SPRING 2018
ST ANDREW’S NEWS ECD receives International and State Awards SEE PAGE 7.
ISSUE
#39
INSIDE
03 04 06 07 08 10 13 14 19 From the CEO
Seeing what makes the sound
Executive Update
ECD receives awards
A new CSSD
Retirements Education for nurses
Foundation Four words that mean so much
Welcome to the Spring Edition of the St Andrew’s News – our last publication for 2018. It has been a significant year in the life of St Andrew’s. The opening of our new clinical sterile services department (CSSD) on page 8, heralds the completion of a significant period of capital works for the hospital. The conclusion of this period was celebrated with an international and state award for the Eastern Clinical Development (ECD). We are exceptionally proud of this recognition which is justly deserved by our builders and architects as reported on page 7. The ECD is now well and truly up and running and page 4 highlights the work being carried out in the speciality of ear nose and throat surgery in our new theatres. Our new Olympus 4K Camera reproduces some astoundingly clear imaging. Dr Paul Varley is highlighted in this article and explains the benefits of endoscopic surgery for his speciality. Our nursing recruitment and education programs are highlighted on pages 5 and 13 and a unique reflection from our staff about their interpretation of our organisational values features on page 19.
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FROM THE CEO
very best for their retirement and know their contribution and legacy to St Andrew’s will be remembered long after their departure. Our foundation continues to provide great support to the hospital as featured on page 14. ‘From the Archives’ on page 18 shows a recently discovered photograph of hospital founder, Janet Hay and her niece Peg. The foundation has named its newly established bequest society, the ‘Hay Society’ in honour of her extraordinary effort, dedication and foresight in the establishment of St Andrew’s in 1936. I hope you enjoy reading our newsletter – and until next time, keep happy and healthy!
Stephen Walker Chief Executive Officer
It is with a great deal of gratitude and best wishes that we farewell two stalwarts from our exceptional team of medical officers, Mr Jim Sweeney and Dr Chris Farmer on pages 10 and 11. We wish them both all the
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SEEING WHAT MAKES THE SOUND If you have ever had a hearing test or been in a recording studio, you will be familiar with ‘the’ noise…………actually it’s quite the opposite. There is no noise. Before the test starts, or the sounds echo through headphones, there is the unfamiliar sound of total silence. It’s not until you’ve seen inside the ear that you realise how phenomenal the anatomy is. Its sensitivities allow us to hear an array of sounds every day, helping us to navigate the world around us. Looking inside the ear is something Ear Nose and Throat surgeon Dr Paul Varley can now do much more clearly, thanks to our new Olympus 4K Camera. The new stateof-the-art equipment provides ultrahigh definition images of the inner ear. This has enabled Dr Varley to perform more ear surgery endoscopically than ever before. ‘The images of the ear, now possible with the 4K camera system, are dramatically better. You can see the anatomy and identify disease much more easily. It’s allowed me to do more and more of my ear cases endoscopically with no external incisions, less tissue removal and faster healing,’ he said. The new equipment features technology from both Olympus and Sony. The camera itself provides four times the resolution of full HD – and that’s four times the information! It features an autofocus function, and high image quality in low light. The colours that are reproduced on the LCD screen of the ear tissue are so specific that visibility is vastly improved. Tissue boundaries and
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blood vessels are bright and easily seen. There is also minimal reflection from the camera light source onto the image. The touch panel even allows the surgeon to adjust the system during the surgery and load their personal preference settings with the touch of a button. Dr Varley has been operating at St Andrew’s since 2001 and is now doing so exclusively. ‘By providing the latest equipment, St Andrew’s has given me the flexibility to choose the best approach for each case, endoscopic or microscopic. The new equipment is also fantastic for Endoscopic Sinus Surgery. I am very happy operating at St Andrew’s – the new theatres and facilities are excellent as are the people,’ he said.
The camera itself provides four times the resolution of full HD – and that’s four times the information!
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GRADUATE NURSE PROGRAM INFORMATION EVENING
Placement in our Graduate Nurse Program (GNP) is highly sought after in the private hospital space in South Australia. Each year we have a significant number of applicants vying for only a handful of placements. Each year begins with an information session – and this year, we were at capacity. Best of luck to all our hopeful candidates! Successful applicants will begin their GNP year at St Andrew’s in 2019. Pictured are Kerry Holm (Graduate Nurse Coordinator) and Alison Sarles (HR & Organisational Development Coordinator) preparing for this years’ information session in our conference facilities at the St Andrew’s Medical Centre.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW SPECIALISTS
St Andrew’s welcomes the following specialists who have recently been accredited to work at our hospital. For further information about each specialist, please contact their rooms directly.
