Mercy Health - Annual report, 2014-15

1Mercy Health Year in Review 2014/15

Mercy Health Year in Review 2014/15Jess Dathan and baby Liam, born preterm at Mercy Hospital for Women in June 2015

“Whatever and wherever our ministry is, we are part of the one Mercy mission, part of the ongoing mission of the compassionate Jesus.”*

Mercy Health acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the first Australians. We acknowledge the diversity of Indigenous Australia. We respectfully recognise Elders both past and present. This report was produced on Wurundjeri Country.

To view our Report of Operations, including our financial data, visit the Publications page of mercyhealth.com.au or email [email protected]

*Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea, Constitutions.4.03

Contents4 Message from Group Chief Executive

and Chairman, Mercy Health

5 Our Executive and Board

6 Residential Aged Care

16 Home & Community Care

24 Health Services

28 Women’s & Children’s Services

34 Ambulatory, Allied & Community

40 Medical, Subacute & Palliative Care

45 Mental Health

48 Surgical & Specialist

50 Giving Their All

54 Our Year In Research

58 Fundraising & Philanthropy

62 Our People

68 Consumer Engagement & Participation

70 Where We Are Located

4 Compassion | Hospitality | Respect | Innovation | Stewardship | Teamwork

Expanding our vision

Expanding our visionWelcome to the 2014/15 Mercy Health Year in Review.

It is with great pride that we look back at a year in which we have expanded our services to care for more Australians than at any time in our history.

This report chronicles Mercy Health’s return to the Western Australian roots of our mission with six new aged care homes embraced by the Sisters of Mercy ministry in 2014. This ‘closing of the circle’ from Mother Ursula Frayne’s arrival in 1846 to today’s dynamic blending of religious and lay leadership perfectly encapsulates the larger Mercy Health journey. With the more recent and welcome addition of two homes in Queensland, it also marks our evolution to a truly national footprint.

Equally significant has been the expansion of every area of our care provision this year. We have rolled out new models of care in residential aged and home and community care that enlarge our concept of what it means to be truly person-centred. A concurrent focus in our health services on strengthening partnerships with patients, their loved ones and the community has seen us make tangible advances in hearing and responding to their needs.

We have also expanded our collaborations with other religious orders to ensure the ongoing viability of the healing ministry of Christ. Our links with the Holy Spirit and Good Shepherd Sisters build on those forged with the Family Care Sisters, and strengthen our shared commitment to mission.

These leaps forward have received external recognition with accreditation or re-accreditation of all areas of Mercy Health’s operations during 2014/15. I am deeply grateful to staff, patients, residents, families and the community for supporting us through this gruelling but absolutely crucial process. It has given us rich opportunities to look at what we do well today and the ways in which we need to grow tomorrow.

That is the essence of our mission in this and every other year: to reach out, to reach further and to reach new heights of compassionate care for our community.

I hope you enjoy this report.

Adjunct Professor Stephen Cornelissen Group Chief Executive Officer

Mr Julien O’Connell AM Chairman


Our Executives

Our Board

Dr Simon Cooke General Counsel

Our Executive

Associate Professor David Allen Chief Medical Officer

Adjunct Professor Stephen Cornelissen Group Chief Executive Officer

Dr Linda Mellors Chief Executive, Health Services

Mr Tony Goad Group Executive Director, Finance & Support Services

Ms Kate McCormack Group Executive Director, People Learning & Culture

Ms Clare Grieveson Group Executive Director, Quality, Risk & Service Improvement

Ms Julia Trimboli Group Executive Director Leadership & Mission

Mr Stephen Tiley Internal Audit and Risk Assurance

Ms Jenny Smith General Manager, Strategy, Planning & Performance

Mr Julien O’Connell AM Chairman

Mr Michael Coote Mr John Moore Ms Agnes Sheehan

Sr Joan Wilson RSM Ms Margaret Bounader Mr John Corcoran Ms Jo Barker

Mr Julian Leeser

Our Board

Residential Aged Care

Residential Aged Care

Enjoying family time at Mercy Place Fernhill


Our new model of care rolls out

Our year at a glance

Our new model of care rolls out and changes lives

7

We become a truly national aged care organisation

9

Every one of our homes achieves full accreditation

9

Our new model of care rolls outIn October 2014 we launched the new Mercy Health Model of Residential Aged Care. Drawing on best practice from around the world, including the Eden Alternative, the model seeks to capture what it means to live in our aged care communities. It also sets out how everyone within them – residents, families and staff – can work together to reach our goal: to ensure each person can have the best day possible, every day.

What is a model of care?

Every Mercy Health service is guided by a model of care. This is a set of beliefs that shapes the way we design and deliver our services.

As our aged care service continues to grow, having a model of care that ensures every person living in our homes enjoys the same high standard of care becomes ever more important.

Our new model captures how we respect and value each person as an individual, and how we tailor their care to their specific needs and preferences.

The model is built around our Christian beliefs that human life is sacred and must be respected, and that relationships are critical to our sense of being.

Our new model of care is resident-centred, and recognises the many contributors to each person’s wellbeing within and beyond our homes.

Mercy Place Parkville resident Rosemary Kosberg with Harlem, a regular and much-loved visitor

“Our model of care sets out how everyone – residents, families and staff – can work together to ensure each person can have the best day possible, every day”

Environment Family

CarePartners

HolisticCare

CommunityPartners

Research& evaluation

Philosophyand principlesof aged care

Mission& values

Teaching& learning

Resident


The new model in action

Under the new model of residential aged care, everything we do is done with our residents rather than for them. This principle has inspired many positive changes across our homes this year.

What Why

Children are welcomed with dedicated play spaces and high chairs in dining rooms, and school groups are encouraged to visit and share activities with residents.

Contact with people of all ages maintains a sense of community and continuity for residents; the benefits flow both ways as different generations learn from each other.

Lifestyle programs have been redesigned to encourage spontaneous choice based on resident preferences. The programs include cooking, painting, music, community activities, and movie nights.

Spontaneous and self-directed activities ensure residents can shape their own experiences, and choose how, when and where to interact with family, friends and staff.

Extra resources and spaces such as games rooms are reserved for residents and family to initiate activities, and coffee machines have been installed in sitting areas to encourage family gatherings.

Fostering unstructured time with family keeps residents connected to loved ones in a relaxed setting.

Residents have formed committees and buddy programs to welcome new members of their community.

Joining an aged care community can be challenging; these resident-driven initiatives help people transition smoothly to community life.

Pets are welcome; many live permanently in our homes.

Many people have loved and cared for animals all their lives; we believe they should be able to continue that special relationship in our homes.

Computers have been installed in a central location with Skype available for residents’ use.

Residents can stay connected to the wider world, including to loved ones who live remotely.

Residents can help recruit new staff by taking part in candidate interviews.

Residents have direct input into who delivers their care and services.

Murals have been painted on internal and external walls, and photo boards display staff, resident and family photos.

Personalising each home creates a warm, welcoming environment in which the people, rather than the setting, are the focus.

Food focus groups have been created to discuss enhancements to meals and dining; residents can cook meals to aid independence, and staff now dine with residents.

Food remains a key source of connection and enjoyment as well as nutrition. Residents control what, where and when they eat as they have throughout their lives.

Gardening programs are offered, including opportunities to grow and share food with fellow residents and staff.

Gardening is meaningful and satisfying as an activity that connects residents with nature, encourages exercise and has tangible results.

See examples of our model in action around our homes on pages 12–15


Every one of our homes achieves full accreditation

We become a truly national aged care organisation

Expansion to a national footprint

This year marked a watershed in Mercy Health’s aged care ministry with our expansion into Western Australia and Queensland.

As demand for aged care services continues to grow, offering our long experience in providing compassionate, person-centred aged care to new territories has become one of our most important strategic objectives.

Western Australia

In July 2014, management of three Perth homes transferred from St Brigid’s Convent to Mercy Health: Edgewater Mercy Aged Care, Villa Maria Aged Care (Lesmurdie) and Mercyville Aged Care (Craigie). In September we also brought Mercy Place Mont Clare (Claremont), Mercy Place Lathlain and Mercy Place Mandurah into the Mercy fold, after many years of ownership by Continuing Health Care.

While Mercy Health is new to the state, the Sisters of Mercy’s presence dates back to 1846 when the order began establishing schools and convents in Western Australia.

Queensland

In June 2015, our footprint continued to expand with our acquisition of two Cairns homes formerly owned by the Sisters of the Holy Spirit: Mercy Place Westcourt (including independent living units) and Mercy Place Woree.

Growing our Victorian presence

Our expansion has also seen us welcome two new Victorian homes in Abbotsford and Boronia into the Mercy Health family (see page 12 for details).

Closing the circle in WA

The Sisters of Mercy St Brigid’s convent inNorthbridge, Perth, has stood on its currentsite since 1896. Not only does the buildingcontinue to support its local community and house Mercy Health’s operations, it is also a physical reminder of Mercy’s long history in Western Australia.

In recent years, the Sisters have broadened Mercy’s mission in Perth by sharing the building with others who serve the needs of the poor and the vulnerable, including Ruah Community Services, The Big Issue and Catholic Super.

Sister Jilyan Dingle lived in the convent from 1998 until December 2014, when it ceased to be a residential community.

“I loved living here; I kept an eye on the place,” Sr Jilyan says. “I am glad the building continues to serve Mercy, and is being used well.”

Re-accreditation visits and outcomes

The Aged Care Quality Agency promotes high-quality care and continuous improvement through regular reviews of Australia’s homes nationally.

Re-accreditation audits are performed by the Quality Agency through a mix of announced and unannounced visits to a home to assess its quality of care and services under the four national Accreditation Standards.

