After being born five weeks premature, Dakota Lampard is now thriving after spending time in a brand new ‘baby warmer’ in the Special Care Nursery at Frankston Hospital.

“Dakota is one of many babies who benefit from the CosyTherm, which we were able to purchase last year thanks to funds raised from the Kids’ Fun Run with K163,” explains Alison Conroy-Joyce, Nurse Unit Manager of the Special Care Nursery.

“Management of body temperature in premature babies is often challenging as they can get cold very quickly, which potentially can have serious implications.”

The Rotary Club of Mt Eliza, together with Peninsula Health, is hosting the annual event where kids race the historic steam train at Moorooduc Railway Station on 18 November.

Last year the Kids’ Fun Run with K163 raised $15,000, which was used to purchase the CosyTherm as well as a photo-therapy light to treat jaundice in infants, six additional cots and new oxygen and heart rate probes.

“We are so thankful to the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza and the community who participated in the Fun Run, for enabling us to purchase much-needed equipment to help us provide the best of care for our littlest patients,” says Alison.

Dakota’s Mum Melinda Lampard has seen first-hand the important role this equipment plays.

“Dakota was born premature, weighing 1.9kg after I suddenly went into labour on 23 June,” explains the first-time Mum. “Everything was going well and then unfortunately we had a couple of setbacks.”

“She got a stuffy nose and was very sluggish and that’s when she needed the CosyTherm. It helped her regulate her temperature and start breastfeeding again – it really worked wonders on her.”

Dakota is now at home and doing really well.

“She’s kicking goals, gaining weight every day,” says Melinda. “We’re so proud of her.”

Melinda is thankful for the care Dakota received in the Special Care Nursery at Frankston Hospital.

“The doctors, nurses, the whole place is amazing – any question or concern I’d have, they were always there to help and give advice,” says Melinda.

“I wish I could have taken the nurses home with me!”

Melinda is calling on local families to get involved and register their children for the Kids’ Fun Run with K163.

“I’d definitely encourage other parents to support this great cause.”

“Every bit counts and it’s very important the hospital receives generous donations.”

Registrations are now open for the Kids’ Fun Run with K163. Find out more online here http://www.k163funrun.org.au/

The post Kids’ Fun Run helps premmie babies like Dakota appeared first on Peninsula Health.

New Mums at Frankston Hospital are befitting from the addition of a new, hospital grade breast pump, thanks to local families who donated to the Frankston Peninsula Rotary 2.0 Birth Tree in 2016.

“We have some Mums who are separated from their babies for various reasons – so babies might go to the Special Care Nursery or be transferred to another facility,” explains Peninsula Health Lactation Consultant Amy Cameron.

“Breast pumps are really important for these Mums to stimulate the production, or initiate the production of breast milk.”

Breast pumps are also commonly used by Mums who may be having difficulty breastfeeding.

“We use the breast pump for Mums who are trying to bring on more milk,” says Amy.

“This might happen if the baby is not latching well within the first couple of days. It’s really essential those Mums start to do some extra stimulation to try and facilitate the initiative of breastfeeding.”

“The hospital grade pump has really good pressure – we know breast pumps aren’t babies and they don’t work as well as babies – but they are the next best thing.”

It’s World Breastfeeding Week, which seeks to inform and engage the community about the benefits of breastfeeding.

“As a primary health provider, we encourage Mums to breastfeed,” says Amy.

“It has long term positive health benefits for both Mum and baby.”

“In terms of the greater community, it means we’re providing immunisation and antibodies to babes who are better protected,” she adds. “In terms of long term health outcomes it can reduce the rate of diabetes and obesity, also childhood cancers.”

Breastfeeding also has benefits for bonding and attachment, as well as nutrition.

“By using the tools that we have, like breast pumps, lactation consultants and facilities and services we can enhance the ability for Mums to be able to breastfeed,” says Amy, who also works as a midwife. 

Amy’s tips for women having difficulty breastfeeding

• Seek help. While you’re in hospital, use your midwives and lactation consultants.
• Talk to other Mums about how their experiences are going. We know Mums benefit a lot from talking to other Mums.
• Lots of skin to skin – we encourage Mums to spend lots of time with their babies.
• Do some hand expressing or use a breast pump if the baby is not latching to the breast.
• Lots of frequent breast contact and breast feeding with babes.

As well as providing supporting to Mums while they are in hospital, Peninsula Health also runs an outpatient breastfeeding support service. Mums can also make appointments at Frankston Hospital and Hastings Community Health Centre for breastfeeding support.

The Frankston Peninsula Rotary Club 2.0 run the Birth Tree program, where parents can celebrate their child’s birth by planting a tree in their honour. This year, proceeds will benefit the babies at Peninsula Health. Register your child here: http://www.rotarypeninsula.org/birth-tree

The post Breastfeeding tips and how a special donated breast pump is making a difference appeared first on Peninsula Health.

You may look after your general health but are you looking after your oral health?

“A lot of people consider their general health to be more important than their oral health – but they don’t know that they are inter-related,” explains Peninsula Health Dentist Dr Chaman Kandola.

“If you don’t have good oral health you can’t have good general health either.”

For example, there are many serious health conditions which can be worsened by poor oral health.

“If your gums are not in good health, your diabetes could go up,” says Dr Kandola.

“Dental and heart health are connected – especially with all of the gum diseases you have in your mouth. People with poor gum health are at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases.”

Another common mistake people make when it comes to looking after their mouth is eating an unhealthy diet.

“We see a lot of tooth decay,” says Dr Kandola, who has been a dentist for 14 years.

“Nowadays it’s often cheaper to buy a can of coke rather than a bottle of water. However people who consistently choose sugary drinks over water end up with decayed teeth.”

