SOUTH WESTERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT January 2015 Dissection table unveiled A dissection table at Liverpool Hospital which allows medical staff and students to slice and manipulate 3D images of bodies was recently unveiled to NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner. The $80,000 table takes life-sized images such as x-rays, ultrasounds or MRIs and creates 3D versions that can be manipulated, rotated, dissected and layered using a touchscreen interface. Located at the Hospital’s Ingham Institute Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre, the table was purchased by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) for its South Western Sydney Clinical School. The data in the software comes from scans of cadavers sliced at 0.1mm in thickness so it is highly accurate. The software designers have sliced these bodies at high resolution levels and built models around the anatomy. Liverpool Hospital GM Robynne Cooke, Minister for Health Jillian Skinner, Liverpool Hospital Director of Trauma Scott D’Amours, Menai MP Melanie Gibbons and medical student Isaac Lui. Community invited to meet the Board Guests at the SWSLHD Annual Public Meeting enjoyed a more informal Meet the Board event this year, where they had an opportunity to meet and chat with members of the District Board and the Chief Executive. The meeting was held at the Campbelltown Arts Centre and offered guests the chance to hear about the activities of the Local Health District, including highlights from the past financial year and audited financial statements. Guests also viewed highlights from last year’s ABC TV series Changing Minds, filmed at Liverpool Hospital. Board Chair Professor Phil Harris said much had been achieved over the past twelve months to prepare for the future health needs of the fast growing and diverse population of south western Sydney. “Considerable attention has been given to the planning and developing of services to ensure the continued delivery of quality health care,” he said. The meeting was well attended by staff and community representatives from across the District. To submit a news story for publication in SWSLHD District News contact the Media Unit on 9828 6848 or email swsmedia@sswahs.nsw.gov.au January 2015 Message from the Chair linguistically diverse backgrounds. Deputy Chair Carolyn Burlew and members Professor Brad Frankum, John Gordon and Professor Neil Merrett and I were also reappointed to the Board. More than 70 consumer and community participation representatives also recently gathered to celebrate the end of a busy year with a Christmas lunch. Congratulations to Tricia Parker, Chair of the Bankstown Network who received the Members of the SWSLHD Board at the Annual Public Meeting held in December. I hope you had an enjoyable and relaxing questions. The Meeting was well attended Harry Collins Award for her involvement holiday and have returned to work and a great opportunity to celebrate our in several committees including Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning. refreshed and ready for the new year. achievements over the past 12 months. Thank you to all the consumer and Last month we held the District’s fourth This year we welcome two new Board community participation representatives, Annual Public Meeting. We thought we’d members, Ms Kerrie Murphy and Dr staff, volunteers and community partners do something a little different to provide Shameran Slewa-Younan. for your dedication throughout 2014. members of the community, consumer Ms Murphy brings with her experience in representatives and staff with a better corporate governance and education, and I look forward to a busy and productive year ahead for the District. opportunity to meet the District Board Dr Slewa-Younan has significant clinical in an informal setting where they were Prof. Phil Harris, Chair and research expertise working with able to raise any issues, interests or refugees and people from culturally and Celebrating Aged Care and Rehab Associate Professor Friedbert Kohler, Dr Chris Shanley and guest speaker at the forum Professor Gerold Stucki from the University of Lucerne. The District’s Aged Care and Rehabilitation stream held a conference at Liverpool Hospital in December attended by more than 200 people. A highlight of the day was guest speaker Professor Gerold Stucki, Chair, Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy at the University of Lucerne, Switzerland. Prof Stucki has a commitment to optimising the functioning and social inclusion of people with health conditions. 