Pomegranate Summer Edition 2013 by St John of God Health Care

| AUG 2013 JUL 09 Summer

Pomegranate Hospitality I Compassion I Respect I Justice I Excellence

St John of God to purchase Mercy Hospital St John of God Health Care has commenced a regulatory approval process to acquire Mercy Hospital Mt Lawley from MercyCare and secure the future of the 76 year old private hospital that sits proudly on the banks of Perth’s Swan River. Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Stanford said the purchase of Mercy Hospital would benefit both organisations and the communities they serve. He said St John of God Health Care, as the third largest private hospital operator in Australia, had the resources and expertise to invest in the hospital and grow its service offering to the community. “We are particularly excited about the opportunity to actively grow Mercy Hospital as a provider of specialist rehabilitation services and to integrate the hospital with our other Perth metropolitan hospitals, including Midland. “Mercy Hospital has a similar culture and values to our own and we will ensure the Catholic ethos and mission continues at the hospital,” Michael said. For MercyCare the sale provides an opportunity to look at providing a wider range of health care and social services in people’s homes and communities, and increase access to services for those who are without adequate assistance or marginalised from mainstream service programs.

Mercy Hospital was established by the Sisters of the Order of Mercy as St Anne’s Nursing Home on April 10, 1937 and has a fond place in the hearts of many Western Australians as its care began, and continues today, with babies and families.

Pictured: Acquisition of the 205 bed Mercy Hospital Mount Lawley, five km east of Perth, will give SJGHC five major hospitals in the city.

It started with 30 beds and dedicated seven of those to maternity services. It has seen several generations of families through its hospital, grown to 205 beds and continued its care across the ages, to offer surgical, medical, rehabilitation, aged and mental health services.

TOPPING OUT

St Anne’s Mercy Hospital changed its name to Mercy Hospital in 1996 to commemorate 150 years since the pioneering Sisters of Mercy arrived in Western Australia. The philosophy of exceptional care started by the Sisters of Mercy continues today and it is this care and proud history that St John of God Health Care is committed to continue under its management. The regulatory approvals for the acquisition will take three to six months with Mercy Hospital expected to transfer to St John of God Health Care in the first half of 2014.

Midland Public and Private Hospitals are now the tallest buildings in Midland and on time and on budget to open in late 2015.

ONCOLOGY IN BERWICK

New cancer services are a welcome addition to health care south east of Melbourne.

EXCELLENCE IN NURSING

Nurses recognised as being amongst the best in Western Australia.

www.sjog.org.au

GROUP UPDATE As another busy year concludes and a prosperous New Year beckons, we should all take the time to reflect on our achievements as a Group, enjoy the opportunity that the festive season presents to celebrate and look forward to new beginnings in the year ahead. We were excited to recently announce our intent to purchase the 205 bed Mercy Hospital Mount Lawley in Western Australia from MercyCare, which should see the hospital transferred to St John of God Health Care in early 2014. Welcoming this proud Catholic hospital into the St John of God family will ensure a bright future for the Hospital and those who come into its care. From the date of purchase the hospital will be known as St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital. By November 2015 St John of God Health Care will have five hospitals strategically located across Perth, with the addition of St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital and including St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals. We will have 1,650 beds in metropolitan Perth up from 948 beds at present, an increase of more than 75 per cent. We will then operate almost 3000 beds nationally across three states of Australia. Growth in all service areas will factor significantly in the Strategic Planning 2

process currently underway for the period 2015 – 2019. We expect to publish our new Strategic Plan in April 2014. In 2014 we will have the opportunity to reflect warmly on our history as we recognise 25 years since the creation of St John of God Health Care Inc. The Sisters of St John of God showed great wisdom in 1989 by aggregating their hospitals, developing more sophisticated management systems and processes and encouraging lay people to take responsibility at every level of the organisation. On reflecting on the year that is coming to an end, we must celebrate the completion of the major redevelopment at our Bunbury Hospital and the new services it has brought to the South Western region. We should also celebrate the outstanding new mother and baby unit (Perinatal and Infant Mental Health) and group therapy centre at our Burwood Hospital.

Topping out of Midland Hospitals John of God Health Care, we have moved to a shared service model in corporate functions including finance, human resources, information technology and supply. The benefits of this new model are already being felt. For caregivers across our group who have been impacted by the changes afoot, can I thank you for your resilience as we have continued to deliver great outcomes. This was confirmed by our patients and doctors in this year’s Press Ganey satisfaction surveys. It is impossible to capture all the achievements of the year but to all at St John of God Health Care and to those who work with us in delivering on our Mission can I express my sincere gratitude. My wish for you and your loved ones is to enjoy a blessed and happy Christmas.

Murdoch Hospital opened the first stages of its $200 million redevelopment and our Geelong Hospital is well into its $65 million development, due for completion in May 2014.

Dr Michael Stanford Group Chief Executive Officer

As this issue of Pomegranate reveals, construction of the new Midland Public and Private Hospitals has reached the topping out stage making our presence very visible in this new community that we will be serving by late 2015.

