Balance E-Newsletter - Vol 3 Summer 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 A/Health Service Chief Executive

Community

Christmas cheer thanks to the Auxiliary New equipment for Special Care Nursery Community book swap brings joy to patients

Surgical Ward staff give back to RFDS

Staff

Staff recognised after another great year

Occupational therapist making a difference Staff Recognition

COVID-19 Update

Changes to public health directions What to do if you feel unwell

Consumers Consumer Spotlight North West HHS Consumer Engagement Outreach Services

From the Consumer Liaison Officer

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Launch of Health Equity Strategy

Facilities

Spotlight on Normanton

Wellbeing

Reduce your anxiety this holiday season

Staying safe and healthy in hot weather

Favourite Christmas recipes

is available

NWHHS Balance

From the Board Chair

Cheryl Vardon

Dear North West,

Over the last eight months since the Board was appointed, a shared commitment and priority has been to be on the ground in the North West, visiting our health services and talking to the people who live and work across our rural and remote sites I am proud of the Board, which has visited many sites over the last few months and grateful to the staff who have so generously welcomed the Board and shared valuable insights into healthcare in our region

We have been fortunate to be a part of the successes and challenges experienced by the Health Service this year, as well as several significant milestones and events A particular highlight was visiting Cloncurry and Julia Creek in August As we travelled, Board Member Linda Ford, a proud Bigambul First Nations woman, who grew up on Kalkadoon land, pointed out landmarks and points of interest across the beautiful landscape It was great to learn about the region's rich history

Some other highlights this year include:

Opening the newly installed satellite renal dialysis chairs in Cloncurry Working closely with Western Queensland PHN, Gidgee Healing, North West Queensland Region of Councils, Better Health Queensland, Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre and North West Remote Health Meeting with Dental, Community Health and Child and Family Health teams and hearing the innovative and pragmatic solutions staff apply to get the best value and impact out of our allocated resources Launching the Health Equity Strategy in October that has been developed in partnership with First Nations People from across our region

Delivering healthcare in a unique rural and remote setting has its challenges, but the passion and commitment of our staff is evident across all sites Thank you also to Board Members for their commitment to the North West

I would like to extend a warm welcome to new Board Member Fiona Hill Fiona is a local Mount Isa resident and proud First Nations woman Fiona’s experience will complement the Board’s existing composition and I look forward to working with her I would also like to congratulate Board Member, Eleanor Milligan who was recently appointed Deputy Chair of the North West Hospital and Health Board Eleanor is also Chair of the Board’s Safety, Quality and Clinician Engagement Committee and member of the Board’s Executive Committee

The Board is committed to working closely with communities to improve the delivery of high-quality healthcare across the region as we move into 2023 I look forward to continuing to visit our health centres to listen to your experiences firsthand Thank you for your hard work and dedication to supporting our communities

Cheryl

NWHHS Balance

From the Acting Health Service Chief Executive

Sean Birgan

I am pleased to share the Summer edition and our third volume of the Balance magazine with you. This publication reflects on wonderful community initiatives, staff achievements and provides further insight into the health services provided across the North West region

In October, we launched the North West Health Equity Strategy in partnership with a number of stakeholders to improve health outcomes and ensure life expectancy parity by 2031 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Over the next three years, the Strategy will focus on embedding the voices of the region’s First Nations people into the design, development and delivery of health services, to ensure the creation of environments and services that First Nations people feel safe and comfortable to access

November saw the first phase of the North West HHS renal expansion project completed with the Mornington Island Hospital and Doomadgee Hospital supported satellite dialysis chairs becoming operational, allowing eight people to return to Country for supported dialysis This is an important step as we continue to strive to improve health outcomes by delivering valued, high-quality and sustainable health services that are close to home

We also recently published the Local Area Needs Assessment (LANA) which summarises the health needs of our communities across six key priority areas The North West HHS Lana 20222025 will inform decision making on how to implement strategic directions, health service operational planning, specific health service planning initiatives, model of care reviews, service redesign and engagement with key partners and stakeholders.

