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