SEPTEMBER 2026
STAFF NEWS
Message from the CEO CARETAKER PERIOD
attend a campaign event in work time or in uniform.
There is a Victorian State Election on November 28, 2026. This means that from Staff are welcome to hold 6pm, Tuesday November 3, your own political views and 2026 the Victorian State participate in political Government will enter a activities in your personal caretaker period. The time. However, when doing caretaker period is the time so, it must be clear that you before the election when the are acting as a private government assumes a individual, not a ‘caretaker’ role, but continues representative of NCN to function until the Health. government is returned, or If you have any questions or the new government is concerns, please talk with sworn in. myself, your manager or All NCN Health staff are ncnpeopleculture@ncnhealt Victorian public sector h.org.au employees and must remain apolitical when at work. This SPRING STAFF FORUMS is particularly important during election campaigns All staff are invited to attend and during the caretaker the Spring Staff Forums period. booked for October 20 and Being apolitical means 22. As the name suggests, our carrying out our roles without Staff Forums are held using our position or NCN seasonally and are an Health resources to support opportunity to hear what is or oppose a political party, happening around NCN candidate or campaign. Health, discuss what matters Whilst in the process of to you and share questions, performing duties as a staff concerns or ideas. The member of NCN Health, staff upcoming October forums must not: will have a focus on People promote or criticise a Mattery Survey actions items political party, candidate and recent policy changes. or campaign An informal agenda will try to influence the come our before the political views of patients, meetings and you can attend residents, clients, families in person at each campus or or colleagues via teams. use work time or work Cobram: Tuesday 20th resources to support a October: 3pm – 3.30pm politcal campaign or Nathalia: Thursday 22 candidate October: 1pm – 1.30pm
MANDATORY TRAINING 2026 Mandatory Training is now closed. Thank you to all that have worked to complete their training. New staff who commenced after 1 July 2026 will still have access to KINEO to complete their training, with due date being 3 months from commencement, or by 21 January 2026, whichever is earlier. Current staff who have not completed their training by 30 September 2026 will be contacted by their manager to meet to discuss this requirement. Thank you again to our busy staff cohort for getting your training completed. If you do have any concerns or questions please speak with you manager in the first instance or ncnpeopleculture@ncnhealt h.org.au
RESPIRATORY OUTBREAKS As we move from winter into spring, respiratory illnesses continue to affect our staff and community. Please be mindful of how you are feeling and stay home if you have respiratory symptoms. Taking care of your own health also helps protect our colleagues and the people in our care.
Numurkah: Thursday 22 October: 3pm – 3.30pm
RESPECT
ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERSHIP
INNOVATION
Message from the CEO I would also like to thank all staff who are managing, or have helped manage, outbreaks across NCN Health. Our nursing, activities, environmental services and wider support teams all play an important role in keeping residents, patients and each other safe, while maintaining comfort, connection and quality care during challenging times. Your teamwork, flexibility and commitment are greatly appreciated.
RESPECT
WORKFORCE Melissa Neal is currently in the role of Acting Director Clinical Services at the Cobram Campus until November 16 while Carolyn Hargreaves is on leave. Have a great month, Mark Ashcroft Chief Executive Officer
ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERSHIP
INNOVATION
Meet The Board of Directors Tricia Quibell Board Chair
Tricia brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the Community Services and Education sectors, with extensive experience in governance and project management. She has strong connections to the Moira Shire and the wider Goulburn Valley community.
Kade brings extensive experience in financial advice, portfolio management and investment analysis, and has served on the NCN Health Board since 2017. Based in Cobram, he is actively involved in the local community.
Mewan Dissanayake Board Director
Kade Beasley Board Director
Mewan brings more than 25 years of experience across finance, governance, risk, compliance and health services in Australia and overseas. He is currently Executive Director of Finance & Corporate Services at Benalla Health.
Sally brings broad experience across Human Resources, community services, education and the not-for-profit sector. She has strong local community connections, including 15 years with Cobram Community House and involvement with a range of local organisations.
Sally Bate Board Director
Meet The Board of Directors Sally Squire Board Director
Sally has a strong background in healthcare, having held senior nursing, clinical education, research and pandemic response roles. She currently works in corporate performance at AlburyCity and holds a Master of Nursing Science.
Tavia’s career has focused on healthcare improvement, quality, safety, risk management and innovation, both in Australia and internationally. With strong family ties to Cobram, she is passionate about supporting high-quality healthcare in rural and regional communities.
