Annual Report - Northern Health

Our Achievements cont’dDeliver quality health services strategic Goal 1In March, The Northern Hospital, in partnership with Plenty ValleyCommunity Health, hosted a diabetes education workshopaimed toward the local Aboriginal community.The workshop was an interactive session where participantswere invited to share personal stories and had the opportunity toget their eyes, feet, blood pressure and blood readings checkedby qualified staff.Northern Health was an active participant in National DiabetesWeek again this year, raising awareness and educating aboutthe risk factors and prevention for type 2 diabetes, includingthe importance of regular eye checks for people with diabetes.Displays at Broadmeadows Health Service and BundooraExtended Care Service provided the opportunity to literally seethe degenerative effects on eye health through modified glassesthat simulate retinopathy.Nurse Practitioner model growthNorthern Health’s Nurse Practitioner model achieved significantgrowth with three new Nurse Practitioner Candidates welcomedto our Emergency, Diabetes and Oncology teams.The Nurse Practitioner role includes comprehensive assessment,evaluation and management of patients using nursingknowledge and skills and may include but is not limited to,the direct referral of patients to other health care professionals,prescribing medications and ordering diagnostic investigations.Nurse Practitioners also participate in educational activitiesincluding in-service programs, providing mentorship withinnursing and advanced practice roles and often undertake qualityand research projects within their field of specialty. At NorthernHealth, there are now four Nurse Practitioners and four NursePractitioner Candidates working across a range of specialties.Orthoptics led clinics for cataract and diabetesassessment and monitoringNorthern Health is using a Department of Health fundedworkforce innovation grant in Orthoptics to trial and implementOrthoptics Led clinics in the areas of cataract and diabetesassessment and monitoring. These clinics allow better utilisationof the skills of our Ophthalmology workforce in being able tomanage those with the most urgent need, while our Orthoptistsprovide assessment and monitoring of basic eye disease.Enhanced recovery after surgery protocolThe introduction of Northern Health’s Enhanced recovery aftersurgery (ERAS) protocol is designed to improve nutritionalintake for patients following colorectal surgery and has madesignificant improvements in length of hospital stay for thesepatients, reducing the number of days from 10.5 days (2010)to 6.8 days (2011).Development of The Northern Hospital asa dialysis hubWith the number of people requiring dialysis for chronic kidneydisease growing by approximately five per cent each year,Northern Health has identified the development ofa comprehensive renal service as a priority. The provision ofa comprehensive renal service at The Northern Hospital forpeople who live in the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne willdeliver care to patients much closer to home. In conjunction withthe Department of Health, Northern Health is working to providelocal renal services for patients, including:• Pre dialysis care and education;• An in-centre dialysis unit for people who require hospitaladmission;• Home training service to provide training and support forpatients in their homes;• Inpatient peritoneal dialysis support;• Facility dialysis services based at Broadmeadows,Craigeburn and Epping; and• Outpatient renal clinics at Epping, Craigeburn andBroadmeadows.Improving Health Records Management policyand processesNorthern Health has made substantial improvements to HealthRecords Management in 2011-12, including digitisation ofrecords, offsite storage and implementation of an electronicdischarge summary.A Northern Health Compliance with Digitisation RequirementsCommittee has been established to oversee the digitisationprocesses for all departments. The Committee implementeda Northern Health Digitisation policy and a DigitisationDelegations policy. To date four sub DAPs have been signedoff by the appropriate Executive Director and the destructionprocess to commence in 2012-2013.After a tendering process, a five year contract was awardedfor the offsite storage of all Northern Health documents anda five year storage plan was endorsed by the Northern HealthBoard. A working group meets fortnightly to review storageopportunities and savings, with the ultimate aim of decreasingoffsite holdings at the end of the five year period.An electronic discharge summary was implemented forinpatients at The Northern Hospital after extensive education ofall clinical staff and a review of The Northern Hospital DischargeSummary policy.24 annual report Northern Health 11/12