southern health quarterly spring 2012

SPECIAL CAREHow Monash Children’s is improving care for the smallest patients

PICTURE OF HEALTH Advances in diagnostic imaging

SECOND CHANCE Teenager’s gift of life

QUARTERLY

spring 2012

www.southernhealth.org.au02

6CoverClinical nurse educator Jacquie Taylor monitors baby Cayden born at 25 weeks gestation, weighing 817 grams. See story, page 6.

PhotographPhilip Blackman

For permission to reprint any part of this magazine, please contact the editor. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Southern Health.

EditorChelsea Arnold

e: [email protected]

DesignDynamic Creations

Contact UsSouthern Health Quarterly is published by the Public Affairs and Communication Department

Southern Health Locked Bag 29 Clayton South Victoria 3169

Inside this issue

6

4 03 Award for mental health nurse

04 Making news

05 Healthy lifestyles to prevent diabetes

06 Evidence-based practice at NICU

06 Gift of life for teenager

08 Advances in diagnostic imaging

10 Aboriginal garden a place for healing

11 Aged care for the future

12 Monash Medical Centre’s silver jubilee

This edition coincides with the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Monash Medical Centre, formed in 1987 out of the amalgamation of three pre-existing hospitals – Prince Henry’s Hospital, the Queen Victoria Medical Centre and Moorabbin Hospital.

Each had a long and proud tradition of care and the new Monash Medical Centre brought world-class teaching and research health services for the first time to

the rapidly growing south east of Melbourne.

At the heart of this far-reaching change was the desire to bring services closer to where people live.

The growth continues in the south east and shows no indication it will diminish soon. I am confident that the exciting developments underway at Southern Health mean we are well placed to meet the challenges of the next 25 years.

With this in mind, we are now about to embark on developing a Strategic Plan to take us up until 2018 and beyond. We continue to be committed to ensuring the patient remains at the heart of all we do at Southern Health.

Shelly Park Chief Executive

Message from the Chief ExecutiveWelcome to the second edition of Southern Health Quarterly, which aims to highlight the amazing work being done within Southern Health.

11

Read about our latest breakthroughs. Have each edition of Southern Health Quarterly sent straight to your desktop. Subscribe today.

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SOUTHERN HEALTH QUARTERLY spring 2012 03

Message from the Chief Executive

There are 4174 nurses and midwives working at

Southern Health sites. Considering a nursing career?

Visit www.southernhealth.org.au/page/Careers for more information.

DID YOU KNOW? FACT FILE

Southern Health services 32 per cent of metropolitan Melbourne.

Our services are available to

1.317 million residents in the cities of Monash, Greater Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, Kingston, Glen Eira and parts

of Bayside, Frankston and Knox.

WARD WATCH

Stepping up to deal with mental health

Name: Andrew Jong

Position: Transition Program Coordinator

Workplace: Stepping Stones, Early in Life Mental Health

The teenage years can be difficult at the best of times, but even more so

if you’re suffering a mental illness.

At Southern Health, mental health nurse Andrew Jong is helping teenagers work through their depression, anxiety, and alcohol and drug issues to transform their lives and reintegrate them back to school and the community.

Mr Jong, with his cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, is the Transition Program Coordinator at Stepping Stones, part of the Early in Life Mental Health Service.

The Transition Program is a partial hospitalisation day program that offers assessment, treatment, psychoeducation and rehabilitation for a range of diverse psychiatric issues and behavioural difficulties in young people, while they remain living at home.

His efforts working with young people aged 12 to 17 experiencing mental health difficulties were acknowledged recently, when Andrew was awarded the Excellence in Mental Health Nursing prize and named Nurse of the Year at the annual Southern Health Nursing and Midwifery Awards.

In addition to his dedication to helping rehabilitate young people, Mr Jong was recognised for being a good role model for male adolescents.

“I was very humbled to receive the award. I was representing not only me but the team here at Stepping Stones. To be named the overall winner was humbling and very exciting as I am the first mental

health nurse and first male nurse to receive the award,” Mr Jong said.