4 standards• Managementsystems,

staffing and organisational development

• Healthandpersonalcare

• Carerecipientlifestyle

• Physicalenvironment and safe systems

44 outcomes

18 homes (as at June 2015)

100% compliance

Sr Jilyan Dingle and Sr Eileen McVettie, former custodians of St Brigid’s Convent in Northbridge, Perth.


ACSA National Open Day

June 2015 saw Mercy Health take part once again in the Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) National Open Day. This annual event encourages prospective residents, family and friends to sample life in our aged care communities.

A wide variety of activities from morning tea to a wine and cheese evening welcomed visitors to our homes in every state. More than 200 people attended with the highest number visiting Mercy Place Wyndham and Mercy Place Warrnambool.

.

Victorian Seniors’ Week 2014

A highlight of Victoria’s aged care calendar, this year’s event was themed ‘Taking Good Care of Yourself’ and prompted Mercy Health homes to hold special performances, outings and activities.

Among the activities:

Mercy Place Colac and Mercy Place Warrnambool both hosted performances from Opera Australia vocalist Wendy Grose. A local animal farm visited Mercy Health Bethlehem Home for the Aged, giving residents the chance to cuddle a range of animals. At Mercy Place East Melbourne, residents were treated to visits into the CBD.

Anzac Day 2015

A number of Mercy Health sites held ceremonies to mark the Anzac Day centenary in April this year.

Mercy Care Centre Young’s Anzac Day Commemoration Service was run by Mayor and Young RSL President John Walker. More than 40 patients, staff and visitors attended the ceremony, which was followed by a morning tea.

Mercy Place Rice Village’s ceremony included a rendition of the Last Post, a pianist playing hymns and a visit by a representative from the Royal Australian Air Force. Students from Fyans Park and Grovedale primary schools presented wreaths, and Fyans Park Primary students also made spectacular poppy blankets for the ceremony.

Farewell Kate HewettDirector of Pastoral Services (Aged Care) 2008–2014

In December 2014 we farewelled Kate Hewett as she stepped from aged care pastoral leadership into well-earned semi-retirement.

Kate’s pioneering career in pastoral care began in the 1970s, an era in which few women contemplated entering a field traditionally dominated by male clerics.

As architect of our current pastoral program, Kate oversaw its development into a fundamental part of person-centred, multifaith resident care.

“Pastoral care is about having someone with whom you can talk about spiritual or other things you might not have shared with anyone else,” Kate says. “That’s really beautiful.”

While she will be greatly missed by Mercy Health, Kate will continue to shape pastoral services in a new role teaching a Diploma of Ageing and Pastoral Care in 2015.

“My idea of pastoral care has always been bigger than health, so the course covers areas like dementia care, palliative care and communication,” she explains.

It’s a fitting new chapter for a woman whose work has centred on caring for the spiritual and emotional wellbeing of our residents. “I’ve loved knowing I’m contributing to someone’s quality of life,” Kate confirms.

Kate’s lifelong contribution to Australian pastoral care was recognised in 2014 when she received the inaugural Catholic Health Australia’s Excellence in Pastoral Care Award.

Mercy Place Mont Clare Service Manager Jenny Jones and resident Helen McInnes enjoy Open Day 2015.


Online training

In September, Mercy Health staff began accessing online training programs through the Aged Care Channel. The channel enables almost 2,000 Mercy Health aged care staff to log on at home to complete their choice of more than 80 training programs, offering greater flexibility around work and life commitments.

The channel is available to all clinical staff and those working in housekeeping, lifestyle, pastoral care, laundry and administration throughout our homes nationally.

External partnerships

Our Western Australian homes forged a number of key partnerships over 2014/15. Partnering with external organisations is key to forming mutually beneficial relationships with the communities we serve and to helping foster the aged care providers of tomorrow. Partnerships include:

• MercyPlaceMandurahandMurdochUniversitytodevelop a pilot Registered Nurse Graduate Program, which aims to address the need for high-quality, aged care focused nurses and provide rewarding career opportunities for graduates in the local community

• MercyHealthWAandthreeleadingPerthCatholicschools to offer work experience placements for Year 10 students

• MercyHealthWAthroughGoodSamaritansandOptionsEmployment, a Western Australian disability employment provider that helps young people with a disability make a successful transition from school to training and employment; we are supporting two Perth students in Years 11 and 12 with scholarships for $1,000 each to give them a head start to their careers

• MercyPlaceLathlainandMercyPlaceMontClarewithUniversity of Notre Dame Fremantle’s School of Medicine, in which first year medical students are undertaking an aged care clinical placement.

Welcome Anita Ghose

Our expansion into Western Australia saw Anita Ghose appointed to the new position of State Manager Western Australia in September 2014, before also assuming leadership of our Queensland ministry in 2015.

Bringing more than 20 years of senior executive experience in health, aged care and community services to the role, Anita is a recognised and respected industry leader with past roles including Chief Operating Officer in a large faith-based organisation, Co-Chair of the Positive Ageing in Western Australia (Regional and Remote) Working Group 2013/14 for the WA Department of Premier and Cabinet, and work across the not-for-profit and commercial aged care sectors.

“I’m excited to lead our Western Australian and Queensland ministries in supporting older Australians,” Anita says. “Mercy Health’s care footprint enables us to provide seamless care for those in an acute care setting, through to residential aged care, home care, independent living and community.

“I love working as part of a team within the Mercy Health community and collaborating with our other ministries and the communities we serve in those states.”

“One of the exciting things about Mercy Health’s care footprint is that it enables us to provide seamless care for those in an acute care setting, through to residential aged care, home care, independent living and community”


Around our homes in 2014/15

Mercy Place Albury, NSW

Residents at Mercy Place Albury enjoy a weekly singalong program, launched in August 2014, that rekindles memories through favourite old tunes.

Every Monday afternoon, more than 35 residents gather in the home’s lounge area to sing along to classics such as ‘Singin in the Rain’, ‘Danny Boy’ and ‘Roll out the Barrel’. The songs are played on a karaoke DVD showing lyrics and pictures of classic movies.

“Our residents love it,” says Mercy Place Albury Lifestyle Assistant Narelle Hill. “Staff and family members often join in and sing along as they walk through the lounge. It’s one of our most popular activities; it brings back happy memories.”

Mercy Place Abbotsford and Mercy Place Boronia, Vic

After many decades of stewardship under the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, the highly respected order’s Victorian homes in Abbotsford and Boronia passed into the hands of Mercy Health in May 2015.

The transition between orders has been smooth, befitting their shared mission of compassionate care and a long and close association dating back to the Good Shepherd sisters’ first Australian foundation in the nineteenth century.

Mercy Health Bethlehem Home for the Aged, Vic

As a key to understanding and appreciating other cultures, it’s no surprise food played a central role in Mercy Health Bethlehem Home for the Aged’s inaugural Cultural Day.

“We always celebrate Australia Day, the Queen’s Birthday and Saint Patrick’s Day with morning or afternoon tea,” Lifestyle Coordinator Jenny Waters said. “We are also lucky enough to have residents from Poland, Malta and Italy so we thought we’d have some festivities for them to celebrate their culture.”

Mercy Place Colac, Vic

The Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) Awards recognise outstanding contributors to both fields. In May 2015 Mercy Place Colac Service Manager Karen Watkiss was named Finalist in the Employee category for her dedicated and innovative approach to care. Judges made special mention of Karen’s falls prevention program, which has reduced falls by 70%. They also noted Karen’s achievements in introducing meetings between residents, families and staff to strengthen their partnership, and engaging a local secondary college to create a ‘sensory garden’ boasting a chicken hutch and vegetable patch.

Fox sisters keep the Good Shepherd/Mercy bond alive

Formidable figures within their respective orders, Good Shepherd Sr Bernadette Fox and Mercy Sr Madeleine Fox can see Mercy Place Abbotsford from their windows in the convent they both now call home. As blood sisters who took different but complementary paths into religious life, Srs Bernadette and Madeleine are proud to embody a centuries-long connection between the two orders.

“There’ve been a lot of connections with Mercy from the very beginning,” Sr Bernadette notes. “Mercy nuns helped us establish the Abbotsford property in the nineteenth century, and there are Sisters of Mercy in our Abbotsford home now.”

She is pleased to witness Good Shepherd’s aged care service passing into Mercy Health hands. “We are both motivated by mission,” she observes, while Sr Madeleine confirms, “It’s good to know we’re still supporting each other.”


Mercy Place East Melbourne, Vic

Mercy Place East Melbourne nurse Wilma Plummer was also chosen as a finalist in the ACSA Awards Employee category.

Wilma joined Mercy Health as a Personal Care Assistant at Mercy Place Montrose in 2004 and has been the home’s Team Leader and Endorsed Enrolled Nurse for the past two years. Service Manager Marg Alexander noted Wilma’s “consistent ‘can-do’ attitude and friendly demeanour; she can be relied upon to go the extra mile. Wilma is an outstanding contributor to the ongoing success of our home.”

Edgewater Mercyville, WA

In late 2014 Edgewater Mercy Hostel received 99 bed licences as part of the government’s Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR), adding to our existing 21 beds and ahead of its new two-storey 120-bed redevelopment. The redeveloped home will be constructed in line with Mercy Health’s model of care to offer a homelike environment with 15-bed households. Each household will feature dining, lounge, activity and quiet spaces.

Mercy Place Fernhill, Vic

In December we opened the doors to the new Mercy Place Fernhill after 18 months of redevelopment. As the first home to roll out our new model of care, Fernhill marks a significant milestone in realising our vision for the future of aged care. Examples of the model in action include:

• replacing traditional nurse’s stations with workstations throughout the home, which encourages residents to engage more easily with staff

• a vertical garden extending from the dementia courtyard to roof level, so that residents can enjoy garden views from all levels of the building

• a moving water feature

• a mural which creates a warm, engaging environment and trigger happy memories for residents living with dementia.

