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SUMMER 2019

ST ANDREWâ€™S NEWS

Australian first paediatric robotic surgery PAGE 4

See inside our first edition of Foundation News PAGE 13 ISSUE

#40

INSIDE 03 From the CEO 04 Australian first robotic surgery 07 Vascular surgery 09 My St Andrew’s 10 Counting backwards from ten... 12 From the archives 13 Foundation News 15 Leaving the ultimate gift 16 Tackling Breast Cancer head on 19 Foundation launches new donor program 20 Donors and HPS fund nursing scholarships Cover - Patient Cathy with Breast Care Nurse Amanda Jones

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Welcome to the 40th edition of the St Andrew’s News. In this edition, we have cause to celebrate for a number of reasons. In an Australian-first, a complex paediatric colo-rectal case was performed by a team of robotic surgeons and nurses using the da Vinci Xi Surgical Robot. We are delighted the young patient is recovering well following the successful surgery. I hope you enjoy reading about this case in the first article. The surgeons at Waverley House Vascular Clinic have been associated with St Andrew’s for some time now and on page 7 we highlight their various specialties and interests. Vascular surgery is complex and surgeons often work alongside other specialists. Our Chairman, Mr David Whitbread reflects on his time at St Andrew’s on page 9. We are delighted to have David at the helm and, together with the hospital’s board of governors, he provides excellent direction and governance for the organisation. In an interesting article, we cover the specialty of anaesthetics and the role the anaesthetist plays before, during and after surgery. The administering of anaesthesia is fascinating to many, so we have unpacked this for our readers on page 10.

ST A N D REW’S N EWS | SUM M ER 2019

FROM THE CEO

Our latest group of nursing graduates are acknowledged, and the hospital once again successfully completed accreditation. Our Years of Service article congratulates a number of staff who reached milestones of service in 2018. Mr Randall Sach and Professor Rod Cooter have also been publically acknowledged through the 2019 Australia Day Honours list. The 40th edition is an ideal opportunity to bring you the very first Foundation News which is devoted to the work of our fundraising team and the wonderful support they receive from the community. As a not-for-profit hospital, all donations are very welcome and greatly appreciated. I hope you enjoy reading the latest news from St Andrew’s and its foundation. Stay happy and healthy.

Stephen Walker Chief Executive Officer

AUSTRALIAN-FIRST ROBOTIC SURGERY FOR YOUNG BOY The St Andrew’s motto We care, we create, we deliver was demonstrated recently in a fascinating Australian-first. In collaboration with the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, nine-yearold Tomas was successfully operated on at St Andrew’s under the watchful eye of a team of surgeons and nurses, including some of our own robotic experts. Tomas was born with a congenital ano-rectal malformation, which means the rectum was abnormally communicating with the urethra. Usually, this is corrected soon after birth. But, for complex medical reasons, it wasn’t and the patient has required a stoma since birth. He subsequently developed ulcerative colitis which then required a compulsory removal of the abnormally communicating bowel from the urinary tract. Robotic surgery was an ideal option, given the complexity of this surgery. On 23 February 2019, the surgery took place in our dedicated robotic theatre. The surgery took seven hours and involved thirteen clinicians. The operation was a success and Tomas is now recovering at home, following transfer back to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

“I didn’t think we would get in – St Andrew’s has the busiest single site robot in the world - but I’m so glad we did. The reason we were able to perform the surgery so successfully was because of the team. Everyone was experienced and very well versed in their field. We found the right skill mix which resulted in a very positive outcome for the young patient”, said Dr Khurana. St Andrew’s Director Nursing Clinical Services Jacquie Wiley recalls, “When we received the first call from Dr Khurana, we immediately wanted to assist. We went into action contacting our senior surgeons and specialist robotic nurses to discuss the case and if it was something we could accommodate.” Two months of planning, training and meetings took place with the surgical team and the staff at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Dr Khurana was supported by two other surgeons, Dr Darren Tonkin (colo-rectal surgeon) and

Dr Andrew Fuller (urologist). Dr Nicholas Marks, who is experienced in robotic and paediatric cases, was the attending anaesthetist. Dr Tom Cundy (trainee paediatric surgeon) and Di Finnis (robotic surgical assistant) also assisted. St Andrew’s nursing team Lisa, Lucy, Leacia, Anna and Jenny were joined by WCH anaesthetic nurse Amanda. The da Vinci Xi Surgical Robot was made possible by a generous donation to our foundation from Mr Gordon Pickard AM.

“The hospital is always supportive of investigating new possibilities, and we are delighted to have been involved in this Australianfirst case.”

St Andrew’s CEO, Stephen Walker said although unusual, it was a privilege to be part of the case. “I am very proud of the entire surgical team and the excellent outcome they achieved for Tomas. This particular case was identified by the multidisciplinary team at the Women’s and Children’s as being ideal for robotic surgery. The hospital is always supportive of investigating new possibilities, and we are delighted to have been involved in this Australian-first case.” Paediatric surgeon, Dr Sanjeev Khurana was the surgeon undertaking the case. The Women’s and Children’s Hospital contacted St Andrew’s about the possibility of bringing a robotic colo-rectal paediatric case to the hospital.

The surgical team in the robotic theatre including Dr Khurana second from right.

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.