Pictured above left: Group CEO Dr Michael Stanford and Chairman of the Board of St John of God Health Care Tony Howarth sign the agreement to purchase Mercy Hospital from MercyCare in November.

Amidst all this, and very much due to the growth and change occurring across St

A healthy future for Midland and surrounding communities is yet another step closer, with a traditional construction ‘topping out’ ceremony held to mark St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals reaching their full height. A commemorative pomegranate tree was hoisted onto the roof of what is now the tallest building in Midland to coincide with the last major concrete pour and 43 per cent of construction complete. The ‘topping out’ tradition can be traced back to an ancient Scandinavian religious practice of placing a tree on the top of a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits of their ancestors that had been displaced.

The tree used in the ceremony will be nurtured in a local nursery to later be planted on the grounds of the new hospital.

public hospital opens and Swan District Hospital closes two years from now.” Brookfield Multiplex’s Regional Managing Director, Chris Palandri said in addition to the hospitals’ construction reaching the 43 per cent milestone, it was also on schedule and on budget.

The St John of God Health Care and Brookfield Multiplex project team were joined by the Hon. Helen Morton MLC, WA Minister for Mental Health; Disability Services; Child Protection and member for East Metropolitan Region, as well as representatives from WA Health and the local community.

Pictured above left: Aerial view of the Midland Hospitals as at October 2013. Pictured above right: (l-r) WA Minister for Mental Health Helen Morton, SJGHC Executive Director Perth Northern Hospitals, Dr Lachlan Henderson; City of Swan Mayor Charlie Zannino; Brookfield Multiplex Project Manager, Marc Van Heemst; Member for Midland, Michelle Roberts; Midland Hospitals CEO, Ian Anderson; Brookfield Multiplex Regional Director, Steve McConkey; Brookfield Multiplex Project Manager Construction, Tim O’Neill.

St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals Chief Executive Officer, Ian Anderson confirmed that the hospitals were on track to open in late 2015. “In addition to the building progress, we are well ahead in planning the new and expanded free public health services that we will deliver to patients when the new

Funds for breast cancer research St John of God Foundation has raised $500,000 this year to support new breast cancer research projects that will contribute to a better understanding of the disease. The laboratory based research is being conducted in close association with Prof Christobel Saunders and her clinical

colleagues to seek ways to improve the treatment of women with breast cancer. St John of God Health Care Group Research Coordinator Assoc Prof Nik Zeps said one of the research endeavours was looking into how immune cells could be used to target breast cancer. This research is being conducted at the Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre in collaboration with the Deeley Cancer Centre in Canada.

Nik said another project was looking into the involvement of genes in inflammatory breast cancers, which are aggressive forms of breast cancer with typically very poor outcomes. Funds raised by the Foundation have been used to appoint a Postdoctoral Fellow and Graduate Research Assistant for three years.

Mental health matters St John of God Health Care was acknowledged for its expertise in perinatal mental health with two Mental Health Matters Awards being made to the group by the New South Wales Mental Health Association as part of Mental Health Week in October. Burwood Hospital’s Circle of Security parenting program was honoured with an Excellence Award and Raphael Centre Blacktown was recognised for the development of an Early Years Outreach Clinic in the rural centre of Tamworth. The Mental Health Matters Awards celebrate outstanding achievement in increasing the understanding and awareness of mental health issues and improving the mental health of the community. The Awards were presented by the NSW Minister for Health, Kevin Humphries at Parliament House. St John of God Burwood Hospital Chief Executive Officer June Mattner said the hospital’s mother and baby unit had a strong philosophy of helping mothers and infants to develop a secure attachment. “Contemporary attachment and developmental theories, like the Circle of Security Program, help increase the mother’s sensitivity and appropriate responsiveness to the infant’s cues in a way that promotes healthy attachment. This lays the groundwork for the development of emotional self–regulation in the infant,” June said.

Partnership delivers regional clinical school A new school of nursing at St John of God Ballarat Hospital will help student nurses at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) gain valuable exposure to a real clinical environment and potentially boost the hospital’s future workforce. The clinical school has been established in partnership with the ACU to provide practical training for students enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing degree as well as employment opportunities, particularly for local students who hope to stay living in the region. The ACU students will complete all their clinical placements at St John of God Ballarat Hospital throughout their studies. 4

As the clinical school is the only one of its kind in the region, it is hoped that the new school will help the hospital to recruit and retain its workforce. St John of God Ballarat Hospital Chief Executive Officer Michael Kreig said students would feel a sense of belonging to the hospital. “While being introduced to the role of registered nurse they will develop an understanding of the St John of God values and mission which will make the transition from University to the workforce easier.” ACU’s Assistant Head Maria Noonan said exposure to an acute environment would give students a solid platform from which to launch their nursing careers. “ACU also plans to work with St John of God Ballarat to develop opportunities for

“It gives mothers the ability to reflect on their own and their infant’s behaviour, thoughts and feelings. They look at experiences in their personal history and consider the affect it has on their caregiving strategies.” collaborative research, and involving clinical school students in hospital based research projects. “This has the potential to increase enrolments in postgraduate studies for students and St John of God staff,” she said. The first clinical placements started at the hospital this semester with 17 first and second year students already immersed in the daily workings of the hospital and plans to increase the intake to 30 to 40 students. Pictured: The inaugural students from the Australian Catholic University on clinical placement at Ballarat’s new school of nursing.

