Balance E-Newsletter - Vol 2 Spring Edition

Acknowledgement of traditional custodians

The North West Hospital and Health Service respectfully acknowledges the Elders past and present and the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waterways which we service and declare the North West Hospital and Health Service’s commitment to reducing inequalities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health outcomes in line with the National Indigenous Reform Agreement (Closing the Gap).

Acknowledgement of Australian South Sea Islanders

North West Hospital and Health Service formally recognises the Australian South Sea Islanders as a distinct cultural group within our geographical boundaries. The Northwest Hospital and Health Service is committed to fulfilling the Queensland Government Recognition Statement for Australian South Sea Islander Community to ensure that present and future generations of Australian South Sea Islanders have equality of opportunity to participate in and contribute to the economic, social, political and cultural life of the State

Vision, Purpose, Values

Our Vision

To lead the delivery of safe, sustainable healthcare in our unique region with our diverse partners and communities.

Our Purpose Partner with our communities to improve health outcomes by delivering valued, high-quality and sustainable health services that are close to home.

Our Values

Our values will guide our decision making and actions as we commit to respecting, protecting, and promoting human rights in our decision making and actions. These values include Innovation, Respect, Engagement, Accountability, Caring, and Honesty.

This newsletter is produced by the North West Hospital and Health Service

All feedback and contributions are welcome to NWHHS Communication@health qld gov au

All published material has been approved by the Health Service Chief Executive

Contents

From the Board Chair

From the Health Service Chief Executive Community

$4500 donation for Cancer Care Unit Daffodil Day cheer at Mount Isa Hospital

Staff

Milestone for allied health professional First nurse navigator for sexual health

A familiar face across the north west Staff Recognition

Meet the Special Care Nursery Team

COVID-19 Update

Free Rapid Antigen Tests available What to do if you feel unwell

Consumers Spotlight North West HHS Consumer Engagement Outreach Services

From the Consumer Liaison Officer

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Equity Strategy

Facilities on Karumba

Wellbeing Rights Corner is available

NWHHS Balance

From the Board Chair

Cheryl Vardon

Dear North West,

It has been quite a busy period for the NWHH Board, with many valuable opportunities for engagement with staff and the community.

In August, the Board travelled to Cloncurry where we participated in a CAG Meeting with local stakeholders before touring the Cloncurry MultiPurpose Health Centre and meeting many delightful residents.

I was honoured to have been joined by Mayor Cr Greg Campbell, Board Directors and HSCE Craig Carey to officially open the newly established satellite renal dialysis unit. We are incredibly pleased to see this service come to fruition due to the sheer determination of our staff so community members can receive the care they need close to home. It was great to meet members of the Renal Team, who were also in attendance, and I acknowledge their outstanding work for our communities.

Board Director Eleanor Milligan and I then travelled to Julia Creek with HSCE Craig Carey to meet with Mayor Cr Phillip Curr and Deputy Mayor Janene Fegan before touring the McKinlay Multi-Purpose Health Centre. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and spending time with many community members and stakeholders in Julia Creek. What a beautiful part of the region.

NWHH Board is committed to continuing to engage broadly across the North West and looks forward to listening to and hearing your experiences first-hand. I have witnessed genuine pride when visiting health centres, and it is a privilege to work closely with you all.

Thank you for your commitment and dedication to working with communities to improve the delivery of high-quality healthcare across the region.

Cheryl

From the Health Service Chief Executive Craig Carey

I am excited to share the Spring edition of the Balance magazine with you where we reflect on some wonderful achievements and stories in our health service and across the north west region.

I would like to acknowledge the staff across our health services for their tireless work over the winter season where we experienced an increase in COVID-19 cases across the state, along with higher-than-normal influenza infections. This had an impact on our workforce, though they continued to overcome pressures and challenges to provide high-quality healthcare to our patients as they have done since the pandemic began.

In August we officially opened the Satellite Renal Unit in Cloncurry with two chairs now in operation. Patients in Cloncurry, and soon in Doomadgee and Mornington Island can now be assured of a dialysis service and remain living in their communities while undergoing their daily treatment. It is expected that the additional satellite units in Doomadgee and Mornington Island will be operational by November 2022.

As we look towards the last quarter of 2022, our attention is strongly focused on North West HHS’s accreditation review. The focus of accreditation is on the delivery of safe, high-quality services that are valued by our communities. While being based on evidenced-based practice, accreditation isn’t about rules and regulations and instead seeks to ensure continuous improvement in all that we do.

Keep well, stay connected and enjoy this edition of Balance.

Best regards, Craig

Mount Isa Community Markets Committee Vice President Nadia Cowperthwaite said the Mount Isa Hospital Cancer Care Unit was an integral part of the local community that they were proud to support.