2 | South Western Sydney Local Health District New Birthing Centre One of the impressive suites in Campbelltown Hospital’s new birthing centre, which was refurbished as part of the Hospital’s redevelopment. A new Birthing Centre boasting one newly refurbished and three newly built birthing suites has opened at Campbelltown Hospital, as part of the Hospital’s $134 million redevelopment. The Birthing Centre is located in the Birthing Unit, along with the Hospital’s existing delivery suites, bringing the total number of beds to 11. The new rooms offer a less clinical environment for women with low risk pregnancies who do not require an extended hospital stay. Community stakeholders including the hospital’s neighbours enjoyed a sneak peek tour of the Hospital’s new Acute Services Building. They visited the new ambulatory care floor, pathology and a ward. For more on the Campbelltown Hospital redevelopment visit: www.swslhd.nsw.gov.au/ccq/redevelopment January 2015 Christmas cheer across the District Bankstown Campbelltown Liverpool CAPTI Macarthur Oncology Ward District Camden Bowral Fairfield 3 | South Western Sydney Local Health District January 2015 Ingham’s best Ingham Institute researcher Kirsten Duggan recently received the Best of the Best Award for her oral presentation on lung cancer at the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia’s Annual Scientific Meeting. Ms Duggan, a Clinical Cancer Registry researcher, won her award for a new cancer services study which evaluated the patterns of palliative and psychosocial care in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer in south western Sydney. Phase one of the study investigated the rates of referral to palliative care and psychosocial care for 923 patients and assessed the quality of the care. “Results of our study revealed rates of referral within the local population were high, but favoured patients who received active cancer treatment which warrants further investigation. There were also geographic differences noted in the rates of referral,” Ms Duggan said. “We need to conduct further work to determine the factors that contribute to referral gaps,” she said. The study will be further expanded in 2015. An artful plan Artwork on loan from Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre has brightened the corridors of the Liverpool Hospital Cancer Therapy Centre, with the launch of an art exhibition recently. Visitors can now enjoy 13 artworks, which have been hung in the Cancer Therapy Centre corridors and Chemotherapy Suite. The project was brought about by James Nguyen (pictured), who spent many hours in the Cancer Therapy Centre while his father was undergoing chemotherapy. Funding for Women as Mothers Karitane@Camden’s Women as Mothers (WAM) group has been awarded a grant of almost $4,000 though Camden Council’s Community Small Grants Program. WAM supports first-time mothers with a baby under six months by providing a safe, supportive environment for them to share their experiences and coping strategies. The program is facilitated by a registered nurse and social worker Get healthy at work Quick news James said he felt a sense of helplessness watching his father for hours on end and it was during this time staring at white walls that he came up with the idea of an art exhibition. Liverpool Hospital General Manager Robynne Cooke said she hoped the artwork made patients and their carers feel more at ease. “We are very thankful to Liverpool Council and Casula Powerhouse for partnering with us to help deliver great warmth and vibrancy to the Cancer Therapy Centre,” she said. Local businesses and workers will benefit from a $12 million ‘Get Healthy at Work’ initiative launched at Liverpool. Businesses can register for the free program developed by NSW Health and WorkCover NSW, at www.gethealthyatwork.com.au. SWSLHD supports the NSW Office of Preventive Health, which implements the program along with WorkCover. Karitane’s Lucette Sommerton, Camden Mayor Lara Symkowiak and Karitane@Camden Nurse Unit Manager Angela Wood. Changing Minds a winner Changing Minds, the documentary series filmed in Liverpool Hospital’s Mental Health Unit was named Best Local Documentary Series of the Year by the Sydney Morning Herald. “The three-part series provided eye-opening and highly sympathetic insights into a handful of people with severe mental health issues, their families and carers,” Sydney Morning Herald. 4 | South Western Sydney Local Health District Revamped space for Birunji Thank you to everyone who voted for the Birunji Youth Mental Health Unit at Campbelltown Hospital in the Medibank Community Grant competition. Birunji received the most votes and has been awarded $33,350 for a renovation of its outdoor area, providing hospitalised young people with a vibrant recreation space and place to recover. Printed on 100% recycled paper