Raphael Centre in Blacktown worked in partnership with the New England Medicare Local to develop the Early Years Outreach Clinic in Tamworth. Before this rural service was established there was very little help available to women and families with mental health issues during pregnancy and early parenthood. The Early Years Outreach Clinic encourages families to seek help early and to enable this it has up-skilled local primary health care workers to manage and treat the conditions. In the coming months the program will be expanded by New England Medicare Local into Armidale and Narrabri, where a need for perinatal care has also been identified. More than 150 families were referred to the Raphael Centre’s service over an 18-month period, which was 13 per cent of all mental health referrals within the Tamworth New England Medicare Local’s Mental Health Service. Pictured: (l-r) Burwood CEO June Mattner and the mother and baby unit's Merryn Lee, were presented with the mental health award by the NSW Minister for Health, Kevin Humphries.

Demand for day surgery Advancements in surgical and anaesthetic techniques and improvement in postoperative analgesia have led to the rapid growth of day surgery in recent years and changed the way hospitals operate. At St John of God Health Care’s largest hospital in Subiaco, the number of day procedures has almost doubled in the last five years, with the highest percentage of those being surgical cases, as well as significant growth in eye procedures. Acting Day Surgery Manager Erica Davis said many more operations were now

able to be performed via laparoscopic key-hole surgery which was less invasive, like hernias and gynaecological procedures. “In the majority of cases day surgery is also less stressful than an overnight stay in hospital and families can assist with the latter stages of recovery by sharing in the care of the patient at home.” Erica said the modern lifestyle impacted on hospitals with many patients no longer being able to afford the time to have a prolonged hospital stay for their recovery.

“The convenience of recovering in your home generally makes recovery time quicker and easier than an in-hospital stay and means you can get back to work sooner.” St John of God Subiaco Hospital has commenced the development of a new stand-alone day surgery unit with three operating theatres and 23 day beds. It will be known as St John of God Wembley Day Surgery and is expected to open in May 2015.

Demand for home nursing With the need for health care projected to grow in the retiring coastal community of Mandurah, south of Perth, Health Choices has set up a local base to be closer to its home-based clients.

Health Choices started operating its services in Mandurah 2010 out of St John of God Murdoch Hospital until the recent opening of its new base in Mandurah’s Smart Street Mall. Demand for the service had grown and more local caregivers were employed to warrant the establishment of a new office. Health Choices Chief Executive Officer, Steve Hall said home based care was now a preferred option for many patients. “The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that the population of Mandurah has grown by a massive 24 per cent from 2007 to 2012,” Steve said. “St John of God Health Choices will continue the organisation’s tradition of providing services in areas of community need.” Nurse Manager, Sarah Goy said Health Choices Mandurah offered a variety of home nursing and personal care services including; hospital in the home, hospital substitution, post-acute care, community nursing (including for eligible veterans) and personal care. Pictured: (l-r) Fiona Sanders, Cheryl Langford, Anne Penny, Kym McCutcheon and Sarah Goy

University partners in clinical training

Oncology in Berwick With 1,500 people diagnosed with cancer in the community of Berwick every year, the opening of a dedicated oncology unit at the hospital was a welcome addition to health care for the region south east of Melbourne. The unit’s first patient, Bruce, had previously had a two hour commute to the city for every chemotherapy treatment and his scenario is typical of many of the patients now able to be treated locally in Berwick. Oncology Unit Manager, Maryanne Barr said Bruce was thankful to be treated at St John of God Berwick because it meant that his family could better manage his care with less time away from the workplace. 6

The five chair and one bed oncology unit accepted its first patient in September and since then has welcomed a steady flow of referrals as people seek to be treated close to home. Hospital Chief Executive Officer Lisa Norman said the new service had attracted five medical oncologists to the hospital from the sub specialities of breast, gastrointestinal, lung, clinical haematology, and general oncology. “Our oncology service is set to grow and develop with our exciting plans to open a purpose built Comprehensive Cancer Centre in 2015,” Lisa said. “Our centre will be the only one of its kind in the growth corridor south east of Melbourne providing chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.

“This will be enhanced by a Wellness Centre that will offer patients and their carers a retreat space within the facility.” Maryanne said the community support for the hospital had been truly inspiring with $80,000 donated by organisations and individuals. “A donation of $24,000 by the Ryrie family was used to dedicate an entire treatment space in the honour of their late mother and wife.” The Pam Ryrie treatment area includes an oncology chair, triple IV infusion pump, blood pressure system, medical gas system, entertainment devices, treatment trolley and equipment. Pictured: The Ryrie family join Oncology Unit Manager Maryanne Barr and Oncology Nurse Roz Riccard in the new Berwick day oncology unit.