“I really enjoy working with young people. I find it personally satisfying helping young people through difficult times in their lives.”

Stepping Stones has been at the forefront of child and adolescent psychiatry for the past 20 years. Each year more than 350 young people are admitted as inpatients or take part in the Transition Program.

“There is still a really strong stigma associated with mental health. Mental illness is far wider than people acknowledge but it is not as scary as people may think.”

“Stepping Stones is for any young person who might have a mental health difficulty that might include depression, anxiety, having difficulty at school, feeling overwhelmed, drug and alcohol problems, or family relationship breakdown issues,” Mr Jong said.

At Stepping Stones staff focus on developing life skills and crisis planning with the patients.

“We work with them to identify their goals, and ways for them to deal with their emotions. By working on their goals we can get them back to school, or look at alternatives to school, and get them reconnected to life.”

“Being young is difficult but when you have a mental health difficulty it’s even harder.”

http://www.southernhealth.org.au/page/Careers


Making newsDiscovery could prevent cerebral palsyDoctors at Monash Medical Centre Clayton are conducting a world-first trial using antioxidants to prevent babies from suffering brain damage in the womb.

Significantly growth-restricted babies, in which the placenta does not provide sufficient oxygen and nutrients for the developing brain, are at risk of developing cerebral palsy.

The trial involves a dozen pregnant women, whose babies are not developing normally, being given the antioxidant melatonin.

Currently, there is nothing doctors can do to prevent cerebral palsy in seven out of 10 cases where the brain injury occurs before birth.

Southern Health Director of Obstetrics Euan Wallace said this could be a major breakthrough to protect babies at risk of brain injury.

‘’It is significant because at the moment there is no treatment we can give women during pregnancy to protect their unborn baby’s brain,’’ he said.

If the treatment proves successful, a larger trial of about 100 women could be conducted.

Each year about 700 Australian children are born with cerebral palsy.

Appeal to save the eyesight of young diabeticsFor four-year-old Elena Raschilla daily insulin injections and blood tests are essential to keep her diabetes in check.

But the youngster, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three, must also undergo regular check-ups as part of the management of her diabetes.

Unbeknown to many, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in young people in Australia.

Diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the retina, may affect up to 80 per cent of people who have had diabetes for 10 years or more.

Regular eye screening can greatly reduce the risk of vision impairment and if damage is detected early, before it has affected someone’s sight, appropriate treatment can prevent vision loss altogether.

At least 90 per cent of new cases could be reduced or prevented with optimal diabetes management, including regular diabetes eye checks.

The Monash Medical Centre’s Young Adults Diabetes Service

Clinic wants to help young people with diabetes avoid vision loss and blindness by providing eye screening as part of the services they offer.

In order to be able to provide regular screening for outpatients a retinal camera is needed.

The Monash Health Foundation hopes to raise $35,000 to purchase a state-of-the-art camera.

Monash Children’s Head of Paediatric Diabetes and Endocrinology Associate Professor Christine Rodda said the camera is an investment for healthy eyes.

“We need to make sure that children and teenagers in our community like young Elena will be able to have access to regular eye checks to catch diabetic retinopathy early. It is vitally important we don’t allow our children with diabetes to be at risk. Eyesight is simply too precious.

“If we have the retinal camera then young people can have several appointments at the Young Adults Diabetes Service at the one time,” she said. “It really supports them with getting these important screen tests done.”

Planning for new Monash Children’s hospital Planning and development of the new Monash Children’s hospital continues with a $7.3 million boost to funds in the State Budget released in May.

This brings to $15.8 million in funding for the key planning and land acquisition phases of the 240-bed hospital.

Southern Health Chief Executive Shelly Park said the funds would enable work on more detailed plans for the hospital.

“We have been given a unique opportunity to plan a service from the ground up, incorporating the latest thinking on children’s health,” Ms Park said.