As 2022 comes to a close, I would like to take the opportunity to recognise our dedicated staff who have continued to work tirelessly serving the communities across our unique region this year Despite the impacts of COVID-19 on our health system, our staff have overcome workforce challenges and pressures to continue to deliver high-quality healthcare to patients across the North West

I wish you all a safe and healthy Christmas and New Year

Regards, Sean

Christmas cheer thanks to

New equipment for Special Care Nursery

Mount Isa Hospital’s Special Care Nursery has been successful in acquiring new equipment that will further support babies in the unit and bring peace of mind to families as their babies continue to become stronger.

A successful grant application through the Humpty Dumpty Foundation has seen new equipment donated to the Special Care Nursery including two apnoea monitors.

The Special Care Nursery’s Nurse Practitioner Jo La Spina said the monitors were very welcomed and would make a considerable difference to the families in the nursery.

Parents look to monitors for comfort and the apnoea monitor provides peace of mind to parents and nursing staff.

“The apnoea monitor is a stepping stone from full monitoring to no monitoring and provides peace of mind to parents and nursing staff who are not always physically watching the babies,” she said.

“When babies have been in the unit for a long time, parents tend to look at their monitors for reassurance. It can be nerve wracking for parents moving into the boarding room and going from their baby being fully monitored to having no monitor, so this bridges that gap.”

A sensor is placed on the baby’s tummy with tape and the apnoea monitor picks up movement from the sensor.

The Special Care Nursery also received two Masimo monitors for advanced monitoring solutions, a new Bilibed for treating jaundice in babies, and a warming gel mattress allowing babies to come out of their isolettes earlier.

StafffromtheSpecialCareNursery holdingthenewapnoeamonitors

Community Book Swap

brings joy to patients

A Community Book Swap was recently launched at the Mount Isa Hospital for patients, staff and visitors to enjoy.

North West HHS Chief Executive Craig Carey said the book swap truly was a community initiative.

“The book swap has been created for the community as a direct result of donations from community members and local organisations supporting the project,” he said.

“As a health service we are grateful for those who have added a book, including the generous donation from the Mount Isa Fire Station of 120 books, which will allow our staff, patients and their families to enjoy these books.”

The community book swap is located in the Mount Isa Hospital foyer and visitors to the hospital are encouraged to take a book if there is one of interest or to leave a book that is ready for a new home.

Surgical Ward staff give back to RFDS

Staff from the Surgical Ward have raised $2000 for the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS) while participating in the Oceans to Outback fundraiser.

The team laced up their shoes and clocked up 1,136 kilometres over the month, completing the Oceans to Outback fitness challenge which calls on participants to walk, run or ride during the month of October, while raising funds for a worthy cause.

Surgical Ward Nurse Melissa Fielke said the team decided to participate in the initiative not only for team bonding, but because of their shared passion for health.

“We recognise the significant impact the RFDS has on saving lives all over Australia and wanted to do our best to help ensure they continue to have access to all the resources they need to function,” she said.

“We know treating patients in rural and remote communities comes with its challenges and RFDS is a partner that provides a lifeline for those that live, work and travel through our remote regions.”

The RFDS has been saving lives in rural and remote Australia for more than 90 years and delivers 24-hour life-saving healthcare to patients across Australia.

Staff recognised after

another great year

Our annual staff recognition awards were recently held in Mount Isa where the Executive Team had the opportunity to thank some of our award nominees and winners for their excellent work throughout 2022.

Staff are recognised across a number of award categories that reflect the North West HHS values. We are grateful to have staff who embody our values every day when it comes to serving our communities and patients and thoroughly enjoyed recognising our well-deserved staff.

Well done to all of our nominees and a huge congratulations to all of our winners!