Dr Kandola first became interested in teeth when she was a little girl.

“My Mum had issues with her gums and I used to accompany her when she used to go to the dentist.”

From here, Dr Kandola followed her interest in dentistry, which eventually led her to taking on her current role at Peninsula Health five years ago.

She says the best part of her job is being able to help people look after their oral health.

“I enjoy seeing different people and being able to help them.”

“Patients tell you they appreciate the work you do – it’s always good to feel appreciated and get that feedback.”

Peninsula Health runs a private and public dental service at Frankston Hospital, Rosebud Hospital, Hastings Community Health Centre and Carrum Downs.

It’s Dental Health Week, which encourages Australians to take control of looking after their oral health. Have you had your teeth checked lately? You can make an appointment online here.

The post Dentist shares the most common oral health mistakes people make appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Molly with Peninsula Health speech pathologist Jessie Cafarella. 

After having issues communicating with others, five-year-old Molly McDonald is now thriving thanks to the paediatric speech pathology team at Peninsula Health. 

“Molly wasn’t talking properly so the other kids couldn’t understand what she was saying – she is a beautiful little girl but the other kids didn’t want to play with her because they couldn’t understand her,” explains Molly’s mum, Kelly.

“She’d try to talk to you and you’d go “what is she saying?” – you just could not make it out.”

After an assessment at kinder which found Molly wasn’t ready for school, she was referred to Peninsula Health’s Children’s Services team, which is made up of a range of therapists, to support children in their development. Molly was linked in with one of the team’s speech pathologists last year.

“Molly loved it. She called it speech kinder,” says Kelly.

“We did group therapy and then we moved into a single one-on-one series this year.”

“Speech pathologist Jess always had a game to play with Molly and was really good with her,” adds Kelly.

“She’d give us homework, which was usually games and some sheets to carry on with when we got home.”

Molly’s speech has now improved immensely – she is doing really well at kinder and is ready for school next year.

“We have seen a 90% improvement in her speech,” says Kelly.

“Now she’s leading the play at kinder and talking in front of the class in a confident voice.”

“The speech pathology service was brilliant and I couldn’t recommend Jess more.”

It’s Speech Pathology Week 19-25 August, which highlights the important role of everyone in our community being able to communicate with each other.

If you are concerned about your child’s preschool speech development, contact Peninsula Health on 1300 665 781 to book an initial assessment. Not all children will grow out of their speech difficulties. Evidence shows that early intervention is the best intervention.

If your child has an NDIS plan or if you are waiting for an NDIS planning you are welcome to contact us to discuss our NDIS services.

Communication milestones for kids

12 Months- understand about 10 words. Start to use sounds, gestures and say a few words.

18 Months- understand up to 50 words and some short phrases. Say 6-20 single words.

2 Years- follow simple two part instructions. Say more than 50 single words.

3 Years- follow more complex two part instructions. Say 4-5 words in a sentence.

4 Years- answer most questions about daily tasks. Use words, such as ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’, to make longer sentences.

5 Years- follow three part instructions (e.g., put on your shoes, get your backpack and line up outside). Use well-formed sentences to be understood by most people.

Source, Speech Pathology Australia.

Find out more about our paediatric speech pathology service online here.

The post Talking is no longer an issue for chatterbox Molly, thanks to speech therapy team appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Oral Health Therapist Florin with Ruby, Milla, Ava and Stevie. 

Triplets Ruby, Milla and Ava and their younger sister Stevie love going to the Dentist.

“They get excited about going to the Dentist, they love it,” says Mum Miranda.

The girls get regular dental check-ups at Peninsula Health’s Community Dental Service.

“It is very important kids go to the Dentist regularly,” says Miranda.

“The service at Peninsula Health is excellent and it’s also really convenient.”

The sisters, aged 7 and 3, have good oral health habits at home and Miranda never has issues with trying to get them to brush their teeth.

However not all kids have good oral health.

Peninsula Health Oral Health Therapist Florin Vahgelt does restorative dentistry and preventative dentistry on adolescents and children.

She shares her advice for parents when it comes to looking after their child’s oral health.

Florin’s oral health tips for kids

+ Brush twice a day for 2 minutes

+ Spitting the toothpaste rather than swallowing it

+ Keeping a diet low in sugar and high in dairy

+ Bringing kids in for a check-up is always a good idea, just to make sure that we can check what’s going on and possibly help them out with a few different techniques

+ Pop the toothbrush in the shower and doing it whilst they’re having a shower

+ Supervise brushing until they are about 8 years old

Another way to encourage kids to brush their teeth is to use an app. There are plenty of apps available, such as the Colgate app, where kids brush along to a song and earn points as incentives to keep brushing.

Peninsula Health runs a private and public dental service at Frankston Hospital, Rosebud Hospital, Hastings Community Health Centre and Carrum Downs.

It’s Dental Health Week, which encourages Australians to take control of looking after their oral health. Have your kids had their teeth checked lately? You can make an appointment online here.

The post Teaching kids good oral health habits appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Pink Ladies President Pauline ( second from right, front row) with other Auxiliary members. 

Peninsula Health’s longest running volunteer group is celebrating 50 years of service to the Frankston Hospital community.

“We have raised almost $9 million since we started, which is used to buy equipment for the hospital,” explains Pink Ladies President, Pauline Ellerby, who joined the group in 1992.

“We’ve helped buy all sorts of high-tech equipment, some of which has cost around $1 million.”

Anyone who has ever visited Frankston Hospital will have encountered the Pink Ladies delivering flowers, newspapers or at their renowned kiosk, where they sell food, coffee and an array of gifts.

“The sandwiches are certainly famous – when Health Minister Jill Hennessy came to visit recently she said I always remember the Pinkies’ Egg and Lettuce sandwich!” Pauline recalls.