“Our vision is to create a world-class children’s hospital that will serve our children now and into the future.”

Building funds: Plans are underway for the new Monash Children’s Hospital development.

Sight saving: Elena Raschilla will benefit from having a retinal camera on-site at the Young Adult Diabetes Services Clinic.

If you can help protect the eyesight of young patients in the community like Elena Raschilla, please visit www.monashhealthfoundation.org.au or contact the Monash Health Foundation on 9594 2700.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Saving babies: Director of Obstetrics Euan Wallace is trialling antioxidants to prevent cerebral palsy.


http://www.monashhealthfoundation.org.au


Innovative research into healthy lifestyles to prevent gestational diabetes is having a profound impact on pregnant women and their unborn babies.

INSIDE STORY

PREVENTING DIABETES IN PREGNANCY

Falling pregnant used to be seen as a reason to ‘eat for two’ but

Southern Health, together with Monash University researchers, has pioneered a healthy lifestyle education program to improve health and prevent high-risk pregnant women developing pregnancy-related diabetes.

Head of Southern Health’s Diabetes and Vascular Medicine Unit, Professor Helena Teede, said the number of overweight and obese women falling pregnant and subsequently developing gestational diabetes was increasing.

“Obesity is the primary cause of serious health complications and the number of women with diabetes is increasing. One of the often unrecognised consequences of poor lifestyles is reduced fertility. Once pregnant, excess weight can have serious health repercussions for mother and baby,” Prof Teede said.

“Those with a high-risk pregnancy have higher rates of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, miscarriage, and other serious complications.”

“Nine per cent of pregnant women treated at Southern Health have gestational diabetes - that is almost one in 10 pregnant women being diagnosed at 28 weeks.”

Prof Teede, an endocrinologist, dietician Dr Catherine Lombard and exercise physiologist Dr Cheryce Harrison collaborated closely with Southern Health midwives and obstetricians to improve healthy lifestyles in pregnant women.

The HeLP-her healthy lifestyle project attracted $1.5 million funding overall from The Jack Brockhoff Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council and a BRIDGES grant from the International

Diabetes Federation, supported by an educational grant from Lilly Diabetes.

“This project involved 228 overweight and obese women at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes in pregnancy,” Prof Teede said.

“This trial compared standard antenatal care with basic health education to standard antenatal care with a four-session behavioural lifestyle intervention developed to optimise gestational weight gain and lifestyle behaviour including diet and physical activity.”

The study found that by 28 weeks gestation the intervention group had gained less weight than the control group, with the greatest effect noted in non-obese women (only 17 per cent with intervention exceeded the recommended weight gain, compared to 55 per cent) and non-Australian born women (24 per cent in the intervention group, compared to 49 per cent).

Furthermore, by six weeks after birth, there was a significant reduction in weight retention in women from the intervention group.

Prof Teede said Southern Health was committed to working with women to make lifestyle changes to avoid unnecessary health risks.

“This is the only Australian evidence- based intervention program for women at high-risk of gestational diabetes and other complications in pregnancy. It’s not rocket science, it’s good commonsense but research is vital to show the way.”

The HeLP-her healthy lifestyle program has also been successful in mothers of school aged children and will be expanded to include women in rural areas and be accessible online for all women across Victoria.


A review of a clinical procedure routinely carried out worldwide has seen a small

change introduced at Monash Newborn which can make a difference to the outcomes of premature and sick babies.

Monash Newborn’s Clinical Nurse Educator Jacquie Taylor, along with three colleagues from the Mater Hospital, undertook a review for The Cochrane Collaboration of tracheal suctioning of intubated and ventilated neonates.

Babies receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are among the most premature and unwell born in Victoria. The very smallest of the babies are born at 24 weeks gestation and weigh less than 500 grams.

Of the 60 babies in the ward on any given day, about 10 to 15 of them are intubated and ventilated, meaning that because they have trouble breathing they have a tube inserted orally or nasally into the trachea which supplies them with oxygen. As the babies cannot clear fluids from their throats by swallowing, the tubes need to be cleared.