Award winners proud of their achievements

Winners

Innovation

Runner up: Andric Lu (Manager Quality and Service Improvement)

Winner: Nicole Williams (Nurse Unit Manager Cancer Care)

Respect

Runner up: Nurse Navigator Service

Winner: Mere Waqanivalu (Nurse Unit Manager)

Engagement

Runner Up: Stephanie Smith (A/Travel Manager)

Winner: Kristy Missenden (Senior Social Worker)

Accountability

Runner Up: Deanne Parry (Operational Services Supervisor)

Winner: Francis Asomah (Director of Surgery)

Caring

Runner Up: Travel Department

Winner: Lea Scheltens (Nurse Manager Infection Prevention Control)

Honesty

Runner Up: Benjamin Beard (Nurse Unit Manager)

Winner: Tamara Laurie (A/Nurse Unit Manager)

First Nations

Runner Up: Rhonda Tim (Advance Health Worker)

Winner: Health Equity Team

Outstanding All-Rounder

Runner Up: Dora Thomas (Senior Health Worker)

Winner: Gaylene Black (Business Manager)

Volunteer

Winner: Sandra McGrady (NWHHS Volunteer) Winner: Phoebe Ryder (Registered Nurse)

Executives Choice

Tina Ferguson (Child Protection Liaison Officer)

Board Chair Excellence Award

Jacob Spatuzzo (Senior Cardiac Scientist)

Staff Spotlight Making a difference

Hannah is the Senior Occupational Therapist at the Mount Isa Hospital and has been working with the health service for the last two years. She loves working with a supportive, multidisciplinary team and knowing they are making a difference to rural and remote communities.

"Coming to work is enjoyable and very rewarding when you know you are making meaningful change in someone's life," she said.

"Whether it's teaching someone to get dressed by themselves after a stroke or

helping someone return home after a traumatic accident, it's all very rewarding.

Working remotely can be challenging at times, but we have to be innovative in our thinking, particularly for our patients living in our outlying communities."

Hannah knew she wanted to work in healthcare, but was unsure on which path to take. But she says as someone who gets bored easily, OT has been perfect as it offers so much variety!

Thanks for all your great work Hannah!

WHSW Team

Visit from the CHO

The Workplace Health Safety and Wellbeing Team provides guidance and assistance for all things safety and wellbeing throughout our health service

Staff celebrations

Staff enjoying a lunchtime BBQ at Mount Isa Hospital

Queensland Health's Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard recently visited Mount Isa Hospital

Cloncurry

Queensland Health Director General Shaun Drummond and Chief Operating Officer Dr David Rosengren visit Cloncurry

COVID-19 Update Changes to public health directions

On Monday 31 October, Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard revoked the last remaining Chief Health Officer public health directions. Hospitals reverted to existing infection control practices, rather than mandatory mask wearing.

A new traffic light advice system that provides Queenslanders with the information on the current COVID-19 threat was introduced. It is important to continue to stay aware of what traffic light colour is active and follow the relevant advice.

Feeling sick?

Stay home.

Report your positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT)

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

Stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations

Consumer Spotlight

Janene Fegan has been a member of the Julia Creek Consumer Advisory Network (CAN) for more than 10 years

Firstly as a community representative and for the last six years as a council representative in her role as Deputy Mayor. She has also been involved with other consumer committee roles with the North West HHS for about three years.

Janene moved to the North West as a local registered nurse for Queensland Health and has always had a keen interest in improving and maintaining the health services within her town and district.

She said that membership of her local CAN “Enables a voice to be heard from our small communities and assists in identifying individual community need”.

When she’s not busy with CAN activities, Janene keeps busy with her role as councillor for the McKinlay Shire which includes Health, Tourism and Economic Development portfolios, membership of the Julia Creek Hospital Auxiliary, Julia Creek Turf Club, Julia Creek Lions Ladies and she has recently joined the Julia Creek Local Ambulance Committee.

Janene has been instrumental in the campaign for recruiting a new doctor for Julia Creek and has been featured in the news far and wide, encouraging medical professionals to join their wonderful outback community! We thank you Janene for your invaluable partnership with the North West HHS.