Michael Koss Board Director Board Director
Tavia Rudd Board Director
Michael brings expertise across healthcare, law, digital health, workforce strategy and governance, with a strong focus on improving healthcare access in rural and regional communities. He is the founder of VYTLS, which develops digital health solutions for rural healthcare.
Chris has spent more than 45 years working across People & Culture, human resources, change management and recruitment, holding senior roles in both the public and private sectors. He is currently Director of HR Shared Services at Austin Health and has also held a range of Board and committee positions.
Chris Richardson Board Director
Jennifer Ryan
Gurkirat Kaur
Scarlett Hamer
Anneylee Maltman
Health Care Worker
Enrolled Nurse
Naomi Phillips
Julia Darwood
After Hours Manager
Enrolled Nurse
Registered Nurse
Enrolled Nurse
Chrisheeta Kumar
Sonia Spiller
Enrolled Nurse
Administration Officer Support at Home
Cody Millsteed
Janet Brandreth
Exercise Physiologist
Activity Assistant
Michelle Evans
Christine Wedge
Food Services Assistant
Administration Assistant
Megan Lloyd John Shrimpton Jasmyne Kay Kerry Roberts Yi Wang
Janice Lau Adriana Tulipano Helen Evans Fiona Horvath Abbey Dowell
Cultural Uniform How to Purchase! We encourage staff to wear their NCN Health cultural t-shirts to proudly acknowledge and demonstrate support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures and communities. Wearing the shirts is a meaningful way to show unity, respect and commitment to reconciliation across our health service. How can I purchase the Polo of Lanyard? Current available sizes of the Polo are: XS – 0 S – 1 M – 7 L – 17 XL – 9 2XL – 10
To purchase contact NCNUniforms@ncnhealth.org.au or call into the People and Culture Office in Numurkah or Cobram. Please note due to infection control lanyards are not permitted in clinical areas. Thank you for supporting this initiative and continuing to visibly demonstrate NCN Health’s commitment to reconciliation.
All enquiries can be directed to NCNUniforms@ncnhealth.org.au. Thank you for supporting this initiative and continuing to visibly demonstrate NCN Health’s commitment to reconciliation.
SERVICE AWARDS SEPTEMBER
Bernadette Harbrow - ANUM, Irvin House Mini Philip - NUM Acute, Numurkah
Gwen Rore - Health Care Worker, Pioneer’s Lodge Teruko Smith - Diversional Therapist, Karinya
SERVICE AWARDS OCTOBER
Helen Evans - Environmental Services, Cobram Tina Kelly - Food Services, Cobram Joanne Donelan - Food Services, Cobram Bridgette Robertson - People and Culture
Angela Grinter - Endorsed EN, Nathalia Acute
SERVICE AWARDS OCTOBER
Kerrie Jeffries - Endorsed EN, Nathalia Acute Johanne Peachey - Banawah
Karen Ford - People and Culture
SERVICE AWARDS NOVEMBER Brett Rappell - Food and Domestic Services Assistant/Maintanence Worker, Nathalia
Leanne Collins - EN, Irvin House
Carolyn Gibbons - EN, Pioneer Lodge
REWARD AND RECOGNITION SEPTEMBER SIKALA TIWARI - HEALTH CARE WOKER, PIONEER LODGE Attending regularly as float for our residents giving them 1.1 personalised care. Taking time to have conversations with the residents to better understand there needs TANIA HILL - EXECUTIVE SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATION MANAGER I would like to nominate Tania Hill for Living the Values Recognition for the support and leadership she provides to the Administration team. She has made a huge difference in under a year in this position. Tania is approachable, supportive and always willing to listen. She genuinely cares about her staff and works hard to create a team where people feel supported and valued. She leads by example, takes accountability and is always willing to step in and help when needed. Tania is also constantly looking for ways to improve our processes and how we work across our different sites. She encourages staff to contribute ideas, take on new opportunities and work together as a team. I really appreciate the support Tania provides, not only to me in my role but to the wider Administration team. She puts a lot of time and effort into her role, often behind the scenes and I believe she deserves to be recognised for this. KATE THORNELL - HEALTH CARE WORKER, PIONEER LODGE Kate is a great team player, always ready to help. she has very calm & positive attitude towards residents and staff. this feedback has been given to Kate verbally and was very well received.