Student health professionals will benefit from a new partnership between Murdoch University and St John of God Murdoch Hospital. Health Workforce Australia (HWA) has provided nearly $700,000 to develop new simulated learning activities, designed to expand students’ practical skills through high quality clinical training. Murdoch University School of Health Profession's Dr Max Sully said the collaboration would enhance the quality of the nursing and health related degree programs on offer, and make graduates more “job-ready”. “Developing closer ties with St John of God Murdoch Hospital opens up a range of new opportunities for the University. It will also allow us to research and further develop our use of simulation learning in the training of nurses and other health professionals,” he said.

“Simulation learning allows us to influence the applied learning experience for the student. We can simulate critical care scenarios, which a student on placement may only rarely be exposed to.”

learning. These experts will assist in developing the simulation resources and capacity at both institutions and will conduct research into the most effective use of simulation learning.

Murdoch Hospital Director of Workforce Leanne Merchant said the hands-on training would enhance students’ clinical placement experience and develop the attributes needed in the nursing profession.

The funding will support the first 18 months of the three-year project, beginning in January 2014. It is hoped the balance of the funding will be approved in the next financial year.

“This will consolidate the students’ technical ability, as well as develop their team work and communication skills,” she said.

This project was made possible by Health Workforce Australia. Pictured: Murdoch Training and Education Centre (MURTEC)

“It will give them an understanding of employers’ expectations to ease their transition into the industry.” The project will build on the existing simulation resources already available at St John of God Murdoch Hospital and Murdoch University's MURTEC training facility. Five new staff will be appointed, including two academic specialists in simulated 7

Dignity for the homeless and mentally ill

NEW APPOINTMENTS John Fogarty

When long term manager of Casa Venegas Sandra Provan retired in September after 18 years, she spoke of the honour she’d felt in helping the homeless and mentally ill to live independently and with dignity.

John Fogarty has been appointed Executive Director Perth Southern Hospitals and CEO of St John of God Murdoch. John has 20 years of health care leadership experience, most recently as Chief Operating Officer at Mercy Health Melbourne and previously with SJGHC including CEO at Ballarat. He holds a Bachelor and Masters of Business Administration, a Diploma of Applied Science (Nursing) and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Catholic Culture from ACU. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the CEO Institute. Michael Hogan Michael has been appointed to CEO of St John of God Pathology after acting in the role since June 2013. He was previously Pathology’s General Manager Victoria and the CEO of St John of God Bendigo Hospital. Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Melbourne; Post Graduate Diploma in Health Services Management from Charles Sturt University; Graduate Certificate in Catholic Leadership and Culture from ACU. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Company Directors. Dr Michael Ragg Dr Michael Ragg has been appointed to the new role of Director of Emergency Medicine at St John of God Geelong Hospital to complement the new Emergency Department that will open in June 2014. Michael has an outstanding background and is well published in Emergency Medicine. He trained at the University of Melbourne, and was most recently the Deputy Director, Emergency Medicine at Barwon Health and an Associate Clinical Professor at Deakin University School of Medicine.

Excellence in nursing Two St John of God Health Care nurses who exemplify excellence were recognised for being amongst the best in their profession in the State in the WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards announced in October. Subiaco Acute Pain Nurse Practitioner Jill Kelly was the winner in two categories, Metropolitan Clinical Care Registered Nurse Practice and Emerging Leader. Registered Nurse Jessica Wirrell from Murdoch Hospital won the Preceptor of the Year Award. They were amongst 220 nurses and midwives nominated for the coveted Awards. St John of God Subiaco Hospital Acting Director of Nursing Angela Gee said the hospital was fortunate and proud to have Jill working in acute pain with the head of Anaesthesia, Dr Pracilio, and the team. “Jill has a true commitment to best outcomes for the patient in regards to pain management and provides effective clinical leadership to her nursing colleagues,” Angela said. Jill’s role is the first of its kind in Western Australia and the first in a private hospital in Australia and provides a critical link between nursing and medical teams for patient focussed care in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

“I feel very proud and privileged to receive this award and wish to acknowledge all my nursing and medical colleagues who have supported me, and who continue to support me in this new role,” Jill said. Jessica, who works in palliative care at Murdoch’s Community Hospice, said that for her the award reinforced that she had chosen the right path by following her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. “I’m proud that I am making a valuable contribution to the nursing profession. “Being able to make the life of my patients more comfortable through relieving their pain or giving a comforting hug makes me feel so grateful to be a nurse,” Jessica said. Jessica was nominated for her caring, compassionate and professional nature and her commitment towards ongoing education. Pictured above: Jill Kelly was the winner in two categories of the WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards. Below: Preceptor of the Year Jessica Wirrell (right).