Originally started by Edna Vincent, the wife of one of the hospital’s first doctors, the group has been recognised many times for its hard work – winning the 2014 Victorian Premier’s Volunteer Award in the Metropolitan Volunteer Team of the Year Icon category, and the 2010 Minister for Health Award for Volunteering in the Most Outstanding Team Achievement Award category.

Brendon Gardner, Chief Operating Officer of Frankston Hospital, says the 68 current members, as well as all of the past volunteers, have been a big part of the hospital over the last half a century.

“Congratulations to the Pinkies on 50 years of outstanding service.”

“Frankston Hospital would not be the hospital it is today if it wasn’t for their support helping us purchase state-of-the-art medical equipment which our team use to save lives, every day.”

This August, Peninsula Health is hosting a celebration in honour of the Pinkies. If you are a past Pink Lady, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us on 9784 2674 or volunteers@phcn.vic.gov.au. 

The post Pink Ladies celebrate 50 years of fundraising at Frankston Hospital appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Top left- Angela teaching the BASIC workshop. Top right- Jo teaching some nurses. Bottom- Course participants with Jo and Lis (sixth from left). 

Nursing and medical staff from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Frankston Hospital have travelled to Sri Lanka to assist the Sri Lankan Society of Critical Care Nurses (SSCCN) to provide training for critical care nurses.

Established in 2014, the SSCCN is a voluntary group of nurses dedicated to improving the knowledge and skills of critical care nurses in Sri Lanka.

“Critical Care requires a very high standard of care from all health professionals involved, however the 30 year war, financial situation and political barriers have stunted the development of specialist nurses in this country,” explains Jo Stewart, a trained ICU nurse and Assistant Operations Director of Medicine and Surgery at Peninsula Health.

“Our first visit to Sri Lanka in 2017 was an eye opener.”

 Sri Lanka is about 118 times smaller than Australia, yet has almost the same population.

“The sheer size of their hospitals was difficult for us to fathom,” explains Jo, who travelled to Sri Lanka with ICU Clinical Nurse Specialist Lis Wilson.

“We worked out of The National Hospital in Colombo – the largest hospital in Sri Lanka and South East Asia – which was established in 1861 with over 3,500 beds!”

“This hospital had 15 Intensive Care Units and 17 High Dependency Units resulting in more than 100 ICU beds ­– a stark difference to our 15 ICU beds at Peninsula Health,” adds Jo.

“Touring some of the ICUs was an overwhelming experience as we witnessed firsthand, the severe shortage of resources, ranging from nursing resources, to major equipment and consumable shortages.”

Jo and Lis also noticed many things which could be improved through nursing education.

“Despite the vast number of ICU beds in Sri Lanka, there is no formal education for nurses working in Intensive Care,” says Jo.

“I feel very grateful to all those nurses who worked hard to make our profession what it is today in Australia, and I hope we can help do the same for Sri Lanka.”

During that initial trip, Jo and Lis ran the first internationally recognised, Basic Assessment & Support in Intensive Care (BASIC) course for Nurses in Colombo. This training was such a success, in raising the profile of the SSCCN, they decided to go again in January this year, recruiting Angela Clinkaberry, ICU Clinical Nurse Consultant – Equipment, to join them.

“We recognised that teaching nurses simple nursing strategies such as sitting their ventilated patients up in bed, could result in a significant improvement in the quality of care delivered and a reduction in adverse events such as the acquisition of ventilator associated pneumonia that often leads to a higher mortality rate.” Jo says.

“Other such strategies for promotion were as simple as hand hygiene, which saves lives, through infection prevention.”

Jo, Lis and Angela are working towards a long term plan to address the educational deficits.

“Providing an Instructor course, enabled us to train up a small group of Sri Lankan ICU nurses to run the BASIC for Nurses course, with a view that they will eventually run this course independently.”

This July, Jo, Lis and Angela returned to Sri Lanka once again, alongside Peninsula Health colleagues Professor John Botha, ICU Director, Professor Ravi Tiruvoipati, Intensivist and John Stewart, Critical Care Liaison Nurse.

They all spoke at the country’s very first Critical Care Nursing Conference, which more than 225 nurses attended, including the first ever ICU nurse in Sri Lanka and the Minister of Health. This inspiring  conference was followed by a BASIC for Nurses Workshop.

“The purpose of the conference was not only to improve participants’ knowledge, but to promote nursing education and nursing research in Sri Lanka,” says Jo.

“We have seen remarkable growth in the 12 months since our first visit. The once timid nurses dressed in traditional saris, have now purchased suits for professional meetings. They speak up during conferences, asking questions and offering opinions. Their dedication and motivation to improve nursing conditions, knowledge and education in nursing is an inspiration”

Moving forward, the Peninsula Health staff plan to continue working with the Sri Lankan Society of Critical Care Nurses (SSCCN) to improve patient outcomes in Sri Lankan ICUs and improve the standard of nursing in the country. They are completing ongoing fundraising to try and purchase educational equipment such as a resuscitation manikin to assist them to run their courses.

“We hope to assist the SSCCN on their mission to improve the quality of critical care nursing through education, training and research in order to provide humanitarian, ethically sound, nursing care in collaboration with other health care professionals focusing on the critically ill and their families.”

The post Intensive Care Unit staff making a difference in Sri Lanka appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Dr Meghan O’Brien joined Peninsula Health last year as the Head of Social Work, and brings more than 25 years of experience to the role.

The variety of work at Peninsula Health and the opportunity to be involved in more research, with plans for a new Research and Education Centre at Frankston Hospital, attracted Meghan to join her local health service.

“What is very unique about working at Peninsula Health is that we have patients across the lifespan – we have social workers based in maternity services and paediatrics and we also have the privilege of working with older patients and their families towards the end of their life,” explains Meghan.