REWARD AND RECOGNITION SEPTEMBER LISA TURNER - NUM, THEATRE Lisa has an incredible work ethic and brings so much positivity, energy and happiness to the team. she consistently advocates for her team and treats everyone with genuine respect and kindness. Lisa inspires those around her to reach their highest potential, providing encouragement, guidance and mentorship along the way. Her leadership and dedication create a supportive and motivating environment where everyone feels valued and respected; both as an individual and as part of the team. JACQUELINE GEISLER - ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT Jacqueline is a wonderful support with meetings she is helpful and goes out of her way to ensure staff understand what is required for meetings. Jacqueline assists staff by teaching and supporting in areas which are required to ensure information is understood and share. MARLEY GARDNER - RN ACUTE, COBRAM Marley is a phenomenal nurse who consistently demonstrates the NCN Health values of Respect, Accountability, Partnership and Innovation in everything she does. She is kind, thoughtful and compassionate in her interactions with consumers, staff and members of the community. Marley treats everyone with genuine respect and takes the time to listen, understand and support those around her, helping to create a positive and welcoming environment. Marley demonstrates accountability in her work and can always be relied upon to approach her responsibilities with professionalism and care. She willingly steps up when challenges arise, uses her initiative and looks for opportunities to improve the experience and outcomes of those in her care. Her dedication, kindness and commitment to nursing make her a valued member of the team. Marley truly embodies the NCN Health values through her everyday actions and the positive impact she has on the people around her.
PSRACS Colour Palette The colour palette for the new residential aged care development will be on display at the Lodge 50th celebrations in on Thursday October 8. For those not in attnedance, here is a snapshot of the new look!
BETTY COLLINS CELEBRTATES 100 YEARS Betty Collins recently celebrated 100 years with her family and friends at ‘The Lodge’ in Numurkah.
The Lodge’s Remarkable
100 Club!
With more than 400 years of life experience between them, the members of Numurkah Pioneers Memorial Lodge’s “100 Club” have many stories to share and plenty of wisdom to offer. Pictured are Zdena Cykner, 100, Melva McPherson, 100, Betty Collins, 100, and Nancy Retallick, 101. The portrait was captured as part of Framing the Lodge, a special photographic project celebrating the residents, people and character that have made the Lodge a much-loved home throughout its 50-year history.
Dookie Afternoon Drive
On 31 st August some Lodge residents went on the bus for a drive to have a look at the canola at Dookie. They went up Mount Major and had afternoon Tea with a view.
Happy 100th Birthday Elfie Staff, residents and family members gathered in September to celebrate with Irvin House resident Elfie Endicott. Her story and photos were also shared in the Cobram Courier.
Happy
Birthday
Karinya Activities....
a n n A h t i w g n i Cook and y a D m a e r c Ice
All about Thailand
Book Week And Footy Colours
Tattoos
Fauna Park BBQ Party
NATHALIA
R U OK? DAY MORNING TEA
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our R U OK? Day morning tea! It was a great opportunity to take a break, connect with colleagues and remind ourselves of the importance of checking in with one another. A simple “Are you OK?” can make a big difference.
Staff bid thank you and farewell to Tess Lane who retired recently after 19 years at Cobram District Hospital and NCN Health. Tess has cared for our community, been a friend and colleague to countless staff and is already so missed. Tess was farewelled with a get together and guard of honour. Thank you Tess and enjoy your retirement.
s i s s e T g n i v a le
YOUTH FEST
What a great day at the Yarrawonga Foreshore for Youth Fest! There was a fantastic turnout, with plenty of free activities, live music and community fun. It was also great to have our Monash Dietitian students join us and get involved in the day. A huge congratulations to the Moira Youth Council and staff for all their hard work organising such a fantastic event!
Dietetic Students in Action Meet the Dietician Students! Meet Ocean, Isaac, Jason and Adrian, Master of Dietetics students from Monash University who are joining NCN Health for a nine-week placement. Coming from Melbourne, with Ocean joining as an international student from Hong Kong!
Their projects Throughout our placement, we will be working on three exciting public health projects: Our first project explores healthy ageing and creating more age and dementiafriendly communities across Moira Shire by interacting with key stakeholders to understand their nutrition needs. This will include developing practical resources to help the community understand who dietitians are, what they do, and when, where, why and how they can help. The second project focuses on bringing a dietetics and nutrition perspective to a playgroup program in Numurkah previously developed by Occupational Therapy students. We will be developing engaging food-based activities alongside practical resources for parents. Finally, we will be developing activities for Children’s Week, as part of NCN Health’s collaboration with 54 Reasons Playgroup. Aimed at preschool-aged children and their families, we will contribute fun and engaging nutrition-focused ideas incorporating food play, activities, stories and resources for families.
