August 2014 www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au Bed raising project gives back to the community The Parramatta District Men’s Shed recently celebrated the completion of a community project which is empowering patients, visitors and staff. Full story - page 9 Inside this edition Chris Bath to attend WSLHD Annual Public Westmead Hospital nurses take part in the Share Some Love launches at Westmead Meeting - page 3 Amazing Race - page 4 Hospital - page 6 The Pulse August 2014 1 Message from the Chief Executive August marked a busy achievements at Executive month for Western Sydney In other news, 2013/14 and Board level. If you iden- Local Health District, with highlighted an increase in tify any additional savings or increased activity throughout demand and activity and quality strategies then please all hospitals, placing an enor- confirms we are in for an- talk these through with your mous amount of pressure on other big year. This growth manager! you all. I acknowledge the is a significant driver of our fantastic work and effort you business case for expansion It is imperative we are able put in to ensure our patients of services at both Blacktown to live within our funding are receiving the best care and Westmead. This will also envelope this year as this possible. help us prepare for the in- inspires confidence for our crease in population predict- campus redevelopments and In addition to our busy ed in five to ten years. allows us to invest into our Danny O’Connor, month, we signed the people and essential clinical Chief Executive Service Level Agreement be- In the meantime, this growth equipment. Danny O’Connor, tween WSLHD and the Min- places additional pressure Chief Executive. istry of Health. The Service on us to ensure that every I look forward to working Level Agreement outlines our dollar we spend is effective with you all to continue our commitments to each other and considered. I ask you journey of our success from and our community. It also to evaluate opportunities to 2014 into 2015. contains the amount of mon- reduce waste and duplication ey the Ministry will purchase whilst maintaining or improv- Danny O’Connor for our services. In addition ing patients care. Chief Executive to funding, the State has set additional saving targets WSLHD is committed to that each organisation must achieving its Efficiency achieve as a contribution Improvement Targets (EIPs) towards overall public sector this year and we will be efficiencies. reviewing progress of these Message from the Board Chair Money can’t buy you love, means that the search for our position of confidence but without it you’re in trou- inefficiency that can be with the Ministry. We must ble! corrected continues. We are find cleverer ways of work- looking for a little over $20 ing to maintain our service In recent weeks the LHD million in savings this year profile. Thank you for your executive team have been in out of a total budget of over continuing support. intense discussion with the one billion dollars. NSW Health Ministry about Professor Stephen Leeder our budget for next year. The current climate in Can- Board Chair The Ministry recognises that berra and hence in Sydney is we are doing more work and austere and we must recog- an allowance has been made nise that reality. We have Professor Stephen to cover a portion of that. not been treated unfairly and Leeder, Board Chair But our agreed position we must respond to maintain Roadshows wrap up for 2014 Western Sydney Local Health District’s Executive Roadshows have reached the final stop on their jour- ney with Blacktown Hospital wrapping up a produc- tive and fruitful month. Conversations ranged from staff parking to key infrastructure developments, giv- ing staff from all levels of the organisation a chance to engage key decision makers like chief executive, Danny O’Connor. The great feedback has been col- lated and mechanisms are now being developed to respond to all ideas via our Intranet page. WSLHD chief executive Danny O’Connor speaks to staff at an Executive Roadshow The Pulse August 2014 2 Renowned MARK YOUR DIARY journalist Chris WSLHD Annual Public Meeting & Quality Awards Tuesday October 14 2014 Bath keynote Westmead Hospital, John Loewenthal Auditorium, Westmead Education & Conference Centre Level 2 speaker at APM 2.30pm – 4.15pm RSVP and more information: One of the most recognisable faces [email protected] or phone 8890 4564 by Tuesday September 30 in Australian media, Chris Bath, will be delivering a keynote speech at this year’s Annual Public Meeting at West- High School. mead Hospital on Tuesday October 14. A strong supporter of progress in western Sydney, Chris Bath is an am- The Sunday Night host has been bassador of the Fair Go For The West working as a journalist and news campaign, led by the Daily Telegraph reporter