“Our local geographical areas are some of the most disadvantaged within the state. This translates to our social workers dealing with high levels of vulnerability, complexity, financial hardship, homelessness and high levels of family violence.”

As Peninsula Health grows, there has been an increasing demand for social workers, with positions currently available for more social workers to join the team.

 “With the growth of a number of areas across the organisation we have been able to demonstrate how social work can add value to both the organisation and the patient experience,” says Meghan.

“This is the work we contribute around patient flow and the work we undertake around adjustment to illness and advocacy for our patients.”

“There are many opportunities across the health service for social workers to gain more experience and become involved in specialised areas of clinical practice, student training, staff supervision, professional development and research,” adds Meghan.

 “It is an exciting time – social work is involved in a number of new initiatives and projects.”

These initiatives being led by the Social Work department include:

• A weekend Social Work service at Frankston Hospital and Golf Links Road Rehabilitation Centre.
• Trial of a full time Social Work clinician in the Emergency Department.
• Implementing a ‘whole of organisation’ response to Family Violence through the Strengthening Hospital Response to Family Violence Project
• Being one of five sites in Victoria to embed an elder abuse trial in responding to suspected elder abuse
• Embedding a lawyer into the Social Work department through a Health Justice Partnership with Peninsula Community Legal Centre
• A Senior Social Work Project Worker is supporting healthcare professionals around the new changes with the NDIS

Meghan has been involved in a lot of research over the course of her career, with elder abuse being one area of particular focus.

“I have always been interested in human rights and older people, ever since I worked in an Aged Care Assessment team,” she explains.

In 2017, Meghan completed her PhD in the area of elder abuse at the University of Melbourne. She examined how health professionals can improve their confidence, competence and knowledge in responding to suspected elder abuse. The findings from her research have now been translated into specialist training being rolled out across 88 hospitals in Victoria.  

If you’d like to work with Meghan and the Social Work Department at Peninsula Health, there are currently opportunities to join the team. 

“We’re looking for social workers who have a strong professional identity, are team orientated and committed to work together to achieve clinical excellence and positive outcomes for our clients,” says Meghan.

“We believe and encourage lifelong learning and staff wellbeing. We can offer the opportunity to be involved in service improvement activities, ongoing mentoring, on-site professional development as well as the chance to rotate between acute and sub-acute sites to gain valuable experience in dealing with different patient groups.”

Find out more and apply online today.

Meghan and some of the Social Work team. 

The post Meet the new Head of Social Work leading some exciting new projects appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Alarna with baby Xavier and some of the new artwork. 

Alarna Pyper was recently the first indigenous women to give birth in the newly re-decorated Koori birth suite at Frankston Hospital.

Midwife Sue Holland, who leads Peninsula Health’s Koori Maternity Service, organised the new artwork which now adorns the walls of the room.

“After getting permission from Aboriginal Elders in the community we chose this artwork as it represented a contemporary and local community,” explains Sue.

“The artist’s explanation of her work was that it was about grounding herself in this new landscape. To me this seemed a perfect metaphor for entering motherhood and looking at these photos I also felt a very strong female energy coming through the rocks, water and flow.”

“Many families have found the artwork to have a calming and peaceful influence on their experience.”

Baluk Arts Artist Tallara Gray created the artwork right here on the Peninsula.

“The artwork was made down on a local beach where there is ochre.”

“I love exploring the beach and the works are all made in situ as a way of just sitting with country and that landscape and working with the materials.”

Artist Tallara visited the Women’s Health Unit at Frankston Hospital to see her artwork on display. 

Alarna and her partner enjoyed looking at the artwork, during the wait for baby Xavier to arrive.

“I was induced and it took six hours for anything to happen so I knew every inch of that room,” recalls Alarna.

“It was nice to have something familiar there – I have paintings all around my house – it made it feel less clinical.”

“The artwork is also really beautiful – it’s pretty and relaxing.”

Alarna says Sue and the Koori Maternity Service were a great support throughout her pregnancy.

“Sue was really good with all of the questions I had and she would call me straight after my appointments each week.”

“She’s been great.”

To access the Peninsula Health Koori Maternity Service call 0466343132.

Midwife Sue Holland (right) with Alarna, Xavier and a student midwife in the Koori Birth Suite. 

The post Creating a culturally safe place for Aboriginal women to give birth at Frankston Hospital appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Pictured: Ms Sue Ball, Grants Manager- Victorian Legal Services Board; Ms Fiona McLeay, Commissioner and CEO, Victorian Legal Services Board; Mr Peter Vandermeer- Youth Resource Officer, Victoria Police; Ms Lisa Abbott- Project Co-ordinator, Frankston Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership; Ms Shelley Cross- General Manager, Stepping-Up Consortium; Ms Misty Summers- Operations Manager, Frankston Magistrates’ Court; Meagan Mathieson- Manager, YSAS Frankston; Magistrate Tim Gattuso; Ms Jackie Galloway- CEO, Peninsula Community Legal Centre; Ms Eileen Foley- Senior Lawyer, Victoria Legal Aid.

Health and legal professionals are working together to improve outcomes for women in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula who come into contact with the justice system.

In the last ten years, the female prisoner population in Australia has increased by 75%.

Peninsula Health, the Frankston Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership and the Stepping- Up Consortium are leading a new multi-disciplinary project partnering with the justice sector to address the multiple and complex needs faced by women who present to the justice system.

“The Living Free Project mobilises these networks to undertake a targeted, integrated response to vulnerable young females aged 10-30 who have had contact with Victoria Police as a victim or offender,” explains Lisa Abbott, who is coordinating the project as part of her role at the Frankston Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership and Peninsula Health.