Casa Venegas is a Social Outreach and Advocacy Service that operates communitybased home-style accommodation in inner and western Sydney on a medium to long term basis for homeless people with mental health problems. “I was so privileged to work with such special people. Some days when I was out driving, I would often burst into laughter with something they had done or said,” Sandra recounted. Sandra spoke of her fondness for a client who had recently passed away after 40 years spent living in and out of boarding homes and “sleeping rough” on the streets. His story and that of Sandra’s care for his wellbeing exemplifies the respect shown to the residents of Casa Venegas by its caregivers. “He was admitted to Rozelle Hospital at 19 years of age. He first became sick in New Guinea, he thought the locals were trying to marry him off to one of the native girls. This delusion stayed with him all his life,” Sandra said.

“I would tell him, “they must be old women now”, but he would insist they were still young. If anything went wrong, he would always blame the women in his head. “Of Casa Venegas he once said, “This was the only home I had ever known”. “He was concerned about where he would end up when he got older, but became ill and passed away after just two days in hospital. “At his funeral, his sister spoke of his life before mental illness, but not once mentioned his life with mental illness.

How sad it is still not talked about, as we had the best of his life,” Sandra said. Residents of Casa Venegas have 24-hour on call assistance and are supported with daily living like meal preparation, laundry, personal care and household maintenance. Casa Venegas caregivers help to coordinate residents’ clinical management with case managers and general practitioners in the community. Pictured: Sandra Provan (centre) with CEO June Mattner and Director of Mission Andrew McPhee.

Bishop visits Pinelodge Pinelodge Clinic hosted the Bishop of the Southern Region of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Peter Elliot on a recent tour of the hospital where he met caregivers and patients and gained an understanding of how the mental health facility lives its mission of healing. Chief Executive Officer Graham Cadd and Director of Mission James McDonald escorted the Bishop on his tour followed by morning tea with Chief Executive Officer

of the Eastern Hospitals, Tracey Burton and the divisional management committee. Bishop Elliott was impressed with how the patients were being cared for at Pinelodge and commended staff on the quality of their work. Pictured: (l to r) CEO Graham Cadd, Bishop of the Southern Region of the Archdiocese of Melbourne Peter Elliott and Director of Mission James MacDonald.

New Shared Service Centres

Pathology offers employment break

The finance function has created a single Finance Shared Services Centre in Perth’s Osborne Park and the Recruitment and HR Services Centre has been established in Midland where the organisation faces the greatest demand for new recruits.

St John of God Pathology has been actively supporting the organisation’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) with the recent appointment of two new caregivers engaged through the Disability Employment Scheme.

For finance this has meant relocation for 84 caregivers to the new centre on Scarborough Beach Road– opposite the existing Group Services office and on the back door of Pathology’s central laboratory.

Marc Bainbridge has come on board as a permanent part time courier driver, driving a route from Melbourne to Ballarat each afternoon.

To enable growth St John of God Health Care has faced significant changes across the organisation, with particular impact on caregivers in shared service roles.

Group Director Finance, Bryan Pyne said operating from one service centre would help finance to provide a highly effective and efficient model of service to its customers, particularly the operational divisions of St John of God Health Care. He acknowledged the tremendous effort of his team to continue to function amidst the upheaval of relocation. “Concurrent with the move finance also migrated onto a new server and operating environment, so our caregivers have managed through a lot of change yet continued to work hard to ensure service standards were met,” Bryan said. The finance centre has allowed room for future growth and can accommodate 143 permanent staff and seven hot desks. Established in May, the Recruitment and HR Services Centre has been working hard to establish best-practice and a consistent approach to its function across St John of God Health Care.

New diabetes treatment at Murdoch Group Manager Cassie Hepton said by working closely with Divisional HR coordinators, 16 divisions had transitioned into the HR shared service model. Cassie said the centre’s key achievements to date included the implementation of an improved pre-employment screening process and the launch of electronic contract and e-personnel file systems. “We are thankful to everyone for constructive feedback that has enabled us to make changes to our processes and improve our services to managers and caregivers.” Pictured: Caregivers at the new Finance Shared Service Centre worked together to create a mosaic of the pomegranate which was presented at the blessing ceremony for the new office. Pictured (l-r) Kylie Donaldson, Daniele Wottle, Kirsty Motherway and Anna McCabrey.

PNG boy’s life changing surgery A grateful patient with a unique story returned to St John of God Geelong Hospital recently to thank the surgical team who saved his hearing.

Two weeks after the procedure, three of the patients had ceased using insulin and two were on half their normal dosage. All five lost weight. Murdoch Hospital’s Director of Medical Services Dr Shirley Bowen said EndoBarrier Therapy seemed to be an effective, nonsurgical option for those who struggle to control their blood sugar and weight. “The treatment has been used successfully in the eastern states and overseas so we are very excited to introduce this breakthrough therapy,” Shirley said.

The patient was school boy Belden Barium from Ali Island in Papua New Guinea who was identified by volunteers involved in the Geelong Hospital’s Ali Island Project, which is working to improve the standard of living on the remote island.

