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GET READY FOR FLU SEASONPAGE 5

FROM MY DESKIt’s the end of April and we can finally feel a chill in the air. For those of us working in health, it sparks the start of flu season and it pays to be prepared.

Last year the Northern Sydney region had a 128 per cent increase in total influenza notifications, with 14,619 residents infected compared to 6,408 in 2016. It meant some busy times in our EDs across the district.

Vaccination is your best protection against the flu, so I encourage you and your loved ones to get the flu shot. The World Health Organization advises this year’s flu vaccine will be a better match to the circulating strains and offer higher protection than last year.

The District will soon start staff vaccination clinics to make sure we’re playing our part in stopping the spread of flu. But don’t forget to wash your hands, sneeze into your elbow and stay home if you’re sick.

I was pleased to see the results from the NSW Health’s Your Training and Wellbeing Matters survey show that Junior Medical Officers (JMOs) would recommend NSLHD as a great place to work with more than two thirds feeling supported. We can always make improvements, but these results demonstrate the positive work culture building across the District and this should be celebrated.

One way to celebrate the great work across the district is to nominate colleagues for awards. I would like to thank everyone who nominated someone for

this year’s Premier’s Award. If you missed out, there are some more opportunities coming up such as The Top 50 Public Sector Women Awards and the NSW Health Awards. These are fantastic opportunities to publicly acknowledge the achievements within our District, and I know there are plenty.

As a district we are committed to ensuring our patients receive high quality and safe care and it was with great pleasure that I attended the District’s recent Quality Workshop.

The Workshop was facilitated by Professor Mary Chiarella, NSLHD Board Member and Professor of Nursing, Sydney Nursing School, University of Sydney. Much was achieved during the workshop to explore the future direction for safety and quality in NSLHD.

Internationally renowned health services and health systems researcher, Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, also provided invaluable insight into our quality and safety agenda and brought his particular expertise in leadership, management and change in health sector organisations. I know by working with you all we can ensure we deliver person-centred care with a greater involvement of consumers and families.

Deb Willcox Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District

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RNSH new childcare centre nearing completionThe toys are in place and our beautiful new purpose-built childcare centre is nearly ready to welcome its first visitors.

Once the finishing touches have been made, parents will have the opportunity to tour the facility before it officially opens in May. We’re looking forward to sharing more when we celebrate the official opening.

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We know our staff do amazing things and we want to hear about it.

Share your news, achievements, events with RNS and Ryde colleagues.

Contact Corporate Communications on 9463 1722 or email NSLHD-media@health.nsw.gov.au to submit your news.Publication is at the discretion of the editor and items may be edited for length, style and quality.

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Smoking rates in Northern Sydney lowest in NSWSmoking rates in Northern Sydney are continuing to fall according to the most recent data on tobacco use.

“In Northern Sydney, the smoking rate among adults is at 9 per cent which is the lowest in the state,” said Paul Klarenaar, Director of Health promotion at Northern Sydney Local Health District.

Mr Klarenaar said supporting smoking bans in public places, promoting the NSW Quitline service, training health workers and working with local councils and youth agencies has helped contribute to this result.

NSW Health’s Executive Director of Population Health Dr Jo Mitchell said the NSW Government’s efforts to curb smoking, the leading cause of disease and premature death across the state, are working.

The NSW Government allocated more than $6 million in the 2017-18 State Budget for tobacco control including into the Cancer Institute NSW’s Quitline and iCanQuit services. And since 2015, the Cancer Institute NSW has invested more than $22 million on public awareness and education campaigns for smoking cessation. “Smoking is a dangerous habit, not just to smokers but those around them, and we are committed to reducing its impact on our lives,” Dr

Mitchell said.

“That’s why I’m pleased to see our efforts result in a continued drop in smoking across NSW, from around 20 per cent in 2007 down to 15 per cent in 2016. Importantly, we’ve also seen the smoking rate in Aboriginal populations drop from around 43 per cent in 2008 to 40 per cent in 2016, but we will continue to work to reduce this figure fall much further. The rate of smoking among secondary school students is also at an all-time low of 6.7 per cent.

“Enforcement and tough laws have also played a key role in these results, with more than 2,200 tobacco retailers inspected from July 2016 to June 2017,” Dr Mitchell said.

More than 2,200 inspections of smoke-free outdoor areas were conducted between July 2016 and June 2017, 99 per cent of people in those areas complied with tough anti-smoking laws.

