The Weekly Wrap: 7 December 2022

Content warning: domestic and family violence

The second episode of Western Health’s new podcast, ‘If only someone had asked‘, focuses on the experience of migrant and refugee women.

We hear from victim-survivor, advocate and researcher, Dr Yee Man Louie who shares her experience of family violence and how her former husband used her migration status to threaten and destabilise her.

Yee Man also describes presenting to hospital for injuries resulting from family violence and how her husband exploited the fact that English was her second language, taking control of the narrative to the unquestioning healthcare professionals who treated her. Her perspective and insights about what healthcare professionals can do to better support victim-survivors are invaluable. 

Subscribe or download the episode today on your favourite podcast platform, or visit: http://familyviolence.wh.org.au

Find more information on the podcast here.

Put these dates in your diary today! To show our gratitude to staff for their incredible efforts over the past year, we’ll be hosting a series of special events End of Year Thank You lunches across all sites.

Keep an eye out for the photobooth fun, visits from our furry friends with dogs from the Lort Smith Pet Therapy Program doing the rounds and a Christmas performance by the Western Health singers. Don’t forget that there are great hampers up for grabs in the special Spirit of Christmas Competition on the Westerly.

Final chance to donate to WalkWest

Thank you for your support over the past 21 days. It’s been great to see you get out and about, all while raising funds for a great cause.

Together we’ve raised more than $72,000 for our vulnerable patients – and we’re not done yet! There’s still time left to log kilometres and raise a last few dollars for those who need it the most.

If you haven’t signed up or been taking part, you can still support your team mates by making a donation here: https://www.walkwest.com.au/

We’d also like to take a moment to thank our generous corporate supporters who helped to make this event possible: Dow, BankVic, Maxxia, Multiplex, Plenary and QUBE. 

To celebrate 10 years of the Western Health Foundation, Krispy Kreme is kindly donating 2,000 donuts to Western Health staff next week.

Pop along to the below locations and grab yourself a free sweet treat!

• 10:30am-11:30am, Tuesday 6 December, Sunshine Hospital (WCHRE courtyard)
• 30am-10:30am, Wednesday 7 September, Footscray Hospital (opposite op-shop)

Donuts will be put aside for those staff working nightshift.

Many thanks to Krispy Kreme for donating these through their Doughforce program, which is based on expressing thanks to those who work hard to support their communities.

If you would like to know more about their fundraising efforts you can visit our website here. Alternatively, visit their closest store at Highpoint, 120-200 Rosamond Rd, Maribyrnong VIC 3032

The Best Care Excellence & Improvement Program will be launching the first learning module 5^th December 2022. The project aims to demonstrate how each staff member is a fundamental contributor to creating a culture of continuous improvement and driving the responsibility for improvement and change to every staff member.  

The project team will be out and about during week with stalls, drop-in Zoom sessions and walk arounds. Please come down and have a chat with the project team on how to get your area participating in the We Learn modules.

For more information please visit the Live Best Care micro site Best Care Excellence & Improvement Project – Live Best Care (wh.org.au)

After many years closure the Sunshine Auxiliary Cart has re opened just before Christmas. 

Tuesdays only from 10-3. Until 16 December!

Come say hi to our volunteers Carol and Mai!

Volunteer Management  and Community Engagement Team would like you to meet (again!) the wonderful team called the “Naughtical Quilters” (previously Moonee Ponds Charity Quilting Group and now includes Essendon Craft Group).

The Naughtical Quilters have delivered handmade quilts for newborns for over 7 -8 years for the Joan Kirner Womens and Children Hospital in Sunshine. (pictured).

This is a much needed service/gift – as some baby’s still go home in hospital towels.

Rae, the Coordinator of the Naughtical Quilters says that “We actually continued right through Covid (quilting) and prior to Covid and often went up to the ward to deliver the quilts ourselves”.

“We used various means to continue to deliver during lockdowns and restrictions. We have kept our rate of donations fairly consistent for at least the last 5 years. “

Sylvs is the Adminstration Officer on Level 5 at Joan Kirner Womens and Children, and  is shown here holding a lovely batch of quilts. Over 100 quilts have  were delivered this week, and are located in Level 5 for all birthing suits, especially for the special care nursery.

Sylvs has been with Western health for over 32 years! Go say Hi!

The Volunteer Management and Community Engagement Team wishes to thank the Naughtical Quilters; Acting Nurse Unit Manager Newborn Services – Michelle Ryan, and Sylvs for assisting in re-instating this much needed service/ donation. Well done all!

Transition News 14th Edition – 22 Nov 2022

With the festive season is around the corner, the Maribyrnong Auxiliary are running their annual Christmas Raffle to raise funds for Footscray Hospital.