“This will completely change the landscape for the medical community and their patients. It has very rapid benefits and fewer of the risks associated with invasive surgery.”

Surgeon Russell Calder responded to the project team’s call for help to assist Belden and put together a team to perform the life-changing surgery that included Anaesthetist Rob Solly and Nurses Lisa McGrath, Virginia Thompson and Deb Lawrence.

Using an endoscope, a thin, flexible liner is placed in the intestine via the mouth. The liner acts as an alternative to gastric bypass, acting as a physical barrier between food and part of the intestinal wall.

The surgical team donated their time to perform the successful operation that would save Belden’s hearing in his one functioning ear. Thanks to the compassion and hospitality of many, Belden has returned to school on Ali Island and is now able to participate, and enjoy his education.

Five patients were the first in WA to undergo a revolutionary new procedure at St John of God Murdoch Hospital that provides promising diabetes treatment and weight loss control.

Patients treated with the therapy on average see a 20 per cent reduction in their weight over 12 months, a rapid improvement in their blood sugar levels, reduced appetite and feeling full for a longer period after eating. Many patients also find dependency on diabetic medication is significantly reduced or abolished.

Sandra Reid, one of the first patients to have the procedure, has been trying to manage her diabetes for more than 20 years and quickly experienced positive effects from the procedure. “I have had lap band surgery and I was on the maximum amount of medication for diabetes,” said Sandra. “Nothing was really working for me.” “I am now on half the dosage of insulin and am feeling really good - I look forward to seeing what happens now and to finally having my diabetes under control.” Mr Alan Thomas, one of three doctors at St John of God Murdoch Hospital who performs EndoBarrier procedures, was very enthusiastic about the new treatment for the increasingly common disease. “The first procedures went extremely well,” Mr Thomas said. “We have seen patients’ blood sugar levels improve within 48 to 72 hours.” “Endobarrier is a really wonderful option for people with diabetes or obesity who have few options left or for those who don’t want to, or can’t, pursue surgical options.” Mr Thomas, along with two other treating doctors, Mo Ballal and Krishna Epari, are looking forward to performing more procedures at St John of God Murdoch Hospital. Pictured: Mr Krishna Epari and patient Sandra Reid in the Endoscopy Unit at St John of God Murdoch Hospital (Courtesy of the Community Newspaper Group).

Marc worked as a policeman for 23 years until a heart attack in 2000 put a stop to his career. The 56 year old underwent numerous surgeries and medication trials to keep his heart functioning, until he was listed as a candidate for a heart transplant in 2011. Marc did not have to wait long for a perfect match, and was a recipient of a new heart in June 2011. Several months of rehabilitation, and medication monitoring ensued with the surgery a complete success. Marc is extremely grateful to St John of God Pathology for taking a chance on his employment, and is excited to be back in the workforce. “I am very capable despite my situation and this scheme allowed me to get the break I needed to get back out there,” Marc said. In Western Australia, a new caregiver has been employed by Pathology in an administration role. St John of God Pathology will continue to seek recruits with a disability to fill suitable positions within the organisation where internal candidates are not available. St John of God Health Care is committed to supporting employment for those with a disability who can undertake the inherent requirements of an available position within the organisation.

New biopsy technique Specialists at St John of God Subiaco Hospital are the first in Western Australia to use a new technique for lung biopsies resulting in better outcomes for patients. A lung biopsy is the removal of lung tissue from the patient to be examined under the microscope to diagnose potential lung conditions and cancer. The new and innovative endobronchial ultrasound guided biopsy, being performed by Specialist Respiratory Physicians Dr Quentin Summers and Dr Michael Musk, is less invasive and can get to areas in and around the lung that would otherwise be difficult to reach. Dr Summers explained that by using ultrasound technology they were better able to detect abnormal areas of the lung and collect abnormal lung tissue. “Prior to this procedure, biopsies were taken without guidance by ultrasound, which limited the site of biopsy due to safety issues, or otherwise surgical biopsies were needed to collect the correct samples of tissue,” he said. “We are excited to now be able to offer this new technique where the outcome is more precise and benefits for the patient increase exponentially.” The Cytologist, who examines and diagnoses the cells collected in the biopsy, are present at the procedure and complete an examination of the biopsy on site. This leads to a quicker diagnosis and quicker detection of the stage of lung cancer, or other condition. Patients undergoing the procedure may feel less stress because the new technique often eliminates the need for multiple biopsies. Less procedures means there is less time involved for patients and costs are reduced.

Easing the anxiety of prematurity For parents of babies who arrive earlier than expected the risk of suffering from stress and anxiety is high. To combat this concern in parents nursing premature infants in St John of God Murdoch Hospital’s special care baby nursery a new program known as Care and Connect has been introduced. Perinatal and Infant Psychiatrist Dr Beate Harrison and Occupational Therapist Hanne Jepsen from the Murdoch Raphael Centre visit the nursery each week to offer support to parents. “When babies are premature, parents are sometimes not as equipped to deal with the unexpected nature of the birth or the amount of medical intervention that is required,” Beate said.