Businesses are also complying with laws at a consistently high level. Of the 900 tobacco retailers inspected in the same period, 94 per cent complied with laws restricting tobacco sales to minors.

The district will continue to explore more ways to reduce smoking rates.

Northern Sydney Local Health District

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April Falls!It may be an amusing play on words but April Falls Month is serious business.

Our staff were out and about in April spreading the word on falls prevention and assisting older people to stay on their feet.

They also aim to keep the conversation going for the whole year.

“Just over one third of all patient incidents involve a fall and in the community one in three people over 65 will have a fall each

year,” said Margaret Armstong, NSLHD Falls Prevention Coordinator.

“Having a fall can have serious consequences, even death, so it’s an important issue for our health service,” she said.

This year’s theme was ‘Nutrition and Hydration’ – eating well to prevent falls.

Nutrition and hydration are important for older people - When they are unwell, don’t consume enough food or water

they lose muscle and strength, become unsteady on their feet, can feel weak and/or dizzy, which can lead to falls and injury.

Some of the signs of poor nutrition and hydratyion include weight loss, gastro upset, muscle loss, poor oral health and loss of function which can have a big impact on quality of life.

Want to find out how you can prevent falls for you, your loved ones and your patients? Visit https://bit.ly/2JdaGat

Junior doctors enjoy working at Northern Sydney Local Health DistrictJUNIOR Medical Officers (JMOs) would recommend the district as a great place to work with more than two thirds feeling supported, according to an Australian-first survey.

NSW Health’s Your Training and Wellbeing Matters survey canvassed the views of 1910 junior doctors across the state, with the aim of improving the working life of doctors in training.

At NSLHD, 203 JMOs took part in the survey, which was the first of its kind. Of those who participated, 93 per cent said they had good supervision in hours and 79 per cent after hours.

The survey also found that 95 per cent of JMOs at NSLHD felt physically safe and majority felt they were able to achieve a healthy work/life balance.

While the results are encouraging, JMOs did report feeling unsupported in taking time off for study leave and having time to take meal breaks.

The survey – which will be conducted again in November – was an initiative of the JMO Wellbeing and Support Plan, which was released at the end of last year following a forum to address concerns raised by young doctors about the pressures they faced.

As part of the plan, changes have already occurred to improve the wellbeing of junior doctors with a review of rostering practices and two new safe working hour standards introduced.

The results of the Your Training and Wellbeing Matters survey can be viewed at www.health.nsw.gov.au/training-wellbeing-survey

The JMO Wellbeing and Support Plan is available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/jmo-wellbeing

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NSW Health recently launched a $1.75 million campaign encouraging people to have their flu jabs early and combat the spread of the virus by cleaning their hands regularly.

It comes in the wake of last year’s record flu season where more than 650 people died from influenza-related complications.

On 23 April, NSLHD played its part in the campaign by promoting the main messages and offering free flu shots at Stockland Balgowlah shopping centre.

Member for Manly, James Griffin, dropped by for a visit and was first in line for his flu vaccination, setting the tone for the day.

Over 140 people took advantage of the free vaccinations at Balgowlah, and hopefully they also took some of the other key messages on board too.

The campaign’s main focus is to remind people to vaccinate early,

with other key messages to help prevent the spread of influenza being:

• cough and sneeze into your elbow

• clean your hands, and

• stay home when sick.

The NSW Government will spend a record $22.75 million on immunisation programs in 2017-18, including $3.5 million towards free flu shots for children up to five years of age.

Flu shots are also free for pregnant women, people over 65 years of age, Aboriginal people and those with medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart problems.

Visit the Influenza Fact Sheet for more information via www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/Influenza/Pages/default.aspx

Get a flu shot nowAn annual flu shot is your best protection against influenza.

Flu shots are free for:

• pregnant women

• children under 5 years old

• Aboriginal people

• medically at risk groups.

Speak to your GP and get a flu shot now.

If you’re an NSLHD employee, keep an eye out for the vaccination clinics, starting soon.

Staff Health will be contacting high risk wards and departments to facilitate outreach clinics.

Flu fact: You can’t catch influenza from the flu shot.

New immunisation campaign launched after record flu season

NSLHD researchers receive funding boostFIVE research projects currently underway involving Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) researchers have been awarded a share in $2 million of funding to help fast-track the benefits to patients.