North West HHS

Consumer Engagement

Jasmine Barber Manager Public Relations

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.

We’re particularly looking for new consumers to join the Mount Isa Consumer Advisory Group. This group meets once every two months and discusses the health needs of the community and hears from Executive members and NWHHS staff about current issues and opportunities.

If you’d like to join, or learn more about the group, please contact me using the email below.

Other groups you may wish to join depending on your location:

Cloncurry Community Advisory Group

Normanton Community Advisory Group Burketown Community Advisory Group

Karumba Community Advisory Group Julia Creek Community Advisory Network

If you would like to know more about consumer opportunities, please contact Manager Public Relations Jasmine Barber at nwhhs.engagement@health.qld.gov.au

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

Outreach Services

Interested to know when outreach services will be visiting your community? Visit the dedicated Outreach Service page on the North West HHS website to stay up to date.

VIEW THE CALENDAR

From the Consumer Liaison Officer

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

We recently launched a new maternity feedback form and allied health feedback form that are now available to complete on the North West HHS website. Patients who have had experiences in these areas are encouraged to leave their feedback.

Visit the North West HHS website to leave your feedback.

Consumer Compliment

"I was almost completely out of breath when I had to give my details to the receptionist. She could see I was struggling and immediately got help. Within minutes I was hooked up and diagnosed."

Leave your feedback by scanning the QR code

Natasha Dew

Health Equity Strategy

Stakeholders come together to launch Health Equity Strategy

North West HHS has launched a health equity strategy in partnership with a number of stakeholders to improve health outcomes and ensure life expectancy parity by 2031 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

As part of the health equity reform process, the strategy was co-designed by a range of stakeholders and overseen and provided guidance by a governance collaborative that included Gidgee Healing, Western Queensland Primary Health Network, Queensland Aboriginal

and Islander Health Council, Yellagundgimarra Doomadgee Health Council, Mornington Island Health Council and a community representative.

Further developmental stakeholders included: traditional owner groups, Elders, Shire Councils, Land Councils, consumers, family and carers, Royal Flying Doctor Service, North West Remote Health, Murtupuni Centre for Rural and Remote Health, aged care providers, disability support providers, youth services, and other government departments.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

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

Christine Mann Executive Director Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander 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

“I would like to thank the many staff, community Elders, partner organisations and community for helping to develop this plan and making sure it talks to the most important issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people in our communities."

Over the next three years, the strategy will focus on embedding the voices of the region’s First Nations people into the design, development and delivery of health services, to ensure the creation of environments and services that First Nations people feel safe and comfortable to access.

An implementation plan detailing specific and measurable targets to achieve the 2031 goals will be released early next year, while the strategy itself has been formulated after 12 months of engagement and consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community groups throughout the North

West health service region.

North West HHS Chief Executive Craig Carey said barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equity will require constant vigilance and long term vision, now ensured with the newly developed strategy and subsequent implementation plan.

“The health equity strategy recognises the underlying determinants that support or hinder good health and identifies those determinants of health inequity that must be addressed so that the community can experience good health and wellbeing,” Mr Carey said.

“No single sector or organisation alone can address the broad range of social, economic and environmental determinants of health inequity, highlighting the need for partnerships of all kinds to bring about real change. We commit the health service to reform and a range of strong partnerships in and beyond the health sector that are working to influence the determinants of health inequities”.

North West HHS Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Christine Mann said the engagement exercise that spanned over twelve months has resulted in coownership of the strategy between the health service and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across North West and the Lower Gulf region and will ensure that the needs of the region is met.

“Some people face greater barriers than others to enjoying a healthy life, and North West is putting a focus on health equity throughout our work. It’s about levelling the field between people who can more easily access the drivers of good health and those who face barriers to those drivers and addressing the persistent, long term health inequities many people continuously face. We want to achieve the highest level of health for everyone and without prejudice.”

The North West HHS Health Equity strategy is available to view online here

Facilities

Spotlight on Normanton

Normanton was once the port for the Croydon gold rush and is, even today, the terminus of the historic Normanton to Croydon Railway.