The redeveloped home has been well received by the local community and 75 residents now call Mercy Place Fernhill home. Since opening, the home has welcomed a visit from Catholic Bishop Peter Elliott to perform an Anointing of the Sick, and an official blessing service conducted by Sacred Heart Parish Sandringham Priest Rev Fr Frank O’Loughlin.

Mercy Place Mandurah residents and staff are reaching out to cyclone-affected Vanuatu communities

Mercy Place Lathlain, WA

Mercy Place Lathlain resident Alf Worth celebrated his 100th birthday in style. Anzac veteran Alf received letters of congratulation from the Queen, the Prime Minister and the Governor-General, presented by Federal Member for Swan Mr Steve Irons at an afternoon tea held in the home’s community room. “We could have easily filled the room three times over with people who wanted to celebrate with Alf,” recalls Mercy Place Lathlain Service Manager Barb Walton. “We feel honoured that we are able to share in his life.”

Mercy Place Mandurah, WA

Mandurah might be a world away from the children in cyclone affected Vanuatu but residents are rallying to help, with the support of staff and carers. Aware that rebuilding the shattered island community could take years, they are filling shoeboxes with crayons, pencils, colouring books and other gifts to send to Tanna, one of the worst affected areas. “Our community here at Mercy Place sees this as an opportunity to send a message of hope to the island’s children,” said Service Manager Christina Venables.

Bishop Peter Elliot visits Mercy Place Fernhill residents


Mont Clare residents enjoyed a taste of the Perth Royal Show at home

Mercy Place Mont Clare, WA

A host of creatures great and small brought the Perth Royal Show to Mercy Place Mont St Clare in March 2015. “We know that engagement with animals can offer many therapeutic benefits, which is why we wanted to arrange the visit,” State Manager Anita Ghose said. “I think our residents definitely felt they were attending a scaled-down version of the Show, which was a trip down memory lane for many; they all had a really lovely day.”

St Joseph’s celebrated two significant days for female residents. On International Women’s Day in March each woman received a single iris, donated by a local florist.

In April the many residents who lost beloved husbands to conflict shared their stories at a War Widows afternoon tea. Local community member Gwen O’Sullivan, a nurse in the second world war, wore her uniform and joined residents for the tea. “A few ladies who usually don’t attend any group activities participated in this lovely afternoon, to reminiscence and share compassionate conversation,” Lifestyle Coordinator Samantha Paget said.

Mercy Place Parkville, Vic

In another of Parkville’s many initiatives to support residents living with dementia, technology is offering new and transformative experiences from the safety of the home. Virtual reality glasses transport the wearer to exotic locations or activities that trigger positive memories and emotions.

Lifestyle Manager Karren Gooding has directly witnessed their benefit. “We trialled the glasses with seven residents living with dementia, sending them on a helicopter ride over France, Iceland and Africa. I was concerned the headset may agitate them, but it was fantastic.”

Virtual reality brings the wider world to Mercy Place Parkville

Mercy Place Montrose, Vic

From March to August 2014 Mercy Place Montrose residents participated in a range of activities with students from grades three to six of a local primary school as part of the M&Ms program.

Pairing up in a ‘buddy system’, eight residents and students took part in weekly activities such as craft, card making, board games, drawing and music.

“All the residents said it was lovely to have the children around to connect with,’’ Diversional Therapist Christine Mellerski says. “This is one of the best programs in aged care and I am extremely proud to be a part of it.”

Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s, NSW

In honour of the ongoing, and often quiet, contributions of Young’s women to their community, Mercy Health Mt

Mercy Place Mt St Joseph’s Lifestyle Coordinator Samantha Paget gives female residents a flower to mark International Womens’ Day

Mercy Place Rice Village, Vic

Residents, staff and volunteers at Mercy Place Rice Village enjoyed an intergenerational activity in May which might become a regular event at the home, hosting a free trial playgroup run by Hey Dee Ho Music. More than 40 people aged 3 months to over 90 years enjoyed a fun hour of singing, playing and chatting together.

“The feedback was extremely positive from the residents, parents and staff,” Lifestyle Manager Karren Gooding confirms. “We mainly focused on residents living with


dementia; we found that people who were normally anxious participated calmly, they were singing along and their facial expressions were amazing. “It’s definitely something we’ll implement in other homes as soon as practical.”

Mercy Place Shepparton, Vic

A team of residents and staff from our Shepparton home joined the fight to improve men’s health by taking part in Mercy Health’s Movember challenge. Two residents, Terry Duffy and Frank Davies, and three staff including Maintenance Officer Michael Ennis, grew impressive moustaches and rattled tins to raise money for research into men’s cancers and mental health.

“We went to the RSL and local shops asking for donations, Michael says. “It gave all involved the chance to take part in an enjoyable activity and contribute to community health. it was a lot of fun.”

Mercy Place Villa Maria, WA

Residents of our Lesmurdie home fought cruelty with cupcakes as they took part in this year’s Cupcake Day fundraiser for RSPCA WA. The self-confessed animal lovers baked, iced, sold and shared dozens of cakes to raise money for the thousands of animals for which RSPCA WA cares each year. “Most of our residents have owned animals, so they jumped at the opportunity to combine a morning tea for friends and family while helping to raise much-needed funds,” Villa Maria Independent Living Unit Manager Candice Long said.

Mercy Place Warrnambool, Vic

As a preeminent aged care provider in Victoria’s south west, Mercy Place Warrnambool has taken leadership of improving services to its community. In 2014 Learning Facilitator Jenny LoRicco implemented a new Regional Aged Care Training Program, offering on-site training to local providers on a wide range of nursing and allied health skills. The program recognises that staff in the region have limited access to training resources.

Jenny’s outstanding work has seen her nominated for several accolades this year including in the Catholic Health Australia Awards and the HESTA Nursing Awards.

Mercy Place Wyndham, Vic

Mercy Place Wyndham resident John Pilsbury has left an evergreen legacy at the home he loved. Before his passing in early 2015 John had taken charge of two above ground vegetable gardens in the central courtyard. Under his stewardship, ‘John’s Garden’ grew extremely productive – so much so that residents and staff have installed a plaque dedicated to his memory. His green legacy is now carried by fellow resident and friend Maurice ‘Bomber’ Dougherty.

From John’s passion the seeds of a new program were sown, in which family members will be invited to work with residents to maintain the gardens around the home, including the feature rose garden at the entrance to the building. “It’s a great initiative that keeps residents active and involved, and draws the home’s community together,” Service Manager Tracey Williams said.

Mercy Place Villa Maria residents Marguerite Rye and Trish West with Service Manager Candice Long support the RSPCA WA’s cupcake fundraiser

Mercy Place Wyndham resident Maurice ‘Bomber’ Dougherty in the home’s rose garden

Looking ahead (plans for 2015/16)

Mercy Place Ballarat, Vic

In an exciting development we have lodged an application with the City of Ballarat council for a 105-bed aged care home and 30 independent living units with the City of Ballarat Council. The proposed new home will extend our service provision to Victoria’s largest inland city, offering its community new retirement and aged care living options.

Home and Community Care

Consumer and Disability Awareness Trainer Zane McKenzie


Our new model of care is finalised

Modelling a new way to ‘Care First’

As part of our transition to the Consumer Directed Care principles (see full story below) in 2014 Home & Community Care undertook an in-depth review of our existing model of care.

The product of extensive consultation with consumers, carers and families, and staff, our new ‘Care First’ model of care was officially launched in April 2015. The ‘Care First’ model guides all Mercy Health Home & Community Care staff in carrying out their work. The new model also includes the development of a customer charter that clearly sets out what our consumers can expect from us. This is fundamental to the way we deliver our Consumer Directed Care (see page 18 for more details).

Underpinning the model is our respect for each individual, recognising that every person has their own life story. Our goal is to provide consumers with the support they need to continue their life journey, their way.

‘Care First’ is based on four key concepts: collaboration, approach, respect and equality.

• Collaboration: We respect each individual, and are conscious that every individual has their own life story.

• Approach: We respect that we are entering another person’s home. We are there to assist them in retaining their independence.

• Respect: We partner with individuals and their families to nurture physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing.

• Equality: We encourage independence and support people to live their lives, their way.

Quality reviewsIn the past 12 months, Mercy Health Home & Community Care has undergone Home Care Standards Quality Reviews for Home Care Package (HCP), Home and Community Care (HACC) service and National Respite for Carers (NRCP) programs undertaken by state and territory-based Quality Agencies of Victoria, NSW and ACT.

Our Melbourne Metropolitan and Barwon regions successfully completed the three-yearly Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (AACQA) Home Care Standards assessments in October and December 2014. Our NSW and ACT services were assessed and re-accredited in March 2015.

Our Albury service also successfully completed an independent third party (ITP) accreditation to the six NSW Disability Service Standards (NSW DSS) in May 2015.

We are particularly proud of these achievements given all the assessments occurred during periods of significant change in our service.

The AACQA Home Care Standards’ quality reviews check that:

1 safe, high-quality community care services are delivered

2 service provision meets the identified needs of service users

3 program standards and expectations are met

4 funds are used according to the purposes specified in funding agreements.


Our new model of care is finalised 17

Consumer Directed Care takes shape 18

Our NDIS partnership rolls out 19

We welcome a new leadership team 21

Home Care Standards must be met to retain our accreditation

3 Expected outcome criteria must also be met

18Compliance was achieved by all Mercy Health Home & Community Care services100%


Consumer Directed Care takes shape

Consumer Directed Care

Consumer Directed Care (CDC) is a new government initiative for all consumers receiving a Home Care Package. Mercy Health Home & Community Care began admitting consumers under the CDC model in February 2015.

