Wide Bay Hospital & Health Service

Improving health, together

What’s Inside l Our doctor an internet hit

l Win for rural regions

l New rehab program

l Tours offer taste of health

WIDE Bay Hospital and Health Service has struck a new public-private agreement giving patients local access to life-saving cardiac angiogram and stenting services.

The five-year agreement, between WBHHS and Bundaberg Cardiology, part of the GenesisCare network, allows patients to have some cardiac procedures performed in Wide Bay rather than in Brisbane.

“This $11 million contract provides care to public patients who present to local emergency departments in urgent need of an angiogram or, in some cases, a stent if it’s clinically required,” Wide Bay Hospital and Health Board Chair Peta Jamieson said.

“This agreement can literally save lives – it means patients can have these procedures done in their own region instead of having to travel.”

WBHHS Chief Executive Adrian Pennington said it had been a priority to boost access to more local specialist services where it was appropriate and cost-effective.

“This partnership is a continuation of our

aim to give Wide Bay patients access to the highest-quality service at the right time,” Adrian said. “This translates to better health outcomes for our patients, and means a lot less inconvenience for them and their support networks.”

GenesisCare Cardiologist and Executive Manager of HeartCare, Professor Stephen Worthley, said its group of cardiologists was delighted to be increasing access for public patients in the region.

“We are incredibly pleased to be partnering with Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service to ensure that its community has access to state-of-the-art interventional cardiology services close to home,” Prof Worthley said.

“For patients with an urgent heart condition, it is critical to diagnose and deliver the right care precisely when it’s needed.”

Bundaberg Cardiology operates its cardiac service out of the Friendly Society Private Hospital.

More-complex public cardiology patients will continue to be referred to Brisbane facilities.

Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service Board Chair Peta Jamieson, Chief Executive Adrian Pennington and Bundaberg Cardiology’s Dr Arthur Conradie with patient Ian McVie.

WIDE Bay Hospital and Health Service is set to recognise the Biggenden community for its contribution towards building a Palliative Care Unit extension at its local hospital.

The $120,000 project was entirely funded thanks to the fundraising efforts of Biggenden community groups and residents.

The extension to the Palliative Care Unit provides a room where family members can stay alongside the existing room where palliative care patients are cared for.

Having an appropriate space for families to stay with their dying relatives in comfort was a long-held desire of the Biggenden community.

The room was fitted out according to OHS and other standards and includes lounges, kitchen facilities such as a fridge and kettle, cupboards, tables, drawers and more.

Interested community members are welcome to attend the opening of the unit, which will commence at 9am, on November 1, the at the Biggenden MPHS.

$120,000 project set for opening

Partnership at heart of health

October 25, 2017

News from across the WBHHS

SAFE Work Month barbecues are continuing across the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service.

The Bundaberg Hospital barbecue was held on October 11, while Maryborough Hospital will be held today (October 25).

As part of the Safe Work Month activities, our OHS team organised a drawing competition for children with the theme “My favourite thing to do with my family is”.

The competition serves as a reminder about why we are passionate about being safe at work – we want to return home to our loved ones each and every day.

Bundaberg winners of the drawing competition were:

• Ruby Peall, age 9, who likes to go camping with her family

• Taytum Bell, age 8, who likes to go fishing with her family

• Georgia Bell, age 11, who likes to

go to the beach with her family.

Today’s Maryborough Hospital barbecue will be held from 10am to 2pm in the after-hours carpark.

All staff are welcome and on top of the free lunch there are plenty of information

stands and educational displays from Occupational Health & Safety, the Office of Industrial Relations/Worksafe, Q Super and more.

Members of the WBHHS executive will also be available to chat to about safety and other issues.

Safe work message spreads its wings

The winning entries in the Bundaberg Hospital Safe Work Month drawing competition.

DID you catch our Facebook video about Dr Richard Osborne’s anti-magpie helmet?

You would be among the near 10,000 viewers of the video on our facebook page.

After battling swooping magpies on his bike ride to the Hervey Bay Cancer Care Centre, Dr Osborne made some modifications to his helmet.

The helmet now has two counter devices - party whistles that he can engage by blowing into a tube, and backup party poppers which can be activated by pulling a string beside

his helmet.

On top of the views of the video on our Facebook page, an additional 220,000 people have viewed a Channel 7 Wide Bay story via their

Facebook page.