“Through the program, females will receive intensive case management to help them address the risk factors that place them at risk of further contact with the justice system.”

“We are also developing priority referral pathways for these women with local drug, alcohol and mental health services.”

The Living Free Project is working with professionals who come into contact with vulnerable young females – such as maternal, child and family services – to build their capacity to best assist these women.

“This will help empower people on the front line to better understand the needs of females at risk of involvement with the justice system, to assess what is driving this and help them through it,” says Lisa.

This innovative health/justice initiative, funded by the Victorian Legal Services Board, brings together the Peninsula Community Legal Centre, Victoria Police, Mentis Assist, YSAS Frankston, Victoria Legal Aid Frankston and the Frankston Magistrates’ Court with the Stepping-Up Consortium, Peninsula Health and the Frankston Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership.

“It’s important to think outside of the square in response to the growing numbers of females in the justice system, who often present with histories of trauma and are more often victims prior to them engaging in offending behaviour,” says Lisa.

“These women often have complex needs and as such it is important that health and legal services work together to best assist these women to break the cycle of re-offending.”  

A snapshot of female offending in Australia

• Although the female imprisonment rate continues to be much lower than the male imprisonment rate, the female rate experienced more growth between 2006 and 2016 (45%) than the male rate
• Only 14% of female prisoners completed high school
• Over 85% of female inmates in some Australian jurisdictions are parents of dependent children; most of these head single parent families  
• 89% have a history of sexual abuse, and as many as 98% have experienced violence

The post Health and legal sectors band together to help females in contact with the justice system appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Imagine your head starts to go cloudy. You can’t think straight and are completely disoriented, and then to make matters worse you begin to lose your vision.

This is exactly what happened to 64-year-old Ian Thompson – and while he did not know it at the time, he was having a stroke.

“After meeting other stroke survivors I feel lucky, as if I had dodged a bullet,” says the Mornington father-of-three.

“Thankfully, the staff at Frankston Hospital Emergency Department recognised the signs and responded so quickly.”

A member of Frankston Archery Club, Ian was at the club when the stroke hit.

“I was using this new solvent to repair the arrows and it’s really volatile stuff,” explains Ian.

“It was after I’d had a whiff of that my head started to go all funny, so I put it down to that. I knew something was wrong but I couldn’t even walk into the club house – I didn’t know where it was. I didn’t know how to use my phone to call my wife. All I could do was sit there.”

It was 4.30pm and the clock had started ticking to save Ian’s life and limit the effects of the stroke.

“A stroke happens when blood supply to the brain is interrupted,” explains Dr Shyaman Menon, Frankston Hospital’s Emergency Department Clinical Director.

“Blood is carried to the brain by arteries, which contains the oxygen and nutrients your brain cells need. Without this, brain cells die.”

“While brain cells usually die shortly after the stroke starts, some can last a few hours if the blood supply is not cut off completely. This is why it is so important people get to the Emergency Department as soon as possible so medication can be administered to save these cells.”

Ian’s archery club mates could see something was badly wrong, so they took Ian home to his wife Sandy. Sandy took one look at him and brought him straight to the Emergency Department.

By the time he arrived the Emergency Department staff had just 45 minutes to diagnose the stroke, determine what had caused it, and administer the lifesaving clot-busting medication.

“They found I had two blockages – one on the right side, which was the part that affects eyesight, and one at the top of the spinal cord,” explains Ian.

“They were working really hard with the four hour window to give me the clot buster. I ended up getting it with 20 minutes to go – so I was lucky.”

After a few nights in hospital, Ian was able to go home, and onto the Stroke Detours program.

“My sight is still recovering so they taught me really practical things for coping with that, how to get my bearings back – for example they’d drive me down to the local shops and then I had to direct them home.”

Though still recovering from the effects of the stroke, Ian is back caravanning and spending time with his grandchildren.

Help more people like Ian get fast access to emergency stroke care, close to home, by donating to our Spring Appeal today.

Recognise Stroke. Think F.A.S.T.*

Face – Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?

Arms – Can they lift both arms?

Speech – Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?

Time – is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 immediately.

*Source: Stroke Foundation

The post A stroke of luck appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Peninsula Health is leading the way in women’s health, opening a new clinic where a common gynaecology procedure is now performed in an outpatient setting, rather than in the operating theatre.

The Hysteroscopy Clinic uses the very latest technology to look inside the patient’s uterus to diagnose and treat abnormalities of the uterus.

Women are back at home a few hours later, avoiding a stay in hospital.

“This service is about putting the patient at the centre of the care we provide. We fit into the patient’s daily schedule rather than the other way around,” explains Dr Jolyon Ford, Clinical Director of Women’s Health.

“Recovery time is quicker, there is less risk with no general anaesthetic, and women are able to get back into their regular routine sooner.”

Frankston resident Marta was the first patient to access the clinic, which opened in June.

She was referred to Frankston Hospital after experiencing pain in the pelvis.

“My doctor sent me to have an ultrasound and it showed there may be something there, but it wasn’t clear,” explains Marta.

“I have a cancer history in my family so my doctor was concerned about what was happening.”

Marta needed to have a hysteroscopy so the doctor could take a biopsy and further investigate what was going on.

Until recently, this would have meant a trip to theatre and a longer recovery time. But luckily for Marta she was able to have the procedure in the new outpatient clinic.

Marta, who is also a volunteer at Peninsula Health, went home shortly afterwards and was back to her normal routine the next day.

“It would have been so scary if I had to have a general anaesthetic, but this was fantastic,” says Marta.

“While there was a little discomfort, it was really quick. Everything was done really professionally and with humour which is nice as it’s not the nicest thing to have done.”

A week later Marta received some good news – the biopsy found there were no abnormalities.

Dr Ford says women of all ages will benefit from the new clinic.