GASTROENTEROLOGY

ORTHOPAEDICS

Leong Lee

Bogdan (Lucian) Solomon

Daniel Worthley

GYNACOLOGY

GENERAL SURGERY

Tarsha Basheer

Janne Bingham

UROLOGY

ST A N D REW’S N EWS | SUM M ER 2019

WELCOME TO OUR NEW SPECIALISTS Arman Kahokehr Jonathan Cho

YEARS OF SERVICE

RECOGNITION ON ST ANDREW’S DAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2018 We were delighted to acknowledge and recognise significant milestones in years of service to the hospital on St Andrew’s Day. Stephen Walker presented service certificates and badges at three presentations over the course of the day. This year, 55 people reached a milestone in their years of service.

WORK AREA LENGTH OF SERVICE

CARDIAC UNIT

FINANCE DEPT

Kerie Tonkin

David Ormsby HR DIVISION

CRITICAL CARE UNIT 10

Ann Gibbons

Rachel Caudoux

MAINTENANCE

Kay Allman

WORK AREA LENGTH OF SERVICE

Christine Cunnew

2ND FLOOR

CODING

Emma Baker

Silvana Bonin

Choo Yap

Emily Hector

Bronwen Burnett-Spooner

CENTRAL STERILISING SUPPLY DEPARTMENT

Anna Penhall

Sarah Mortimer

Cheryl Denniss

Karen Turrell

Elizabeth Howard

3RD FLOOR

Rob Doherty

Chris Herbert

OFFICE ADMIN 10

DIETARY SERVICES

Claire Brigham

Iolanda Scalzi

Maxine Wells

Francine Murphy

RECOVERY/ANAESTHETICS

Michelle Brunt

Courtney Gillies

Rosa Neto

Tiffany Heinrich

Coula Cokkinos

Marisa Belperio

Melanie Law

Jason Potts

Susan Prosser

Karen Shannon

Amanda Adams

Jodie Bowering

Marelle Jackson

Louise Norrie

EMERGENCY

Jennifer Duurland

Erica Fotineas

Tania Concannon

Julie Downie

Marie Beard

Lynne Kowalick

4TH FLOOR

PROCEDURAL SUITE Lisa-Marie Martyniuk Jan Rogers

Erin Powell

John Ioannou

Yvonne Magnusson

Andrew Hodge

Sharon Maslen

SUPPLY

15 20

Joanna Breese

SUPPLY

Virginia Bossy

Teresa Mead Jenny Roberts

THEATRE Heather Crosby

Renee McHugh

NIGHT DUTY COORDINATOR Barbara Uffelmann

ACCREDITATION AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL ON HEALTHCARE STANDARDS PERIODIC REVIEW The accreditation process is a compulsory and fundamental part of any healthcare organisation. St Andrew’s has always had a standout record of meeting and often exceeding expectations during accreditation. Recently, the hospital completed a periodic review with the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS).

as well as the five EQuIPNational standards developed by ACHS.

and all actions were assessed as Satisfactorily Met.

The surveyors spent time talking with staff, patients and key committee members, as well as reviewing documentation, systems and practices. Feedback from the survey team was very positive

The hospital is now in the process of making the transition across to the Second Edition of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards which came into effect in January 2019.

The review took place during November 2018. This accreditation survey entailed two ACHS surveyors spending three days at St Andrew’s Hospital to verify the hospital’s ongoing compliance to three of the ACSQHS National Safety and Quality Health Services Standards (Governance for Safety & Quality in Health Service Organisations; Partnering with Consumers and Preventing and Controlling Healthcare Associated Infections),

St Andrew’s has always had a stand-out record of meeting and often exceeding expectations during accreditation.

DEXTRA SURGICAL

Dextra Surgical is pleased to announce the opening of our new fully accredited private Day Surgery at 83 Kensington Road Norwood, which is linked to the Plastic Surgery practices of Markus Nikitins, Clayton Lang and Randall Sach. Our long association with St Andrew's Hospital continues through our co-located city office at 341 South Terrace Adelaide.

341 South Terrace, Adelaide / 83 Kensington Road, Norwood / Modbury / Maitland / Gawler / All appointments Tel 08 8223 7870 dextrasurgical.com.au

admin@dextrasurgical.com.au

PLASTIC SURGERY HAND SURGERY SKIN SURGERY COSMETIC SURGERY

Doctors Michael Berce, Jim Burnett and David King are the vascular surgeons in Waverley House Vascular Clinic, situated on the grounds of St Andrew’s Hospital. In association since 2004, the trio have over 70 years of collective experience in vascular surgery. Vascular surgeons employ a range of techniques when dealing with both vein and artery disease and trauma, making it a very broad-ranging and complex specialty. Sometimes referred to as “medical surgeons”, the focus of a vascular surgeon is any vein or artery within the body (excluding the heart) involving, in many cases, the management of medical risk factors and life style advice, rather than surgery. This also includes the management of difficult-to-heal wounds (for example, leg ulcers and diabetic foot infections), thoroscopic sympathectomy for excessive sweating and temporal artery biopsy. Endovascular procedures have transformed the way vascular surgeons deal with arterial disease. Patients, who would once have required open surgical repair, can often have treatment without surgery. For example, narrowed arteries can now be managed endovascularly with balloons and stents, and stent grafting can be employed to repair an aortic aneurysm. The balloons and stents are inserted via a small incision in the groin to access the blood vessels. This procedure offers many advantages, including a shorter recovery time, less discomfort, less stress on the heart and fewer risks for patients with other medical conditions. The specialists at Waverley House Vascular Clinic also deal with disease involving the carotid artery in the neck. Patients with carotid artery disease have a build-up of fatty deposits, or plaques which narrow the artery that delivers blood to the brain and may lead to stroke.