FAIRLEY LEADERSHIP COHORT VISITS BAROOGA The 2026 Fairley Leadership cohort recently gathered at Sporties Barooga for a Place-Based Day focused on leadership, connection and community across the Moira and Berrigan regions. The day brought together regional leaders to explore cross-border collaboration, community organisations, healthcare, strategic leadership and First Nations culture.
NCN Health CEO Dr Mark Ashcroft joined the program to lead a session on strategic thinking, introducing the concept of Strategy as Practice and encouraging participants to keep strategic plans agile and turn organisational values into practical “I will” statements.
Health Care Worker Vaccination Program COBRAM Congratulations to our teams! A huge congratulations to our teams across all three NCN Health campuses on receiving a Certificate of Excellence for the Healthcare Worker Vaccination Program! This recognition reflects the commitment of our staff to protecting the health and wellbeing of our colleagues, patients, residents and community. Thank you to everyone who played a part in achieving this fantastic result. Well done!
NATHALIA
NUMURKAH
PEOPLE MATTER SURVEY - YOU TOLD US, WE LISTENED. Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2026 People Matter Survey (PMS). This year, 241 employees took part – representing 52% of our workforce, up from 39% in 2025. Your voice is important. The results help us understand what we are doing well, and where we need to improve.
What you told us we’re doing well The results highlighted strong pride in our work and commitment to NCN Health and our communities. Employees also reported positive experiences of teamwork, support from colleagues, patient care and safety, and supportive team environments. We also saw improvements in burnout measures, strong intention to stay with NCN Health and positive results around inclusion, with 83% reporting cultural inclusion and 82% saying they can be themselves at work.
Where we need to improve The survey also highlighted areas requiring attention, including: workload, staffing and workrelated stress respectful workplace behaviours and psychological safety leadership consistency, communication and accountability career development and meaningful performance conversations confidence that employee feedback leads to visible action. Feedback relating to bullying, disrespectful behaviour and sexual harassment is particularly important. These behaviours are not acceptable at NCN Health, regardless of whether they involve a colleague, leader, patient, resident, client or visitor.
Turning feedback into action One of the areas where we scored lowest was whether previous survey results had been used to make improvements. We recognise that we need to do better – not only by acting on feedback, but by communicating what we are doing and showing the difference it makes.
1. Building a positive culture
2. Strengthening leadership
Strengthening respectful workplace behaviours, grievance resolution and psychosocial hazard reporting, alongside Building Positive Culture workshops for managers in 2026 and all employees in 2027.
Developing an NCN Health Leadership Behaviours and Framework, strengthening leadership development and improving annual appraisal and career development processes.
3. Preventing and responding to sexual harassment Strengthening our approach to sexual harassment involving both employees and consumers, including clearer expectations and escalation pathways.
We Will Keep You Informed These priorities will form part of our organisational response to the survey, we will continue to communicate progress so you can see how your feedback is translating into action. Thank you for speaking up, for contributing constructively and for continuing to support one another. The value of the survey is not simply in hearing your feedback – it is in what we collectively do with it.
POSTPONED TO THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER AT 2PM
a story that belongs to us all.
We have a growing list of sponsors for which we are grateful . THANK YOU
T U O B A N O I T S GOT A QUE
OPTIMA OR LOOP BEFORE CONTACTING THE SUPPORT TEAM, CHECK OUT OUR OPTIMA & LOOP FAQ’S ON THE INTRANET! YOU’LL FIND ANSWERS TO SOME OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ROSTERS, LEAVE, SHIFT REQUESTS AND USING THE LOOP APP.
CHECK THE FAQ FIRST – YOU MIGHT FIND YOUR ANSWER STRAIGHT AWAY! STILL CAN’T FIND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR? OUR SUPPORT TEAM IS HERE TO HELP NCNPAYROLL@NCNHEALTH.ORG.AU.