“It can often make it difficult for parents to make a connection with their newborn baby.” “Premature babies have different needs; often, their neurological systems are immature, so by keeping the babies in the hospital, they are in the optimal place for them to grow and get ready to go home. “Our approach is preventative – we aim to arm parents with the information, support and guidance they need to ease their transition home.” Care and Connect is designed to teach parents to recognise and manage stress in themselves and the baby. Pictured: Mother Megan Bottomly, Occupational Therapist Hanne Jepsen, perinatal and Infant Psychiatrist Dr Beate Harrison with triplets Belinda, Braedon and Adelaide.

Pilgrimage to Peru Seven St John of God Health Care caregivers consider themselves blessed to have been given the opportunity join a 40 strong group from a Victorian diocese on pilgrimage to Peru and then go on to participate, along with 1,500 Australians, in World Youth Day in Rio. Health Choices Director of Mission, Michael Trainor led the pilgrims to the shanty town of Pamplona where for six days they worked to build a 90 metre staircase that would connect the impoverished community with essential services. Michael explained that the community required infrastructure like the staircase to be recognised as a town by the local government which would, in turn, give them access to resources. “By building a staircase they will be able to apply to the government for access to water, sanitation services and regular supplies of electricity.

“It will also bring relief to the locals whose homes are perched upon various mountains, which presents a genuine issue for those who are elderly, have a disability or unable to easily walk on uneven ground.” “Standing on the side of a mountain, in a foreign country, passing buckets of concrete, causes you to stop and contemplate life, the graces you have received, and connection to the Mission,” Michael said. An outreach worker for Murdoch Community Mental Health based at Cockburn Youth Centre and Ottey Family and Neighbourhood Centre, Kristy Mippy was one of the pilgrims. Having never been outside Australia, Kristy found her trip to be rewarding, but challenging at times and an eye opener to the poverty in Peru.

“The town of Pamplona has power, but no running water. It really made me realise how lucky we are to have the wide range of services and support that we do.” The pilgrims spent seven days in Rio joining in World Youth Day activities with other pilgrims and listened to Pope Francis speak about faith and contemporary issues. “It was inspiring to hear him speak on issues that are relevant to young people around the world,” Kristy said. “I am very thankful to St John of God Health Care for supporting me on this journey. I really am a changed person from the experience and am determined not to take all our comforts for granted.” Pictured: Pilgrims (clockwise) Fr. Matthew Thomas, Alana Ainsworth, Lydiard Whiteside, Kristy Mippy, Michael Trainor, Sally Taylor, Megan Price and Peter Newsome.

“Primarily, World Youth Day is about young people from all over the world coming together to deepen their faith, but there is also a component that involves mission work, which really interested me,” Kristy said. 13

Support for patients with chronic disease A trial into self managed support for people with chronic disease at St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation and Berwick Hospitals has had positive results and improved the overall quality of life of its participants. A chronic disease is an illness that is considered to be of prolonged duration, like diabetes or heart disease. The conditions contribute to premature death and disability and there is rarely a treatment that will provide a cure. Chronic disease sufferers can become isolated and will often feel that their situation is hopeless. However self-managed support, like that offered in the St John of God Health Care trial, can help to reduce social isolation, fear of the condition and ultimately improve quality of life. A multi-disciplinary team of caregivers at Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital ran the six-week pilot program to increase patient knowledge, health and wellbeing. The aim was to empower and prepare patients to manage their health and health care. The sessions covered healthy eating, stress management, medication safety, exercise, social support as well as disease specific education. The trial results found a positive improvement in the patients’ ability to self-manage their conditions. They were also more confident to talk to their doctors and ask questions about their health. By participating in their own health they were able to improve their overall health status and disease management. Participant evaluations of the program provided further encouragement for the program to continue making comments like; “You have saved our lives”, and “You have given us more confidence to live and improved our quality of life.” Based on these positive outcomes, further programs will be rolled out throughout 2014 at Frankston, Berwick and other St John of God Health Care divisions.

Paediatric training to help East Timor St John of God Murdoch Hospital has trained four paediatric nurses from East Timor to help improve health care standards at Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares in the nation’s capital of Dili. Murdoch’s Clinical Nurse Fiona Davies said the nursing skills training would help the Timorese nurses to cope with the large number of children they see with illnesses like respiratory conditions, diarrhoea, malnutrition and tuberculosis. “The team leaders were keen to learn administrative skills like rostering and recording information as the Dili hospital lacks technology and well-developed processes,” Fiona said. “Also beneficial was observing how our nurses interact with patients and their families.” Timorese nurse, Adelino Alves, said he was looking forward to being able to share his new knowledge with his colleagues on his return. “Especially important for us is learning about intravenous methods, fluid balance,

medication safety and equipment,” Adelino said. The training included a two week stint at Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth’s major children’s hospital. Fiona returned to East Timor with the nurses for three months to assist in implementing the clinical and administrative changes that were learned. “There are certainly limitations with what is achievable in a hospital with far fewer resources than we have,” she said. “But I am really looking forward to helping them to take the steps necessary to improve the quality of the health care they currently provide.” The visit to Australia was part of St John of God Health Care’s ongoing commitment to health development in neighbouring countries in the Asia Pacific region, specifically through the Nursing Development Program in East Timor. Pictured: The paediatric team visited St John of God Murdoch Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital (l to r) Adelino Alves, Michael Perry, Evalija das Dores, Lance Jarvis, Eufemia Fatima De Jesus Soares, Robyn Moores and Virgilio Martins.