If the blockage is severe and causing mini strokes, it is removed surgically or, much less commonly, by stenting. Despite a shift towards less invasive procedures over the last 20 years, all procedures require a high level of skill, combined with quality theatre facilities and a high standard of radiology equipment. Dr Berce has been operating at St Andrew’s since 1992. “As a group of surgeons, we are very well supported by St Andrew’s. It has excellent operating theatres and radiology facilities and the staff are all well trained”, said Dr Berce. “We are colocated on the hospital grounds and there is always at least one of us on site, either in the hospital or in our rooms, providing excellent care for our patients. In most cases, there are two of us present when we operate, and we are also on hand to assist in emergencies across all specialties should they arise. Also, the Critical Care Unit facilities and staff are excellent and help us manage our high-risk patients before and after major procedures.” The new Eastern Clinical Development complex includes two angiography suites with stateof-the-art imaging and facilities. Since many vascular conditions are treated employing endovascular techniques, the quality of imaging equipment is critical. “Twenty years ago, most patients were operated on using open surgery. In a sense, the advancement of endovascular surgery has increased the complexity of procedures because we are relying on X-ray imaging during procedures to guide us. St Andrew’s new imaging equipment is outstanding and helps us to provide improved patient outcomes”, said Dr Berce. Dr James Burnett has been operating at St Andrew’s since 1988 and has been working at the hospital exclusively for some time. His main interests are varicose veins and open arterial surgical procedures.

“St Andrew’s is by far the best private hospital in Adelaide for patient care. One of the reasons for this is the number of permanent staff that provide consistency to us as doctors and also to our patients. They know us and how we like to work”, he said. Dr Burnett will be retiring in June this year following 31 years at St Andrew’s. His patients will be cared for by his colleagues, Doctors King and Berce. Dr King began operating at St Andrew’s in 2003 and now does so exclusively. His patients are generally very happy with St Andrew’s and so is he. “The nursing staff are friendly, switched on and helpful. They make things easy and that’s important for me and my patients”.

ST A N D REW’S N EWS | SUM M ER 2019

VASCULAR SURGERY

Dr King performs both minor and major surgeries and procedures including endovascular work and open surgery. “The critical care unit allows me to feel very comfortable taking on large complex cases. The emergency department also provides excellent service to our patients should they have any postoperative concerns”. Dr King also performs renal access work for patients undergoing dialysis. He assists other specialist surgeons who require access to areas with major vascular structures, such as spinal surgery and abdominal cancer surgery. “St Andrew’s takes patient safety very seriously and supported by their pre admission clinic, well trained theatre and ward staff we have excellent patient outcomes. St Andrew’s makes it a very easy place to work.” For further information, please call the Waverley House Vascular Clinic on 8232 1293.

COMMUNITY AIRAH TOUR Following the completion of our new theatres in the Eastern Clinical Development, we have welcomed several groups who requested to tour the facility. The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating’s (AIRAH) South Australian members and committee recently toured the theatres as part of a seminar on infection control in healthcare facilities. The standards for operating theatres and cleanrooms have recently been overhauled, and visiting our facility was an opportunity to showcase state-of-the-art technology and equipment which has been selected to meet the new criteria.

ISS SUPPORTS CHEMOTHERAPY SUITE FUNDRAISER The team at ISS not only provides exceptional cleaning services, but always looks to support the hospital and foundation. In February, ISS helped raise funds in our aim to acquire two patient recliner chairs for our chemo suite. More information about their fundraising goals can be found on the foundation’s page of the hospital’s website.

PROFESSOR ROD COOTER AM AND DR RANDALL SACH AM AUSTRALIA DAY HONOURS

Plastic surgeons, Professor Cooter and Dr Sach, were recently honoured in the Australia Day Queen’s Honours list. Both surgeons have made significant contributions to St Andrew’s and have had long-standing relationships with the hospital. Congratulations to them both from everyone at St Andrew’s.

GOLF DAY The St Andrew’s Classic was held once again at Royal Adelaide Golf Club in November. The weather was idyllic for our golfers as they contested the trophy for 2018. Congratulations to the winning team (pictured L-R) Dr Nigel Jones, Dr David Hall, Dr Mark Williams and Dr Nicholas Marks. Thank you to major sponsor Clinpath Laboratories and other sponsors for supporting the day.

The event raised over $8,500 for our foundation.

CHAIRMAN DAVID WHITBREAD Being the Chairman of a large, independent 24/7 organisation like St Andrew’s is challenging and requires a significant amount of experience, skill and knowledge. For Chairman David Whitbread, the appointment not only drew together many years of corporate and notfor-profit business acumen, it also provided an opportunity for David to contribute to the community. David describes his “next career” as Chairman of the Board at St Andrew’s “a treasure”. David’s tenure as Chairman began in May 2017, having been appointed to the Board in April 2017. It was the reputation of the hospital that attracted David to the role. “St Andrew’s has a prestigious standing and it’s South Australian based. I was ready to take on a role that was based in Adelaide after many years of interstate and international travel. I’d just finished two large chairmanships and so the timing was right”, he said. David has always tried to maintain a reasonable balance of work and giving back to the community.