Purchase tickets for your chance to win some wonderful prizes worth over $100. Whether that’s a gift for yourself after a year of hard work or one last present put under the tree for a loved one, the raffle is for everyone.

Tickets are $2.00 each or three for $5.00. Please visit the wonderful volunteers in the Footscray Op Shop for tickets – open Wednesday to Friday from 10am – 3.15pm.

Tickets will be available until Friday 16 December with the winners announced on Tuesday 20 December.

Good Luck!

The link between gender inequality and violence against women

The link between gender inequality and violence against women – Our Watch

DISRESPECT AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Violence against women and their children is a serious issue in Australia.

• 1 in 3 women has been a victim of physical or sexual violence, since the age of 15, by someone known to them. (2016 Personal Safety Survey, ABS)
• Almost 1 in 4 women have been emotionally abused by a partner since the age of 15. (2016 Personal Safety Survey, ABS)
• 1 woman dies almost every week at the hands of a current or former partner. (2015 Australian Institute of Criminology report)

There is a clear link between violence towards women, and attitudes of disrespect and gender inequality.

Watch now

The issue – Respect.gov.au

What is The Orange Door? | The Orange Door

The Orange Door is a free service for adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence and families who need extra support with the care of children.

Domestic and family violence service responses often place physical and sexual violence above other forms of abuse in terms of their risk and potential for harm. However, minimising the harm caused by non-physical forms of violence can have a negative effect on service responses for victim-survivors.

This webinar explored ways that services can use the language of coercive control to support women to expose patterns of abusive behaviour. Specifically, it:

• Described coercive control and its prevalence in Australia
• Shared one woman’s lived experience of coercive control
• Presented practical strategies that support women to describe and expose patterns of controlling behaviour.

This webinar will be of interest to professionals working in domestic and family violence, mental health, child protection and other social services.

https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/webinars/power-understanding-patterns-coercive-control​

Investigative journalist and author of ‘See What You Made Me Do’ Jess Hill sits down with master interviewer Kerry O’Brien for an important discussion on domestic violence and coercive control in the latest instalment of Griffith University’s A Better Future for All’ in partnership with HOTA

A better future for all: Kerry O’Brien in conversation with Jess Hill – YouTube

IN FULL: Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins give joint address at National Press Club | ABC News

IN FULL: Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins give joint address at National Press Club | ABC News – YouTube

Respect Older People: Call it Out

By calling out ageism and sexism, we can prevent elder abuse (EA) and violence against older people.

Elder Abuse Learning Hub

The National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study NEAPS (aifs.gov.au) investigated the prevalence and nature of elder abuse in Australia, who is most likely to experience abuse, who commits abuse, and how people respond to abuse.

Western Health has Elder Abuse governance to guide clinical practice & specialist Elder Abuse services (see here).

Carla Wilkie: Elder Abuse Prevention & Response Liaison Officer (EALO)

*When staff suspect, see or an older person tells you they are being controlled, hurt or are worried or fearful of another person. Contact Carla for advice, support & to access specialist elder abuse services

mob: 0423 842 103 or elderabuseenquiries@wh.org.au

*Specialist Services include, elder abuse case management, financial counselling, therapeutic counselling & mediation.

Elder Abuse 16 days activism

IMOC Counselling Service Request

Consent to share information – Elder Abuse Prevention and Response Integ…

Older Women Experience Sexual Abuse Too   #SheToo    case studies

• 17% (1 in 5) Australian women and girls have experienced physical/ sexual violence from an intimate partner.  It would be naive to think this stops at AGE 65.
• Older age is NOT a protective factor against sexual abuse/ assault.

Sexual assault and rape are about power and control, not perceived sexual attractiveness.

• Older women & women with disabilities may be targeted because…….  perpetrators believe they will not be able to report or that they won’t be believed.

The lives of older women who are sexually assaulted can be

transformed by those who listen…

Important Contacts:    Support services

Sources:   OPAL Institute    Research report (2014)   OPAN – Ready to Listen    SIRS | ACQSC

Want to know more read the attached info. sheet &/or contact:  Carla Wilkie (WH Elder Abuse PRLO) 0423 842 103 or elderabuseenquiries@wh.org.au     EA Learning Hub

Please consider donating your used books to our Community Library located in the foyer in Footscray Hospital Main entrance!

We would love books that are:

• Not fit for sale – but still readable?
• clean
• slightly worn,
• good quality,
• may have some pen marks, page folds
• but still readable

How to donate? Easy! Please place your books directly into the Community Library on your way into work!