Ms Taylor said that suctioning to clear the tubes could be done with or without disconnection from the ventilator.

“Very premature and even sick full-term infants can need to be intubated for support for breathing. But because they can’t clear the secretions by swallowing, they need to be suctioned,” Ms Taylor said.

Traditionally, this has been by disconnecting the baby from the ventilator and applying negative pressure, also called open suctioning.

Another suctioning technique, closed suctioning, has been introduced into clinical practice which aims to prevent or reduce untoward effects. A catheter can be passed along the ventilation tube without disconnecting

COVER STORY

TEENAGER’S TRANSPLANT SUCCESS

Turning research into practice

A life-long Monash Children’s patient who received the gift of life from an anonymous donor is encouraging people to register to become organ donors.

the baby from the ventilator by using a specifically designed closed suction circuit.

“In the clinical setting it was not clear which method of suctioning was best for infants, therefore a systematic review of the literature was performed,” Ms Taylor said.

The review updated a previous review and considered the suctioning of 252 infants in four trials worldwide.

“The review of trials found there was some evidence that suctioning without disconnection improves stability,” Ms Taylor said.

“We found that closed suctioning was beneficial in terms of their physiological stability. Their heart rate and saturation levels were more stable. Having less fluctuations results in greater short-term stability.

One paediatric nurse is examining ways to continuously improve the care of some of Monash Children’s most vulnerable babies.



Murray was taken by ambulance from the Monash Medical Centre Clayton to The Alfred Hospital where the double lung transplant was carried out.

He recuperated in just 13 days but now must take immunosuppressants to ensure his body does not reject his new lungs.

While his new lungs do not have cystic fibrosis, he still has the disease in his pancreas which means taking enzyme replacements with meals and eating a high-fat diet.

“Since the transplant I don’t cough any more. I feel pretty exceptional. It really has changed my life in being able to do the things that you just take for granted,” he said.

Murray is looking forward to the future. He has gone back to work in retail and is planning an overseas holiday.

He is grateful for the second chance he has been given and is hopeful that his 28-year-old brother Geoff, who also suffers cystic fibrosis, will be eligible for a transplant in future.

“The lung transplant means I get to live. I want the same for my brother.”

Murray encouraged people to discuss organ donation with their families.

“Everyone should know whether their loved ones want to be organ donors. The more donors we have, the more lives can be saved.

“Organ donation saved my life.”

About 1600 people are on Australian organ transplant waiting lists.

One organ, eye and tissue donor can save or enhance the lives of 10 or more people.

Discuss becoming an organ donor with your family. For information, visit DonateLife at www.donatelife.gov.au

fast facts

Intensive care: Clinical Nurse Educator Jacquie Taylor monitors baby Cayden, born at 25 weeks gestation weighing 817 grams. Closed suctioning has been identified as being more beneficial to premature babies like Cayden.

Nineteen-year-old Murray Brown can breathe easier after receiving

a double lung transplant in January.

The cystic fibrosis sufferer from Lysterfield owes his life to the generous donation of a complete stranger.

Murray, who has been in and out of the Monash Children’s hospital since he was diagnosed with the genetic disease at birth, said the transplant had given him a new lease on life.

“Just taking a shower every day was a struggle, I was exhausted and out of breath,” Murray said.

“The sicker you get the more infections you get. I’ve been at the Monash Children’s hospital 74 times.”

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease particularly affecting the lungs and pancreas by clogging them with thick mucus. Sufferers have a persistent cough, have difficulty breathing, are prone to infections, cannot absorb food properly and must undergo daily physiotherapy.

“In August last year I was sick enough for them to put me on the transplant waiting list. I was on the waiting list for 4 ½ months.

“Everyone at Monash Children’s was wonderful and gave me the best opportunity to be well and healthy for my transplant.”