David is a chartered accountant, holds a Bachelor of Economics, is a foundation fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and was the first SA State Chair of the AICD on its inception. David is an experienced Director and a former Partner and Board member of Deloitte Australia. He has also been the Chair of 10 Harcourts subsidiaries, as well as the Mitolo Group and Radio Rentals (SA).

ST A N D REW’S N EWS | SUM M ER 2018

MY ST ANDREW’S ‘IT’S JUST PART OF US ALL’

“The position of Chair for a not-forprofit hospital certainly helped me to achieve this goal.” Before accepting the role, David had undertaken appropriate due diligence. “I knew the staff were excellent, the corporate governance was there and, of course, the culture was outstanding. Something I have learned over the years is that strategy alone gets you only so far. Strategy paired with a solid culture is where the magic happens.” The function of the Board cannot be underestimated, particularly for an independent, not-for-profit. The healthcare sector is highly competitive, so a “well-oiled machine” is paramount. “My view has always been that communication between the executive team, CEO and Chair is important. Often, I sit and listen. The staff are honest and happy to share their ideas and views with me, which I really appreciate”, said David. “As a Board, we have anticipated potential challenges and have made sure we have appropriate plans. Private health insurance as an industry continues to be a challenge and remains under constant review. We have consulted with the providers and have an understanding of the environment so we can work together.” Having been Chair for about 22 months, David is still pleasantly surprised at the number of people who extol the virtues of St Andrew’s. “The quality of the management and leadership at the hospital is a major strength. The relationships are excellent. People are engaged and have a high level of skill and qualification. I treasure my role at St Andrew’s and I am very proud to be associated with the hospital.”

COUNTING BACKWARDS FROM TEN… The word anaesthesia is derived from two Greek words; “an” meaning “without” and “aesthesis” meaning “sensation”. Anaesthesia is one of the most important developments of modern medicine. Without it, most operations that are performed today would not be possible. Anaesthesia is the practice of administering drugs, either by injection or inhalation, to block localised pain or to generate a state of unconsciousness, enabling a patient to undergo a procedure or operation without discomfort and distress. Following graduation, doctors who wish to become anaesthetists practice medicine for a minimum of two years, followed by an additional five years of study. All care is taken to make sure patients receive the best care before, during and after the surgery or procedure. There are approximately 240 anaesthetists accredited to practice at St Andrew’s Hospital. Anaesthetists provide experienced and tailored care as part of the surgical team.

Dr Steve Kinnear has been working at St Andrew’s Hospital since 1997. His work at St Andrew’s is predominantly in Urology, where he works with the team of specialists based at South Terrace Urology. As is common amongst anaesthetists, a fascination with the physiology of the human body, and the ability to manipulate it minute by minute through the use of drugs and technology, led Dr Kinnear to become an anaesthetist. The field of anaesthetics uniquely interfaces with almost every other medical specialty, requiring anaesthetists to have a very broad knowledge base. Most recently, Dr Kinnear was recognised in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours, receiving the OAM for his services to medicine, particularly to anaesthesiology. Dr Kinnear has also been acknowledged by the Australian Medical Association (SA) as the recipient of the Medical Educator Award for outstanding contribution to medical education in Australia and in the South-West Pacific. Dr Kinnear worked with local Fijian anaesthetists to establish a regional

anaesthetic training program based in Suva, Fiji. This was the first postgraduate specialist medical training program to be established in the south-west pacific region. In terms of complexity, perhaps the most difficult surgeries to manage as an anaesthetist are Ear Nose and Throat operations where the anaesthetist often has to “share” the patient’s airway with the surgeon. Additionally, the patient may have abnormal airway anatomy such as enlarged tonsils, obstructive cancers or obstructive sleep apnoea. Working on these complex cases requires specialist training and equipment. The hospital’s anaesthetic nursing staff also play an important role in assisting to manage the airway. Dr Kinnear reflects that the safety of anaesthetics in Australia is somewhat taken for granted. “Anaesthesia in Australia is very safe. In Australia, the risk of peri-operative death due to anaesthetic causes is about one in 60,000 anaesthetics. This puts us amongst the safest, if not the safest, country in the world to have an anaesthetic.” “St Andrew’s is a very good hospital. The St Andrew’s Anaesthetic Committee runs very well and keeps a close eye over what is happening in the operating rooms. As the Chair of the committee, I am proud to say that the hospital responds promptly to issues as they arise ensuring we provide the very best care for our patients”, he said.