New choices in home care

The Home Care Package Guidelines define CDC as “a way of delivering services that allows consumers to have greater control over their own lives.” This gives consumers choice in the types of care and services they access, including when, how and by whom services are delivered.

Under CDC consumers are supported to:

• identify goals, which could include independence, wellness and reablement

• build on what they can do rather than focus on what they can’t do, using services that help them continue to live a good life at home, feel healthier and get back to doing activities around and beyond the home, including connecting with family and friends.

While the service provider and consumer work in partnership, it is the consumer who decides how much support or advice they would like.

What our consumers had to say about Home & Community Care

“Mercy Health has been speedy in their response to my needs. Their weekly presence is more than assuring, saving me from unnecessary worry. Staff are always friendly, respectful and gracious. Thank you sincerely for your ongoing support.”

“Mum looks forward to seeing her ‘Take a Break’ friends and they have quickly formed warm relationships with her. I enjoy feeling free to go out knowing mum is having such a lovely time each week. I am forever grateful to the rostering staff who organize the carers so well to the perfect fit for my mum’s age and interests – thank you all.”

“This help has made so much difference to our wellbeing in every way.”

“I would recommend Mercy Health to others. I could not do without them. A big thank you all.”

“Wonderful team I have for my husband who has young onset Alzheimer’s. They give him a great day out and treat him with respect, listen and understand his illness.”

“I cannot find fault with the service I am receiving from the wonderful and lovely caring nurse. I feel I have some new friends.”

“Mercy Health is a vital service for the community. All services we have required and requested have been given and we appreciate the availability of this organisation.”

Choice and control are two key benefits of consumer directed care

19Mercy Health Year in Review 2014/15Our NDIS partnership rolls out

Zane McKenzie Disability Awareness Trainer

How does our new model of care work for consumers – especially now the NDIS is rolling out? Zane McKenzie, Home & Community Care consumer and Disability Awareness Trainer, gives his perspective.

I’ve had a relationship with Mercy Health since 2008; while I still lived at home, I’d bring

them in to provide care for me when my parents went away. I started using them full time when

I moved out.

My decision to stay with them was based on my experience of temporary care; control of the service

is in the hands of the client. There’s a lot of choice; the organisation is responsive and so are the people you work with directly. So I feel I am firmly in the driver’s seat. It’s critical to have open communication in the kinds of services Mercy Health provides.

My care staff come in every morning and evening to assist with showering, dressing and getting me in and out of bed. We also have domestic assistance to take pressure off my wife, because we have a young family. As a consumer I really value the continuity of care, and that the staff always ask me how I want to be supported.

Mercy Health now also supports my employment; I use them to help me get to and from venues when cabs are impractical, and to set up and pack up equipment. I have 13 staff who provide domestic support. I could not have accessed that many services before the NDIS was introduced.

My employer had asked if I could have a support worker written into my NDIS package, which I was able to coordinate through Mercy Health. I thought ‘hey, this might really work’ and so far it has. Until my example a lot of people with disabilities didn’t realise what they could achieve in employment with the support now open to them.

When 30 year olds are forced to live in a nursing home because they can’t access the support they need, that’s unacceptable. With the NDIS rollout, I hope organisations like Mercy Health will be able to help them enjoy the lifestyles they deserve.

Supporting success: a care partnership in action

Did you know?We care for people of all ages, with a small but growing number of people under retirement age – and we expect more people aged under 60 to access our services with help from the NDIS.


NDIS rollout: revolutionising access to care

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new way of providing individualised support for people with permanent and significant disability and linking them with the community. Launched in July 2013, it is a life-long approach to supporting people with disability by tailoring a plan that identifies reasonable supports needed to achieve their goals.

To enable a smooth transition to this new approach, the NDIS is rolling out in stages over five years, starting with selected trial sites. As an approved NDIS registered provider in the ACT and Victoria’s Barwon region, Mercy Health is bringing consumers onto the NDIS this year under both aged-based and region-based criteria.

Find out more about NDIS at ndis.gov.au

Home & Community Care management team Cindy Drake, Genevieve Cooper, Amanda Bowe and Heather Story

additional people supported by Home Care Packages in 2014/15

Home & Community Care consumers now covered by a package

55292

$1.5M

20plus services funded including:• domesticassistance• personalcare• recreationandleisuresupport• employmentsupport• safetyandsecuritymonitoring

additional funding accessed through the packages


We welcome a new leadership team

Better use of our people

To support the implementation of our new model of care, Home & Community Care re-organised our staffing structure and welcomed several new staff to our team.

our management team

Amanda Bowe Operations Director

Amanda joined Mercy Health in 2013 and is responsible for designing and delivering comprehensive home and community care services for older people and those with disabilities.

Genevieve Cooper Service Delivery Manager

Genevieve joined Home & Community Care in September 2014, and leads the five regional service delivery teams that support our consumers and our community care workers. Genevieve is implementing our CareLink Plus Better Practice program.

Heather Story Service Delivery Manager

Heather moved from Operations Manager into this newly created role in September 2014. Heather leads our Community Care programs and relationships with our customers and funding bodies, as well as business development and design of our service suite.

Cindy Drake Business Systems and Administration Manager

Cindy joined us in October 2014 and works to enhance our information, finance, planning and performance systems. This will improve the experiences of our consumers and community care workers.

new roles for current leaders

Mark Bowring Senior Finance Manager

Mark is responsible for the provision of business management, finance and accounting services to the business to assist with achieving operational and business objectives.

Aaron Horwill Information Technology Business Partner

Aaron acts as an intermediary between IT, technical vendors and business units offering solutions to complex issues.

Amber Knox Practice Leader, Client Management System

Amber provides expert functional support for the best practice use of the client management system. This will enable our care and support services to be delivered effectively and efficiently as we continue to build our capacity.

Marija Kustura Leader, Congregational Care

Marija is responsible for the continued expansion of our services for members of the Sisters of Mercy and other religious orders and communities.

new roles and new leaders

Jane Korneyko Quality Manager

Jane provides support, guidance and expertise to assist with the monitoring, evaluation and continual improvement of systems and processes to ensure safe, person-centered, integrated, effective and appropriate services are delivered.

Joanne Morabito Clinical Leader Community Care

Joanne is a Registered Nurse Div 1 and leads professional and clinical practice across our community aged care, disability and clinical programs. She is responsible for the professional practice standards of community nursing teams.

Maureen Walsh Learning Manager, Home & Community Care

Maureen is responsible for mandatory staff training and further professional development and learning opportunities.

Penny Emmett Human Resources Manager, Home & Community Care

Penny works collaboratively across Human Resources and Home & Community Care. She provides support and advice to managers and employees with a particular focus on recruitment, workforce planning, performance management, award interpretation and change management.


Home & Community Care took three important steps to improve our processes this year, enhancing our ability to understand and respond to the needs of our community.

Combining our client management system (CMS)

Our CMS is an essential tool for managing key staff and consumer details. These include consumer assessments, individual preferences, care and service plans, and progress notes.

In the past, each of our Victorian, ACT and NSW regions used a separate CMS. In October 2014 we successfully merged and upgraded these into one streamlined system, giving us a single view of all clients and all staff in all states for the first time in our history.

Better Practice program

With all our regional teams now using the same CMS, we have begun rolling out the CareLink Plus and Better Practice programs.

CareLink Plus will add new functionality and other enabling technology solutions to our CMS, improving our ability to care responsively and effectively.

The Better Practice Program includes implementing new functionality within our CMS and other technology solutions to improve our ability to provide care for our consumers and support for our staff responsively and effectively.

Leaner, greener record keeping

In December 2014 we began filing all consumer information and records electronically, lightening our administrative burden and our environmental footprint.

This will translate to 200 fewer filing boxes per year and produce a single, central and remotely accessible client record.

Benefits of Better Practice• Reduced 48 consumer forms to 25• No duplication within forms

(questions are asked only once)• Consumer-driven rather than business-

driven standardisation across sites

Did you know?Our Barwon service employs more than 180 community care workers who make 4,155 service visits on average each month

New beginnings in Barwon

In November 2014 we officially opened our brand new Barwon office near the centre of Geelong, Victoria. Providing care and services to more than 700 clients, the office services the City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire, Colac Otway Shire and Borough of Queenscliffe.

“Mercy Health is very excited to be in this prominent, contemporary location, which provides easier access for both clients and staff,” said Mercy Health Home & Community Care Operations Director Amanda Bowe. “We are looking forward to continuing the essential community care and nursing services we provide to people in and around the Barwon region.”

Mercy Health Home & Community Care Operations Director Amanda Bowe welcomes staff to the new Barwon office


Bob Gage Community Care Worker

As a Home & Community Care worker of more than 10 years’ standing, Bob Gage is already known as a remarkable member of the community. As an active 84-year-old employee, Bob’s commitment to caring is even more extraordinary.

Drawing on life experience as well as training gives Bob exceptional skills in connecting with all consumers, often in difficult circumstances.

“Recently, Bob cared for a consumer who had lost the ability to speak coherently, or orientate himself, becoming highly anxious and prone to wandering,” says Service Coordinator Andi Rigopoulos. “Bob was able to keep the consumer focused, calm and at ease during his twice weekly visits, planning train trips to keep him active and involved with the world while alleviating his anxiety. Bob’s work gave the consumer dignity and focus, a benefit that flowed on to his wife and daughter.

“In another example, Bob supported a couple when the male partner was diagnosed with dementia.

The consumer’s rapid decline from hospitalisation into permanent care was extremely challenging for his family. During this period Bob’s consistent care and warmth was pivotal to the couple’s ability to cope. Bob’s contribution was acknowledged at the consumer’s funeral, and he holds an indelible and positive place in the family’s memories of that time.”