Ear Nose and Throat Surgery
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
General Surgery
Mr Edward Cleland Dr Himani Joshi
Dr Marcus Wagstaff
Dr Anurag Gupta Dr Luigi Sposato
Neurosurgery
Gastroenterology Dr Kenneth Lim
Gynacology Dr Carolyn Marlow Dr Vamsee Thalluri
Mr Adam Wells Orthopaedic Surgery Dr Luke Mooney Dr Saleem Hussenbocus
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EXECUTIVE UPDATE
LIBBY BROOKE WHS MANAGER AND CARLY LEAKER INJURY/ CLAIMS MANAGER
We are delighted to welcome two new staff into key roles within the HR Division. Libby Brooke joins us as our new WHS Manager, and Carly Leaker has been appointed into the newly created role of Injury/Claims Manager. Together, they will focus on maintaining a safe work environment and prevent injuries at work as well as ensuring the wellbeing of our staff. to support and guide St Andrew’s staff through early intervention and the safe return to work if an injury occurs. Carly and Libby will also jointly manage the hospital’s injury prevention programs.
Libby (left) with Carly.
Libby’s role includes responsibility for managing the hospital’s work health safety (WHS) systems and procedures. Libby is a qualified WHS professional with background qualifications in physiotherapy, WHS systems auditing and workplace training and assessment. She brings extensive skills and knowledge in all aspects of WHS in the private hospital setting, with specialist expertise in manual handling for both clinical and non-clinical staff.
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The newly created role of Injury/ Claims Manager has evolved as a result of the hospital obtaining self-insurance in 2016. Carly joins St Andrew’s with an extensive background in injury management and claims management, including specialist roles in legal dispute resolution and return to work programs. Carly holds qualifications in ‘Injury and Case Management’ and ‘Return to Work Coordination’ and is currently undertaking a Bachelor in Health Science. Carly’s focus is
Libby and Carly will both play a pivotal role in preparing the hospital for our self-insurance renewal in October/November this year. Libby will manage and assist the hospital to prepare the WHS elements of the evaluation, whilst Carly will take carriage of the important injury management elements. The aim is to secure selfinsurance renewal for the hospital, as well as showcase St Andrew’s commitment toward maintaining a safe and healthy work environment, through our compliance with WHS and injury management legislation and self-insurance performance standards. Welcome Libby and Carly! We are very pleased to have you both working with the team at St Andrew’s.
‘HIGHLY COMMENDED’ AT EUROPEAN HEALTHCARE DESIGN AWARDS IN UK! For us it’s big in scale, capacity, opportunity and patient outcomes! The judges at the European Healthcare Design Awards in London also think the design is pretty good! Although we didn’t take out the big prize, hospital architects wiltshire and swain were thrilled to have their work shortlisted and to receive a Highly Commended Award. To put things into perspective, the long list of entries included 16 projects
from countries like Spain, Sweden, Germany and England. The winner was a small maternity hospital in Uganda that will change the lives of a lot of mothers and babies in sub-Saharan Africa.
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ECD RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AND STATE AWARDS Congratulations to wiltshire and swain architects and Mossop Construction and Interiors on this well-deserved recognition.
‘WINNER’; EXCELLENCE IN A COMMERCIAL – INDUSTRIAL BUILDING; $20M - $50M; SA MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS Our builders, Mossop Construction and Interiors did an outstanding job and appropriately took out a hotly contested category in the recent SA Master Builders Awards. The judges’ comments included, ‘in a very competitive field where many entries achieved a level of excellence, this project emerged as a worthy winner. Mossop rose to the many challenges associated with this complex project and demonstrated how a collaborative approach between client, builder, consultants and trades is a win, win all round’.