Local school learns global health message Nurses from St John of God Berwick Hospital chose Global Handwashing Day in October to reach out to their local community and share a very important message with the children of St Margaret’s Junior School. One of the most effective interventions to prevent the spread of infection and illness is by simply hand washing with soap. Infection Control Nurse, Suzi Marquez said that by teaching children at a young age the correct hand washing technique, it was likely that they would carry those hygiene skills through to adulthood.

The fun event had children washing their hands with the ‘glitter bug’ tool, which highlights germs that remain on their hands even after washing. Nurses then demonstrated the correct hand washing technique. Resources were provided to the teachers to reinforce the message in the classroom. The World Health Organisation estimates that hand washing could reduce the incidence of diarrhea among children by almost 50 per cent and respiratory infections by nearly 25 per cent.

was to make Global Handwashing Day an annual event at the hospital. “It is important for us to bring health education to the community we serve,” Lisa said. “By partnering with schools we can help children learn that clean hands saves lives and encourage our local children to become interested in their own health care.” Pictured: Children at St Margaret's Junior School in Berwick practice the correct hand washing technique.

St John of God Berwick Hospital Chief Executive Office Lisa Norman said the aim

News in Brief Shuttle bus service

Lighting the way

A new, free shuttle bus from Subiaco train station to the 555 bed St John of God Subiaco Hospital will relieve traffic and parking congestion at the busy hospital.

St John of God Health Care Group Environmental Engineer Dean Farnsworth’s case study on an innovative organisationwide energy-saving project has been awarded ‘Best Paper’ at the National Institute of Hospital Engineering conference.

It also provides patients and visitors with a sustainable alternative to taking the car to the hospital or the adjacent Medical Centre. The shuttle service runs Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm at 15 minute intervals.

Dean’s paper Lighting the Way was based on St John of God Health Care’s Energy Efficient Light Replacement Project, which has seen 10,467 traditional lights replaced with LED equivalents at seven St John of God Health Care facilities. The project has reduced electricity consumption by 1,172,404 Kw/H per annum - an average 13% reduction across the seven sites - and carbon dioxide emissions by 1,430 tonnes per annum. 15

It was a Great Bike Ride Hundreds of St John of God caregivers took to the streets of Perth in support of Horizon House on November 24, and to help break the cycle of homelessness for young people in our communities. The Santos Great Bike Ride is Perth’s premier cycling event and raised more than $50,000 for Horizon House. There were more than 100 caregivers on bikes in the 98km, 53km and 10km rides and many more volunteered in various roles, ensuring the event was an outstanding success once again. Group Manager for Youth, Mike Board, said Horizon House had been a partner in this great event since 2004 and this year’s turnout had shown that the ride was as popular as ever.

“I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who fundraised in this event as it will make a significant difference to Horizon House – helping us set young people who have been homeless on a path to independent living.“ “We are very grateful to those who have donated, cycled and given their time as volunteers.” WA Minister for Community Services, Seniors and Volunteering Tony Simpson officially started the 53km event and took part in the Santos Great Bike Ride alongside residents from Horizon House and more than 3,000 WA cyclists.

Subiaco Hospital’s Catering Manager Marcel Willimann was the group’s highest individual fundraiser, Group Services 454 Scarborough Beach Road had the biggest volunteer team and Subiaco Hospital was the top fundraising division. A special mention must also be made of the newly formed HR and Recruitment Centre based at Midland, who also raised more than $1,000 to contribute to the grand total. Pictured above: Competitors get on the road in Perth city for the start of the Santos Great Bike Ride. Below left: Winners of caregiver trophies pictured with Minister for Youth and Community Service Tony Simpson (l-r) Marcel Willimann, top individual fundraiser (Subiaco), Jane Leung, volunteer award representing 454 SBR office, Tony Simpson, Anne Russell-Brown, and Nik Zeps, representing top fundraising team (Subiaco). Below right: Volunteers Ian Anderson and Fiona Clark are on the track to give out water.

St John of God Health Care is a leading Catholic health care provider in Australia and New Zealand, operating 13 hospitals, home nursing, pathology and disability services, as well as Social Outreach and Advocacy services reaching out to people experiencing disadvantage. Editorial submissions or mailing list changes for Pomegranate to tracey.roberts@sjog.org.au 16

St John of God Health Care Inc ABN 21 930 207 958 ARBN 051 960 911 (Limited Liability) Incorporated in WA.