How Bob has made a difference to our consumers

“He is the best carer I have ever had.”

“He does the job and even looked up a quicker way for me to get to my doctor.”

“Bob is a valued colleague, working exceptionally well with other care staff to provide advice, support and assistance. He makes himself very available and seldom declines a request to cover another worker’s shift. Bob’s colleagues consider him to be irreplaceable.”

“He is so popular with so many of his clients. They think he is fabulous!”

“Bob is lovely to deal with, he has a passion for what he does here at Mercy Health and he is a true gentleman”

Health Services

Lorelle Tormey, Consumer Advocate, Mercy Mental Health


National Standards accreditation success

Werribee Mercy Hospital funding win

Across Health Services

“It has been delightful to hear how proud our frontline staff feel of the improvements they have made” Dr Linda Mellors

“I would like to acknowledge their tireless efforts to deliver the best possible outcome, and thank our community for continuing to entrust us with their care.”

Mercy Health’s Albury and Young services lead the way in NSW

The celebratory mood began at Mercy Care Centre Young with all 15 Australian Council of Health Services EQuIPNational Standards successfully met during a periodic review of the hospital’s services in August 2014.

Mercy Health Albury also underwent a successful periodic review, with all standards met. Surveyors commented on the positivity and commitment staff showed to both the organisation and to serving the community, noting all decisions were clearly based on patient-centred care.


What we did well

National Standards accreditation success 25

Werribee Mercy Hospital funding win 25

Maternity Group Practice turns one 29

Care for at-risk babies keeps improving 31

Mental health services expansion 44

Where we are headed

Expanding Werribee Mercy Hospital 27

Improving cultural safety 35

Improving bereavement care 39

Enhancing consumer participation 68

Find out more

Across Health Services 25

Women’s & Children’s Services 28

Ambulatory, Allied Health & Community 34

Medical, Subacute & Palliative Care 40

Mental Health 44

Surgical & Specialist 48

Accreditation: our care receives a tick of approval

After 12 months of intense preparation, Victorian Health Services staff celebrated in November when surveyors confirmed Mercy Hospital for Women, Werribee Mercy Hospital and Mercy Mental Health had achieved full National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (NSQHSS) accreditation. Additional standards were also met by Mercy Mental Health.

The Standards were developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to ensure Victoria’s health services deliver a consistently high standard of care.

“It has been delightful to hear how proud our frontline staff feel of the improvements they have made in their areas,” Chief Executive Health Services Dr Linda Mellors said.

Members of the Health Services leadership team celebrate with staff in November. L-R: Group Executive Director Quality Risk & Service Improvement Clare Grieveson, former Senior Quality Manager Petra Glare, General Manager Quality Susan Blackbourn and Chief Executive Health Services Dr Linda Mellors

O’Connell Family Centre (OFC) obtains full accreditation

In December it was OFC’s turn to pass accreditation reviews under the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards and the Department of Health and Human Services. and Early Parenting Standards.

The survey teams congratulated the OFC team on its commitment to excellent care and safety. In addition, OFC was commended for its approach to risk management, continuous quality improvement systems and governance of quality and planning.


Health Minister Jill Hennessy congratulates staff including Clinical Services Director Surgery & Specialist Services Associate Professor Shaukat Esufali and Emergency Department Director Dr John Pasco at Werribee Mercy Hospital in May

“I was on leave and thought ‘I haven’t read the paper, I wonder what we’ve been given in the state budget, $85 million, WHAT?’ It was so exciting” Carmela Joyce,

Werribee Mercy Hospital employee since 1994

1 Governance for safety and quality in health service organisations

2 Partnering with consumers

3 Preventing and controlling healthcare associated infections

4 Medication safety

5 Patient identification and procedure matching

6 Clinical handover

7 Blood and blood products

8 Preventing and managing pressure injuries

9 Recognising and responding to clinical deterioration in acute health care

10 Preventing falls and harm from falls

85 million reasons to celebrate: Werribee Mercy Hospital looks to a bright future

In a landmark development for Melbourne’s booming southwest, Werribee Mercy Hospital received an $85 million funding boost in the Victorian Government’s 2015/16 budget. A triumph for the residents of Wyndham and surrounding regions, the allocation will fund desperately needed services including a critical care unit. Currently residents are forced to travel an average 37km to access critical care.

“We would like to thank the Andrews Government for recognising the need for this expansion,’’ Group Chief Executive Officer Adjunct Professor Stephen Cornelissen said. “As the region’s population continues to rise, so does the need for increased health infrastructure.”

“We’d also like to thank our fundraising partners the Werribee Hospital Foundation, who have generously committed to help us raise a further $2 million towards the expansion.”

criteria met across Health Services

of staff worked towards meeting the Standards

consumers met directly with surveyors (and many more worked with us on projects)

209100%

10

• Rights and Responsibilities

• Safety

• Consumer and Carer Participation

• Diversity Responsiveness

• Promotion and Prevention

• Consumers

• Carers

• Governance, Leadership and Management

• Integration

• Delivery of Care

Health Service Standards met

additional Mental Health Service Standards met including:

10

10


Expanding Werribee Mercy Hospital

Werribee Mercy Hospital: what tomorrow will look like

Four additional floors on the Catherine McAuley Building, offering:

• an eight-bed critical care unit for seriously ill or injured patients, including women who experience complications during or after birth

• a new central sterile supply department

• 56 new inpatient beds

• six new operating suites.

Celebrating 70 years of service to Albury/Wodonga

When the first Mercy Hospital opened in the Riverina in May 1945, Sir Robert Menzies was Prime Minister, God Save the Queen was Australia’s national anthem and the country was still at war.

Today’s Mercy Health Albury is a fitting symbol of how far we have come. Now a modern 50-bed subacute hospital offering a wide spectrum of integrated healthcare, our Albury service is celebrating 70 years of evolution to meet its community’s changing needs.

Full celebrations will take place in November 2015, but staff, patients and volunteers marked the anniversary by opening a community-funded Memorial Garden. Offering a calm and pleasant outside area for patients and visitors, the garden commemorates the hospital’s founders and benefactors.

Long-serving Werribee Mercy Hospital staff members Rosalie Pryse, Carmela Joyce and Nicole Whiting welcomed the funding allocation

Khoi turns 10 with Mercy Hospital for Women

Opening its doors mere hours before Khoi Vu first opened his eyes in the brand new maternity wing in January 2005, Mercy Hospital for Women celebrated 10 years of dedicated service to Melbourne’s northern and surrounding communities in June.

Khoi and his mother Ngoc Nguyen, father Leon Vu and eight-year-old brother Minh were among honoured guests including former Health Minister Bronwyn Pike, City of Banyule Mayor Craig Langdon and Banyule CEO Simon McMillan, all of whom were instrumental in the hospital’s genesis.

“We’re really proud to be a part of the hospital’s history, and we’re happy to bring the boys back so they can have good memories of the hospital,” Mr Vu said.

Ms Pike paid tribute to the hospital’s enduring contribution to the community. “Bricks and mortar are great, but it’s the staff who have ensured this hospital has provided outstanding service to mothers and babies throughout the decade.”

“We’re really proud to be a part of the hospital’s history” Leon Vu


Women’s & Children’s Services

Women’s & Children’s Services

Kelly Trobbiani with Brodie, born at Mercy Hospital for Women


Maternity Group Practice turns one

Maternity Group Practice celebrates its first birthday

New mothers and dedicated midwives celebrated together on the first birthday of Mercy Hospital for Women’s Maternity Group Practice (MGP) model of care in February. MGP means women can choose to be cared for by the same midwife from their first appointment until after their baby’s birth.

Party guests included Verity Bristow, one of the first mothers to sign up for the model, and her midwife Robyn Smith, who attended the birth of Verity’s son Bryn. “The continuity of care was great,’’ Verity recalled. “You get to know and trust the staff so birth becomes less stressful. It provided a beautiful, positive experience.”

Robyn said the program had also been transformative for the midwifery team. “Seeing a woman fulfilled by her birth experience is the ultimate in midwifery. This model of care means you get to know what each mother wants, making it so much easier to care for her in labour. It’s a joy and an honour to be part of that life-changing experience with her.”

Verity, Bryn and Robyn celebrate their shared MGP journey

“It provided a beautiful, positive experience” Verity Bristow

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

To June 2015

5,831

3,172

Mercy Hospital for WomenWerribee Mercy Hospital

To June 2014

6,056

2,738

Maternity services continue to bloom

Our Victorian hospitals are bringing more babies into the world every year, coping with growing demand for our services.

390 women chose MGP for their birth between July 2014 and June 2015


Did you know?As at 30 June 2015:• 182 women have

donated milk since 2011

• 81 women donated milk in 2015• 94 babies received donated breastmilk in 2015• 338 babies have been nourished by donor milk

from our bank.

Stay tuned…Mercy Health’s Breastmilk Bank hopes to expand to supply other hospitals’ NICU babies with donor breastmilk.

Check the website for updatesmercyhealthbreastmilkbank.com.au

Werribee births stay on target

Werribee Mercy Hospital has now completed its three-year commitment to the Department of Health and Human Services to increase its number of births by 20 per cent per year.

From July 2015 we have boosted our monthly bookings, allowing about 500 more women to have their babies close to family and friends in the Wyndham community.

73% more women* will give birth at Werribee Mercy Hospital by the end of 2015/16

*From 2012/13

Breastmilk Bank marks four years of nurturing preterm babies

Like many of its young beneficiaries, the Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank has flourished since it opened in February 2011. Grateful families joined staff at the fourth birthday celebrations held at the Mercy Hospital for Women this year.

The only bank of its kind in Victoria, this vital service provides preterm babies at Mercy Hospital for Women with pasteurised donor breastmilk when their mother’s own milk is in short supply. Breastmilk is irreplaceable in supporting babies’ immature digestive and immune systems.