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A NEW CSSD
Our central sterile services department (CSSD), has recently been relocated and upgraded. The timing of this work was somewhat determined by the ECD building schedule. The work was also carried out to bring the department in alignment with current best practice. The hospital was delighted to award the building contract via a tender process to Mossop Construction and Interiors. The builders, who also constructed the ECD, provided a degree of site knowledge that assisted in the successful build of the new department. Best practice recommends a CSSD being, wherever possible, abutting the procedural floor. This is to ensure minimal transport of instrumentation both horizontally and vertically to maintain absolute sterilisation.
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With CSSD being previously located on the ground floor, the new department is co-located with the new procedural suite on the first floor, resulting in seamless transport to the sterile area. The eighteen CSSD staff sterilise over 140,000 items per year. CSSD Manager, Iveta Pribramsky says ‘CSSD operates from 6.30am until 11.00pm 5 days a week and they are on call other times. They are a wonderful team and really pull through for each other. This is a busy department, but everyone is happy and smiling! If we ever have agency staff, they always comment on how much they like coming to St Andrew’s.’ To cater for the increased work load due to the ECD (Procedural Suite), the hospital has purchased an additional two washers and two sterilisers. We have also created a purpose built ‘loan kit’ area for
specialties including orthopaedics, spinal and surgery of the small extremities (eg: hands and elbows). The loan kits are ordered by the surgeon’s rooms, so regular communication with the rooms is essential. The instrument booking list is checked against the theatre list and any discrepancies are identified and ordered. In addition, the loan kit staff are in daily contact with our theatre nurses to review the list and what instrumentation is expected. The loan kits are received, checked against the delivery docket, washed and dried; then wrapped and sterilised, all before they even make it to the theatre. This new area is located near the new CSSD and is allocated to a Loan Kit Coordinator. The completed department complies with the Australian and New Zealand Standard 4187; 2014, which regulates the reprocessing of reusable medical devices in health service organisations.
Highly experienced accredited collection staff Regular hospital collection services Domiciliary services for post-operative care On-site laboratory services 24 hour operation, 365 days a year A comprehensive menu of routine and emergency pathology testing Specialist Pathologists – available for consultation 24/7 ‘Real-time’ pathology results – anywhere, anytime, including iPhone and iPad applications Publications and on-going education for referring practitioners and their staff
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Leading the way in quality pathology
For further information, please phone: Clinpath Laboratories Tel: (08) 8366 2000 | www.clinpath.com.au
ALL PATHOLOGY FORMS ACCEPTED
Dr Caroline Connell is now consulting at St Andrew’s Hospital
Our Doctors
Dr Caroline Connell provides a general Radiation Oncology service with special interests in treating Breast, Lung, Gastrointestinal , Palliative, Head & Neck, Urological, Skin malignacies and benign conditions such as Dupuytren’s contracture. Dr Connell also consults at Flinders Private Hospital. When: From the 6th August 2018 Where: St Andrew’s Hospital, 352 South Tce, Adelaide SA 5000 For bookings: Please call 08 8375 3200 For information: Visit our website genesiscare.com
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RETIREMENTS MR JIM SWEENEY There were times when it was difficult and times were tough. However, as an institution, we have remained steadfast with strong governance and strategic direction and true to our values and culture as a South Australian organisation’. In recent times, Mr Sweeney has had influence in the Eastern Clinical Development project through his participation in the Project Control Group. He regards the facility as ‘terrific’. ‘Inside and out it is a beautifully designed building which will suit St Andrew’s well into the future.’
Mr Sweeney (seated) with staff at his farewell.
When Mr Sweeney first entered the front doors of St Andrew’s Hospital as an 18 year old, he never imagined in his wildest dreams he’d be making his final exit as an experienced and well regarded surgeon! His appendix removal signalled the beginning of what turned out to be a career long association with the hospital. Although the sight of blood made Mr Sweeney squeamish when he returned for another operation as a 20 year old medical student, he recalls ‘liking the place’ and knowing he wanted to work here. The rest, as they say, is history! Mr Sweeney had no intention of becoming a surgeon during his time at the University of Adelaide Medical School. However, he was encouraged as an intern at the RAH, by a glowing assessment from Graham Wilson, who was a senior consultant at the Royal Adelaide Hospital to consider it. He had no strong ambition at that stage but decided to take a leap of faith and embrace the endorsement (any inclination this young lad has to do surgery should only be encouraged) of his teacher. That choice set the path for his career as a Colorectal Surgeon.