ST A N D REW’S N EWS | SUM M ER 2019

GRADUATE NURSE PROGRAM TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION Leaving the safe and familiar environment of university, and transitioning into the world of real patients in a real hospital, can be daunting for graduating nurses. Our Graduate Nurse Program supports this development through a 12-month schedule. Each year, St Andrew’s has a large number of applicants that are interviewed to fill a small number of places. Our 2018 graduates celebrated the completion of their transition to Professional Practice course at an official presentation during January. All 14 graduates will be staying with St Andrew’s. CEO Stephen Walker and Director Nursing and Clinical Services Jacquie Wiley, commended the graduates on their hard work and the clinical teams for supporting, mentoring and educating the graduates to become today’s confident registered nurses.

practice but also changed them as individuals. The year taught them so much, standing them in good stead for lifelong learning to ensure they always provide appropriate clinical care.” To quote Florence Nightingale, “For us who nurse, our nursing is a thing which, unless in it we are making progress every year, every month, every week, take my word for it, we are going back. The more experience we gain, the more progress we can make.” Nurse Nightingale’s sentiments have driven our newly graduated nurses during their year and reflect the values we hold true at St Andrew’s Hospital.

Graduate Nurse Theresa in theatre

Jacquie Wiley was particularly touched by the personal journey recalled by many of the young nurses. “The graduates spoke of a year that not only changed their

Perioperative Graduate Nurses

Ward Graduate Nurses

FROM THE ARCHIVES THE HOSPITAL THAT MONEY CAN’T BUY

Sister Janet Hay

St Andrew’s has long heralded its independent, South Australian structure as unique. Historically, the hospital has always been a not-forprofit institution known Australiawide for its high level of care.

Our values - We care, we create, we deliver - have guided how we care for our patients and staff. Many people are not aware that its corporate structure has somewhat provided a level of protection for its reputation. The hospital can never be sold nor, as a result, be merged with another company. A brief look into our history reveals how this unusual situation came to be.

The hospital’s first board of governors had been formed in July 1947 and, in 1977, due to the formation of the Uniting Church, the hospital’s constitution was amended with all power being with the board. It was now no longer a privately-owned company but became what is essentially a perpetual trust, which cannot be sold. It was then known again as St Andrew’s Hospital.

After Sister Janet Hay founded the hospital in 1936, it ran for many years under the name St Andrew’s Hospital with Sister Hay as its owner and first Matron until 1946. Late that year, Sister Hay fell ill and sold the hospital to the Presbyterian Church. For the next 30 years, it was known as St Andrew’s Presbyterian Hospital.

Today, the hospital’s board of governors and management still regard its independent and unique corporate structure as, in part, the reason for its success. It is also why we are able to attract some of the best nurses and specialists locally and nationally, delivering excellent patient outcomes.

ISS Embraces Inclusion & Diversity at St Andrew’s Hospital!

- ISS Facility Service’s Vision for Inclusion & Diversity At St Andrew’s Hospital, the ISS team will encourage diversity of thought and expression, challenge our biases, give our people equal access to opportunity and ensure they feel safe to explore their potential. Your ISS site team here at St Andrew’s is made up of people from 11 different cultures. To embrace this we have developed our own Cultural Calendar to celebrate important occasions from each individual culture. So far this year, we have celebrated Australia Day, Chinese New Year and World Cancer Day, where we also raised money for the SAH Chemotherapy Suite. ISS is a people-focused business and our entire Pacific business supports the ISS Inclusion & Diversity strategy, which commits serious action and targets to create an inclusive, flexible and balanced workforce, with equal opportunity for all.

www.au.issworld.com

Foundation News

Pink and Blue fundraiser for cancer Page 16 New donor programs launch Page 19

Supporting St Andrewâ€™s Hospital Since 2000

Foundation News

Welcome

I am so pleased to write the introduction for the first edition of the Foundation News. Fundraising has always been a part of St Andrew’s Hospital since its earliest beginnings. Our aim is to continue to support the culture of giving through the ongoing promotion of our foundation and the important work it does with the support of the community. The vision of the St Andrew’s Hospital Foundation is to be a significant contributor to excellent healthcare at St Andrew’s Hospital. With your support, we are well on the way to achieving this. We receive no government funding and, as an independent organisation, community support is crucial.

I hope you enjoy reading about the foundation and its supporters. I encourage you to consider giving to the foundation to help us achieve our vision of providing financial support to the hospital that helps so many South Australians each year. Thank you for your generosity.

Amy Bredon Foundation Director

Our donors are parents, uncles, aunts, doctors, nurses and staff. Whilst no two are the same, they have one thing in common: an appreciation for and a desire to support St Andrew’s. All donations are welcome and valued.

Cover - Foundation supporter Angela Powell, CEO Stephen Walker and volunteer and foundation supporter Ros Griffiths

Leaving the ultimate gift Robert’s story... Robert’s decision to leave a lasting gift to St Andrew’s is just as much about his wishes as those of his late partner, John. John passed away in 2015 after a long battle with cancer. “It’s what John would have wanted, I know that. I am a regular patient at St Andrew’s, as was John. I have seen, and personally experienced, the amazing work the nurses do”, says Robert. The high level of compassion and care given to John during his cancer treatment made a lasting impression on Robert. “John was a registered nurse, so he had high expectations. He would regularly give the nurses the ‘thumbs-up!’”

“I know our gift will help support and look after patients and to care for them in the future.”

Leaving a bequest to St Andrew’s Hospital Foundation is making the ultimate gift. By including us in your will, you can help us maintain a hospital that not only provides state-of-the-art equipment, attracts the best nursing staff and specialists but helps save lives by providing excellence in health care. (L-R) John and Robert

For more information and to read more personal accounts of why people choose St Andrew’s, please call Foundation Director Amy Bredon on 8408 2005 or email abredon@stand.org.au.