“It has been wonderful to be able to provide pasteurised donor milk to so many babies in need,” Breastmilk Bank Manager Kerri McEgan said. “Breastmilk has always been an integral part of the care provided to babies in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Special Care Nursery.”

A precious gift: donating breastmilk after neonatal loss

Donating breastmilk meant for your own newborn after their passing is an act of profound generosity. A new study co-authored by Kerri McEgan explores the issues faced by bereaved mothers, sick and premature babies who urgently need breastmilk, and the health services that support both.

“We hope this research will help us improve the way we care for mothers by developing boundaries within which human milk banks can work,” Kerri said.

“It’s about treating a mother’s milk respectfully because it was meant for their very precious baby. Milk banks give bereaved mothers the choice to see their milk being used to help another family, so that something worthwhile comes out of an awful situation.”

Breastmilk Bank manager Kerri McEgan inspects donated milk


Care for at-risk babies keeps improving

FIGO visit showcases our strengths

In May 2015 Mercy Hospital for Women was chosen by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) to host a field visit by the Executive Board of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). The visit recognised the hospital’s leadership in urogynaecology, giving the unit an opportunity to showcase our clinical and research achievements to field experts from around the world.

The visit follows the reaccreditation of Mercy Hospital for Women’s obstetrics and gynaecology training by RANZCOG.

Mercy Perinatal: a brighter future for mothers and babies

Planning for the launch of Mercy Perinatal has begun. The centre of perinatal excellence will transform the futures of at-risk mothers and babies here and around the world.

A world-first collaboration between local and global perinatal clinician-researchers, Mercy Perinatal will advance research, teaching and clinical practice with a clear focus on making the all-important first nine months of life the best possible nine months.

The centre will be led by Sheila Handbury Chair of Maternal Fetal Medicine Professor Sue Walker and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Stephen Tong, both based at Mercy Hospital for Women. The centre is scheduled to launch in early 2016.

Research

Be recognised as a pioneering international centre for innovative fetal research

Education

Be recognised as a leading centre of education for perinatal specialists, general practitioners and midwives

Clinical care

Be recognised in Australia and overseas as a leading centre for clinical maternal fetal medicine

What Mercy Perinatal will do

Two reasons why we need Mercy Perinatal

Jonathan Currie: lost at 18 weeks Melinda Currie: lost at 39 weeks

Kath, Steve and Ellie Currie have endured more sadness than any family should. Losing two precious children to stillbirth is a burden they will bear for the rest of their lives.

The Currie family’s story is one of inexpressible anguish and limitless love. Sadly, it is not unique. In Australia and New Zealand about one in every 130 women reaching 20 weeks’ gestation will have a stillborn baby. Every baby in this tragic statistic is a longed for and loved child, grandchild, sister or brother.

No one can tell the Curries why their children did not survive. Mercy Perinatal will work to find and prevent the causes of stillbirth and the many other complications that threaten mothers and babies here and around the world.

“We fell pregnant with Melinda in October 2012. I was very stressed but none of us truly suspected it could ever happen again” Kath Currie


Achievements

Australia Day Honours

Mr Anthony Benbow OAM, Chairman of the Lions House Foundation

Dr Franklin Chew OAM, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist between 1971 and 2013, Mercy Hospital for Women

Dr Yvonne Ho AM, Radiologist, Mercy Hospital for Women

Dr Jennifer Johns AM, Consultant Cardiologist, Mercy Hospital for Women

Diana Morgan scholarship winner

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse Jessica Slorach was presented with the Diana Morgan scholarship for 2014. The $1,000 scholarship was developed by Mercy Health and the Morgan family to highlight the achievements of staff who go above and beyond the call of duty every day.

Diana worked in the Special Care Nursery at Mercy Hospital for Women for 26 years.

Clinical Excellence Awards

Announced in May as part of International Day of the Midwife and International Nurses Day, these awards acknowledge nurses and midwives who demonstrate exceptional practice, professionalism and engagement in their work.

Werribee Mercy Hospital Nursing – Linda Cooper, Gabrielle Jennings Centre Midwifery – Katrina Carey, Maternity Services Community Nurse – Jenny Grace, Community Palliative Care Mental Health Nursing Excellence – Bridget Kelly, Mental Health

Mercy Hospital for Women Nursing – Amy Farrelly, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Midwifery – Tracey Henderson, Emergency Emerging Clinical Leader – Tegan Bassett, Birth Suites

Dr Franklin Chew OAM

Dr Linda Mellors, Janet March, Jessica Slorach and Libby Morgan

Executive Director Nursing & Midwifery Alison Patrick, Tracey Henderson, Amy Farrelly, Tegan Bassett (Mercy Hospital for Women)

“Any financial assistance as a student is a huge help, but that was not what the scholarship was about for me. I’m honoured to have received an award that validates my choice to dedicate my working life to preterm babies while upholding the legacy of a truly special influence on Mercy Health” Jessica Slorach


Dr Helen Andersen

In December 2014, Mercy Health mourned the loss of Dr Helen Andersen, one of the hospital’s pioneering obstetrician/ gynaecologists.

Dr Andersen was a much loved and valued member of Mercy Hospital for Women, beginning her tenure in 1975 and becoming the first ever Head of Unit (obstetrics) at Mercy Maternity Hospital.

Professor Emeritus Norman Albert Beischer AO

In February this year Mercy Health lost a pioneer in women’s health with the passing of Professor Beischer.

As a leading researcher, teacher and clinician, Prof Beischer’s determined advocacy for women’s health has created enduring, measurable public health improvements for women, babies and children.

Two giants of women’s health are farewelled

Vale

Ambulatory, Allied Health & Community

Ambulatory, Allied Health & Community

Manager Aboriginal Programs Unit Marika Jackomos and Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Diane Kerr


Improving cultural safety

NAIDOC Week was marked with smoking ceremonies at both Mercy Hospital for Women and Werribee Mercy Hospital

Aboriginal ProgramsA major and growing focus for our health services, Aboriginal health initiatives have taken many forms over the past 12 months.

Reconciliation: more than words

In 2014 Mercy Health began work on developing a Reconciliation Action Plan. The plan will set out the steps we need to take to enhance relationships and respect between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, staff and the broader community. This is an essential part of working to close the gap in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, by ensuring the care we provide and the way in which we provide it are culturally safe and effective.

Mercy Health brought together key business units to help form and implement the plan. A RAP Committee has been formed that will create a roadmap for the entire Mercy Health community to use in offering collaborative, appropriate care across all of our services.

Nangnak Wan Myeek (New Directions) program

Nangnak Wan Myeek is a government-funded initiative to promote culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Key priorities include supporting self-determination, skill-building and health literacy, access to culturally appropriate care, strengthening partnerships and increasing access to postnatal care and early childhood services.

As part of our participation in the program, Mercy Hospital for Women hosted a breastfeeding forum for Aboriginal women at the Minajalku Healing Centre in Melbourne in April. The forum featured a yarning circle and presentations from Parent Education and Lactation Support staff.

Ngar-wu Wanyarra Conference

Marika Jackomos Manager Aboriginal Programs attended this year’s Ngar-wu Wanyarra Aboriginal Health Conference in Shepparton, Victoria. The conference explored issues in Aboriginal health from the perspectives of infant health and data, Aboriginal health workforce development and the impact of racism on health and initiatives in Aboriginal education, with presentations from local and national thought leaders.

Aboriginal Hospital Liaison at Werribee Mercy Hospital

Werribee Mercy Hospital is committed to ensuring culturally appropriate services are available for our Aboriginal patients and their families.

The Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer role was established in 2014, strengthening the hospital’s capacity to deliver accessible and culturally safe care to Aboriginal patients

throughout our services and enhancing our engagement with their families and community.

Hospital to Community Pathways

Werribee Mercy Hospital has also been involved in a Hospital to Community Pathways project aimed at improving culturally appropriate service access, discharge planning and referral pathways for our Aboriginal patients.

The pilot project has focused on maternity services by:• ensuring staff are culturally aware • providing a culturally safe environment • streamlining referral pathways to culturally

safe community agencies.

This important and valuable work is ongoing and will be implemented across the hospital.

Healing Aboriginal Families

Mercy Hospital for Women’s Senior Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Jo Pappas, and Nurse Unit Manager of Outpatients, Deb Pidd, attended a three-day Healing Aboriginal Families workshop at Melbourne’s Bouverie Centre. Delivered by the Indigenous Team, the workshop focused on trauma within the Aboriginal community and providing greater awareness of cultural safety principles.


Albury partnerships bearing fruit

Mercy Health Albury spent the first half of 2014 exploring further options for Aboriginal allied health programs. These include:

• partnering with Murrumbidgee Local Health District and Aboriginal Health Workers to further define formal links between Mercy Community Therapy Unit and the ‘Aunty Jean’ program, offering exercise and physiotherapy assessment and consultation

• ‘Steppin’ On’ falls education program, another joint project between Mercy Health Community Therapy Unit and Murrumbidgee Local Health District falls prevention coordinators to produce the first falls prevention program specifically aimed at the Aboriginal community in Albury.

Multicultural Services

Serving our diverse community: a snapshot

mercy HealtH Hospitals 2014/15

Countries of birth

204

Languages other than English (LOTE)

132

Interpreter required

4.6% of all patientsOR35.3% of those who speak LOTE

Our Multicultural Services Unit supports culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) consumers to overcome barriers to accessing services at our hospitals and supports staff to provide culturally responsive care.

It has also forged important partnerships with CALD communities and their representative organisations to extend our care beyond our health services’ walls.

