Department of Health, Tasmania

Meet Dr Iestyn Lewis, patient (and retired doctor) Graham Bury, and Dr Tessa Cunliffe. Graham was a patient recently admitted on Hospital@home, which is an interdisciplinary service in Southern Tasmania that provides hospital-level care to adult patients in their home or community setting, following a referral by a healthcare professional. Graham was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica, an inflammatory condition that causes pain and stiffness. During his treatment, he was supported by his wife and received at least a daily visit from one of the Hospital@home interdisciplinary team members, including nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals. 🏡 Hospital@home commenced a year ago and merged the pre-existing Community Rapid Response Service, Hospital In The Home service, and Allied Health Rapid Response teams into one streamlined service. “We were also able to create a Geriatric Evaluation and Management@home arm of the service, to enable older patients to stay in their homes for longer,” says Iestyn. “It is a very novel model and unique in Australia, to be able to admit patients directly from the community onto Hospital@home.” Importantly, the service is helping reduce hospital pressure, Iestyn adds. “It’s contributing to about a 10% reduction in the acute medicine patients being admitted through the emergency department (ED). So, for anyone who is going to sit in the waiting room any time soon, or require admission through the ED, I would just like to let them know that without us, it would be even busier!” Tessa observes that Hospital@home allows the interdisciplinary team to better assess how older patients are functioning in their home. “We are able to work with the patient and their family on a plan to help them stay at home for as long as possible, and try to prevent them from having to go into the hospital or a nursing home.” There are many advantages to older patients receiving care at home, including reduced hospital-acquired complications, and the service has been a good experience for staff too, Iestyn says. “We are trained to provide a very high level of care and sometimes, in a very busy hospital environment, or an overcrowded ED, that feels a bit difficult. When you treat someone at home, people are more likely to ask the questions they’d like to about their prognosis and treatment plans. A lot of patients we see are elderly and quite frail and we are able to plan for their disease processes in a very personalised way. It’s quite satisfying.” Thank you, Graham, for sharing your story, and to Iestyn and Tessa and our Hospital@home and Hospital in the Home teams for your incredible care of Tasmanian patients! 🙌🏼 🔗 More on Hospital@home in Southern Tasmania: https://lnkd.in/g3QA4adX 🔗 More on the Hospital In The Home virtual ward in North Tasmania: https://lnkd.in/gMhQwK3P #healthcareers #tasmania

✨ In this new episode of the One Health Podcast’s Executive Series, Dorian Broomhall, Manager of Culture & Wellbeing, gets to know Ian Thomas, our Chief Risk Officer. During the conversation, Ian talks about the crucial role that camaraderie plays in helping colleagues look out for each other in a demanding work environment. Watch this excerpt in the clip below. ℹ You can listen and subscribe to the One Health Podcast through most podcasting apps. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/ggF6fKZK 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gXteh-N8 Transcripts can be found below each episode on Buzzsprout: https://lnkd.in/dBYAG-Pu #healthcareers #podcast #tasmania

🌟 Congratulations to Royal Hobart Hospital’s DAISY awardees, Brielle Barnes, Denise Wilson and Anna Cooper! They were nominated for their compassionate care by patients and family members. Excerpts below: Brielle Barnes – Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit “We were told at the birth that our baby had Down syndrome. The first few days were rough. Not only was Brielle amazing and gentle in caring for our baby, but she was also very thoughtful about our mental health too. She reassured us and explained stuff where needed. When I got upset, she made sure to get me help from doctors and social workers and made sure that I was okay. She celebrates every progress our baby makes and even if she is not assigned to his care, she will come over and check on him. She gets so excited by all the little achievements he’s making, and it just feels like she is on our team cheering him on.” Denise Wilson – Integrated Discharge Team “Denise has been our family’s saviour in so many ways. She has worked tirelessly on not only discharge planning but assisting our family with arranging and participating in countless meetings, with medical and nursing teams as well as outside agencies. I don’t believe our family would have coped without Denise’s constant support. She is so compassionate, thoughtful, well-informed and always reachable to answer questions or just talk about how everyone is coping. In my 44-year nursing career, I have met a number of exceptional nurses and consider Denise to be one of the best.” Anna Cooper – Ward K10 “Over recent weeks, I have recognised such intuition and understanding from Anna in her palliative care. Anna has supported the patient and their loved ones with such empathy and knowledge far beyond her years. This family has significant grief history and Anna has eloquently supported them through this difficult time. She has supported this patient and their unique needs as to facilitate their final wishes, and assisted the family to grieve, all while providing high-level care. Anna has exceeded all expectations and shows exemplary signs of compassion and dedication to her work and her patients.” 🙌🏼 Thank you Brielle, Denise and Anna for all that you do! The DAISY awards acknowledge exceptional professional, compassionate, person-centred care. To nominate a staff member, email us with the nurse or midwife’s full name, where they work, and why you think they deserve to be a DAISY award honoree. 📧 Send nominations to: Hospitals North – [email protected] Hospitals North West – [email protected] Hospitals South – [email protected] #daisyaward #healthcareers #tasmania

