Annual Report - Northern Health

CEO’s ReportThe 2011-12 financial year was another busy one for all ourservices at Northern Health. We achieved many significantmilestones in pursuit of our goal of building a healthier northerncommunity, including:• A record number of births: Maternity staff at The NorthernHospital welcomed an extra 342 newborns into the worldthis year, including 20 babies during an extraordinary 22hour period in May, bringing the total number of births atNorthern Health for the year to 2,694; and• A world first cardiology treatment: Northern Health’sCardiology Department, led by Associate Professor Williamvan Gaal, carried out a revolutionary liquid-based cardiacprocedure that has the potential to save the lives ofcountless patients who have experienced majorheart attacks.As the northern community continues to grow, so too doesthe demand for local health services. The number of peoplewe’ve helped at Northern Health increased again this year,with inpatient separations up by 4.3 per cent and outpatientattendances up by 3.2 per cent. Our Emergency Departmentcontinues to be one of the busiest in Victoria, with 66,228presentations from which 20,205 patients were admitted toinpatient wards.We continued to expand our infrastructure with the opening ofnew cardiac catheter laboratories and operating suites and theinstallation of portable education buildings that are home to thenewly independent Northern Clinical School.community, with the changing age profile requiring continuedpaediatric growth and major growth in the aged patient groupwith a projected 170 per cent increase in citizens aged 85and over.The phenomenal growth of the northern community demandsthat we explore innovative models of service provision and newmodels of care that are less bed-based, enabling us to treat ourrapidly expanding population over the next five years.We are working to develop a comprehensive strategic plan thatallows us to align our efforts to deliver the best outcomes forour community. To develop such a plan we have undertakenan extensive analysis of our changing community and thechanging national and state health setting, and engaged inbroad consultation with our community partners, local serviceproviders, councils and staff. The strategic plan sets a newvision for our future - a clear direction of where we wantNorthern Health to be in five years’ time.Integral to our ability to achieve our vision of a healthiernorthern community is our workforce. The 3,250 staff who workacross our five campuses are the face of Northern Health andtheir commitment to the Northern community is exceptional.I’d like to thank them, and our wonderful army of volunteers, forall their efforts over the past year.Thank you also to our Board of Directors and the NorthernHealth Executive team with whom I look forward to finalisingand implementing our new strategic plan that will enable us tomeet the challenges that lie ahead.Planning has begun for the $24.4 million expansion of TheNorthern Hospital’s Emergency Department and Special CareNursery. The expansion will see the Emergency Departmentgrow from 38 to 60 cubicles and the Special Care Nursery growfrom 12 to 23 cots. Building works are expected to be completein Dec 2013.Planning for our state-of-the-art Teaching Training and ResearchPrecinct was also finalised this year in conjunction with ourpartners University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and theCommonwealth and State Governments. Construction on the$34.4 million precinct is due to begin in February 2013 and thetwo storey facility will include a simulated learning laboratory,research laboratory, tutorial rooms and shared student areas.While these expansions will go some way in helping usmeet the future demand for health services in the north,recent Census data has underscored the urgency of longtermplanning. With the Northern Health catchment alreadyconstituting close to three quarters of a million people,population projections for the next 20 years indicate our primarycatchment is expected to grow by 76.7 per cent over the next20 years.Significantly, the demand for local health services will includeincreased care for those most vulnerable members of ourResponsible Bodies DeclarationIn accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994, I ampleased to present the Report of Operations for Northern Healthfor the year ending 30 June, 2012.Greg PullenChiel Executive Officer4 annual report Northern Health 11/12