“We don’t want major fluctuations in physiological stability as this could potentially affect long-term neurological outcomes. The babies weighing less than 1000 grams did show some increased physiological stability.

“In future research we recommend that the long-term effects be reviewed and babies born at less than 28 weeks gestation be included in the study. That way we will be able to see a greater picture of the benefits.”

Ms Taylor said that carrying out the review had increased her knowledge of best practice in suctioning techniques.

“That helps me as a clinical nurse educator as I can teach other nurses about the best way to carry out the procedure which helps the babies.”

Ms Taylor said the review will be updated every two years.

Southern Health’s Evaluation Services Manager Kim Hider from the Centre for Clinical Effectiveness said this was a great example of transferring research findings into practice.

“It’s fabulous to see how Jacquie’s research reviewed and updated the latest evidence in tracheal suctioning in intubated neonates, and was then used to assess current practice at Southern Health,” Ms Hider said.

“It is a great example of how to apply evidence into practice. It not only adds to the global literature on the topic, but has significant value at a local level, by ensuring this particular Southern Health clinical practice is informed and supported by credible evidence.”

THE REVIEW … FOUND THERE WAS SOME EVIDENCE THAT SUCTIONING WITHOUT DISCONNECTION IMPROVES STABILITY.

http://www.donatelife.gov.au


After a GP detected enlarged neck lymph nodes on a teenage boy who

was suffering fevers, night sweats and weight loss, he was then referred to an oncologist for urgent diagnostic imaging.

The teenager underwent a diagnostic Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) scan at the Monash Medical Centre Moorabbin.

The scanner is an advanced hybrid medical imaging device which adds functional information of PET to the anatomical information of CT.

Clinical Head of Nuclear Medicine and PET at Moorabbin, Dr Shakher Ramdave said, it had revolutionised medical diagnosis and was a powerful tool in cancer imaging.

“Almost all PET scanners today are combined with a CT scanner in such a way that the PET images can be combined or fused with the CT images. This allows the nuclear medicine specialist to combine the structural information from the CT scan, with the PET’s functional information, and improve the accuracy of the test. In these scanners the patient passes through both scanners on the one bed and in the same position,” Dr Ramdave said.

“It is more accurate than conventional imaging. The accuracy reduces unnecessary treatments, surgeries and biopsies which reduces patient risk and improves patient outcomes.”

The images taken of the teenager showed he had cancer and that it was not localised as suspected on initial examination but showed “bright spots” in various organs where the cancer had spread.

“The scan confirmed he had an aggressive lymphoma, evidenced by the multiple sites of disease,” Dr Ramdave said.

The teenager began treatment and an early response assessment PET/CT was carried out soon after which showed that the treatment was effective in reducing the cancer, so it was continued.

PICTURE OF HEALTH

Advances in diagnostic imaging are giving doctors a clearer picture when it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

CANCER CELLS DEVELOP MORE QUICKLY AND ABSORB MORE GLUCOSE THAN NORMAL CELLS.

A further PET/CT was carried out upon completion of treatment which showed the teenager had responded completely to the treatment and was in remission.

“This spared him and his family from the emotional trauma of further invasive diagnostic evaluation,” Dr Ramdave said.

Diagnostic Imaging at Monash Medical Centre Moorabbin, home to the Monash Cancer Centre, conducts about 12 PET/CT scans daily using a Siemens biograph truepoint 16 PET/CT.

Before patients undergo the scan they are intravenously injected with a glucose tracer and must wait an hour for it to flow through the body.

“Cancer cells develop more quickly and absorb more glucose than normal cells.



Accurate picture: PET/CT scans of a teenage boy upon diagnosis of lymphoma, once treatment had begun and upon completion of treatment. The hotspots indicate where the cancer was detected.

Leading edge: Charge Technologist for Nuclear Medicine and PET at Moorabbin, Jason Bradley

and a patient in the PET/CT scanner.

Early diagnosis: Clinical Head of Nuclear Medicine and PET at

Moorabbin, Dr Shakher Ramdave.