A new clinical model for assessing chest pain patients presenting to hospitals and a study into the pain management for osteoarthritis sufferers, are amongst the translational health and medical research projects that have received funding from Sydney Health Partners.

NSLHD is a member of Sydney Health Partners, which was formed in 2015 and is one of four inaugural Advanced Health Research and Translation

Centres named by the Federal Government to more rapidly and consistently deliver the benefits of research to patients and the community.

Sydney Health Partners also comprises of the Sydney and Western Sydney Local Health Districts, the Children’s Hospital Network (Westmead), the University of Sydney, plus nine affiliated independent medical research institutes.

Professor David Hunter of Royal North Shore Hospital and collaborators received funds to investigate how the Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program (OACCP) – developed by the Agency for Clinical Innovation – has been implemented around

the state.

A major burden upon hospitals is people presenting with pain and disability associated with knee and hip osteoarthritis and in many cases, they undergo tests and treatments that are not supported by the latest evidence.

“What we know is that there is a lot of variation state-wide in the implementation of that best practice,” said Professor Hunter. “The grant from SHP allows us to assess OACCP sites across NSW, look at the reasons why clinical practice varies and what are the barriers to full implementation of the guidelines.

Young patients at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital are playing with new toys thanks to the initiative of three Hornsby Heights children.

Zara (8) and her brothers Noah (9) and Brodie (6) have been collecting empty bottles and saved the cash from the NSW government Return and Earn program to buy new cot mobiles for the Hornsby Hospital’s

youngest patients.

“I really wanted to help sick children,” Noah said.

“We had the best summer and I think it’s nice to give something back.”

Mother Koran Gers Larkin said she is proud of her children.

“We wanted to teach the kids about caring for the environment and save up for tickets to the zoo as a reward,” Mrs Gers said.

When the children suggested donating the money to the hospital instead, Koran put out a call on a local Facebook group for anyone willing to part with their empty bottles.

“I was overwhelmed with the response,” Koran said.

“We collected 1440 bottles all up and at 10 cents a bottle we were

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able to spend $144 on our first purchase for the hospital.”

The Gers family is now hoping to keep the project growing to be able to continue donating on a regular basis.

The community initiative has prompted children’s ward’s nurse unit manager Louise Robinson to follow suit.

“It’s great to see that kids choose to do something that nice for each other and we decided to help out with collecting bottles here on the ward as well,” Ms Robinson said.

“It really is a win-win for all, our little patients can enjoy new toys and equipment and we are doing something good for the environment.”

To find out more or get involved find the ‘Gers Bottle Project’ page on Facebook.

LOCAL KIDS COLLECTING BOTTLES TO HELP YOUNG PATIENTS

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The 488 bed new hospital will feature:• 14 state-of-the-art operating theatres

including an interventional hybrid theatre and cardiothoracic theatre

• 2 cardiac cath labs

• 4 procedure rooms mostly for endoscopy services

• 41-bed recovery unit

Doctors from Manly and Mona Vale are eagerly anticipating the opening of Northern Beaches Hospital, saying the operating theatres will be among the best in the world.

The new hospital will have 14 theatres, with more than $2.5 million worth of state-of-the-art equipment installed.

Mona Vale Hospital surgeon Dr Stuart Pincott said the new theatres will be exceptional.

“We have been working for a long time with old infrastructure on the Northern Beaches, but we can now see the new hospital taking shape, and there’s a great deal of excitement about the operation of the new facility.

“It will be good for patients and it will be good for staff to work in such a modern, leading facility.

“I think staff will be especially impressed with the size of the theatres and the technology. Most of the equipment will hang from the ceiling, while operations will be able to be filmed and seen live on the other side of the world.

“This vision will also be able to be seen within the hospital’s education department, greatly broadening training opportunities for our staff.”

Another key inclusion is a $10,000 protective lead window for the control room where radiologists will sit.

Vascular surgeons, using the interventional hybrid theatre, will have access to imaging equipment which will display up-to-the-minute scans of a patient during complex procedures.

“This technology will greatly assist surgeons and improve patient care,” Dr Pincott said.

Around 150 surgeons, including cardiologists, neurologists, anaesthetists and obstetricians will work at the new hospital.

Northern Beaches Hospital to boast World class theatres

Stay at home if sick

Get a flu shot

Sneeze into your elbow

Clean your hands

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