ANNUAL REPORT - Northern Health

Our Achievements cont’d...
Strategic Goal 4
A healthier northern community through
enhancing access to appropriate services
Access to services is a key priority for Northern Health. We
strive to ensure consumers able to access the right service, in
the right place and at the right time, which is critical for safe
and appropriate care.
Hospitalisation for residential care facility patients may be
associated with increased risk of complications such as
increased delirium, pressure ulcers and falls. Two programs
based at The Northern Hospital provide treatment in the
Residential Aged Care Facilities rather than in hospital.
Residents are referred to the Residential Care Intervention
Program in the Elderly (RECIPE) after admission with an acute
illness. Once stabilised a patient is discharged back to the
aged care facility with ongoing specialist care from medical
and nursing staff. The development of clear management
plans helps guide staff and general practitioners in the
community. Outpatient appointments and inpatient lengths
of stays are minimised by a RECIPE follow-up in liaison with
the appropriate hospital staff.
Most importantly the patient is offered the most appropriate
treatment in the location of choice.
A Residential Response Team facilitates a rapid clinical
response for patients living in aged care facilities either to
avoid presentation to the emergency department or hospital
admission. This strategy is led by a geriatric medicine team
and is a viable alternative to inpatient admission for selected
patients including those with multiple comorbidities and
dementia, as well as those who need palliative care support.
Evaluation of the program has demonstrated that this model
of care offers a valuable geriatric service to many residents
who would prefer to avoid hospital transfers if possible, with
no difference in mortality or re-hospitalisation rates for those
treated in residential care.
The Day Oncology Unit at Craigieburn opened as a satellite
of The Northern Day Oncology Unit in early 2008. This
service predominantly provides chemotherapy treatments
and care of access devices to Oncology patients who live in
the local community and surrounding areas.
Craigieburn Day Oncology initially opened one day per week,
is now open for two, with a possibility of increasing to three
days per week within the next 12 months. Approximately
20% of Northern Health chemotherapy treatments are now
given at Craigieburn.
This service has enabled many patients who live north of
Epping, to receive their cancer treatment closer to home,
in a purpose built, modern facility. These patients are cared
for by specialist Oncology nurses and most are seen by
the Oncologist, who visits Craigieburn one day per week.
Feedback from patients has been very positive and the
Day Oncology Unit at Craigieburn is seen as a convenient,
supportive and friendly place to receive cancer treatments.
A significant proportion of the community we serve is made
up of young families, so ensuring we have appropriate
services to meet the needs of new parents and their children,
close to home, is of vital importance.
A number of outpatients clinics have been developed and
the appointment of an Operational Director – Outpatients
and Specialist Clinics is enabling Northern Health to meet the
needs of this group in our community. Clinics and services
which were previously offered at Panch Health Service were
relocated to other sites, including The Northern Hospital
and Craigieburn Health Services where services can be better
utilised.
The introduction of a developmental service to premature
neonatal inpatients, with medium-term follow-up at
Craigieburn Health Service or Bundoora Paediatric Clinic,
has improved access to preventative and early treatment
developmental services for at-risk infants. The ante-natal
services offered to mothers at a various Northern Health
campuses is bringing important care to a convenient
location. Northern Health’s Lactation Consultancy Service
was reviewed and the development of a centralised triage
process means we are able to be more responsive to the
needs of new mothers.
Craigieburn Health Service’s new paediatric Vitamin D Clinic
is the first service of its kind in the northern metropolitan
area. It offers ongoing assessment, administration of high
dose Vitamin D, information regarding different ways to
source Vitamin D and referrals to consultant paediatricians
where appropriate. The Clinic is jointly run by a paediatric
nurse and a consultant paediatrician. The Vitamin D Clinic
allows families living in Melbourne’s northern suburbs to visit
Craigieburn Health Service rather than travelling to another
health service further from home.
The Best Access First Go program is designed to provide GPs
with up to date information and tools to make referring
patients to Northern Health services easier. The development
of existing online resources provide GPs with details and
advice on referral requirements as well as alternatives
The new $17.23m 25-bed mental health facility at The
Northern Hospital was opened in March 2010 by the
Minister for Mental Health, The Hon. Lisa Neville. An
additional $1.4m is being spent to upgrade the existing
25 bed Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit. These
facilities are operated by North West Mental Health and
28 09/10 Northern Health Annual Report