It is the second oldest town in the Gulf and is the government and administrative centre for the Carpentaria Shire, which stretches from the Mitchell River in the north to the Leichhardt River in the west.

Primary industries are the mainstay of the area, along with tourism. Approximately 1,250 people live in Normanton and the surrounding areas.

The Traditional Custodians of the Normanton area are the Gkuthaarn, Kukatj, and Kurtijar peoples. In total, close to 60 per cent of the local population identify as Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Normanton Hospital is a Level 2 hospital which provides 24-hour acute inpatient and accident and emergency care Outpatient services include general outpatients, nurse and medical led clinics, radiology, pathology, pharmacy and dressing clinics

Normanton is a very popular tourist stop, well known for many attractions and activities including birdwatching, fishing, Normanton Railway Station for its Victorian architecture and a trip on the Gulflander, and its unofficial mascot Krys the Savannah King crocodile

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Tips Reduce your anxiety this holiday season

Have you ever experienced heightened anxiety at some time in your life?

The Christmas and holiday period can heighten your levels of anxiety. You may find some relief through mindfulness techniques, such as Self-Safe Hypnosis.

For mental health support and referrals, call 1300 MHCALL for 24 hour advice, support, triage, and referral to a service. If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, Lifeline is there to help. Call 13 11 14 for confidential, one on one crisis support.

To get started...

Take a deep breath... Try to find:

things you can hear

things you can smell

thing you can taste

Take another deep breath, and release.

Recipes North West Christmas Favourites

Christmas Crack Thanks to Andric Lu

Ingredients

1 box Saladas

226g unsalted butter, chopped

1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 large pinch sea salt

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

225g dark chocolate of choice, chopped

1 cup toasted nuts of your choice

Method

1.Preheat oven to 176.6 degrees C, cover baking tray with al foil, then line with baking paper

2 Cover baking tray with a layer of Saladas (Curse your lack of foresight in not purchasing a baking tray that takes exactly 4 x 3 Saladas.

3.Plonk butter and sugar into medium saucepan, melt over medium heat and bring to boil Allow to bubble away for 3 mins, stirring well

4.Remove from heat, add vanilla and salt. Immediately pour the caramel over Saladas, using back of spoon to spread evenly before it begins to set

5 Pop into oven for 15mins Dance around the house celebrating your prowess in the kitchen. Or if you have a dodgy oven, peer anxiously through the door every few mins, prepared to rescue the caramel before it burns

6. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate across hot caramel Leave to melt for 5 mins, then spread evenly

7 Sprinkle your nuts of choice across the top and leave to cool (or put in fridge if this is a crack emergency.

We asked North West HHS staff to share their favourite Christmas recipes. Try one of these recipes this festive season while feeding the family and entertaining guests.

Mum's Chocolate Christmas Log

Thanks to Troy Lane

Ingredients

1 tin condensed milk

21 crushed arrowroot biscuits

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 5 cups desiccated coconut

Optional: sultanas, crushed nuts or crushed maltesers

Method

1 Combine all ingredients in a bowl

2 Roll into a log

3 Finish by rolling log in coconut

Tips:

If you let the mixture sit before rolling, it goes harder

Double the above if you want to make a few

They can be frozen

Ginger and Macadamia Nut Balls

Thanks to Sharyn O'Mahoney

Ingredients

250 g ginger biscuit crushed 125g dry roasted macadamias chopped 3/4 cup condensed milk 60 g butter

1 5 cups coconut 1 tbsp golden syrup

Method

1. Add the condensed milk, butter and golden syrup to a saucepan and stir over a low heat until combined.

2. Combine biscuits and nuts in bowl.

3. Stir liquid mixture into biscuit mixture.

4. Form into balls and then roll in coconut

5 Refrigerate

Tips:

Can make with gluten free ginger nut biscuits and also the Nestle plant based condensed milk for those with allergies

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.