MOVING FORWARD ANNUAL REPORT 2007/08 CONTENTS 1 > Our Vision, Our Mission 2 > Chair’s Report 5 > Chief Executive’s Report 8 > Board of Directors 10 > Governance and Compliance 17 > 2007/08 Financial Report (L–R) Royal Women’s Hospital Chair, Rhonda Galbally and Chief Executive Dale Fisher, with the Premier of Victoria, John Brumby, Minister for Health, Daniel Andrews and Minister for Women’s Affairs, Maxine Morand, at the official opening of the new Royal Women’s Hospital in Parkville in June 2008. 13 October 2008 The Hon, Daniel Andrews MP Minister for Health Dear Minister Responsible Bodies Declaration In accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994, I am pleased to present the Report of Operations for the Royal Women’s Hospital for the year ending 30 June 2008. Rhonda Galbally, AO Chair The Royal Women’s Hospital OUR VISION, OUR MISSION OUR VISION, THE ROYAL Women’s HOSPITAL OUR MISSION ANNUAL REPORT 2008 OUR VISION KEY ROLES To be the leading provider of health care that Within the Victorian health care system, the role improves the health and wellbeing of women of the Women’s is to improve health outcomes and newborn babies. for women and newborn babies by: > providing primary and secondary services OUR MISSION to the inner west and north of Melbourne; Our mission is to provide quality health services that meet the needs of women and newborn > providing a range of tertiary and quarternary babies; especially those requiring specialist care. specialist services and multidisciplinary programs for the state, nationally and internationally; These services are informed by research and are provided within an environment of innovation and > providing undergraduate and postgraduate advocacy. The contributions of our employees, education in medical, nursing and allied consumers, diverse communities and other agencies health disciplines; that share our goals are fundamental to our success. > initiating and conducting research spanning Our resources are committed to health services that the range of clinical, laboratory and public are ethically, socially and financially responsible. health research; and The care provided to women by the Women’s > providing information, health promotion, and the design of our services focus on: resources and advocacy for women and newborn babies’ health. > service wide commitment to quality and safety in patient care; STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS > a social model of health, recognising the The Royal Women’s Hospital strategic contribution of women’s social, economic, plan 2005–2010 identifies six strategic cultural and environmental situation to their directions including: physical and psychological health; > delivering improved clinical outcomes > control of decision-making by women in partnership and service performance; with hospital staff. This encompasses all aspects > improving our consumers’ experience; of treatment and care and is centred on information exchange, a supportive physical and cultural > optimising access to our health services; environment, a learning environment and > developing our workforce; a team culture; > building our future; and > fostering the nurturing and bonding of families with their newborn baby, both in maternity and > strengthening our leadership, research neonatal services; and advocacy role. > valuing of population diversity to meet the needs of a wide range of cultural communities; > relating to our communities and interacting with other health and support services to provide integrated patient care; and > promoting a learning culture that provides workplace education and support for medical, nursing, midwifery and allied health staff. 1 YEAR IN REVIEW THE ROYAL Women’s HOSPITAL CHAIR’S REPORT ANNUAL REPORT 2008 YEAR IN REVIEW Welcome to our Annual Report for 2007/08, OUR NEW HOSPITAL a landmark year for the Royal Women’s Hospital On 13 June 2008, the Premier of Victoria, John which culminated in the opening of our Brumby, cut a large ribbon to mark the official opening wonderful, state-of-the-art facility in Parkville. of the new Women’s, prior to joining the Minister for It is significant that the opening of our new hospital Health, Daniel Andrews and Minister for Women’s followed a year in which the Women’s – Australia’s Affairs, Maxine Morand, on a tour of the hospital. first women’s hospital – celebrated a century Since the opening, women, their family members and a half of leadership in care for women and all who have had an opportunity to visit our new and newborn babies. hospital have been impressed by the world-class technology and facilities and the innovative building During 2007/08, we also marked 150 years of care at our former Carlton site. Our Community Advisory design which provides respect for individual privacy, Committee guided planning for events and activities religious and cultural needs. to acknowledge the precious memories of our Carlton Most importantly, immediately evident is the myriad site held by many Victorian families. of ways in which this state-of-the-art building is already A multi-faith Spiritual Farewell attended by patients, enhancing the world-class care provided by our staff: members of the community, past staff and Board > our neonatal unit is designed as a spacious members and current staff was a major highlight ‘baby’s first bedroom’ with more room around of the celebration program. The Farewell provided each cot, significant noise reduction and greater a poignant and fitting tribute to commemorate privacy for family members the end of an era at Carlton and herald the start > of our new beginning in Parkville. the new hospital provides easier access to theatres and critical care with theatres situated close to the This milestone year was one of both significant birth suites and easy access to adult intensive care challenge and outstanding achievement for our hospital facilities at Royal Melbourne with continued record demand for our services, strong > results achieved against our strategic priorities and fifty per cent of patient rooms are single bed rooms confirmation of our best ever accreditation result and the remainder have no more than two beds; all from the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards. have access to ensuite facilities and enjoy natural light and fresh air provided by a revolutionary ventilation system. The women of Victoria had a significant say in the State Government’s decision to build a new stand-alone women’s hospital. Through the leadership of our Community Advisory Committee, the design of the new building was also informed by consultation with over 1,000 women. The community principles that evolved from the research were used to brief architects and designers throughout the project. The Community Advisory Committee also facilitated testing of the interior design with groups of consumers including a group of Arabic speaking women. The feedback from consumers was overwhelmingly positive; women thought the colours were warm, soothing and welcoming, the colour coding for directions was helpful and the contemporary design was classic and tasteful. 2 YEAR IN REVIEW THE ROYAL Women’s HOSPITAL ANNUAL REPORT 2008 OUR COMMUNITY This year we also sought to strengthen partnerships The Women’s is differentiated from other health with community-based organisations through new services through our: appointments to our Primary Care and Population Health Committee. We now have representatives > advocacy for improvements in women’s from service providers in local government, community and newborn health care; health, Melbourne and LaTrobe Universities, Gay > innovative social model of care which recognises and Lesbian Health Victoria, and the Victorian that factors such as housing, income and stress Women with a Disability Network. affect women’s ability to care for themselves and their families; and OUR SUPPORTERS This year, the opening of the Pauline Gandel Women’s > teaching, training and research. Imaging Centre enabled the co-location of all medical During 2007/08, the Women’s maintained its imaging equipment and services, including ultrasound status as an accredited Health Promoting Hospital; and x-ray, together in a world-class, purpose-built an initiative of the World Health Organisation. centre within our new hospital. The Women’s is one of only five Victorian hospitals The Gandel Charitable Trust supported the to be granted membership to the Health Promoting establishment of the centre which will provide Hospitals Network. Victorian women with improved access to advanced Our Community Advisory Committee also continued ultrasound and imaging technology; including to support and oversight the implementation of the introduction of the Women’s first-ever Magnetic Women’s Community Participation Plan and Cultural Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine. Diversity Plan. Our Diversity Plan aims to build on In addition, our innovative Centre for Women’s Mental current services and to integrate diversity competence Health completed the first year of its five year service in a systematic way across the entire hospital. plan including the implementation of an on-call Consideration of the focus and priorities for the service. The generous support of the Pratt Foundation Diversity Plan has been enhanced by the diversity has made possible the establishment of the centre; of membership of the Community Advisory Committee. the first of its kind in Australia. Committee members provide the hospital with links We are also fortunate that support from the Harold into networks of young migrant and refugee women, Mitchell