Incredible teamwork and precision from our Critical Care and Retrieval crew 🚁 Check out this impressive footage of our Intensive Care Flight Paramedic, Rob Brittle, being winched onto the MS Europa 2 cruise ship – 120 nautical miles off Tasmania’s East Coast. Tasked by Australian Maritime Safety Authority in collaboration with Tasmania Police, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Tasmania team completed this medivac earlier this month, retrieving the patient in just 19 minutes. This significant distance required precise planning and calculations to ensure safe fuel margins and a successful outcome. Well done to all involved! #AmbulanceTasmania #Medivac #HelicopterRescue #InstensiveCare #FlightParamedic #AMSA #EmergencyResponse

More than 100,000 GP referrals have been seamlessly processed by our nation-leading Tasmanian eReferrals project! ✨ 🩺 eReferrals has enabled Tasmanian GPs to directly refer patients to specialists through a digital system, without the need to send faxes, emails, or print and scan written referrals. Tasmanian GPs are now able to instantly refer patients to over 200 specialist services around the state. Once an eReferral has been received, GPs receive automated progress updates. The Department of Health recorded an 8% increase in outpatient appointments in the past year, which means more patients have been able to get the specialist care they need sooner. The end result is more time spent on care and less time spent on administration. Partnering with Primary Health Tasmania, the eReferrals project is part of the Digital Health Transformation Program delivering clinically led, patient-centred initiatives to transform the state’s health system into a modern, integrated care system ready to meet the challenges of the future. A big congratulations to our Digital Health Transformation and Outpatient Transformation program teams and all involved in this fantastic achievement! 🙌🏼 🔗 More on the Digital Health Transformation Program here: https://lnkd.in/gUTde7Fv 📸: Meet some of the amazing Digital Health Transformation team! From left to right: Sam Brodribb, Lee Gillam, Lisa Hagstrom, Georgia Doering and Meghan Mann #healthcareers #ictinnovation #digitalhealth #tasmania

Are you ready to step into a clinical leadership role in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)? Ambulance Tasmania is hiring a Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) - Infection Prevention and Control in Hobart. In this full-time role, you will support our frontline ambulance clinicians by: ✔️ Developing and leading the IPC Framework, including audits and training. ✔️ Driving quality improvement and advancing IPC research. ✔️ Managing the Staff Vaccination Program and delivering education initiatives. ✔️ Ensuring evidence-based practices in infection prevention across Ambulance Tasmania. Join us and access generous professional development support, excellent leave benefits and enjoy the Department of Health, Tasmania's Fitness Passport program for the whole family. 👉 Apply now or learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gkAFaDrB #NursingCareers #AmbulanceTasmania #HealthJobsTas #InfectionControl #ClinicalLeadership

After 34 years as a Registered Nurse at the Royal Hobart Hospital, it is time for Ali Lewis to hang up her scrubs. Ali began her nursing career in 1982. She worked for a few years in the UK and across Australia before settling in the RHH’s Department of Critical Care Medicine (DCCM) over three decades ago. “Ali has seen many changes throughout the years in the Critical Care space, but continued to adapt and learn, supporting her colleagues and advocating for patient care along the way,” says Ellen Burke, Nurse Unit Manager – DCCM. “Ali has always provided me and many others with support and guidance, whilst also challenging us all to be the best critical care nurses (and doctors) we could be.” Thanks to Ali’s inspiring career as an ICU nurse, her daughter Steph knew from a young age that she wanted to work in the ICU and help save lives. 💙 “I know one of Ali’s greatest achievements is seeing Steph transition through the Introduction to Critical Care Program and this year, complete her postgraduate certificate in Critical Care Nursing,” says Ellen. Ali and Steph, pictured here, were fortunate to work together in the ICU for the last two years. 🙌🏼 Thank you Ali for your wonderful service and commitment to the Tasmanian community. We wish you all the very best for the adventures that await! ✨ #healthcareers #nursesrock #tasmania