Books suitable for donation are:

• Indigenous books
• Adult fiction/non- fiction
• Young adult
• Childrens books
• Magazines – gardening, cooking, gossip magazines

Language: Of course, Footscray is a multi-cultural, diverse community, therefore:

• Books in English in big and usual print,
• multi lingual – as we are happy to receive books to reflect these languages including: Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Slavic languages, African nations languages, Asian, and all others!

We have partnered with local libraries to provide further donations monthly, including Vietnamese and Mandarin books.

WELEARN HELPDESK:

Please direct all emails to the Welearn Helpdesk: WeLearn@wh.org.au

In order to streamline our Education administrative workflow and Welearn inquiries, the WHS-CEAdmin@wh.org.au inbox will no longer be functional.

We are in the process of updating this information throughout the Education internet and intranet platform, including all documentation.

EDUCATION & LEARNING: SHORT COURSE ENROLMENTS AVAILABLE ON WELEARN!

Places are available for the upcoming courses:

Course: Refugee and People Seeking Asylum Study Day

Date: 12 December 2022, 8:45 AM – 4:00 PM

Campus: Sunshine Hospital

Course fee: This is a free event

Course Aim: The course aims to provide information regarding Refugee and People Seeking Asylum from pre-settlement, the settlement journey and the impacts of trauma on health and wellbeing – our role as clinicians.

EDUCATION & LEARNING: CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Invasive Lines & Cannulation: Advertised dates are now available for Bank-Pool Nursing Staff, Radiology, Medical staff AND ALL WARD NURSING STAFF.

Resuscitation Mandatory Competencies: Sessions have recommenced. In the first instance, can you arrange an assessment with your local instructor or educator. Resus educators are contacting managers to arrange local sessions for individual teams. Dedicated sessions for Bank and Pool Staff along with separate sessions for Nursing and Medical staff are available on Welearn.

DECEMBER 2022

• 07/12/2022: Night Duty: Falls & EMR update
• 12/12/2022: Refugee and People Seeking Asylum Study Day

JANUARY 2023

• 23/1/2023: Peripheral Intravenous Cannulation (PIVC) at Sunshine Hospital (Feb to March 2023 dates will be released soon!)

VCCC Alliance

The VCCC Alliance brings you the latest in cancer research, education and clinical care through engaging, relevant and informative events.

Click here to view upcoming events

Explore opportunities within the VCCC Alliance and the broader cancer sector, including scholarships, internships, jobs, training, support and grants

Click here to view opportunities

Discover the latest progress in cancer research, education and clinical care delivered by the VCCC Alliance.

Click here to discover the latest in news

The Ecovision November 2022 Edition click here to see the latest news and updates in sustainability.

Learn new tools for Telehealth video calls

A new Telehealth WeLearn module is now available to help guide clinicians on how to use Healthdirect Video Call, and includes tips & tricks on conducting an efficient and safe Telehealth consultation.

The aim of the module is to improve clinician confidence in using Video Call and conducting Telehealth consults, which will also lead to an improved clinician and patient experience.

The learning module only takes 5-10 minutes to complete and will help clinicians get up and running with the basics of Telehealth quickly.

Search for Telehealth on the WeLearn website to find the Western Health Telehealth learning module, and for further information about Telehealth at Western Health please visit the Telehealth and Virtual Care page on the Digital Health information site.

Get a free Financial Health Check today

A home loan health check can help you assess your current financial situation and assist in setting goals for the future. It also looks at whether your current home loan still suits your needs.

At the same time, you might find now is a good time to refinance, you might be able to get a better deal on your home loan and save on your repayments.

We work with our members to understand their goals and help them find solutions that suit their individual needs at different points in their life.

It’s all part of BankVic’s commitment to the financial wellbeing of our members.

Contact Michelle today to get your free home loan health check on

0418 415 096 or email mferry@bankvic.com.au.

Police Financial Services Limited ABN 33 087 651 661 trading as BankVic AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 240293.

Make a pre-tax donation direct from your pay

The Western Health Foundation have launched their staff giving program “Small change creates big change”

Your small change has the ability to make a big impact to support staff, patients and their families.

We are all aware of the huge need for support for our most vulnerable patients and community. Small change creates big change helps to provide support when and where it’s needed.

Nominate your regular pre-tax donation and sign-up today. Complete the personal details form here and return the completed form to peopleservicesoperations@wh.org.au

Last year alone, the Western Health Foundation provided more than $700,000 to fund new equipment, patient and staff support and world-class research, including:

• Purchasing new ECG machines to support the rollout of the EMR project
• Fellowships and scholarships for staff development
• Culturally sensitive Welcome Packs for patients who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• Care packs to help patients undergoing cancer treatment
• Purchasing mobility aids or medication for patients who are in great hardship.

If you have any other questions about the Foundation or donating, please contact Katrina.desfosses@wh.org.au