Foundation News

Tackling Breast Cancer head on A master’s champion swimmer, Jo Sutcliffe is also a surf lifesaver, a busy mum and a highly regarded physiotherapist. Breast cancer was never something she thought she would have to face. However, like many patients, it comes with no warning and no family history. It just turns up. For Jo, it turned up in 2012. A routine mammogram at 52 years of age initially picked up Jo’s cancer. “I got a call back to BreastScreen SA. I remember sitting in a room with 16 other women thinking, I’m not going to have cancer, I’m the fittest one in this room! But of course, I did.”

mastectomy. It was clear to me there was no guarantee they could get all the cancer out because it was so hard to see, so I decided to have a bilateral mastectomy.” Reconstructive and plastic surgeon Professor Rod Cooter performed the mastectomy at St Andrew’s and Jo chose to undergo reconstructive surgery at the same time. “Professor Cooter was very relaxed; I felt calm just being in the same room as him. I am really happy with the result.”

A cancer diagnosis means different things for different people. For Jo, early detection was crucial in how the disease was treated. “I feel like I cheated the system. I had no radiotherapy or chemotherapy. I was fairly aggressive with my approach which meant that the risk of it returning was gone. No medication or follow up. So many people have to go through much more, and that’s the really hard part.” Although not the case for Jo, some people require post-operative care and further treatment and medication. St Andrew’s employs specifically trained breast care nurses to look after patients throughout their journey, be it long or short. “Post-operative advice is so important. I was lucky. I had no lymphedema or complications, so I didn’t have a huge amount of postop care. Sitting down with a nurse to talk is so valuable. Some women have a much more difficult time.”

A follow-up ultrasound didn’t detect any breast cancer, so Jo underwent a core biopsy at Breast Screen SA. The biopsy showed an intraductal carcinoma which meant the cancer was in the breast duct. Dr David Walters was Jo’s specialist and confirmed the news. “I remember him saying, ‘Jo, you definitely have breast cancer’.” The next step was a sentinel node biopsy to test if her lymph nodes were affected. Fortunately, the test was clear. “It was an immediate choice of mine to have surgery. I just wanted to get rid of it. I booked in to have a lumpectomy at St Andrew’s. The staff were so genuinely nice and knowledgeable about what was going to happen. I remember the breast care nurse giving me the breast pillow after surgery which was so comforting; I had that for ages afterwards. While I was there, the nursing staff were very good and gave me a lot of information”. “It was all a bit scary. Unfortunately, Dr Walters told me after the lumpectomy that they didn’t get a clear margin. So, I had to either have another lumpectomy or a

St Andrew’s volunteers Geraldine (left) and Maggie (right) with Jo (centre) at the Pink and Blue Swim/Walk

Since her surgery, Jo has returned to competitive swimming and living life to the fullest. The early detection of her cancer, combined with the care and treatment she received at St Andrew’s, resulted in a positive outcome. Our breast care service is one of the busiest in South Australia and includes some of the best nurses and surgeons in the state. The skills and knowledge of several departments, two surgeons and many nursing ward and theatre staff came together to help Jo. Receiving personalised care and excellent outcomes is critical for our patients. In her words, “It’s like when you have a baby; there is a standard procedure and people tell you what it’s like, but no two people are the same; you need one-on-one advice and care”.

Team St Andrew’s at the Pink and Blue Swim/Walk

$37,560 for Breast Care services at St Andrew’s The crew at the West Beach Surf Life Saving Club is a tough, fun, community-minded bunch. They support one another through life’s ups and downs. Like many clubs, they also get behind their community to “give back”. Together with their sponsors, including the West End Community Fund (WECF), the club is on a mission to make a real difference. The group began coordinating the Pink and Blue Swim in 2013 following Jo’s cancer diagnosis in September 2012. Initially, the event raised money exclusively for breast cancer. It began as a small event with about 80 people, and has grown into a much-anticipated event with 850 participants, and includes a walk option for those who prefer dry land.

In 2019, the foundation was selected as a recipient of funds raised for its breast care services along with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. On an unseasonably rainy day in February, the committee sponsors and participants raised a staggering $75,120 for cancer. World-renowned retired Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett faced his own cancer battle in 2012. Now in remission after his prostate cancer treatment, Les is a board member for the WECF which supports the Pink and Blue Swim. “I’ve been involved with the event for four years. When I first got involved, I watched and observed how the club conducted itself. Most importantly, I realised they weren’t doing it for the club. They were asking us to support breast and prostate cancer. Two years ago, I tabled a proposal to

the WECF to match the money raised up to $20,000 and, in that year, the club raised $56,000. Because of the success of 2018, we increased the donation to $30,000 this year. It is very satisfying and heart-warming to know that, with the support of the community, the West Beach Surf Life Saving Club is giving so much back to two very worthwhile causes that touch every living person.” To further enhance the postoperative care we offer to our breast cancer patients, we are refurbishing our outpatient treatment room with proceeds from this year’s event. The refurbishment includes a cosmetic renovation as well as the purchase of medical equipment and furniture including an ultrasound machine to detect lymphedema. Our breast care nurses will also use the room for counselling, dressing changes, follow up appointments and more. The foundation and hospital would like to sincerely thank all the organisers and sponsors of the event. We are humbled that you nominated St Andrew’s as one of the beneficiaries. Thank you for including us and making us feel so welcome.