Fast-growing cancer cells appear brighter than normal tissues on the PET images because the glucose tracer will accumulate,” Dr Ramdave said.

This is just one of the ways PET plays a major role in the early detection of cancer.

“Once we diagnose someone with cancer we like to know if it has spread,” Dr Ramdave said. “A cancer that is localised is treated differently to one that has spread.”

“If it is not spreading you can do curative treatment with radiotherapy and surgery or there is palliative treatment.”

“It makes us better placed on how to manage the patient and to tell us if the treatment is working or not. You want to know very early if the treatment is working because you don’t want to give them futile treatment.”

Dr Ramdave hopes to explore the development and manufacture of agents

and tracers to be used to diagnose specific cancers in future.

“PET/CT is a new modality in Diagnostic Imaging at Southern Health, offering better outcomes to our cancer sufferers. We would like to research more specific tracers, looking at various biological processes of cancer, so that even more precise and personalised treatment can be offered to our patients using this amazing technology,” he said.


Cultural space: Aboriginal dancers performed at the inaugural Aboriginal Health Community Open Day.

Aboriginal garden a place for healingA relaxing cultural space will help create a healing environment within a hospital setting.

Fostering partnerships with the Aboriginal community and creating

a relaxing space underpin a plan to create a unique cultural healing garden.

Plans are underway for a unique cultural space to promote healing and wellness within Monash Medical Centre, Clayton.

More than 100 people attended the Aboriginal Health Community Open Day and inaugural community forum on 14 June to begin planning discussions for the Aboriginal Healing Garden.

In addition to the forum, the event included traditional ceremonies such as a Welcome to Country, a dancing performance, didgeridoo playing and a smoking ceremony.

“The engagement and consultation with our Aboriginal community is a vital part of the Aboriginal Healing Garden project,” Ms Lovitt said.

“We need to make real and meaningful advances in improved outcomes for Aboriginal health. Meaningful engagement, even on an arts or cultural project like this, is critical in order to get a result the community is happy with.”

The Aboriginal Healing Garden will be a calming outdoor space for quiet relaxation for patients, visitors and staff. Seating areas will be clustered and plantings will create spaces for people to have privacy or quiet time if desired. The Healing Garden will include traditional healing plants, artworks, seating and covered areas. The layout and natural materials of the design will be in pleasant contrast to the uniform concrete surroundings.

Chief Executive Shelly Park said the project was one way Southern Health was working to raise the visibility of living Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal health.

“In order to improve outcomes within our community, we are working to expand cultural awareness, building partnerships and engaging our Aboriginal people. In particular we know we must improve access and cultural sensitivity within our hospitals for our Aboriginal community,” Ms Park said.

“As this initiative develops we hope that it will also become a platform for the exchange of skills and ideas and provide a framework for the lasting and meaningful collaboration between our Aboriginal community and our health service.”

Southern Health’s Art and Heritage Manager, Rebecca Lovitt conceived the idea for an Aboriginal Healing Garden to be created in the heart of the hospital based on research which shows environments that divert attention from the health problem at hand, contribute to faster recovery and rehabilitation.

“WE NEED TO MAKE REAL AND MEANINGFUL ADVANCES IN IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR ABORIGINAL HEALTH.”



An innovative new model of care is enhancing the dignity and quality of

life of residents at Southern Health’s Chestnut Gardens in Doveton.

The tri-focal model of care, developed by the Deakin – Southern Health Nursing Research Centre, aims to improve the residents’ quality of life, promote a home environment, and inspire communication and partnerships between residents, families, staff, students and carers.

And with a quarter of the population estimated to be aged over 65 by 2050, ensuring caregivers are adequately trained to meet residential aged care needs in the ageing population is of paramount importance to Southern Health.

Deakin University’s Professor Beverley O’Connell, who led the research, said the elderly have complex care needs.

“The model acknowledges that all aspects of caring for the elderly are interrelated. This is state-of-the-art care of the older person,” Prof O’Connell said.