PROJECT OPTIMA AND LOOP As part of our transition to the new Optima rostering system, we're also introducing a companion app called ‘Loop’. Loop is available to download on your phone and gives you easy access to: View your roster Apply for leave Request additional shifts If you prefer not to use your phone, Loop is also accessible via any web browser. Training videos on Optima and LOOP are available on the intranet here: https://hrhacloud.sharepoint.com/sites/NCNHealthIntranet/ SitePages/Optima.aspx? e=5lTqEP&share=IQDggScXlz7sSoiiHKSn7P8_AUhFfetmevjB zPg6Wj3MVwQ Questions? Change is hard! So, our team is here to support you during this transition with any queries relating to issues with swiping, implementation updates, providing training and answering any questions you have! Please contact via email: ProjectOptima@ncnhealth.org.au
Meryula Clinic (Sexual Health) @ NCN Health - Numurkah WHAT IS MERYULA CLINIC?
The Meryula Clinic is a free and confidential service run by GV Health and supported by NCN Health. The clinic is for all individuals within the region and is run by experienced nurses who specialise in sexual and reproductive health.
Bookings th
16 November GV Health Community Service Access Unit 1800 222 582 (option 4)
SERVICES - SELF REFFERED
Testing & Treatment for infections that can be spread through sexual contact. Contraception, including Implanon insertion Emergency Contraception Pregnancy Testing Unplanned pregnancy counselling, treatment and referral Cervical Screening Tests > 25 yrs of age Genital pain and discomfort Sex work certificates Screening, counselling & referral for viruses in the blood Hepatitis C treatment Hepatitis B treatment and management HIV PrEP and nPEP Immunisation (HPV) Contact Tracing Referral to specialist services
Cervical Screening Available in Numurkah Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, but it is also one of the most preventable. Free cervical screening tests (formerly called pap smears) are available for Medicare card holders, with self-collection options and no referral required. Screening is recommended for anyone with a cervix aged 25–74 who has had sexual contact. The test is quick, simple, and could save your life. Appointments are available at Community Health @ GV Health, 121 Corio Street, Shepparton, or at special cervical screening clinics at NCN Health Numurkah, 2 Katamatite Road, on
November 23rd To book an appointment, call the GV Health Service Access Unit on 1800 222 582 (option 4). By keeping up with cervical screening, you are taking an important step to protect your health and wellbeing.
Join Social Club Committee! Help us decide the direction of the NCN Health Social Club We would love a representative from each department to come onboard and join the committee. Help us grow in the right direction
😊
Including more staff on the committee from Nathalia and Cobram to help in this process. What does the Social Club Committee do? Help organise social events for staff. You are wondering what the committee commitment is? Attend bimonthly meeting (usually go for about an hour) on a Monday in the evening every two months. What about, if I wish to become a social club member only, what are the benefits of becoming a member (if currently not a Social Club member)? Social Club costs you $5 per fortnight and currently offers the following; •
One entry into the monthly Billy Barrell monthly $30 draw
•
Free or discounted tickets to social club events
•
Free or discounted ticket to the NCN Health Club Christmas Party!
Scheduled for November 21, 2025. What do I need to do to become a member? Fill out an Authority to Deduct Form and email the completed form to NCN Payroll – A newsletter is a periodical publication, which can either be printed or published electronically. It is issued regularly, usually every week or every month, and it contains a variety of content. This can include articles, stories, photographs, and advertisements.
NCN HEALTH SOCIAL CLUB 2026
Billy Barrel Winners September Winners Jacquie Hughes Andrea Walker August Winners Karen Ford Adele McMaster July Winners Justin Sullivan Ashley Webb June Winners Carolyn Hargreaves Lauren O’Kane Please organise to collect your cash prize at the Main Reception, Numurkah Campus! You can organise for someone else to pick this up for you, but they will need to sign for it. For more info, or to join social club, email ncnsocialclub@ncnhealth.org.au
EXPRESSIONS
OF INTEREST The SWELL Committee are seeking expressions of interest from staff keen to join our Staff Wellness Committee in 2026. This year the committee is also joining with the People Matter Survey Working Group to make changes inline with feedack from the People Matter Survey.
WHAT WE ARE AFTER Staff who are interested in creating and promoting Staff Wellbeing programs, events and initiatives across NCN Health. Meetings are held monthly and we welcome all new ideas.
Monthly meetings. Small time commitment Positively impact the culture of NCN Health Help create new initiatives and programs for your colleagues.
Submit your EOI to ncnswell@ncnhealth.org.au
A reminder to send your pictures, stories and events to Communications! ncncommunications@ncnhealth.org.au