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Mr Sweeney travelled twice to the United Kingdom where he completed post graduate training at St Mark’s Hospital following his fellowship training in Adelaide. But he always intended to come back home and in 1987 began private practice in Adelaide. He was mentored by Des Hoffman at St Andrew’s which turned out to be the catalyst for his reintroduction to the hospital. ‘Operating lists were very difficult to secure in those days and I had lists at several hospitals’, said Mr Sweeney. ‘When our Colorectal group moved premises to The St Andrews Medical Centre on East Terrace, Adelaide, I shifted all my work to St Andrew’s.’ Reflecting upon the standard of nursing care offered at St Andrew’s, Mr Sweeney commented that it is of the highest standard. ‘I’ve been a patient here a number of times myself. Some people think that it is strange to have surgery at the hospital where you work, by why wouldn’t I? I have the highest regard for the nursing staff. I trust the people I work with.’ Over the years, there have been highs and lows at St Andrew’s, but one thing has remained constant. ‘The fact that the hospital has stayed independent with local management is a credit to all involved.
In addition to his surgical career at St Andrew’s, Mr Sweeney has also participated in a number of hospital committees; Credentials, Finance and Audit Committee and the Medical Committee, including a period as Chair. He was also the Deputy Chair of the hospital’s Board of Governors for six years and is a current board member. He was also involved in the establishment of the hospital’s Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit. Mr Sweeney’s other achievements have included Chair of the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery for the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS), Chair of the Training Board for Colorectal Surgery for RACS and CSSANZ, the Senior Examiner in General Surgery for RACS and was a Senior Consultant at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (1987-1999), Flinders Medical Centre (1999-2013) and Head of the Colorectal Surgical Unit at Flinders Medical Centre (2001-2013). Having experienced the pace of retirement for over nine months now, Mr Sweeney is looking forward to travelling, visiting the family holiday house more regularly and focusing on a new role as Captain of the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. We wish Mr Sweeney the very best of luck for the future and thank him most sincerely for his significant contribution to the life, patients and staff of St Andrew’s Hospital.
DR CHRIS FARMER
Dr Chris Farmer has been the Medical Director at St Andrew’s Hospital since September 2004. Dr Farmer has had a long career in medical administration in the public and private sectors starting initially at the Julia Farr Centre. He then spent many years at the Repatriation General Hospital, followed by stints in private consulting, start-ups in clinical governance software companies and medical legal advisory positions.
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RETIREMENTS
Dr Farmer (left) with Deidre Galezowski at his farewell.
In response to a heartfelt farewell from CEO Stephen Walker, Dr Farmer reflected on his time at St Andrew’s and all things close to his heart; patient safety and quality.
Finding and extracting this waste would solve, with a large margin, the current cost concerns driving large reductions in private health insurance membership.
‘From my perspective I’ve always thought that I could do more good and improve more patients’ experiences through influencing the way that quality and safety management is undertaken in organisations; rather than by dealing with patients directly. Having seen the detrimental effects of poor financial management in health on quality and safety, I have tried to create enough clinical information on the outcomes of care for organisations to balance the persistent financial requirements. This requires a particular type of leadership that recognises the relationship between cost and quality and manages both of them together. I am particularly fond of the philosophy of W. Edwards Deming who taught us if you manage by cost, cost goes up, but if you manage by cost and quality, cost goes down and quality goes up. Our current economic and political climate of health financing is in dire need of this advice. Health care is wasteful and although the estimates are between 10 and 15%, privately, I know that the researchers believe wastage is probably more like 30%.
These observations on management are the underlying reason for the development of our broad and detailed understanding of clinical outcomes. These are embedded within the indicator reporting program that has been developed here over the last 14 years. Before I came to St Andrew’s, I was challenged by a simple question as to whether another hospital was safe, and I couldn’t answer it. Now, if you were to ask me the question here I could say, in what regard and by what measure and by what degree of harm by which service and by whom? In the heart of any small business is someone who is going quietly mad. So I must make a particular note of Deidre Galezowski (Clinical Audit Co-ordinator). Deidre’s extraordinary commitment to translating my, sometimes bizarre, ideas and finding ways to measure and present passing suggestions now means she maintains a complete set of nearly 500 clinical indicators; and even more surprisingly, she enjoys it!
