Mail - Ferntree Gully Mail - 29th September 2015

Page 1

Ferntree Gully

Belgrave

Mail Covering the Dandenongs in the Yarra Ranges & Cardinia Shires

5 Tuesday, 29 September, 2015

Big tree record

10

Public holiday survey

A Mail News Group publication

22-23

Sports of all sorts

Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808

Hospital bypass harmless EASTERN Health has assured the end of the hospital bypass system will not adversely affect patients who are transported to Angliss Hospital. From Wednesday, 7 October, hospitals can no longer request ambulances to bypass them and take non-urgent patients to another hospital during peak demand. Despite the system being in place for 20 years, there has been debate over if the bypass system is the best way to manage the flow of patients in emergency departments. After the system ceases, bypasses will only be able to be requested in exceptional circumstances, such as power failure. Eastern Health has assured the community there will be no danger to patients or staff, as the hospital adapts. The organisation didn’t believe there would be any banking up of patients at Angliss Hospital, or an unfair demand on staff, services or infrastructure. Acting Program Director of Emergency and General Medicine at Eastern Health, Jenny Dempster, said the service would adapt accordingly. “Eastern Health continues to work closely with Ambulance Victoria to ensure the timely transfer of patients continues when the hospital early warning system and hospital bypass are removed in October,” she said. “Eastern Health has a strong commitment to ensuring patients arriving by ambulance are seen in a timely manner. “We have systems in place to provide assessment, investigations and treatment to patients on

arrival, including during peak periods, and have a strong record of achieving the state target for patient transfers within 40 minutes.” Removing the hospital bypass system is in line with the recommendations of the Ambulance Performance and Policy Committee’s Interim Report, which believes it can contribute to ramping, takes ambulances outside of their area, and creates ‘ripple effects’ where hospital emergency departments go on bypass one after the other. Presently, 18 hospitals use the bypass system to varying degrees. Extensive work has been undertaken with health services and Ambulance Victoria in recent months to help them prepare for this change. Many hospitals have already implemented initiatives to improve patient flow, hospitality capacity and emergency department access for patients, and some have already reduced their use of bypass in preparation for the change. Victorian Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy, said the new system would be beneficial. “We are putting patients first,” she said. “This change will improve patient safety and care by ensuring all metropolitan public hospitals are open to receive incoming ambulances. “We are focused on ensuring our hospitals and ambulance service work better together to ensure patients are taken to the right hospital at the right time. “Our hospitals are improving their systems so they can better manage high patient demand, and by removing bypass, we will free up ambulances to respond more quickly to patients in the community.” Tell us what you think. Will the removal of the bypass system place patients at unnecessary risk? Email editor@mailnewsgroup.com.au.

Help weed out threat DANDENONG Ranges residents are being encouraged to support their community and learn more about weed reduction and fire risk. Hosted by local volunteer groups, a free event will be held at Karwarra Australian Plant Garden this Sunday, 4 October, between 1pm and 4pm. Each year, more and more weeds emerge to threaten the biodiversity of animal, bird and plant life in the Hills. This is the community’s chance to help out. Pictured is Riley Jones, left, holding ‘Pale Flowered Wood Sorrel’ and Sydney Jones with an ivy running up a tree. Both plants displace native species and Picture: ROB CAREW undermine habitat. See full story on page 2. 144678

Ph: 1300 773 274 (1300 SPECSITE)

• Gas Ducted Heating • Split Systems • Evaporative Cooling • Ducted Refrigeration • Hydronic Heating 2-8 Main Rd Monbulk

Widetread

• TYRES • WHEELS • SUSPENSION •

1182345-CG18-15

!

nuff said

This service is bulk billed

KALORAMA BINS www.kaloramabins.com.au

9756 7400 UV 4&S the 4x ialsts c e Sp

Offering full body skin checks on Tuesday afternoons

2m3, 3m3 and 5m3 SKIP BINS

Gavin฀-฀0417฀586฀620฀•฀Jason฀-฀0417฀310฀049

BORONIA • ROWVILLE • CROYDON

Shop 1 / 1651 Burwood Hwy Belgrave

0458 665 590 OR 9761 9171

Approved Dealer for

Appointments are necessary 1194092-PB32-15

www.thespectaclesite.com.au

Dr John Gyorki Belgrave Surgi Centre

1128441-DC15-14

• Eye Tests bulk billed • Glasses from $99 • IPL Dry Eye Treatment

1195683-KK34-15

Your local Bloke!

New GP patients are also welcome Servicing the community since 1986

Ph 9754 7555

FERNTREE GULLY 9758 9288 1158 Burwood Highway (towards Belgrave)

LILYDALE 9735 0188 32 Main Street (over railway line Melb. side)

www.widetread.net.au

425427-JL28-9

By PETER DOUGLAS


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.