since 1988, and has been the and NewsLocal. live anchor for Seven Network’s rolling coverage when news breaks from Chris is also a proud ambassador floods to earthquakes, elections and for Westmead’s Children’s Medical even Royal weddings. Research Institute and also the Stroke Foundation. Bath’s relationship with western Sydney goes back 47 years - she was The WSLHD Executive Team looks born at Auburn District Hospital, raised forward to welcoming Chris to the stage at this year’s Annual Public in South Wentworthville and attended Channel Seven’s Chris Bath will deliver the keynote Ringrose Public School and Holroyd address at this year’s Annual Public Meeting Meeting – be sure to RSVP your seat at the event! Vote for the Blacktown Hospital leaps into the NewsLocal future with Paper-Lite Community Award Blacktown’s Paper-Lite initiative is devices, from any location. NewsLocal has received more than now live across the hospital, following 500 votes for the WSLHD Quality a successful project launch. The next stage will include scanning Awards Community Choice Award of residual paper records, including and is still counting! The hospital-wide roll-out follows the patient records, and is scheduled to culmination of 12 months of hard work start later this year. The change to The WSLHD Quality Awards rec- by the I.T. team in partnership with electronic records is a permanent, ognise healthcare innovations that the hospital’s clinical services, project one-way change ahead of the opening benefit our carers, families, staff team and executive. of the new clinical services building in and the community— more than 2015. 900,000 people across western “Paper-Lite is about the transition Sydney. from written to electronic documen- As part of WSLHD’s partnership tation for the majority of inpatient re- with NewsLocal, 16 outstanding cords,” said BMDH general manager finalists have been showcased in Andrew Newton. the media across our region. “We’re delighted to be the foundation The Community Choice Award hospital for this technology and to see winner is one of the 11 categories those plans now coming to fruition.” in WSLHD’s prestigious Quality Awards program. The new electronic systems allow cli- nicians to capture and access patient Voting closes on September information at the point of care. 12. To view the full list of Quality Awards finalists and to cast your Forms for observation charts, pro- vote, visit: gress notes, theatre bookings, diet orders, pathology, imaging, assess- http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ ments, operation reports and dis- WSLHD Information and Technology Services newslocal/parramatta/health-workers- charge summaries are now all elec- Director Lyn Packer and B41 Surgical nursing team in-western-sydney-are-set-for-the-rec- tronic. at Blacktown Hospital on go-live day. ognition-they-deserve-at-the-quality- awards/story-fngr8huy-1227041243243 The technology also allows staff to ac- cess records securely from their own The Pulse August 2014 3 bstreetsmart drives the road safety message home Last month, more than 20,000 teenag- ers went to Sydney’s Allphones Arena to witness dramatic car crash re-en- actments and listen to real-life stories from young car crash survivors at the bstreetsmart road safety forum. As part of this year’s event, students also spent some time visiting a num- ber of interactive displays including our very own DonateLife stall. The event has had such a strong impact, the NSW State Premier, Mike Baird, who opened the event, an- Westmead Hospital director of nursing, Jo Edwards, executive medical director, Dr Ros Crampton, NSW nounced that the State Government Premier, Mike Baird and trauma coordinators, Julie Seggie and Stephanie Wilson will fund bstreetsmart for an additional four years. services, volunteers other organi- youth on the road,” said Ms Seggie. sations who donate their time to put Westmead Hospital trauma nurses together this comprehensive injury and cofounders of bstreetsmart, Julie prevention program. Seggie and Stephanie Wilson, said that the event would not be possible “Education is the key to reducing the without the support of the emergency number of injuries and fatalities of our Westmead Hospital nurses take on the Amazing Race We officially have reality TV stars amongst us! Ryan Thomas and Daniel Little from Westmead Hospital’s intensive care unit are competing in Channel Seven’s Amazing Race. Labelled “the hot male nurses”, the duo is currently using their ability to work under pressure to navigate around the globe and win the race. Ryan and Daniel, who met six years ago while working at Westmead Hos- pital, claim their strengths as remain- ing calm in intense situations, main- The “Hot Male Nurses” are taking on the Amazing Race taining high level of communication, their charm and sense of humour.