I am very lucky that St Andrew’s is so cooperative and aligned that we accept as normal the lack of barriers and the great cooperation, and seamless interprofessional cooperation. Almost all organisations have their values and mission…but translating those into persistent personally honoured behaviours is a much more significant challenge, but one that St Andrew’s has achieved. I am delighted that the hospital is in such a good position to meet the significant challenge of cost containment without damaging quality.’ Dr Farmer will continue to work at AHPRA for a while longer as an assessor and advisor. He has also developed sophisticated governance management systems through his company Metrixcare, which he hopes will be the embodiment of his ideas for innovation in management.
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ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE BLUE WE HOPE OUR ROSE GARDEN WILL BE ENJOYED BY YOU!
Our stunning rose garden was first planted in 2010 and was the result of a vision to create a perfumed and visually stimulating outdoor area for our patients and staff to enjoy. What we didn’t know all those years ago is that it would provide a backdrop for our new building! Patients and staff have a stunning view of the garden from the heights of the first, second and third floors. It also provides a lovely backdrop to the outdoor dining area of the Coffee Shop. Beverley and David Seaton OAM are avid gardeners and supporters of the foundation. David was the inaugural Chair of the St Andrew’s Hospital Foundation and their daughter, Amanda Seaton, is a current Director. Beverley and David were instrumental in the initial planting of the garden, along with several other members of the St Andrew’s Hospital Foundation Board, hospital maintenance and other staff. The garden still contains the original roses from Ross Roses and provides a spectacular display when the flowers are in bloom. Thank you to David and Beverley and the members of the Rose Society for providing the annual prune, fertilise and upkeep of the rose garden. It is enjoyed by many.
Beverley and helper Mark in July 2018.
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Human Resource and Organisational Development Coordinator, Alison Sarles, reflects upon why these sessions are so well attended. “The sessions we offer are comparable to those offered by external training providers, which usually attract a participation fee. We have excellent training rooms here with modern technology, and the sessions are held in a relaxed atmosphere. The topics are varied and often include presentations from our senior nurses and our visiting medical officers or industry experts.”
It can be very challenging to schedule clinical education for nurses due to their incredibly busy days and nights on the ward. Often, we provide education and training for our staff “outside of normal hours’’ and in addition to their mandatory training. Our dedicated team of nurses attend free education evenings on a range of topics, in their own time. In an age where medicine and technology are rapidly developing, continuous education is paramount.
We run on average, two clinical education sessions per month for our clinical staff. Attendance at these sessions is relatively high, with some sessions being at capacity. What drives our nurses to attend these optional sessions, as part of their continued professional development, is a deeply engrained culture of wanting to provide the best care to our patients. Additionally, all nurses must maintain a level of training and education relevant to their area of practice in order to retain their registration with AHPRA.
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CONTINUOUS EDUCATION FOR OUR NURSES
The topics are determined by a number of factors. These include identifying areas of need via the hospital’s training needs analysis which is carried out annually and the hospital’s Learning and Development Plan. The analysis looks at gaps in knowledge and skills identified by a range of factors including reporting from managers, incident reports, patient feedback and changes in standards or practice. All clinical managers, associate directors of nursing and our director nursing clinical services are involved in developing the program. Topics for the remainder of this year include neurological and spinal assessment and cardiac and respiratory assessment to ensure nurses are equipped with the skills to identify any early deterioration in our patients. Other sessions will focus on wound care, dressings, chest drains and vac therapy (which use negative pressure dressings). In addition to the face-to-face learning environment, St Andrew’s offers online learning through the Electronic Learning St Andrew’s (ELSA) platform. ELSA programs are tailored to specific work areas and can be accessed by staff from any computer or portable device at any time. A variety of learning modes is considered essential in the modern work environment, and St Andrew’s provides this platform as part of its education program. Non nursing staff also access mandatory training via ELSA.
Pictured is Kerry Holm (Graduate Nurse Coordinator) during a training session with our newest recruits.
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FOUNDATION SALA STAFF AND VOLUNTEER ART EXHIBITION Each year in celebration of the South Australian Living Artists Festival (SALA), the St Andrew’s Hospital Foundation invites employees and volunteers to enter art work into its annual art competition. The competition recognises the creative efforts and passions of our staff. The pieces are subsequently displayed within our Coffee Shop and are available for purchase, with all proceeds this year going towards the Foundation’s Leadership Scholarship Program (which supports our employees
to undertake formal leadership development studies).