“The work done by the cancer care unit is so important and makes a significant difference for our community who are able to receive treatment locally, rather than having to travel long distances to major cities,” she said. donation for Cancer Care Unit

The Cancer Care Unit at Mount Isa Hospital allows the community to receive treatment close to home

“While this donation is a result of the proceeds from our market stall holders each month, it would not be possible without the Mount Isa community supporting the markets, so this is a donation from us as a community to say thank you.”

North West Hospital and Health Service Cancer Care Nurse Unit Manager Nicole Williams said the unit was immensely grateful for the donation.

“We are grateful to the Mount Isa Community Markets for their generous donation which will allow us to provide greater comfort for our patients and their families,” she said.

“We think about what we could use the donation for, but really what couldn’t we

use it for? The work here continues and it is always our priority to provide as much support to our families and patients to make their journey as comfortable as possible.”

The Mount Isa Community Markets are held on the second Sunday of every month.

"This is a donation from us as a community to say thank you.”

Daffodil Day cheer at

Mount Isa Hospital

Mount Isa Hospital recently held a Daffodil Day luncheon, raising more than $2500 for Cancer Council Queensland and the Cancer Care Unit. Local Mount Isa businesses donated an array of sweet treats, flowers and balloons in support of the fundraiser and hospital operational staff made hot meals that were also available.

“We are lucky to have such generous local businesses in the Mount Isa community who never hesitate to support us. It would

not be possible to put on these events without the support of these amazing people in our community,” said Nicole Williams, Nurse Unit Manager of the Cancer Care Unit.

Thank you to Wyld Made, Donut King, Sweet as Sugar, Cookies on Crystal, Blissimo and Mount Isa Florist for their generous donations and the hospital staff who generously donated an assortment of meals. In total, $2540.10 was raised and will be shared equally between Cancer Council Queensland and the Cancer Care Unit.

Milestone achievement for Mount Isa allied health professional

Andric Lu, physiotherapist and Manager of Quality and Service Improvement at North West HHS has recently become the first allied health professional in the country to complete all three levels of the Allied Health Rural Generalist Program.

Dedicated to rural and remote healthcare since starting his career as an allied health professional in 2016, Andric continues to push barriers and take the opportunity to create change in our local communities, with his most recent achievement a reflection of his commitment to rural and remote healthcare.

After working through the program over the last few years and most recently completing level three over the last twelve months, Andric said it has intensely developed his leadership, management and mentoring skills.

Andric Lu celebrating his achievement

“Building a sustainable and valued allied health workforce is important to continue to meet the needs of our communities and having a program that provides a pathway for advancing academic and clinical expertise in a wide range of settings is invaluable.”

Andric’s rural experience has also been recognised by tertiary education centres where he has been involved in a series of qualitative studies that investigated preprofessional training and readiness for rural practice for undergraduate and new graduate students, including their perceptions of rural practice, skills to work rurally and their training needs.

He is also an invited lecturer at the University of Queensland and Bond University to provide education about rural and remote practice and safety and quality in healthcare.

“The work has continued to challenge me regardless of where I have been along my development journey. I would not have had the opportunities I have had if I wasn’t working rurally and encourage anyone considering rural work to take the step and join us.”

“There are challenges that are unique to rural and remote work, with nuances for the communities you work in. There is so much opportunity to create change and the impact you can have on consumers and community in rural areas is much more noticeable than in metro areas," he said.

First nurse navigator for sexual health

With more than 30 years of nursing experience and 16 years in sexual health, Kylee Parsons is the first nurse navigator for sexual health in Queensland, working right here in Mount Isa.

North West HHS is very pleased to have the expertise and experience of Ms Parsons in this role and delighted to be the first health service in the state to have a nurse navigator for sexual health.

Nurse navigators are advanced practice registered nurses who provide vital services for patients with complex care needs. These senior nurses are highly experienced and offer patients a central point of coordination for their healthcare and support to better

Kylee Parsons understand their health issues, with the overall goal being for the patient to manage their care, reduce hospital admissions and improve the client and family’s health journey.

Ms Parsons said her passion for sexual health goes back to her nursing training days over 30 years ago when she had an occupational exposure and had a wonderful experience with the staff that managed her incident, leading her to pursue post graduate studies in HIV.

“I’ve been visiting remote communities for the last nine years while working with Townsville Sexual Health and am now really enjoying working with the clients in the north west and providing education and services in sexual health and wellbeing.”

Did you know the Mount Isa Sexual Health clinic a range of free services including cervical screening, hormone issues and sexual health?

It's easy to get tested in a safe and private space and the service is completely free.

Call 4764 0200 to book an appointment with the Sexual Health team or visit them on Barkly Highway, opposite Splashez Aquatic Centre.

