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Issue 18 HealthMatters OCT 2012 Sydney – it’s your local health district PA Happy Birthday, R A barbecue breakfast with the NSW Governor and the main foyer transformed into an historical walk; sandstone walls adorned with banners two storeys high and staff enjoying a sizzling lunch on the grass at Gloucester House followed by twilight cocktails in the courtyard with a slew of VIPS. This is how RPA celebrated 130 years of excellence this month. More photos, story inside. Honours In the media for clinic see page 6 see page 4 Message from the Chief Executive It has been a busy and exciting month in Sydney Local clinical performance through a flexible, informative and Health District with hundreds of staff participating in open health system. RPA’s 130th birthday celebrations. I look forward to a system where we can more easily Barbecues, historical exhibitions, a clinical symposium compare cost, results and outcomes, manage and featuring the eminent Sir Gustav Nossal and a cocktail measure healthcare we deliver in all its forms and create party attended by the NSW Governor Professor Marie an explicit relationship between funds and services. Bashir, the NSW Minister for Health and Minister for Many of you may have noticed new signs being erected Medical Research, Jillian Skinner, and the Director- across the RPA campus. The first of these have already General Dr Mary Foley were the highlights of the week- been erected at the main entrance, outside KGV and near long festivities. RPA Women and Babies. This project will be rolled out It is clear that RPA still holds a special place in Sydney’s across all hospitals and facilities in the District in coming history books and in the hearts of many former and current months and is part of our commitment to make our clinicians and staff who have devoted their lives to cutting facilities more accessible and user-friendly. edge research and caring for all who enter her sandstone There has been a delay in the rollout of new uniforms arches seeking help. Dr Teresa Anderson across the state with ordering now expected to begin on It was also heart-warming to see more than 300 people Monday, February 18. The new NSW Health supplier, Sydney Local Health District pack the Kerry Packer auditorium for Sydney Local Health ADA, will distribute a limited range of uniforms between Chief Executive District’s first budget presentation last month. 12 November and 31 May but these items will be from the The attendance confirms what we all already know: that staff current range and staff are advised to order only if needed in this district care passionately about their hospitals and urgently or if a new starter. health services, and want to play a key role in their future. Staff information sessions will be held across the District I am proud that Sydney Local Health District has closer to the rollout date. historically led change and innovation. We are always Finally, congratulations to the Fracture Liaison Service at finding better ways of caring for our patients, and more Concord Hospital for its nomination as a finalist in this efficient ways of doing business. year’s Premier’s Awards. Winners will be announced on With the introduction of activity based funding, we now November 12. have greater opportunities to move to another level of Message from the Chair, District Board Last month’s budget presentation heralded a new era for framework, the District clearly states its commitment to health reform in NSW, and for Sydney Local Health District. consumer and community participation which reflects During my time in public life in NSW, no Local District, the diversity of our population. area health service, or public hospital has ever before Consumer and Community Participation groups are publicly opened, unpacked and explained its budget. It’s already being set up across the District with advisory a big and welcome step. groups already established at Concord, Canterbury, The introduction of activity based funding means Balmain and RPA. change is inevitable. But that change will be our biggest The launch of the framework, which will help the District opportunity. Here, at Sydney Local Health District, we are forge stronger links with consumers, councils, NGOs, committed to opening our health system for inspection; Aboriginal communities, CALD communities, the achieving better clinical outcomes and sustaining our disability sector and marginalised groups, also provides excellence across all areas. a timely opportunity to thank our community groups for their invaluable input into helping the District deliver The Hon. Ron Phillips The presentation of the budget played, and will continue to play, a vital role in that vision. excellence in healthcare for all. Sydney Local Health District Community participation was honoured this month with In closing, I extend an invitation to staff, patients and Board Chairman the launch of Sydney Local Health District’s Consumer consumer groups to attend this year’s Annual General and Community Participation Framework. Meeting at the Centre for Education and Workforce Development at Rozelle on December 6. It is an This completes an important goal for the District’s opportunity to celebrate the people of the District and Strategic Plan by providing guidance to ensure meaningful play a role in its exciting future. and effective engagement with our communities. In this 2 HealthMatters Sydney – it’s your local health district Marking a milestone Cake cutting ...Sydney Local Health District’s chief executive Dr Teresa Anderson and the Director General Dr Mary Foley celebrate with staff and patients. From the day the doors opened and On an average day, more than 1600 patients perinatal medicine unit and operated the first 146 patients were admitted through its receive care at RPA. About 200 are treated in the foetal heart monitor. RPA also performed the sandstone arches, RPA has provided emergency department, almost 60 ambulances first aortic valve replacement and was the home world class care without fear or favour. enter the front gates, 70 surgical operations are of Australia’s first triage nurses. performed, and 19 babies arrive in the world. From the porters and cleaners to the doctors, The wounded, the weary, and the weak have RPA was the first and largest teaching hospital nurses and allied health workers, these faces of all been welcomed, making their way down in Sydney and has continued to lead the way RPA are the reason this hospital is known around Missenden Road for 130 years. with an impressive list of firsts. the world as a centre of health excellence. That tradition of equality and excellence was It hosted the first open heart surgery in NSW; On RPA’s 130th birthday we say thank you to celebrated this month with the hospital hosting was the first hospital in NSW to establish a all staff, visitors and patients past and present. a clinical symposium, staff barbecues and a liver transplant unit; opened Australia’s first cocktail party to mark the milestone. District leads the way with budget forum Sydney Local Health District became “Nor has the significance of funding on clinical “We are big and we are busy but we are still the first in the state to officially present issues been explained in the detail or closeness recognised as the leading District in NSW for its budget to staff, the community and that this morning will bring. It’s a big and surgical performance; we’ve improved on KPI the media last month, a significant welcome step.” performance; we continue to provide world-class step forward in health reform in NSW. The chief executive of Sydney Local Health research; and we are leaders in health information District, Dr Teresa Anderson, told the audience technology and support for staff training and More than 300 people packed the Kerry Packer the district, with a budget of $1.378 billion, had development because we believe in healthcare Education Centre auditorium to hear the budget come in on target, despite growing pressures on excellence for all. presentation, described by the chairman of the resources and staff. “We know clinicians drive our system and drive board, the Hon Ron Phillips, as the “most obvious “Every day in Sydney Local Health District we treat change. But until now budgets haven’t allowed example of how health in NSW is trying to open up clinicians to look into funding and have a say in and face scrutiny and judgement”. more than 5200 outpatients at our five hospitals, receive more than 110 ambulances, perform 140 managing hospitals. Today they can.” “During my time in public life in NSW, no Local operations, deliver 19 babies and spend more The budget presentation can be viewed at District, area health service, or public hospital has than $3.78 million on health care, including $2.3 http://www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/media/pdf/SLHD_ ever publicly opened, unpacked and explained its million on our 10,000 employees and $1.15 Budget_2012.pdf budget before,” he said. million on goods and services,” she said. HealthMatters 3 ReseaRch M atters Concord a finalist in 2012 Premier’s Awards Research into bone fractures in people suffering from osteoporosis has been named as a finalist in the 2012 Premier’s Awards. The Fracture Liaison Service has been nominated in the Delivering Quality Customer Service category as a cost-effective and innovative model of care which could be used across the state. In establishing the service, Professor Markus Seibel and his team at the Department of Endocrinology demonstrated that patients The new Lifehouse facility has now who had been investigated and treated by “topped out” - that is, it has reached a specialised post-fracture service had the top floor (level 9), which means no a greatly reduced risk of having another more concrete.

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