FRIENDS OF ST ANDREW’S HOSPITAL HIGH TEA – CHRISTMAS IN JULY
The Foundation hosted a Cocktail Party to celebrate the wonderful contributions of our staff, and to announce the Artist of the Year. This year, Steven Kotlowy, one of our long serving and valued Orderlies, was awarded first prize.
Congratulations Steven and thank you to all of the contributors on your incredible works of art!
The foundation recently welcomed our ‘Friends’ and their guests to a High Tea at the St Andrew’s Medical Centre. With sweeping views of the city skyline and our parklands, our function rooms provided a perfect backdrop! Dr Samuel Sidharta from Adelaide Cardiology gave an entertaining and informative talk about his personal interests and latest developments in the speciality of cardiology. The doctors from Adelaide Cardiology play a key role in the hospital’s Cardiac Centre of Excellence, recently boosted by our new cardiac unit. Dr Sidharta’s presentation was timely and of great interest.
FOUNDATION RECEIVES HAND KNITTED BEANIES FOR PATIENTS ON 3A The foundation was approached by Anne who is a volunteer at the Adelaide Women’s Prison. Anne has volunteered at the prison for 40 years and facilitates a knitting club for several of the women. Beanies and other items are donated to various organisations. St Andrew’s cancer patients were put forward as recipients and we recently took delivery of a large bag of beanies. These are to be given to patients to use and take home. We were really appreciative of the gift and know our patients will enjoy wearing them! Pictured is Anne with Amy Bredon from the foundation with Wendy, Jenny and Chloe from 3A.
Guests also heard from CEO Stephen Walker and Foundation Director Amy Bredon. Amy spoke about the foundation’s new donor and bequest recognition programs, the Waverley Network and the Hay Society, both of which will be launched in late 2018.
PLASTIC NOT SO FANTASTIC St Andrew’s takes environmental sustainability and responsibility very seriously. We currently participate in several community recycling schemes, recycle our waste hot air from our power plant to provide hot water and heating and now…….. we have joined the war against plastic straws!
Our Coffee Shop has recently sourced paper straws to replace the thousands of plastic straws used every year. This is one more step in the right direction in our mission to reduce our waste. Our coffee cups are biodegradable and most of our food comes with minimal, or no packaging.
REUNION – GROUP 14
DR MARY SUTHERLAND OAM
The spirit of St Andrew’s lives on amongst the nurses of Group 14 – long after their training at St Andrew’s.
Our warmest congratulations to Dr Sutherland whose service to medicine and the community was acknowledged in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday honours.
Group 14 commenced training in May 1966, and were able to register after four years hospital based training in 1970. Some of the group went on to do Midwifery, Mental Health and participated in a number of university studies including Law, Health Administration and Social Work. A number of the group worked overseas and had no problem gaining work, as Australian nurses were seen as very well qualified.
The group has always maintained very close ties and seven in Adelaide meet regularly for lunch. However on special anniversaries their partners are included too. One has travelled from the UK and another from Sydney with their partners. The group have very fond memories of those years at St Andrew’s and all have used that excellent training to work in various careers in health. Sonja Walmsley Former nurse at St Andrew’s
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COMMUNITY
Dr Sutherland has had a long association with the hospital, including serving as a Director on the hospital’s Board of Governors since 2005 and as a current member of the Peer Review and Clinical Review Committees. Combined with her work as an anaesthetist at St Andrew’s, her contribution to the hospital spans more than 25 years. Dr Sutherland has given her time to the hospital, foundation and many other not-for-profit organisations with great generosity. The hospital’s Board of Governors, staff and volunteers offer heartfelt congratulations to Dr Sutherland.
Members of Group 14 at their recent reunion.
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‘MY’ ST ANDREW’S ‘IT’S JUST PART OF US ALL’
‘NO, I’M NOT A VET, MY NAME IS YVETTE!’ Yvette McRae is not a vet, but there was a patient who once mistook her for one – asking if they had run out of nurses! It didn’t take Yvette long to work out that her introduction to patients should not be, ‘Hello, I’m Yvette,’ but rather
Yvette (front) with colleague Erica.