Interpreter services

Supports include language services such as on-site interpreters and written translations for consumers with limited or no English proficiency. This year has been one of consolidation at Mercy Hospital for Women and growth at Werribee Mercy Hospital. During the year we responded to nearly 14,000 interpreting requests.

Apart from providing a direct service to our community, we also engage in discussions to improve provision of language services. In November 2014 Multicultural Services Manager Natalija Nesvadba attended the Interpreting and Translating Sector Roundtable at Parliament House in Canberra, hosted by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells. The meeting provided

NAIDOC WEEK 2015

NAIDOC events were held across Health Services to celebrate our unique Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Mercy Hospital for Women began celebrations with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony by Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Diane Kerr followed by a traditional dance from the Birri-On troupe led by Aunty Eva-Jo Edwards.

“NAIDOC Week is a time for our community to shine and focus on the positive rewards of the work we do,” Manager Aboriginal Programs Marika Jackomos said.

“Improvements to Aboriginal health are a key priority and our Aboriginal Programs Unit has continued to strengthen cultural services to an increasing number of patients,” Chief Executive-Health Services Dr Linda Mellors said.

Werribee Mercy Hospital staff and community celebrated with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony by Wurundjeri Elder Colin Hunter, and were treated to the melodic sounds of the didgeridoo.

The Birri-On dance troupe

graced Mercy Hospital for Women’s NAIDOC

Week celebrations


African Liaison Worker Wemi Oyekanmi

a unique opportunity to discuss the current state of language services in Australia and highlight future challenges.

African liaison and support for women and families

Wemi Oyekanmi, our African Liaison Worker assists and empowers women and their families who come from African communities to make informed decision about their healthcare.

Our work in this area also focuses on the communities that practice female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). This includes educating health professionals on how to provide sensitive and culturally appropriate care to women who have experienced FGM/C. At a National Symposium on Best Practice in FGM/C Prevention and Education in August we presented on ‘Age appropriate services for women who have experienced FGM/C’. This presentation highlighted findings from the research study Supporting young women who have experienced FGM/C (visit the Mercy Health website to read the report).

In 2014/15, Wemi had more than 800

face-to-face contacts with 187 women.

Four languages, one voice

In May 2015 the Multicultural Services team completed a project translating our Early Pregnancy Loss (Miscarriage) booklet into four community languages: Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Karen. The booklets were originally authored by Mary McCarthy, Nurse Unit Manager at Mercy Hospital for Women’s Emergency Department.

“Miscarriage is often not openly discussed in migrant communities, compounding women’s grief and complicating their recovery,” Natalija notes. “The booklet offers practical information and advice not otherwise accessible in these languages in Australia.

“We were fortunate to receive a philanthropic grant from the Otto and Elizabeth Schumacher Trust via Mercy Health Foundation to fund the project. It meant we could work with professional translators and community representatives to ensure the translations were developed in a culturally appropriate and sensitive manner.”

The translations are available on the multicultural services page of our website, allowing all health services and individuals to access this important information.

Health literacy: a clear way to care

Reading a brochure to understand a diagnosis or to find the right care can be difficult even for those who read English easily. Imagine how much harder this task is for people with other linguistic backgrounds or low literacy.

To better respond to consumers’ need for clear health information, Multicultural Services Manager Natalija Nesvadba and Dietician Nelly Moshonas completed a Health Literacy Development Course run by Victoria’s Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health in 2014.

Other Multicultural Services team members are set to complete the Health Literacy Development Course in 2015.


Collaborating for better care in the west

A key focus for Mercy Health this year has been on strengthening existing, and forging new, relationships with allied and primary healthcare providers in Melbourne’s western metropolitan regions. Linking our Health Independence Program (HIP) with regional aged care providers, local GPs, Western Health’s Immediate Response Service and HealthWest creates a seamless care pathway for patients as their needs change.

Clinical Communication Pathways

Werribee Mercy Hospital is launching new communication pathways to enable our primary care colleagues to contact departments relevant to their patients’ needs. Better communication fosters improved continuity of care by giving primary care practitioners timely, specific advice to help them tailor treatment appropriately.

Currently three departments have Clinical Communications Pathways: Mental Health, Maternity Services and Emergency. In addition a regular newsletter has been launched to strengthen our connections with primary care professionals.

Allied health goes from strength to strength

As part of our increasing focus on allied health, inaugural staff forums were held in September across Mercy Hospital for Women, Werribee Mercy Hospital, Mercy Health Lymphoedema Services, Mercy Palliative Care and Mercy Health O’Connell Family Centre.

The forums seek to extend the Allied Health Professional Accountability framework rollout, including credentialing, scope of practice, processes and procedures.

Health Independence Program: striding forward

The Health Independence Program (HIP) at Werribee Mercy Hospital is a new model of integrated care. It offers support to people living with a disability, recovering from injury or illness, managing long-term or multiple health problems, as well as those who are socially isolated, with a responsive and flexible combination of acute health services and community and social support services.

The HIP program includes Community and Home-Based Rehabilitation (CBR), specialist clinics (Falls and Balance, and Continence), Complex Care (formerly known as HARP) and Residential InReach (RIR).

In 2014/15 we: • integrated our existing CBR, CC and RIR services to

create a seamless treatment pathway for patients • established two new clinics: Falls and Balance

and Continence • grew the overall allied health team to enable more

services to be offered locally.

Caring, Enabling, Achieving Together – That’s HIP!

In 2015 the HIP team collaborated on an abstract, which they presented at the Australian Disease Management Association (ADMA) Conference in September. The abstract sets out the HIP model of care, which promotes ‘the right care, in the right place at the right time’ by assessing each client’s needs and creating a partnership between the client’s home, services and community. The model keeps each person at the centre of their own care, supported by a multidisciplinary team that will help them achieve their health goals.

Pastoral care

‘Supporting People through Grief’: snack sessions

Our staff care for people at times of immense grief, but may themselves feel vulnerable and uncertain about how to offer effective support.

In June this year, Mercy Hospital for Women Pastoral Care Director Mary Klasen ran a snack session on Supporting People through Grief with the aim of boosting staff skills and confidence in grief care. The concise 30-minute update enabled staff with limited time between shifts to benefit from Mary’s insights into how people may process their loss, and how best to support them.

Maureen Morrish with HIP Care Coordinator Wendy Dick


Improving bereavement care

Loss and Grief Week

In August 2014 Mercy Health Albury staff hosted community awareness programs during Loss and Grief week. Education sessions on ‘Disenfranchised Grief’ were also offered to staff, volunteers and community outlining the complex aspects of grief experienced by people who may be marginalised.

Babies, Blokes and BBQs at OFC

Recognising that many new dads need support, Mercy Health O’Connell Family Centre (OFC) launched a new program last year to give dads a safe space to connect and receive help.

Held once a week, the ‘Babies, Blokes and BBQs’ groups bring dads participating in OFC’s residential program together for a casual dinner, followed by a discussion facilitated by OFC Psychiatrist Matthew Roberts.

The program was funded by a $5,000 grant from the Inger Rice Foundation which works to improve relationships between parents and young children.

“Our groups tackle two issues: the effect on paternal mental health of maternal mental illness and the equal importance of fathers in the lives of their children,” Matthew said. “What we’re trying to do is validate the role of fathers and help them connect so they can continue to support each other.”

Infant Loss Remembrance Day

Improving our support for bereaved families continues to be a key focus in Health Services.

Breaking the silence around miscarriage and stillbirth that bereaved families often face inspired Mercy Hospital for Women Pastoral Care Director Mary Klasen to mark October’s International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day with a series of public reflection sessions. Held in the hospital’s multifaith chapel, the reflections offered a quiet space in which to acknowledge the loss of a baby as a crucial step to healing. Families were invited to light a candle in remembrance of their baby.

Mary said the reflections were well received by the community, with families in attendance at each of the sessions.

Babies Blokes and BBQs program designers, former OFC Director of Nursing Kirsten Evans and psychiatrist Matthew Roberts

Medical, Subacute & Palliative Care

Medical, subacute & palliative care

Palliative Care client and supporter Hazel Cohen with grandchildren Jesiah and Ellie. To read Hazel’s story in Aspire Issue 1 2015; visit the Publications page at mercyhealth.com.au


Breaking new ground in GEM care

Mercy Health Albury last year launched a joint initiative with Albury Wodonga Health to introduce a medical rotation for the Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM) unit, which has continued in 2015. Mercy Health Albury now has full-time medical cover for our inpatient unit resulting in a more coordinated approach to our admissions and service delivery focused on optimal patient outcomes.

Red tray project rollout

To combat the prevalence of malnutrition among elderly people in hospital, the GEM Ward introduced the Red Tray and Protected Meal Time initiative in July 2014. Red meal trays are a visible indicator of vulnerable patients who need extra support or monitoring at meal time while protected meal times ensure patients are not interrupted by non-critical activities.

A patient survey revealed the project has already had a positive impact on the patient mealtime experience. Feedback included “The PSAs and nurses are always helpful and lovely” and “Excellent job with the variety and quality of the food.”

Mercy Care Centre Young pop up shop

Mercy Care Centre Young brought its services into the heart of the community using the popular pop up shop model. Transforming a vacant shop front in the main street of Young into a week-long showcase for the centre’s services drew a positive response from the community. “We wanted to bring the services to the people and we were pleased to receive a high number of visitors, so we’re confident we’ve raised significant community awareness,” Mercy Care Centre Young Operations Manager/Director of Nursing Mary-Lou Cusack said.

Palliative care

Collaboration with Western Health

Our long partnership with Western Health’s palliative care services continued to bear fruit this year. The inaugural Palliative Care Symposium brought together a panel of industry experts and leaders to discuss best practice care for those facing end of life and its delivery to the people of Melbourne’s western region. Other activity included the relaunch of our shared day hospice service at Sunshine Hospital.

