Published on 29 July 2022

Dear Colleagues

As we are now half way through 2022 many of us had hoped that Covid would be waning but it appears that hope is in vain. Numbers of Covid are rising and we are now in Tier 3 of the VicHealth Service Winter Response Plan. We have launched our own winter plan and that includes reducing elective surgery to accommodate the higher number of patients with respiratory infections. As a result of the increased infections a Covid 4th booster vaccine is available to all staff over 30 years of age.

The Executive Team are taking time out over the upcoming weeks to look at how we will manage our work over the next few years. It is likely that Covid will continue to produce multiple short waves and managing as a series of crises will not work going forwards. We will be discussing how to manage workload and staffing in this new reality of “normal”.

Whilst supporting the planning and delivery of services in this difficult time, I have been looking at how we establish a Clinical Trials Unit for non-oncology trials. Many of you are already undertaking trials but there remain significant numbers of clinicians who want to undertake trials but do not have the support to do so. We intend to address this by setting up a unit to help with initiation of trials. The aim is to be up and running by the end of the year.

For the budding entrepreneurs among you there will be a 12-month program with University of Melbourne to assist you with understanding how to get your idea up and running, with links offered to established start-ups and entrepreneurs. This is a great opportunity to get your idea over the line. Applications close August 8th. Further information is available under the Research section of this newsletter for those who may be interested in applying.

I have also been working with the Victoria University and Bill and Harin, our Directors of Research, on an NHMRC grant. We are also working with the University of Melbourne who are looking at their health science offerings to broaden the available workforce in health.

Medical Education and Physician training has been given a boost with extra FTE to take into account the growing number of Basic Physician Trainees at Western Health. This is a welcome recognition by Russell of our place as a teaching hospital.

There has been recent communication to medical staff on changes within our Medical Workforce Unit. We are continuing to grow the team and thank you all for your patience with us, please read the MWU update below for up to date contact details of key personnel.

All staff must be immunised against Flu by the 15th August, unless they have an approved reason to not be. After that date employment with Western Health will be terminated as per the legislation. Western Health is running drop in vaccination sessions at all our main sites to make it easier to be immunised, please don’t run into trouble because you are getting round to the jab. Get it done now!

June 3rd marked our annual Crazy Socks 4 Docs campaign to reduce the stigma around mental health. Check out the Wellbeing section of this newsletter for some photos of staff who participated and were selected as prize winners for their colourful socks!

Finally, I would like to wish all the trainees sitting specialty exams in July and August, the BPT and RANZCOG candidates, good luck, we have all been there and wish each and everyone of you every success!

Dr Nicki Murdock
Chief Medical Officer

  • Medical Workforce Unit (MWU) Update

    I am excited to announce that the Operations team is now fully recruited and everyone has started work. I would like to thank Russell Harrison, John Ferraro and the Executive Team for their support in restructuring MWU.

    New MWU staff names, roles, email and work mobiles are in the table below. Pop into MWU if you need to speak to any of them.

    Position /Portfolio Name Email Contact Number
    Director MWU Hien Nguyen Hien.Nguyen3@wh.org.au 0432 722 056
    Operations Manager Vivienne Queen vivienne.queen@wh.org.au 0403 648 082
    Operations Team Leader / Rosters & Operations Coordinator Women’s & Children Zana Bogdanoska Zana.Bogdanoska@wh.org.au 0481 252 523
    Rosters & Operations Coordinator Surgery & Intern/Surgical Training Streams Darren Blewett Darren.Blewett@wh.org.au 0481 005 059
    Rosters & Operations Coordinator General Medicine and Basic Physician Training Stream Alisha Dacey Alisha.Dacey@wh.org.au 0468 567 936
    JMS Recruitment Coordinator ED & Critical Care Tracy Grieve Tracy.Grieve@wh.org.au 0481 251 512
    Rosters & Operations Coordinator Specialty Medicine & General Training Stream Brenda Warren Brenda.Warren@wh.org.au 0468 567 952
    Rosters & Operations Coordinator Emergency Medicine Sunshine ED Amanda Elliott Amanda.Elliot@wh.org.au 0468 569 578
    Rosters & Operations Coordinator Emergency Medicine Footscray/ Williamstown ED  Jay Sangwan Jay.Sangwan@wh.org.au 0468 567 851
    Senior Medical Staff Credentialling Officer Narmin Mensur smsco@wh.org.au 0481 272 764
    CME Claims / Invoicing Officer Mandweep Passi CME.Claim@wh.org.au 0468 568 176

     

    There are 2 new emails to contact MWU –

    We are migrating all emails to these new accounts to make it easier to contact us. All the team will have access to them so there is no need to email an individual team member.

    If you had sent a query to the old email account over the last few weeks and have not received a response yet, please resend your query to the new relevant email address so we can prioritise it.

    As many of you will have heard, in the next few months we will have a recruitment team and a dedicated SMS team as well. There is a lot of work happening behind the scenes to provide a better timely service to all medical staff and a review of our processes so that we can be more efficient. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we redesign our unit so do not hesitate to contact either myself or Hien Nguyen who is the new Director of MWU.

    Term 3 rosters are out. We are welcoming 18 IMGS in Terms 3 & 4, so please make them feel welcome to Western Health and Australia if you see a new face on your team.

    There will be planned improvements to Roster On so JMS are paid correctly and on time. I will keep you updated as we progress this over the next 2 terms.

    New Locum Rates will come into effect from August – a memo will been sent to all medical staff at the start of Term 3.