👩🎓 Congratulations to our 11 newly registered midwives who are beginning their careers in maternity services across Tasmania. At a special ceremony in Launceston, the midwives from across Tasmania were congratulated following their graduation from studies in a Bachelor of Midwifery. Supported by the Department of Health, Tasmania in collaboration with Tasmanian public and private maternity services, the University of Southern Queensland - Australia has delivered this two-year fast track degree course program to Registered Nurses in Tasmania since 2017. Since then, more than 100 of the State’s Registered Nurses are either currently studying or have completed their studies to become a midwife. Congratulations to all the graduates on their outstanding achievement, and we wish them all the best as they embark on their careers as a midwife! 🌟 Meet the graduates! 📸 1: Graduates from the South - Leila Dale and Charlotte Adams 📸 2: Graduates from the North West - Jacinta Skidmore and Emma Donnellan 📸 3 (from left to right): Graduate from the North - Kayla Robinson, Kate Sheppard, Miriam Churchill, Elizabeth Schmeiszl, Ellie Sedgwick, Tania Hawke and Amy MacNamara #midwivesmakeadifference #tasmania #healthcareers

Congratulations to Jane Boucher, Clinical Nurse Specialist – Neurosurgery at the Royal Hobart Hospital! She has been recognised with a DAISY Award for her compassionate care. 🌟 Jane’s nomination was submitted by a patient, who wrote: “Throughout all the wonderful care and support I received when I was a patient at the Royal, there was one person who stood apart from the others. Jane. Jane's exceptional care made a significant difference in my recovery. Not only did she provide me with the medical attention I needed, but she also went above and beyond to make sure my family felt supported and informed throughout my admission. Her compassionate and attentive approach to patient care was evident in everything she did, from her willingness to answer our questions, to her ability to make us feel as comfortable as possible in the circumstances. She was a passionate advocate for me when I was unable to do so myself. She was patient, kind, and empathetic. Her reassuring words and positive outlook helped me see beyond my current situation and focus on the positives ahead. Jane was a critical person during this time, and the value I gained from her presence and care is immeasurable. She went above and beyond to ensure that I received the best care. I will be forever grateful for what Jane did, her actions, and her approach to care.“ Thank you Jane, for all that you do! 🙌🏼 The DAISY awards is an international nursing and midwifery program that acknowledges exceptional professional, compassionate, person-centred care. 📧 To nominate a staff member, email us with the nurse or midwife’s full name, where they work, and why you think they deserve to be a DAISY award honoree. Send nominations to: North – [email protected] North West – [email protected] South – [email protected] #daisyawards #nursesrock #tasmania #healthcareers

🌟 Congratulations and our heartfelt thanks to our fantastic long-serving staff! Doctors, nurses, medical scientists, radiation therapists, pharmacists, midwives and administrators were among those who celebrated completing 40 and 50 years of continuous service in the Tasmanian health system. Meet some of our incredible staff in these photos who were honoured recently at long-service recognition ceremonies in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie. We thank you for your compassionate and dedicated care and all you continue to do for the health and wellbeing of the Tasmanian community! 🙌🏼 📸 1: Brendan Docherty (Deputy Secretary – Hospitals and Primary Care) with honorees Christine Egan, Senior Radiation Therapist; Jonathan Eldridge, Branch Station Officer ICP; Dr Timothy Mooney, Rural General Practitioner; Tamara Wadley, Administrative Assistant; Robyn Morey, Clinical Nurse Consultant - Infection Prevention and Control; Donna O’Grady, Home Help Personal Carer 📸 2: Honorees Tamara Wadley, Administrative Assistant; Robyn Morey, Clinical Nurse Consultant – Infection Prevention and Control; Heather Carins, Chef; Nadia Zalucki (Executive Director - Allied Health, representing Hospitals North), Kevin French, Telephonist; and Kathryn Austin, Clinical Nurse Specialist - CATT 📸 3: Honorees Jonathan Eldridge, Branch Station Officer ICP; Craig Broomhall, Branch Station Officer ICP; Dr Timothy Mooney, Rural General Practitioner 📸 4: Paula Hyland (Chief Executive – Hospitals North West) with honoree Joanne Keygan, Registered Nurse 📸 5: Honoree Jane Whiteley, Oral Health Therapist/Dental Therapist 📸 6: Honorees Craig Jeffery, Chief Financial Officer; Amanda Miller, Communications Officer; Maree Farquhar, Registered Nurse; Jennifer Mayne, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Gynaecology Services 📸 7: Honorees Juanita Watson, Clinical Nurse Consultant – Infection Prevention and Control; Anne Muskett, Registered Nurse completing 50 years’ service; Gail White, Area Manager – Oral Health Services Tasmania; Linda Van T Sant, Registered Nurse 📸 8: Honorees Angela Russell, Clinical Nurse Specialist – Immunisation; Venkateswaran Parameswaran, Medical Scientist in Charge – Endocrinology; Noeline Bell, Endoscopy Technician; Charlyne Geeves, Registered Midwife #healthcareers #tasmania