‘Hello, my name is Yvette!’ It is with a wide smile and sparkle in the eye that she recalls this funny moment when she first began her career at St Andrew’s in 1992. Yvette first began as a night shift nurse and worked across all wards and areas. ‘The night shift staff were permanent and we all got to know each other really well. We used to go out for breakfast and have lots of fun in and out of work.’ When the emergency department opened in 1996, Yvette became part of the emergency team and has worked there ever since. ‘I like my job – we’ve all worked together for a number of years and we are like a family. You never have the same day twice – it’s always different. Having an onsite ED allows the hospital to provide extra support to our patients and specialists. We see patients from a wide range of specialities and we enjoy the variety!’
Like a lot of other staff at St Andrew’s Yvette reflects that the staff are a great group. ‘Everyone knows each other – it doesn’t matter which department you work in. As a smaller hospital, we all get to know each other’s names and people are genuinely caring,’ she said. Like many of our staff, Yvette has remained at St Andrew’s for much of her working life. She likened it to the famous line in the song Hotel California – ‘You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!’ In addition to her nursing duties, Yvette has been a Health Safety Representative for the Emergency Department for the last three years. Her role allows her to act as a conduit between the staff and the Work Health Safety Division and she enjoys looking out for the welfare and safety of her fellow colleagues.
New name, Same high-quality care For the past nine years Adelaide Cardiology has been a part of the GenesisCare network, a national network and the largest provider of cardiology, cancer and sleep care services in Australia. We have decided to formalise this partnership and become one brand – as such we are changing our name to GenesisCare.
GenesisCare The rebranding process will be staged over six months, and we are now starting to communicate the changes to our referring doctors, patients, and partners.
Our Phone 08 8202 6600 and Fax Number 08 8202 6698 will NOT change.
The change includes a new visual identity and a new website www.genesiscare.com and our email address will change to infocardiologysa@genesiscare.com
Our referrers and patients will continue to have access to the same high quality care, personalised treatment and our commitment to delivering world class cardiac services remains unchanged.
Adelaide Cardiology email addresses for all staff will automatically be redirected for an indefinite period.
We look forward to continuing to work with you, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
FLEX GEN5093
GEN5093 StAH News half page advert.indd 1
22/8/18 3:57 pm
PROVIDING EMERGENCY CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS AND THE PEOPLE OF SA
Our emergency service was first opened 22 years ago in 1996, and was in fact the second private emergency in South Australia. The department is staffed by 15 skilled nurses, 10 emergency doctors and supported by administration and clerical staff making it a dynamic and well-resourced service. Director of Emergency Dr Steven Schueler says, ‘Our aim is to provide a rapid assessment of a patient’s medical condition and arrange appropriate management utilising all the services available to us’. As an integral part of St Andrew’s our emergency service is equipped to deal with a broad range of emergencies which are reflective of the services the hospital offers. ‘We generally take patients referred to us from our visiting medical officers, general practitioners or via ambulance, but we are happy to receive patients attending as walk-ins. The bulk of cases we see are from the specialities of general surgery, urology, oncology and cardiology. There are some cases we aren’t able to see, such as major trauma, mental health, obstetrics and paediatrics. A phone call to our triage nurse can clarify this before a patient presents in person. Presenting patients are seen in order of medical priority (not in order of attendance), but our waiting times are usually short,’ said Dr Schueler.
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EMERGENCY SERVICE
For the patients of St Andrew’s, our emergency service provides added comfort that we are a phone call away should they need assistance following discharge. ‘We have an excellent relationship with our specialists and they can rely on us to provide highly skilled care for their patients,’ - says Dr Schueler. ‘We are supported by onsite services including pathology, radiology and pharmacy which means we can provide holistic care easily and in a timely fashion. We also have the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit to refer to if necessary.’ Clinical Manager Catherine Turner has worked in both the public and private sectors and says the level of experience common amongst the nursing staff ensures a high level of care. ‘Our staff are highly trained nurses who have worked in a range of settings. This is important in building a team that provides the best patient care possible. They are dedicated and many have post graduate certificates in emergency nursing, cardiac nursing and other specialties.’ Our emergency department has grown over the years with the changing needs of the hospital. As new services are introduced, such as the relatively recent addition of neurosurgery, the emergency team will be there to help.
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT 8am – 10pm 7 days Phone 8408 2111 A Medical Consultancy Fee and other fees apply
FOR GP’S Please call our emergency department to discuss the needs of your patient.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES HOSPITAL FOUNDATION - SISTER JANET HAY Until very recently, we have only ever seen one picture of our Founder, Janet Hay. A fuzzy, somewhat serious and very formal headshot of her in her nursing uniform during the war.