“The Hysteroscopy Clinic enables us to treat and diagnose different issues women may experience such as abnormal bleeding, fibroids or polyps.”

“Our Women’s Health team is dedicated to providing women with world-class care, close to home, and this innovation is the latest example of how we are striving to do just that.”

What is a hysteroscopy?

A procedure where the inside of the uterus is examined through a thin telescope inserted through the cervix without the need for surgery.

Studies have shown that outpatient procedures with no general anaesthetic are highly acceptable to women as the discomfort is minimal with a rapid return to normal activities.

Jessica Mills
JMills@phcn.vic.gov.au 

The post Cutting edge care appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Clinical Director of Emergency, Dr Shyaman Menon.

Every nine minutes someone in our community suffers a stroke.

Peninsula Health’s Clinical Director of Emergency, Dr Shyaman Menon, explains what happens when you suffer a stroke:

“A stroke happens when blood supply to the brain is interrupted by a blockage or tear in the artery or blood vessels.”

“Blood is carried to the brain by arteries, and contains the oxygen and nutrients your brain cells need. Without this, brain cells die.”

“While brain cells usually die shortly after the stroke starts, some can last a few hours if the blood supply is not cut off completely, which is why it is so important people get to the Emergency Department as soon as possible after having a stroke, so medication can be administered to save these cells.”

“Every minute we delay emergency treatment after a stroke, 1.9 million neurons in the brain are lost.”

“If we can thrombalyse that patient, by giving them the special clot-busting medicine, we can prevent further brain cell death. But it must be given within four hours of the stroke – so every second really counts.”

That’s why with stroke, it’s so important that our local Hospital is equipped with the latest technology. It means our doctors and nurses can act fast in a stroke emergency, where minutes can literally mean the difference between a full recovery and permanent brain damage.

Please give today, and together, we can give all local patients fast access to emergency stroke care so they too can survive and make a full recovery.

The post Do you know the signs of stroke? appeared first on Peninsula Health.

When Rye grandmother Penny Berkshire had a stroke last year, she was left paralysed on her right side.

However after working with the rehabilitation team at Golf Links Road and completing the Stroke Detours Program, she can now walk again, drive again and is hoping to be back on the golf course soon.

“I had the stroke on 20 June last year,” recalls Penny.

“I went to use the computer, but I couldn’t type in my password. I thought that was strange.”

“Then I collapsed. I thought don’t be silly get up, so I got up but then I fell straight back down again.”

It wasn’t until she got to Frankston Hospital that Penny knew she’d had a stroke.

“I didn’t realise what stroke was like. I didn’t realise it affected anybody, of any age,” says Penny.

“By that night, I was paralysed down my right side.”  

“I was in hospital for one week, then I went to Golf Links Road Rehabilitation for six weeks, trying to walk again – I was still in a wheelchair at this stage.”

When she went home, allied health staff from the Stroke Detours Program were there to help with her recovery.

“The Stroke Detours team that came to my home were fantastic!” she says.

“I was having trouble getting moving – they gave me exercises and massages help me move my wrist and helped my walking.”

“It was good, they were lovely.”

A year on, Penny is still doing exercises the team at Peninsula Health taught her, and has made a remarkable recovery.

“I’m back to my sewing getting back towards tai chi.”

She has some advice for other people who have a stroke.

“You’re scared when you first have the stroke, but once you get to rehab it’s important to be positive and have a happy outlook on life.”

“You’ve got to do the hard work yourself – everyone is there to guide you, but you can’t get back to normal without doing the work.”

The post Penny’s remarkable rehab journey and recovery post stroke appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Midwifery Unit Manager Zoe McKewen (centre) with Associate Midwifery Unit Managers Sue Sewell and Amy Cameron. 

Midwifery is a very challenging, but rewarding job according to Frankston Hospital’s newly appointed Midwifery Unit Manager, Zoe McKewen.

“Supporting women through their pregnancy, birth and beyond journey is a privileged and humbling role,” says Zoe.

“I feel comfortable working with and advocating for women in this special and vulnerable time in their life. Midwifery encompasses the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows.”

It is an intimate and unique experience to support women through labour.

“I like the depth of it, I like that it is primal,” explains Zoe.

“You’re sharing an intimate space essentially with a stranger and there is a great responsibility that comes with that, which I take very seriously.”

“It is probably one of the most real situations you can find yourself in as well as being completely surreal at the same time. Oxytocin is a magnificent hormone…”

BEING A LEADER

Zoe was appointed the Midwifery Unit Manager of the Women’s Health Unit in March 2018. She had previously spent six months acting in the role after being an Associate Midwifery Unit Manager for two years.

“Being the Unit Manager was not something I ever coveted,” says Zoe.

“Leadership, although challenging comes relatively easily to me. I am quite comfortable with it.”

Managing the 31 Inpatient Beds, six Birth Beds and five Assessment Rooms is busy and while Zoe’s main role is supporting staff to provide the best care in a safe environment for themselves and the women, she is still involved in caring for women herself when needed.

“The role is akin to being a circus ring leader – it can be anything and everything. Midwifery is predictably unpredictable and I revel in this,” she says.

FROM MASSAGE TO MIDWIFERY

The Southern Peninsula local did her graduate year of Midwifery training at Peninsula Health almost 10 years ago and has been a member of the team ever since.

When she finished High School, Zoe tried a few different careers first which ultimately led her to Midwifery.

“I was a bit lost at the end of Year 12. I worked in retail, did massage and remedial therapies. I then decided I needed more structure so I went to University and studied nursing,” she explains.

“I really enjoyed my acute nursing at The Alfred, I worked in the Burns Unit and learned a lot – both clinical and human. However, I always knew my future was in Midwifery, so I studied midwifery as a post-graduate.”