Mount Isa Sexual Health staff

Staff Spotlight A familiar face across the north west

Paulina (better known as Feej) is currently working as the Director of Nursing Remote Reliever, where she works across our remote hospitals and PHC’s as required to cover the Director of Nursing role or any staff shortages.

Feej said she is passionate about remote nursing and finds the clinical work very rewarding. She also highly values the relationships formed in the remote areas with both the staff and the community members.”

Feej is currently completing her Certificate IV in Celebrancy to become a marriage celebrant and has no plans to leave the North West anytime soon.

“I absolutely love nursing and the highlight for me is the wonderful opportunities it has afforded me both professionally and personally. More importantly, the friendships and deep connections that I have made. Where else would you rather be?"

Proud Torres Strait Islander Carrol, registered nurse at the Doomadgee Hospital

ATODS

Children's Ward

One of our little patients Imogen with her amazing Connected Care Nurse Marina at the Mount Isa Hospital

Wear it Purple Day raising awareness for rainbow young people who sadly suffer poorer mental health outcomes across the globe

Special Care Nursery

Training of the Retinol Camera 3 used to watch vessels grow at the back of the eyes of premature babies

Meet the Special Care

Nursery Team

The Mount Isa Special Care Nursery cares for sick and preterm babies, 32 weeks gestation and later. A stay in the Special Care Nursery is never part of the plan, so our wonderful team are here for you if you do find yourself in a situation where your baby needs some extra support. Our nurses are passionate about the work

they do and are there from when baby first comes into the unit right through until they are ready to be discharged to come home with you.

The Special Care Nursery also continues to make additional services more accessible for families in Mount Isa, to keep them together and closer to home. The RetCam is one example of eye-saving technology that is now used locally to monitor babies in the nursery's eyesight, saving them having to go to Townsville or Brisbane.

The team that work in the Special Care Nursery certainly are special.

Hye Jin Silpa Susan

JColeen o

Kathryn Anjana Saxon Amanda

COVID-19 Update

Free Rapid Antigen Tests available for the community

Since Monday 1 August, North West HHS has had free Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) available for concession card holders and patients. It is important that the community have access to RAT’s so they are able to isolate, appropriately manage their COVID-19 infection and seek suitable treatment such as anti-viral medications if needed.

RAT kits can be collected from the foyer at the Mount Isa Hospital, between 8am and 4pm, as well as across all North West HHS facilities. Each person is encouraged to take up to three kits. RAT kits are also available at a number of community organisations across the region as additional collection points for ease and accessibility.

Feeling sick? Stay home. Get tested.

Report your positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT)

Isolate and follow the first steps if you have COVID-19.

Get support to manage your COVID-19 symptoms, or call 1800 020 080 (press 8 for a translator)

Consumer Spotlight

Normanton Community Advisory Group Member, Tonia Smerdon, making a difference in her local community

Tonia Smerdon has been a member of the Normanton Community Advisory Group (CAG) since 2019 and she also happens to be the Principal at Normanton State School. She originally joined the CAG so that she could be a conduit for information between the health service and her staff at the school.

“We have a large staff at school and I thought it was important to be a part of the CAG so that I could get information and take back to staff, but also feed back into the community,” Tonia said.

Tonia said her membership within the group gave her the opportunity to hear

about different issues in the community and bring those to the CAG and the health service to discuss.

“Also, I wanted to advocate on behalf of the students, so when we saw the need for more dental services, being able to have a forum that I could come to and discuss those needs is really important,” Tonia said.

“It has been pleasing to see the communications that have been going back to Mount Isa and having the opportunity to speak to different people who have positions within the health service.”

North West HHS Consumer Engagement

Opportunities exist within the North West HHS to join us as a consumer...

which means partnering with us in many ways including helping to co-design services, provide feedback on health plans and initiatives, join committees and community advisory groups, and review publications.

Most of the communities serviced by North West HHS have formed Community Advisory Groups (CAGs), which meet regularly with North West HHS Executive

Jasmine Barber Manager Public Relations

team members and Board, to advise on community health related issues and services and provide an invaluable link between our communities and the health service.

The North West HHS Board recently attended the Cloncurry CAG and met with all members to discuss issues and services specific to their community.

If you’d like to know more, please contact Manager Public Relations Jasmine Barber at nwhhs.engagement@health.qld.gov.au

North West HHS Board members attending the Cloncurry Community Advisory Group meeting in August 2022

Outreach Services

From the Consumer Liaison Officer

We continue to welcome feedback from patients, their families and staff who have visited facilities across the North West. Visit the North West HHS website to leave your feedback.