Foundation News

With heart racing… Rosemary and Ian’s story is a unique recount from the viewpoint of the patient and a family member. At St Andrew’s, we endeavour to care for the patient the best way we can. In what can often be a high-stress environment, we also consider the patient’s family. With heart racing, Ian wasn’t feeling at all well. “Something’s wrong”, he said to his wife, Rosemary. With a family history of heart conditions, Rosemary knew she had to act immediately. The ambulance arrived, and with lights and sirens flashing, it transported Ian to the Victor Harbor Hospital from their Encounter Bay home. This emergency situation flagged the beginning of a long two weeks for the couple, and many kilometres of travel for Rosemary. After another similar episode on arrival at the Victor Harbor Hospital, Ian was soon in an ambulance on his way to St Andrew’s Hospital Cardiac Unit. Rosemary breathed a sigh of relief. “I knew he was safe then. I was so happy he was going to St Andrew’s.” Ironically, Ian and Rosemary had already seen the new state-of-the-art unit during a tour at the opening of the Eastern Clinical Development in 2018. In fact, upon arrival Ian actually provided directions for the ambulance paramedics. Once at St Andrew’s, Ian underwent an angiogram in the Angiography Suite. Ian and Rosemary were informed by cardiologist Dr Patrick Disney that he had four, perhaps five, blockages in the arteries that provide blood supply to the heart muscle. One was blocked by a staggering 95%. Dr Disney and colleague Mr Fabiano Viana advised Ian that it required open heart surgery. They discussed their approach at length with Rosemary and Ian: undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, using the mammary artery from the chest wall and leg veins to

bypass the blockages. “Rosemary and I felt I was in the best place possible and would receive the best care. The nursing staff and doctors were very clear about what was going to happen”, said Ian. Cardiothoracic surgery is quite remarkable. To be able to open a patient’s chest and repair the heart is a modern-day medical miracle. The surgeons and support staff train for many years in order to skilfully perform such an operation. Mr Viana cites the staff, facilities and team work as being all important. “In order to achieve good outcomes, cardiothoracic surgery requires a highly skilled team of professionals working closely together in complex and state-of-the-art facilities. Ian’s operation was a success due to this strong team-based and multidisciplinary culture”, says Mr Viana. For Rosemary, the part before the surgery was the most frightening. “It was such a scary time”, she said. “There was a lot to take in, and we had a lot of questions. I wondered when will he be awake, when will I hear news of him, what will be the stages of his recovery? The nurses and doctors did their best to inform me.” The surgery was successful and Ian stayed two nights in the Critical Care Unit for close monitoring.

Rosemary and Ian

He was kept sedated for the first two days to allow his body to recover from the surgery. During this time, Rosemary was commuting from their house at Encounter Bay. “It was challenging at times, to keep on top of everything, but the nurses and doctors were amazing.” On the cardiac ward, Rosemary’s visits to Ian were comfortable. “We were delighted with the rooms which were well set out for visitors. It made such a difference having arm chairs and the day beds. For patients who typically stay for a week or so post-surgery, it is a wonderful facility.” They also made use of the rooftop garden and breakout facilities. “It could have been easy for Ian to lose confidence following his surgery, but he received such great encouragement from the nurses. We walked around the ward, sat outside and used the breakout areas.” After 10 days in hospital, Ian was discharged. Six weeks later, he is walking three to four times a day, and has just recommenced his morning walks on the beach. “We were blown away that I’d had such major surgery and then 10 days later, I was taking only paracetamol for pain relief”. Although no one ever wants to be in a cardiac unit, Ian and Rosemary’s experience was a good one. In Rosemary’s words, “We felt he was in the best of care and, importantly, Ian felt comfortable and so did I”.

New cardiac monitors Through the support of our donors, the foundation has purchased a cardiac monitoring system for our new cardiac ward. This state-of-the-art system allows patients to be monitored from several places on the ward, allowing nurses to respond as quickly as possible.

WAVERLEY NETWORK

Foundation launches new donor programs

HAY SOCIETY

Giving has long been a part of the culture at St Andrew’s. Janet Hay, our founder, was in many respects, the hospital’s first donor. She and her family raised the funds to build the hospital in 1936. It is the same generosity of spirit shown by our supporters today, helping us maintain our reputation as one of the best private hospitals in Australia. Today, our donors are more widely spread. They are parents, uncles, aunts, nurses, doctors and our staff who each make a difference for the patients of today and the future. The foundation’s vision is to be a significant contributor to the provision of exceptional healthcare at St Andrew’s Hospital. With the help of our modern day philanthropists, we are well on the way to achieving this vision. The foundation has recently launched two new donor recognition programs: the Waverley Network and the Hay Society. The Waverley Network acknowledges donors who have made contributions of over $20,000; the Hay Society for those who have made a bequest to support the hospital.

Peter Hay (left) with CEO Stephen Walker and Anne Kitto

We were delighted to welcome many of our supporters to the launch event. Guests heard first hand from Janet Hay’s great niece and nephew, Anne and Peter, about the sheer determination, selflessness and vision that Janet mustered when she founded the hospital over 83 years ago.