The video not only provides a light hearted-way to give our medical staff a human face, but highlights Facebook’s ability to help us communicate to our local communities.

By keeping people engaged with our page it enables us to reach a broader audience with our important announcements and public health messaging.

To view the video, visit https://www.facebook.com/widebayhealth/videos/1145821715548546/

Our doctor’s invention becomes an internet sensation

Dr Osborne’s popular invention.

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News from across the WBHHS

RURAL communities across our region will have access to a range of psychology services thanks to a new appointment.

Psychologist Frances Lavis has joined the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service team and while based at Gayndah Community Health, she will be travelling our region each month to bring psychology services to Biggenden, Childers, Eidsvold, Gin Gin, Monto and Mundubbera.

On top of these regular community health rural stops, Frances will also be adding a new stop at Agnes Water and will use Telehealth to increase access for people from our rural communities.

Originally from South Western Sydney, Frances has lived in various locations throughout Australia including Exmouth in northern Western Australia, Nowra in southern New South Wales, Darwin and Cairns.

Since completing her Masters of Clinical

Psychology at University of Queensland, Frances has been employed within private practice and at Metro North Hospital and Health Service in Brisbane, where she acted in roles in both community and hospital environments at Kilcoy, Caboolture, and Redcliffe.

Frances was recruited under the Allied Health Rural Generalist Trainee program.

“This position was developed to allow

WBHHS to deliver new psychology services to its rural facilities,” Frances said.

“The initial primary focus of care will be providing evidence-based psychological therapies to assist people who have a chronic health or pain diagnosis.

“I am looking forward to providing psychology services within the rural regions of Wide Bay.”

Appointment a win for our rural regions

Psychologist Frances Lavis has joined the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service team.

A FRIENDLY word or two for babies was at the top of the agenda for Fraser Coast Rotary clubs recently.

The groups banded together to donate books to newborns through Hervey Bay Hospital’s maternity unit to celebrate Education and Literacy Month.

Rotary Club Maryborough Sunrise representative Robyn Dowling said reading was vital for later skills in life and the sooner youngsters started reading, the quicker their skills developed.

“Pretty much all their words are learnt in the five years before they go to school so it’s crucial to start reading as early as they can,” she said.

Big read for bubs as Rotary delivers books for newborns

Rotary Club members with parents Erica Williamson and Josh Murray and their newborn son, at Hervey Bay Hospital.

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News from across the WBHHS

IT’S been a busy few months for registered nurse Angela Slack and exercise physiologist Wes Bramley, who have been planning, organising and implementing a new Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation program.

The Rural Allied & Community Health Team have introduced the new program which is available to people with a range of cardiac and pulmonary related conditions.

All that is needed is a referral from the treating hospital, general practitioner or cardiologist.

Program benefits include exercises to improve fitness and muscle strength, increased confidence and wellbeing as well as reducing the risk of further events.

It also offers education from a range of allied health and nursing professionals on topics including heart and lungs and risk factor management, energy conservation, understanding medication, depression and self-managing emotion.

The eight-week program is based on the National Heart Foundation’s Heart Online and the Lung Foundation Australia programs, ensuring best-practice, evidence-based care is provided.

People can access the program at

Mundubbera, Eidsvold, Gayndah and Biggenden with brand new gym equipment being used at each location.

Early feedback suggests it is making some positive changes to rural communities by providing local access

and reducing the need to travel to attend the group.

People involved in the program said actively participating “with people who are in the same boat” was another motivating and contributing factor.

New rehab program a breath of fresh air

Registered Nurse Angela Slack and exercise physiologist Wesley Bramley with new exercise equipment at Mundubbera MPHS, which is used for the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program.

STAFF from across Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service got behind Mental Health Week recently.

This year’s theme was “Value mental health”.

WBHHS staff were involved in a North Burnett Mental Health Week Breakfast at Gayndah on October 10. The breakfast was well supported by other service

providers, the local council and community organisations.

Fraser Coast based staff also got out in the community to a local Maryborough park to encourage people to have a chat and a walk. Studies suggest fresh air, exercise

and connecting with others can help maintain good mental health.

Staff across our mental health team at Bundaberg and Maryborough also organised displays to promote Mental Health.

There was a great turnout for the North Burnett Mental Health Week Breakfast at Gayndah.

Strong support for mental health

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News from across the WBHHS

WIDE Bay Hospital and Health Service is continuing to inspire the region’s young people to pursue careers in healthcare through a range of initiatives.