A NEW MODEL OF CARE

The Women’s Health Unit (WHU) has recently implemented a new Model of Care which has been designed to better support staff to provide the best of care to women and families.

“We like to see ourselves as a boutique unit within the hospital – the WHU includes a Birth Space, Inpatient space and Assessment Area all in one ward,” explains Zoe.

After much consultation between the Midwives and Executives, Zoe and the team designed the new model of care, which divides the ward into a Labour and Assessment space and an Inpatient space, with an Associate Midwifery Unit Manager (AMUM) leading each area per shift. Previously one AMUM was responsible for the entire Unit per shift.

“The new model of care means we now have more staff in leadership roles and delineated clinical areas with designated staff,” says Zoe.

“This change has resulted in more clinical and personal support available to both the Labour/ Assessment and Inpatient staff. In the previous space this was not so easy to achieve.”

“We’re also rostering staff between each of the two areas, so they can be flexible and build a diverse range of skills.”

OPPORUNITIES FOR MIDWIVES

There are currently positions available for midwives to join the team in the WHU.

“The potential we have here at the moment in regards to continuing to expand and extend on what we have already started is exciting,” says Zoe. “The cohesiveness between the midwives, obstetricians, executives, allied health and the support and administration team is continually developing.”

“We are actively working on a more robust preceptorship model and the feedback I have been getting from graduate and student midwives is that they are choosing to apply for jobs here because they feel so well supported.”

“It makes me really proud that the hard work of the midwives and their commitment to Midwifery and the WHU is being seen, felt and acknowledged. It means a lot that their attitude, kindness, respect and humanity is being fed back to me by people who have worked in and experienced this space.”

Apply online today to join Zoe and the team at Peninsula Health.

The post New Women’s Health Unit Manager leads implementation of innovative model of care appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Today Hazel McBride and Ian Birkinhead start the Camino de Santiago – an 800km trek from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago in Spain.

The couple, who are in their sixties, are doing the walk to raise funds for Frankston Hospital, after their experiences as patients.

In 2016, Hazel had a knee replacement and Ian had a hip replacement.

“Out of the thousands of patients passing through the hospital they made us feel that we were special and gave us the very best care,” says the couple.

“We thought, how do you show gratitude to a group of people who have given you a second chance at life? The walk has given us a chance to ask people to support us in our effort to support the hospital.”

Following their surgeries, Ian and Hazel both could not walk unassisted. However after extensive rehabilitation with Peninsula Health they are now ready to take on the Camino, just two years later.

“Thanks to the post-operative services supplied by Peninsula Health, we started exercises in our home,” explain Hazel and Ian.

“We didn’t want to waste the effort by the surgeons so we religiously followed the tasks set by the Physios.”

After seeing the Camino trek on TV, the couple made it their goal to recover from their surgeries and complete the hike.  

They have done plenty of training – walking at least five days a week.

“We do a short 7km walk, medium 12km walk and a 16km walk,” says the couple.

“We walk in all kinds of weather which helps us test our clothing, boots and stamina. We carry a back pack building up to the recommended 10% body weight so that we can replicate the conditions as much as possible.”

The couple expect the trek to take 6-7 weeks.

Good luck Ian and Hazel!

You can make a donation to their fundraising appeal here.

The post Couple embark on 800km trek to raise funds for Frankston Hospital appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Simone Wright says team at Frankston Emergency Department went above and beyond to care for her son after he suffered a serious concussion, and also herself, as a worried Mum.

“Caiden was playing tag at school when he fell and hit his head,” explains Simone.

“We took him to the GP and he was fine. Then about an hour later he started complaining that his leg couldn’t stop moving. We called the doctor who told us to go straight to Emergency.”

“By the time we got to hospital he couldn’t walk so I had to carry him.”

The Langwarrin Mum says from the moment they arrived, the staff were incredible with how they treated her 10-year-old son, and herself.

“From the minute we arrived, to the minute we left – they were just amazing.”

“Caiden started having seizures, his mouth drooped and he lost his strength on his right side.”

“One of the staff could see I was about to burst into tears so she comforted me while another nurse sat down and engaged my son.”

The team did rounds of tests to determine the cause of the symptoms and Caiden was then admitted to the Paediatrics Ward for the night.

After the scans came back clear, Caiden was referred to a Paediatric Neurologist, who put all of the symptoms down to the concussion.

A few weeks on and Caiden has made a full recovery.

“Now you wouldn’t know that it happened,” says Simone.

“I’m still recovering, but he is fine!”

Simone says both she and her son wanted to get in touch with the ED team to say thanks.

“Even my son said Mum I really want to thank them all.”

“They really were lovely – I felt safe and that they had my son’s best interests at hand.”

“So we wanted to say thank you – we really are lucky to have a service like this on our doorstep.” Simone said.

The post Caring for kids – and their parents – in the Emergency Department appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Austrian pharmacy student Birgit Reienhofer has recently finished placement at Frankston Hospital.

Birgit shares some highlights of her time at Peninsula Health and what she, as a final year pharmacy student, believes are the biggest differences between how pharmacists work in Austria and Australia.

Q: Why did you decide to come to Australia to do a student placement?

A: I always wanted to go abroad during my study to gain experience in the clinical pharmacy field as I believe that working in partnerships with patients and other health care professionals is becoming more and more important in my country too.

Q: Why did you choose to work at Peninsula Health?

A: I chose Peninsula Health because the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the Karl Franzens University in Graz, has been collaborating with the Pharmacy Department at Frankston Hospital for many years now and past students were always highly satisfied.  Another main reason was that in the pharmacy field Australia is known as one of the countries worldwide (along with the UK and USA) that provides high-quality patient-centred care services, which I was really keen to explore.