“This system is beyond wellness, it also considers the social wellbeing of the resident. It addresses the broad spectrum of abilities, needs and levels of care for different residents

in aged care, and is designed to enhance their quality of life and dignity. It’s about having the right people in charge, and providing the right care, at the right time of the day.”

Chestnut Gardens has been providing high-level care for 100 residents in a nursing home environment since December 2008.

Southern Health’s Director of Nursing, Operations Director, Rehabilitation and Aged Care Services, Lynne Bickerstaff said the tri-focal model was implemented in 2010 following comprehensive consultation with staff, family members and residents to generate a more involved and evidence-based culture at Chestnut Gardens.

“It uses the best care principles and focuses on person-centred care which meets Australian accreditation standards,” Ms Bickerstaff said.

The model which promotes best practice in residential aged care comprises nine educational modules which nursing staff must undertake, including professional support and clinical modules.

“It demonstrates how universities and health care networks can work together to lead the way in improving care of the elderly in future.

Aged care model for the futureSouthern Health together with Deakin University is pioneering a new model of residential care for the elderly.

Best care: Southern Health’s Lynne Bickerstaff and Deakin University’s

Professor Beverley O’Connor are changing residential aged

care for the future through a new model of care.

“There has been significant national and international interest in this as it is an Australian-first,” Ms Bickerstaff said.

The research was made possible through a $307,000 grant from the JO and JR Wicking Trust.”

There are many ways you can make a difference to the health of the community through supporting the Monash Health Foundation.

For more information, contact the Monash Health Foundation

on 9594 2700 or visit www.monashhealthfoundation.org.au on the Internet.

HOW YOU CAN HELP




Centre celebrates SILVER JUBILEE

A PIECE OF OUR PAST

Together we can improve the health of our community.Together we can improve the health of our community.Monash Health Foundation supports the wonderful work of our dedicated staff across Monash Health Foundation supports the wonderful work of our dedicated staff across all sites and departments within Southern Health. We work hard to raise awareness ofall sites and departments within Southern Health. We work hard to raise awareness ofthe important services Southern Health provides and to develop partnerships across the important services Southern Health provides and to develop partnerships across our community in support of these services, our staff and our patients.our community in support of these services, our staff and our patients.

For more information, contact the Monash Health Foundation on For more information, contact the Monash Health Foundation on 9594 27009594 2700 or visit or visit www.monashhealthfoundation.org.auwww.monashhealthfoundation.org.au


THEN & NOW 1987 2012Staff 4,430 13,264

Births 3917 8,600

Casualty 85,498 172,000

Inpatients 36,710 193,000

Operations 10,917 43,000

Outpatients 412,978 626,000

Proud history: The Monash Medical

Centre when it opened in 1987 and as it is today.

Twenty-five years ago three medical institutions joined together to create

one of the most influential tertiary hospitals in Australia.

On 19 July 1987, Monash Medical Centre Clayton began treating its first patients, following the amalgamation of the Queen Victoria Medical Centre, Prince Henry’s Hospital and Moorabbin Hospital.

More than 200 truckloads of medical equipment, office and ward furniture and 8000 boxes of medical records were moved

to the Clayton Road site over a 24-day period, in what was the biggest relocation project in Australia’s history at the time.

Since then, staff have worked tirelessly for the community, proving world leaders in medical research and carrying out life-saving work daily.

Southern Health Chief Executive Shelly Park said the 25th anniversary was the perfect opportunity to reflect on the achievements and contribution Monash Medical Centre Clayton had made to a healthier Victoria.

“Over the past 25 years Monash Medical Centre has helped hundreds of thousands of people through every stage of their lives. It has saved lives and changed lives.

“Its creation brought together the expertise and proud histories of three of our state’s teaching and community hospitals. It pioneered the move of specialist services closer to where people live.

“It is now the centre for the highest levels of medical and nursing care for people living in the south east of Melbourne.”



southern health quarterly spring 2012

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