitoring using a clinical dashboard. The virtual care model also supports prevention by providing lifestyle, diet and exercise support.
“Virtual care has allowed us to stablise people remotely and we know that after these case conferences a patient’s diabetes improves,” Glen said.
“The benefits are there for both patients and clinicians. Over the last six months, we have had more than 600 GPs join the platform and been able to increase the volume of care we can provide significantly,” Glen said. |
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Our cultural diversity is an asset, and right across NSW Health, our teams are made up of different cultural backgrounds, who have different beliefs and who speak different languages. Monday 24 October was the start of Diwali, a grand festival of lights celebrated by Hindus around the world. Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. The symbol of light represents new beginnings and hope of a bright future.
Some of our staff shared how they celebrate the festival of light. Happy Diwali, wishing you a bright a prosperous Diwali that brings joy and light into your lives. |
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Rajan's kids playing with sparklers to celebrate Diwali |
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"Traditional rituals include the lighting off small lamps to banish evil spirits. The lamps symbolise hope for a bright future. We wear new clothes and exchange gifts with friends and family.
We also go to the temple in the morning and have fireworks in the evening during the festival." Rajan Manickarajah Systems Manager
NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service South Eastern Sydney LHD |
| "Diwali or 'Deepavali' is a time to bond with my family and friends. We cook and eat a variety of food and sweets and decorate our doorways with colourful flowers and rangolis (patterns created on the floor). This year, I am looking forward to introducing some of the traditions to my three-year old, especially lighting lamps and burning sparklers.
For me, the festival signifies creating new memories with my loved ones and an opportunity to start new traditions." Kavya Banavar
Business Analyst, Systems Support Cancer Institute NSW |
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| Brighter Beginnings
Register now for the Brighter Beginnings First 2000 Days Summit hosted by NSW Health and other NSW Government agencies working on the Brighter Beginnings initiative.
Over two days (31 October to 1 November 2022), the Summit will showcase progress to date, disseminate learnings, and drive momentum in the implementation of the NSW Health First 2000 Days Framework and NSW Government Brighter Beginnings initiative.
View the Summit program and register. |
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Learning through Reflective Practice Learn how to deal constructively with the challenging aspects of your work through Reflective Practice.
Join a new workshop by the Clinical Excellence Commission to learn why Reflective Practice is important in healthcare, what good practice looks like, and tips to strengthen your practice.
These workshops with run on multiple dates from now through early December. Sign up now as spaces are limited. |
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New virtual model of care |
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Clozapine consumers within the Southern NSW Local Health District recently took part in a trial of the Virtual Clozapine Model. Providing consumers using Clozapine the option to receive care in the comfort of their home reduces the cost and time of travel, the impact of appointments on their daily lives, and allows them to be more independent.
Participants used a tablet device to monitor their blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature and weight at home. By doing this, it minimises travel, sometimes long distances, for health appointments. |
| Clozapine coordinators, Keryn and James |
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Following the success of the trial, Southern NSW LHD are working with the Mental Health Branch, consumers, and carers to implement the Virtual Clozapine Model of care in other LHDs. Find out more by watching Joel Evans’ story who is now more in control of his care with the help of the Virtual Clozapine Model. |
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As the demand for mental health services has increased, THIS WAY UP aims to help people access on-demand mental health care. So far, the platform has supported more than 170,000 people by providing online treatment programs for anxiety, depression, stress, chronic pain and insomnia.
The model allows patients to access mental health care anytime from anywhere across Australia. |
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Clinical Psychologist at the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression at St Vincent’s, Katie Dobinson said “THIS WAY UP has been a game-changer. It has allowed me to provide evidence-based practice to more people and better meet the diverse needs for each of my clients.”
“It has helped many of my clients to feel better sooner and therefore freed up some time in our sessions to address other needs,” said Katie. Visit the website to find out more about THIS WAY UP’s online programs. |
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Allied Health Professions Day |
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October 14 was International Allied Health Professions Day. Thank you to all allied health professionals for your incredible work in caring for patients, their carers and families!
See how some of our Allied Health staff celebrated the day by watching the video. |
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Delivering state-of-the-art stroke treatment |
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| Stroke in Australia is the number one cause of adult disability, and it’s the third highest cause of death. The impact that it has on our society at a social and economic level is massive. The NSW Telestroke Service is saving lives right across NSW by connecting patients with world-class care, no matter where they live.
Professor Ken Butcher Medical Director of the NSW Health Telestroke Service describes the benefits of the service. |
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“The NSW Telestroke Service brings to patients state-of-the-art assessment and treatment tools in their home communities,” Professor Butcher said.
“What I would like clinicians and other specialties to know about our program is the model of care. I think what COVID has shown us is that we do need to be creative and leverage our technology and what we have, to deliver the best care that we can for our patients,” Professor Butcher said.
Watch Professor Butcher talk about the NSW Telestroke Service to find out more.
Implementation of the NSW Telestroke Service is a collaboration between the Prince of Wales Hospital, eHealth NSW, the Agency for Clinical Innovation and the Ministry of Health. |
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People and Culture - Future Health
The NSW Ministry of Health is leading a project to review people and culture capabilities, structures, and functions in NSW Health.
The review will help us future-proof our people and culture service by implementing structures and capabilities to deliver on the strategies of Future Health and be an employer of choice.
Visit the project intranet site for more information and how to be involved. |
| HETI training - National Safe Work Month
HETI has compiled a collection of the latest resources in My Health Learning for National Safe Work Month and Mental Health Month this October. -
WHS and Community Staff Safety
- Safe Patient Handling
- Introduction to Work, Health and Safety for Managers
- Fatigue: Minimising the impact at work
- Working with Hazardous Substances
- Implementing trauma-informed care (TIC)
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Mental Health Awareness
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High-risk setting COVID-19 support payment People who work in a high-risk setting may be eligible for a lump sum payment.
If you work in a high risk setting such as health, aged or disability care and cannot earn an income because you have tested positive to COVID-19, you may be eligible for the High-Risk Settings Pandemic Payment (HRSPP).
Additional eligibility criteria apply. |
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We acknowledge the Aboriginal traditional custodians of the land in which we live and work and pay respects to all Elders past, present and emerging. We also acknowledge all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff working with the NSW Government. |
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