Q: What did you do during your placement?  

A: In the first weeks I was able to observe daily pharmaceutical practices, join ward rounds with the pharmacists and listen to counselling in order to get to know the processes in the hospital. Then I started to run my own research project, the aim of which was to re-assess the quality of pharmaceutical care services in Frankston Hospital and to evaluate the impact of our educational leaflets on patients’ experience ratings in terms of their medication management. So I basically delivered leaflets on Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Heart attack, Atrial fibrillation, Heart failure, Antibiotics, Painkillers and Stop smoking advise to inpatients. I did an experience survey before they went home and then compared the collected data with a baseline project that one of the previous Austrian students conducted a year ago.

What are some of the highlights of your time here at Peninsula Health?

A: One of my highlights at Peninsula Health was seeing how various health care teams work together and how their collaboration is appreciated by each other, as well as the patients. Everybody was helpful all the time and I definitely had lovely conversations with loads of patients. I really liked the perception that patients are seen as an essential part of the healthcare team.

Q: What are some of the main differences you have noticed between pharmacy in Australia and pharmacy in Austria?

A: As I have not worked in pharmacy in Austria yet, I can only answer this from the point of view as a pharmacy student. In my opinion, the biggest difference can be seen in the approaches of our education systems. While there is a focus on developing clinical skills and active learning methods in Australia (students rotate in different placements in community and hospital pharmacies, and employment skills are also communicated in their courses), the Austrian system is less hands-on in terms of work experience and places more emphasis on a broader education system (less focus on clinical skills but more on pharmaceutical chemistry and herbal medicines). However, a change towards offering more patient-centred practices in community and hospital pharmacies in Austria is becoming noticeable. Last year, for example, a clinical pharmacy master’s program was initiated in co-operation with the Robert-Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland to support registered pharmacists in their daily practice and to develop their clinical skills.

The post From Austria to Australia – Q&A with pharmacy student Birgit appeared first on Peninsula Health.

When people in a mental health crisis come to Frankston Emergency Department, Tonya Chique and Emma Carlton are part of our specialist team who are there to help.

The Mental Health Clinician/ Consultation Liaison team provide assessment, treatment and planning for patients with co-morbid mental health and physical health needs who have presented to the ED.

“We see any people that come into the ED requiring a mental health assessment,” explains Tonya.

“We also do discharge planning and referrals – whether it be for a person requiring a crisis admission, or referring them back to their GP with some extra supports, perhaps a psychologist.”

The multidisciplinary team is made up of nurses, allied health clinicians, a consultant psychiatrist and psychiatric registrar.

“I’m a general trained nurse who did my post-grad diploma in mental health and then did my Masters,” says Tonya.

“I’ve worked in many areas of mental health since starting at Peninsula Health as a grad nurse 15 years ago, including as a nurse educator, but I really missed being a nurse so now I’m here working as a senior clinician.”

“My background is social work,” adds Emma.

“Before joining Peninsula Health earlier this year I worked mainly with adolescents in case management.”

They both agree their different skills and experience compliments how they work.

“Having a multi-disciplinary team definitely helps with planning – we’re always discussing each person we assess and getting a broader aspect on their clinical needs,” says Tonya.

“It’s more rounded discharge planning.”

In Australia, one in five people experience a mental health or behavioural condition. Emma and Tonya are both passionate advocates for these people. 

“This is a really important service,” says Tonya.

“We see a lot of people with physical illnesses develop mental illness as a second co-morbidity. A lot of people with substance abuse issues who have been in an accident also have mental health issues.”

“We’re here to give these people hope – when people come to the ED they are at the stage where they have lost hope,” adds Emma.

“It’s really rewarding to be able to help these people.”

Seeing Emma, Tonya or another member of the team can have a big impact on peoples’ lives.

“We’ve had people come back who are appreciative of our help,” says Tonya.

“People that were depressed and went on to have a short admission have said you saved my life, I’m not sure if you realised it at the time.”

Positions are currently available to join the Mental Health Clinician/ Consultation Liaison team and work with Emma and Tonya to provide this vital service in the ED.

Find out more and apply online here.

If you or someone you know needs urgent support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Peninsula Health Mental Health Triage Service on 1300 792 977.

The post Mental health care, support and planning in the Emergency Department appeared first on Peninsula Health.

Nurse Unit Manager Karly with patient Sandy.

Nurse Unit Manager Karly Hudgson has led a new project to discharge five patients before 10am daily on the busiest ward at Frankston Hospital, the Surgical Short Stay Unit (SSSU).

“The SSSU can admit and discharge more than 100 patients in one week,” explains Karly.

“This is double the number of patients compared to other wards in the hospital.”

There is a big demand for beds in the SSSU from the Emergency Department (ED) and Theatre.

“Early discharges from SSSU allow new surgical patients to be admitted earlier, reducing their length of stay in ED and theatre. When SSSU is bed blocked there is increased pressure on these two areas.”

“So we decided to start a new project, with the aim of discharging five patients before 10am each day.”

To achieve this, Karly and the team focused on early identification and communication with patients.

“We now identify our early discharges the day before and let patients know then that they will be going home in the morning.”

“By doing this we have managed to increase the number of discharges before 10am from 7% to 31%.”

The project has been a big success and Karly has recently returned from the National Nursing Forum on the Gold Coast and the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, where she shared the findings from the initiative with colleagues from around the world.

“We got lots of positive feedback about the project,” says Karly.

“Peninsula Health is definitely leading the way with quality, diversity and digital advancements, including our huddle system, online clover system and the Rainbow Tick Accreditation.”

“The conferences were also a great opportunity to learn from others – I got lots of great quality ideas to bring back to my team on the SSSU to implement.”

The post Getting patients home sooner appeared first on Peninsula Health.