During October, our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health team worked alongside the Queensland Ambulance Service, Department of Education and WYLD Projects to run a Taste Tour.

Groups of Year 11 and Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from Bundaberg State High School took part.

“The aim of the Taste Tour is to assist these students in making decisions about potential career pathways,” Senior Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Consuela Morrice said.

“WBHHS staff from a range of different clinical and non-clinical areas and a Queensland Ambulance Service officer

shared their experiences with them. We would like to thank the Queensland Ambulance Service, Department of Education and WYLD Projects for their involvement and helping to coordinate the day.”

As part of the tour the students were shown around our Bundaberg facilities.

Unfortunately poor weather prevented another visit, but our team is looking forward to it being rescheduled for the students.

Taste tours offer slice of health career

Year 11 and 12 students from Bundaberg State High School with members of the WBHHS, QAS and WYLD Project teams during their Taste Tour.

WHILE Breast Cancer Awareness Month is nearing its close, there is still plenty of time for local businesses to jump on board our Pink Cups campaign.

At time of publication some 30 businesses and organisations had been selling the cups, but others were welcome to join the effort to promote our BreastScreen service.

You can support the businesses who are supporting our BreastScreen promotion by purchasing your next cappuccino at:

• Menus on Main• Café Discovery• Green Turtle Café and Bar• Lana’s Place• Gayndah’s Big Orange• Breeze Café and Bakery• Hervey Bay Hospital• Madonna’s Café• The Drunk Bean• Reds for Coffee• The Star Roadhouse and

Caravan Park• Bayaroma Café• Rocklatinao Caffe• Spring, Eats and Treats• Thirst Aide Café• Spotted Dog

• Melting Moments Kafe• Childers Hot Bread and Cake

Shop• Gayndah Bakery• Gin Gin Bakery• Hospital Café• Café Delicious• Kim’s Café• The Black Dog Café• St Stephens Hospital• Dan’s Diner Wondai• The Caffeine Fix• Alowishus Delicious• Nana’s Pantry• Toast Espresso Bar• About Munch Time

Pink BreastScreen coffee cups prove a hit with stores

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News from across the WBHHS

Your role? Specialist Outpatients Elective Services Coordinator.

How long have you been with WBHHS? Two years.

How do you describe what you do? I work with a great team to ensure that all specialist outpatients are treated within clinically recommended timeframes.

What’s best about your job? Every day I get to work alongside passionate people who all share the same goal of ensuring patients have access to good-quality healthcare in a timely manner, that’s pretty awesome.

When you’re not at work, you are ... Possibly singing and dancing to the Trolls and Minions soundtrack with my five and three year old!

Tell us something people may not know about you. I was born in PNG and have lived in

five countries, which included being a volunteer on a Kibbutz in Israel.

What can’t you do without? Conversations with my wonderfully supportive husband … oh and good dark chocolate!!

What music are you listening to at the moment? I would like to say something really cool but really it’s the Trolls and the Minions soundtracks.

What’s your guilty pleasure? Watching EastEnders … I know, I know.

WITH November starting next week, it means dodgy upper lip hair will be returning to the men of Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service.

A number of men from across our service are joining in the effort, which is motivated by a desire to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

You can join the WBHHS team or pledge a donation by visiting the official WBHHS Movember team page at https://au.movember.com/team/2252409

The Wave is keen for progress photos of moustaches throughout November, so feel free to email them to christopher.mcloughlin@health.qld.gov.au

Simone’s happy to help in specialist outpatient role

60 se

conds with ...

Simone Grodeland

Time to decorateHAVE you noticed that Christmas decorations have appeared in the supermarkets and other shops?That means it is time to start planning your work unit’s Christmas decorations as the WBHHS Annual Christmas Decoration Competition 2017 is coming soon.Rural judging will take place from December 11-13, with Maryborough on December 13, Hervey Bay on December 14 and Bundaberg on December 15.If you haven’t received a registration form, please email wbhhs-hsce@health.qld.gov.au

Simone Grodeland is a world traveller who loves spending time with her family.

Joke of the dayA MAN goes to the eye doctor and the receptionist asks him why he is there. The man complains, “I keep seeing spots in front of my eyes.”

The receptionist asks, “Have you ever seen a doctor?” and the man replies, “No, just spots.”

Set for a mo-down

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