Consumer Compliment

"I recently had a fall in Lawn Hill Gorge resulting in a very serious and very painful injury. Bystanders contacted the ambulance service and the RACQ Care Flight helicopter transferred us to Mount Isa Hospital. I was assessed in the Emergency Department and later transferred to the ICU unit. I would like to thank everybody involved in the evacuation and in particular the doctors, nurses and support staff at Mount Isa Hospital. The fantastic care extended to me, the professional service and above all, the kindness and medical expertise shown by absolutely everyone has been tremendous."

Leave your feedback by scanning the QR code

Natasha Dew

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

Health Equity Strategy

Health Equity Strategy being prepared for publication

Feedback and comments for the Health Equity Strategy draft recently closed, incorporating input and contributions from Traditional Owners and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and stakeholders over the last month.

Our commitment is to work with the North West First Nations community, delivering real outcomes and lasting

change through a genuine partnership approach of co-design, co-ownership and co-implementation.

The Health Equity Strategy is set to be published by the legislative timeframe of 30 September 2022.

To find out more about the Strategy, contact Synara Rankine Johnson (Senior Project Officer) on 4744 4468.

Goals of the First Nations Health Equity reform agenda include:

Actively eliminate racial discrimination and institutional racism

Increasing access to healthcare services

Influencing the social, cultural and economic determinants of health

Delivering sustainable, culturally safe and responsive healthcare service

Work with First Nations people, communities and organisations to design, deliver, monitor and review health services

"Health equity won't be achieved by treating everyone equally, but by treating everyone justly, based on their circumstances and need."

Christine Mann Executive Director Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Health

Spotlight on Karumba

The North West HHS delivers health services to the communities of North West Queensland, serving a population of around 27,000 people.

One of these communities is Karumba, the "outback by the sea" town located on the Gulf of Carpentaria, with a small population of approximately 550 people. Each year 100,000 tourists and semipermanent residents visit Karumba during the winter months from April until October. Karumba's main industry has been based on fishing and its associated

support industries such as engineering, marine motors, refrigeration and cold storage.

Karumba Primary Health Clinic provides a low-risk ambulatory care service provided by nursing, administration and operational staff. The facility provides a nurse-led 24-hour acute and emergency on-call service; patients requiring higher levels of care are transferred for management to a higher-level facility by Queensland Ambulance Service or the Royal Flying Doctors Service.

The small fishing village is known as the "outback by the sea". Tourism is the focus of several businesses in Karumba including caravan parks, holiday units, fishing and aircraft charter.

A prawning fleet operates out of the port, barramundi fishing is a big industry and mud crabs are harvested as well. You can learn more about the small seaside town by visiting the Carpentaria Shire Council website.

Wellbeing Tips

Dealing with worry

Understanding worry and developing healthy management strategies can reduce the negative impact that excessive worrying can have on your life.

Worry can be uncomfortable, but it’s a normal part of life. You might feel worried when you’re thinking about a future event, like a job interview. Or when you’re thinking about how a current event, like the COVID-19 pandemic, might affect your family. It’s common to feel worried in situations that are: new or unusual, where you can’t rely on previous experience or when things may be unpredictable.

Worrying too much can leave you feeling anxious and apprehensive about life. This sort of worry can feel like a chain of thoughts and images that progress in

unlikely and irrational directions. Worries like this can become uncontrollable, taking over your thinking and preventing you from moving forward in your life.

What you can do:

Identify your unhelpful worries. Call out hypothetical worry. When you're feeling worried, make some time to do something that makes you feel good. Sit down and write out your negative, anxious or upsetting thoughts and then show yourself compassion. Practicing mindfulness can help you let go of worries about the future by tuning your mind in to the present.

Dietitian's Corner

Quick and easy vegeta

North West HHS Dietitian Mel Flanagan shares one of delicious and is an easy way to get use of the last of waste!

Method

Ingredients

3 tbsp of oil

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 green chilli, sliced

2 tbsp biryani curry paste

500g chopped mixed vegetables (such as cauliflower, sweet potato and green beans)

2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

3 shallots, finely sliced

400ml natural yogurt

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and gently fry the ginger, garlic and chilli for a couple of minutes Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the mixed vegetables, tomatoes and a good splash of water Cook for 10 12 minutes

Meanwhile, heat the remaining groundnut or vegetable oil in a pan and fry the shallots until crispy.

Season the curry, add the yogurt and simmer for a further 5 minutes Sprinkle the curry with the crispy shallots before serving with rice.

You are not alone.

Support is available. If you feel overwhelmed, talk to a health professional. Speak to your GP about what support you need and how you can access it.

Lifeline's 13 11 14 crisis support service is available 24/7. Anyone in Australia can speak to a trained Crisis Supporter over the phone, any time of the day or night.