The foundation has named its bequest society, the Hay Society in honour of the incredible dedication, foresight and determination of Sister Hay when she founded St Andrew’s in 1936.
As a result of the recent research work the foundation has been carrying out, we now have another and very different image. Recent contact with her Great Niece has brought this to light, previously unseen family photo. Sister Hay is pictured below (seated) with her Niece Peg outdoors enjoying some sunshine! We think she looks like she enjoys a good laugh – she’d fit in nicely around the hospital in present day!
Help us keep St Andrew’s Hospital a premier private hospital in SA for generations to come. If you would like more information on supporting the future direction of our hospital, please contact Amy Bredon on 8408 2005 or amy.bredon@stand.org.au.
Still Your Choice GenesisCare still offers affordable, no wait, rapid access radiation treatment for all. Our dedicated team of Radiation Oncologists pride themselves on their high quality, personal care. GenesisCare the same team, just a new name.
GenesisCare offers patients four convenient metropolitan treatment locations: Adelaide City - St Andrew’s Hospital Bedford Park - Flinders Private Hospital Kurralta Park - Tennyson Centre Elizabeth Vale - Calvary Central Districts Hospital
Our Radiation Oncologists: A/Prof John Leung Dr Kevin Palumbo Dr Marcus Dreosti Dr Joshua Sappiatzer Dr Caroline Connell Dr Andrew Potter Dr Phuong Tran
To refer a patient, please call 08 8228 6700 or for more information visit our website: www.genesiscare.com
ST A N D REW’S N EWS | SP RI N G 2018
FOUR WORDS THAT MEAN SO MUCH The values of St Andrew’s Hospital hinge on four different words; we, care, create, deliver. In a recent discussion between a few staff, we decided to unpack what the words really mean. We asked; how do we care, create and deliver? How do we know if we are achieving our values? What does this look like for different individuals? We know that people by nature can have different values, beliefs and opinions; so what does this look like for our staff as a collective? To help us answer this question, we decided to ask a few people! It is clear from reading these quotes that St Andrew’s is a place that cares. We care about each other and our patients. It’s what sets us apart. St Andrew’s people are happy, caring, courteous and dedicated – and our values and behaviours all point towards the best outcomes for our patients……. ‘For me, I love the “we” factor at St Andrew’s Hospital. That is, everyone does their part in providing the highest quality of care to patients and their families and friends. It is so great being a member of this huge team.’ Peter, Chaplain
It is apparent to me that St Andrew’s Hospital incorporates a holistic model of health care. There is a wonderful sense of community whereby all disciplines are respected and valued; as the staff work together as a team within a naturally caring environment.’ Gayle McClimont, Coordinating Chaplain, Helping Hand ‘Harnessing our empathetic nature in caring for patients and creating a team environment that everyone can thrive in.’ Elise, CCU ‘To me “we care, we create, we deliver” means we always go the extra mile to make sure the job is done; and we give the care and attention that St Andrew’s is known for.’ Scott, Supply ‘When I think of our values, I think of the coffee shop and the work of the volunteers who give tirelessly of their time, to ensure a calm, relaxing and social environment away from the hustle and bustle of the hospital. Their polite and friendly service, demeanour, and reassurance can help customers relax and take some time for themselves. We also
offer a community jigsaw and knitting table to help create calm and promote relaxation. The coffee shop is a cheery escape where you can enjoy a coffee and chat, or just sit quietly.’ John, Foundation ‘When you join the team at St Andrew’s you quickly see the values of We Care, We Create, We Deliver at play. The allinclusive environment is so contagious it simply creates a caring nature which delivers the highest level of care, medical excellence and an experience which is easily transferred to others.’ Sue, Payroll ‘We care about each other, the organisation and our customers. We work together to create an environment safe for our patients and staff, and one where people enjoy coming to work. We use creativity in order to deliver a high quality, contemporary service.’ Alison, HR Division
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If you are interested in submitting an article or have a news story, please contact Karyn Verity via email kverity@stand.org.au Advertising enquires welcome: St Andrew’s Hospital 350 South Terrace Adelaide South Australia 5000 Telephone 08 8408 2111 Facsimile 08 8232 0328
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