More information about these programs is available by contacting the Foundation Director, Amy Bredon, on 8408 2005 or abredon@stand.org.au.

Foundation News

Foundation donors and HPS fund nursing scholarships Nurses play a critically important role in the journey of a patient. St Andrew’s offers every major surgical specialty and continually expands the knowledge of its nurses through professional development opportunities. In addition to those trained in specific specialties such as robotic surgery, cardiac, urology, orthopaedics, colorectal, breast and neuro surgery, our theatre, anaesthetics, recovery and perioperative nurses are trained to care for patients from all areas. The St Andrew’s Hospital Foundation supports our nurses to continually update and refresh their training and aspire to their career goals through our annual scholarship program.

suite at the St Andrew’s Medical Centre. Working with our specialists, nursing teams, patients and their families, the pharmacy is able to provide tailored and comprehensive pharmacy support. HPS General Manager Matt Ryan says, “HPS is proud to continue our support of St Andrew’s Foundation through its scholarships. Under the guidance of the hospital’s dedicated consultants and nurses, students

receive invaluable practical learning experiences and opportunities that will better prepare them for their career. On behalf of HPS, I’d like to congratulate this year’s scholarship recipients and wish them well as they embark on this exciting opportunity.” This year, we are proud to have awarded several scholarships. Lynne Hooper, one recipient of the Medical Education Scholarship, works as a registered nurse in Recovery. Her recent enrolment in the Graduate Certificate in Anaesthetics and Recovery Nursing includes the subjects Interpreting Patient Deterioration, Anaesthetic and Recovery and Foundations of Perioperative Nursing. “I would like to thank HPS Pharmacies and the St Andrew’s Foundation for this fantastic opportunity to study. I am very humbled and honoured to be the recipient of this scholarship and look forward to further delivering exceptional clinical care through research and evidencebased practice to our patients in the perioperative environment.”

The foundation funds two scholarship categories each year: The Janet Hay Clinical Scholarship, named after the hospital’s founder and the Medical Education Scholarship, funded by HPS, the hospital’s onsite pharmacy service provider. The foundation’s annual appeal in 2018 was focused on raising funds to support its scholarship program. Thank you to everyone who donated towards the appeal. With your help, we were able to offer two Janet Hay Clinical Scholarships to the combined value of $12,000. HPS Pharmacies has been the hospital’s on-site pharmacy service provider for over 10 years. It is located in the main hospital foyer, as well as below our chemotherapy

HPS General Manager Matt Ryan with scholarship recipient Lynne Hooper

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Foundation News

Chunky Custard rocks Mundulla for cancer

Using a semi-trailer as a stage for a band might seem odd, but to the folk of Mundalla, it’s part of the norm. With the band set to rock the night away, and hay bales for decoration, residents from far and wide gathered once again to raise funds for breast and prostate cancer at St Andrew’s. The country spirit was in full swing as rock band Chunky Custard entertained the 350 strong crowd. “In typical country style, everyone in the community is involved. The organising committee is really fantastic and so are all the volunteer helpers”, said event organiser Geoff Guy. “We raised money through our ticket sales, donations from local farmers, support from the local butcher, and also the proceeds of some recent ram sales here in the area. The raffle is also supported by donations from locals including the Berri Hotel Resort and the Tech Wool in Kingston.”

The event first supported the hospital in 2017 after Geoff had read an article in The Advertiser about raising money to fund a da Vinci Surgical Robot for St Andrew’s. “I read about John Letts championing for a da Vinci Robot at St Andrew’s after his fight with prostate cancer. So I rang him to see how we could help. He thought the fundraising event was a great idea and, before we knew it, I was speaking with CEO Stephen Walker about the hospital receiving part proceeds from the event. This year, the event raised $23,000.” The da Vinci Xi Surgical Robot at St Andrew’s is the busiest single site robot in the world. Because of the skill required to operate the robot, surgeons undertake specific and comprehensive training. The acquisition of the robot has resulted in less invasive surgeries and subsequently, shorter hospital stays, faster recoveries and less pain for patients. Although primarily used for urology, surgeons from other specialties including colorectal, gynaecology, ear nose and throat and general surgery are also utilising it.

For the last few years, the hospital has also directed half the funds raised to breast cancer services at St Andrew’s. Geoff says the community really rally behind the cause. “There are a lot of people in our wider-spread community that have been affected in some way by breast cancer, so it was a natural thing for us to do. It’s great to see people coming forward and giving generously for the charities.” Funds raised are also equally shared with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Leukaemia Foundation. Thank you to Geoff, the organising committee and the many hundreds of people who supported the hospital and the other charities. Community involvement and spirit is an important part of what we do at St Andrew’s and we are very grateful for the support we receive.

“I read about John Letts championing for a da Vinci Robot at St Andrew’s after his fight with prostate cancer. So I rang him to see how we could help.”

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.

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If you are interested in submitting an article or have a news story, please contact Amy Bredon via email amy.bredon@stand.org.au Advertising enquires welcome: St Andrewâ€™s Hospital 350 South Terrace Adelaide South Australia 5000 Telephone 08 8408 2111 Facsimile 08 8232 0328

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