    JMAC is our key Junior Medical Staff Advisory body which meets every month, I encourage all JMS to join if you want to be part of the committee- it’s an avenue to raise issues but also offer solutions with the Executive so we can work together to address challenges faced by JMS. One of the recent issues raised was shortage of computers in FH ressies – additional ones have now been placed there, along with a tap on/off card reader and a printer has been ordered as well. If you are interested in joining JMAC please contact the Medical Admin Reg.

    Best Wishes
    Abi
    Deputy CMO

  • Continuing Medical Education, Teaching & Training

    Update from Safer Care Victoria

    Preparing for Statutory Duty of Candour in Victoria

    Amendments to the Health Services Act 1988 (Vic)(Act) introduces new legal obligations that will require relevant Victorian health service entities to apologise to patients and their families or carers when a patient has suffered a serious adverse patient safety event (SAPSE).

    The reforms also introduce protections for apologies under the duty, and new protections for adverse event reviews.

    Statutory Duty of Candour means that from 30 November 2022, relevant health service entities will be required to:

    • apologise to any person seriously harmed while receiving care
    • explain what went wrong
    • describe what action will be taken and improvements put in place.

     

    Getting Ready
    We’re here to support health services to prepare and implement the changes.

    Launch for health service leaders
    Safer Care Victoria’s CEO Mike Roberts will officially launch the changes on 18 August at an online session for health service CEOs, board members and other leaders.

    Register

     

    Webinars for healthcare workers
    We’re running three online sessions to help clinicians prepare for implementation. Register for one of these sessions:

    • Public metropolitan health services (Thursday 18 August, 12:00-1:00 pm)
    • Public regional and rural health services (Tuesday 30 August, 12:00-12:45 pm)
    • Private health services (Thursday 1 September, 12:00-12:45 pm)

     

    CME Claims for Senior Medical Staff

    CME guidelines are being revised by the CMO’s Office, we will keep you updated on this and MWU is also working on optimising cGOV to make CME claims easier as well. If you have any queries in the meantime or need assistance with your CME claim please email CME.Claim@wh.org.au or call on 0468 568 176.

     

  • Wellbeing
    • June 3rd was Crazy socks 4 docs day. Lots of staff participated. Photos of some of our staff with their colourful socks below -prizes are on the way to our lucky winners.
    • Several initiatives from the Exec to support staff wellbeing during these Winter months.
    • Coffee station for night staff currently running at SH.
    • Snack boxes are being delivered – P&C are exploring some hot food options too!
    • Psychologists are available and any staff member can access support.

    Carniche is providing onsite psychological support. Lots of options available whether it’s a drop-in session or a personal 1:1.

    If you would like to book a team session, please email Deborah.elks@wh.org.au with the subject heading REQUEST FOR ONSITE SUPPORT.

    • Some of the Exec will be doing a walkabout on Friday, stop of us and share your feedback we want to hear from you!

     

    Photos from Crazy socks 4 docs day

    And the winners are… (pictures of named winners below, your prizes are on there way to you!)

    Sunshine Hospital

     

    		 Bacchus Marsh – Zoe Asher

     
    Footscray Hospital – Arlene Resurreccion

     

    		 Footscray Hospital – Arlene Resurreccion

     
     
    Michelle Read  

     

    Mystery winners!
    (please contact us to collect your prizes)

     

     

  • Research

    We are pleased to announce the launch of the Clinical Entrepreneur Programme of which Western Health is a partner organisation.

    Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP)

    The Clinical Entrepreneur programme is based on the highly successful UK NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme. The Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (AUSCEP) aims to up skill clinicians and accelerate innovation by developing the entrepreneurial and innovation mindset of Australia’s healthcare professionals to create positive change for the Australian healthcare system. This initiative compliments the WH/UoM Innovation Acceleration Program that will also be launched in August.

    Starting October 2022, the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) will equip you with the skills to transform your ideas into products and businesses that benefit the clinical care of patients — both in Australia and around the world.

    The 12-month program includes 8 full-day in person sessions (in either Sydney, Melbourne or Perth) spread out over the year, with ongoing coaching, mentorship, industry engagement, and funding introductions. The first cohort of 50 clinicians will come from Victoria, NSW and WA.

    Call for applications close on the 8th of August 2022.

    We encourage all clinical staff (physicians and surgeons) to review the program details as per above link and submit an application as per the criteria for applying.

    If anyone needs to discuss this further either Bill Karanatsios or A/Prof Harin Karunajeewa from the Office of Research would be happy to discuss your interest in the program further.

     

    Future Proofing the Frontline

    Victoria University is launching a research project to look at strategies to support frontline healthcare workers and leaders during times of crises. Please click here to find out how you can participate.

  • Clinical Changes

    Western Health has been advised of changes in regards to MBS Specialist Telehealth from 1 July 2022. Outpatient services have updated item numbers for use in MBS clinics to reflect these changes.
    Summary of MBS Specialist Telehealth changes:

    • Access to a range of specialist consultations is supported by permanent, ongoing MBS telehealth arrangements (video and phone).
    • The permanent arrangements reflect that face to face and video services supports better patient care and outcomes and should be the preferred form of consultation with patients, particularly for more complex clinical services.
    • A range of temporary specialist telehealth (telephone and video) items ceased on 30 June 2022 (updated summary table below).

    All outpatient services are able to support Telehealth – Video consultations. The following resources are available:

If you need further information about anything featured in this edition of the newsletter or wish to submit something for upcoming editions of the newsletter please email us CMOOffice@wh.org.au