Smart partnerships improve care

Mercy Palliative Care’s A SMART partnership approach for managing palliative care patients program, run in partnership with Western Health, won a Palliative Care Victoria Quality Initiative Awards 2014.

The award acknowledges achievements in improving quality of life and experience of palliative care for terminally ill people in a metropolitan region.

Mercy Care Centre Young’s pop up shop brought the service into the heart of the community

Gabrielle Jennings guides patients through change

The Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) is a national program to help providers achieve best practice in caring for terminally ill people. This year’s PCOC report showed Werribee Mercy Hospital’s Gabrielle Jennings Unit was one of the best inpatient palliative care services in Australia in terms of supporting people through each stage of end of life.

Auditor General’s Office review

Mercy Palliative Care and Gabrielle Jennings Centre at Werribee Mercy Hospital took part in the Victorian Auditor General’s Office review of palliative care services. The review evaluated whether Victorians with a terminal illness have access to high-quality palliative care that is timely, coordinated and responsive to their needs and wishes.

The review concluded that “palliative care in Victoria is delivered by skilled and dedicated staff”, and identified a number of areas that need to evolve. These include bereavement support, after hours support, home-based care, support for carers and engaging with the community – all key strengths in our palliative care provision.


“Like many other services, Mercy Palliative Care has limited resources to help families bear the significant financial burden of caring for a terminally ill patient at home, “Manager Fran Gore said. “This is often caused by the carer needing to give up paid employment to care for their loved one at the end of life.

“This is why we set up our Urgent Need Appeal which enables us to help families facing a financial crisis by giving them a one-off donation. It can help them cover the often huge cost of medication and equipment.”

Palliative support in residential aged care

Mercy Palliative Care again provided a valuable consultancy service to residential aged care homes in Melbourne’s western region throughout the year. Nursing and counselling staff share their expertise in home-based palliative care with aged care staff.

As at 30 June 2015 more than 70 homes had used the service.

Mercy Grief Services Counsellor Garrett O’Dowd

Memorial services mark Mother’s Day and Christmas

Red letter days bring joy and celebration, but also highlight the absence of loved ones lost. Bereavement Manager Colleen Kannegiesser and Children’s Bereavement Counsellor Birgit Vogel hosted two services in 2014/15 to help families of patients supported by Mercy Palliative Care honour their relative or friend.

The services were preceded by a special children’s bereavement discussion and activity group (see the story on the right), recognising that a child grieves very differently to an adult.

Now regular events in the service’s calendar, the groups may be extended to other significant days, subject to funding.

Mercy Grief Services: support for sudden loss

Mercy Grief Services extends the work of Mercy Palliative Care into the challenging area of sudden loss, providing one-to-one counselling to help bereaved families and friends process their complex grief. In 2014/15, Counsellor Garrett O’Dowd ran two eight-week suicide support groups in collaboration with Jesuit Social Services.

Eight people attended each of the groups, with more groups planned for 2015/16.


Making brighter memories

Birgit Vogel Mercy Palliative Care Bereavement Counsellor

“Our groups are run to support primary school-aged children whose loved ones have received palliative care. We recognise that children are as important in grief as adults, even though their way around it is different.

Children process grief via play. They grieve, then play, then grieve, then play. They will often find it easier to talk to Philip the Seal than to an adult.

The groups are structured to capture a child’s attention. We sit in a circle and talk about who has died in the family and how it is for the child. Then we talk about whether we can make something for Mother’s Day or Christmas, which can be given to someone or taken to the cemetery; a little letter or card.

Recently we laminated photos of their loved ones, put each one in a jar with water and glitter to make a ‘snow dome’, then decorated the outside and the children could take it home. They thought it was just magic.”

To read more about this wonderful initiative in Our Voice winter 2015 visit the Publications page at mercyhealth.com.au Riley, Mia and Casey light a candle at the children’s bereavement group

Birgit Vogel with Collen Kannegiesser, Bereavement

Manager, and Philip the Seal.

Mental health services expansion

Mental Health

Mental Health

Ben, CCU consumer group member since 2014


Our model of care evolves with reforms

It’s been a busy 12 months for Mercy Mental Health since July 2014 with the application of the new Mental Health Act and recovery reforms bringing major changes to our existing model of care. The changes have positively impacted clinical decision making and the application of compulsory or involuntary treatment of patients, particularly in the community. More than 140 staff were trained in the new regime over seven consecutive days.

Expanding our inpatient care

Work on the new mental health facility at Werribee Mercy Hospital continues as planned with completion expected by the end of 2016.

The expansion will give the Wyndham community access to:

• 50 adult acute inpatient beds• four Psychiatric Assessment & Planning beds• eight Mother Baby beds. The new beds will help us meet Wyndham’s growing demand for acute mental healthcare and enhance our contemporary patient-centred model of care.

Ursula Frayne Centre

Named after the first Sister of Mercy to set foot on Australian soil, the Ursula Frayne Centre at Footscray Hospital offers much-needed new resources to support acute mental health services in Melbourne’s west.

The centre offers:

• 12 adult acute beds• four Psychiatric Assessment & Planning beds The centre’s new beds will bridge the region’s high demand for inpatient mental healthcare until our Werribee Mercy Hospital mental health expansion is completed in 2016.

Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT)

The CMHT are made up of the Wyndham, Hobson’s Bay and Maribyrnong teams and the Continuing Care Units (CCU). As a result of the reforms we saw a significant reduction of compulsory patients: at least a third of our consumers on community treatment orders (compulsory treatment) had their status changed to voluntary. This was a significant achievement in applying the new Act and also in client-centred and recovery-oriented practice.

Wyndham continues to experience major demands on service delivery, leading to a service redesign that will see the three geographical teams merge into two with some changes to service provision and resourcing.

South West Mental Health Alliance

The non-government mental health sector has also experienced challenges in funding, impacting on service provision and delivery. Thanks to collaboration between CMHT managers Maria Malic, Nicole Withers and Deborah Gant, and support from allied organisations NEAMI and Cohealth, the Alliance is planning two important events for 2015:

• a service showcase in August to strengthen relationships between allied partners in the region’s mental health services

• a joint community activity in October during Mental Health Week featuring Mercy Mental Health graduates for 2015.


Brendan Pearl Psychiatric Nurse, Mother Baby Unit Werribee Mercy Hospital

I run the Partner’s Program in the Mother Baby Unit. Each week, my role is to support the partners who are supporting mothers being cared for in the unit.

I have conversations with couples together and partners individually, offering guidance and a therapeutic approach to resolving issues they may face. I educate partners on the psychiatric illnesses clients may be experiencing, suggest communication strategies and engage in conflict and resolution management.

Being an ‘outsider’ I am often well placed to have difficult discussions and answer questions partners may not wish to have with female staff members.

The role is designed to respond to the specific needs of the clients and partners on the MBU at the time. At times that may cross over into my work as part of Mercy Mental Health’s community program, supporting the homeless population in Melbourne’s west. Recently I was able to connect a family on the unit who had been sleeping in their car to a special accommodation service.

Safe Wards at WerribeeIn 2014 the Werribee Mental Health Inpatient Unit was chosen as a trial site for the Victorian Health Department Safe Wards Mental Health Project.

Under the program, nursing staff were trained in skills that have seen the use of restraint and seclusion decrease on the ward month by month, a great step forward for patient care.

The program’s highlight has been the creation of a theme wall on which clients can present discharge messages to other clients on their own path to recovery. Popular themes have included Easter and autumn.

“Clients get a great sense of ownership and inspiration from designing and painting the theme walls,” Nurse Unit Manager Matthew Schoenmaker said.

The theme walls initiative gives mental health inpatients a forum in which to share their experiences


Speaking her mind

Lorelle Tormey Consumer Advocate and CCU Women’s Group Chair, Mercy Mental Health

As the first consumer advocate in Mercy Health’s Community Care Units in Melbourne’s west, Lorelle Tormey is helping clients reclaim their voices and forge their own path back from mental illness.

“I believe consumers in mental health can take an active role in their care,” Lorelle explains. “We are often not heard; even our own families, doctors and friends struggle to understand what we’ve been through. Having an advocate means we can speak about our needs and somebody’s listening.”

The weekly group gives residents a forum to freely share their experiences and hopes for the future. More recently, Lorelle has adapted the model to launch CCU’s first Women’s Group as a safe space for female clients to discuss women-centred issues (and have some fun).

“We didn’t realise how much we would benefit until we got into it,” Lorelle reports. “But nearly all our female residents come to every group so it’s helping us socialise, which is an essential part of getting well.”

To read more about Lorelle’s inspiring journey in Our Voice autumn 2015 visit the Publications page at mercyhealth.com.au

Lorelle shared her inspiring story at our Annual General Meeting in December 2014


Surgical & Specialist

Surgical & Specialist

Dr Richard Hiscock, Anaesthesiologist, Mercy Hospital for Women


Increased surgical activity at Werribee Mercy Hospital

In response to surging local community demand for surgical services, and Werribee Mercy Hospital’s capacity to meet it, the hospital’s surgical activity has exceeded its target over the past 12 months. We have also provided additional surgical services including plastic surgery and urology.

Successful transition to new anaesthetic employment model

The hospital has also successfully moved its anaesthesia workforce from a fee-for-service model to a sessional employment model. The new model has allowed us to recruit and employ new anaesthetists, enhancing our skills base with new and contemporary practice while retaining the experience of our long-serving specialists.

Improved compliance with DHHS Elective Surgery Waitlist Indicators

Over the past 12 months Werribee Mercy Hospital has significantly improved upon and in some cases exceeded Department of Health and Human Services targets on key waiting list indicators.

We have performed especially well in the number of patients admitted for surgery. This is partly thanks to using Redesigning Health Care methodology to review existing processes and systems, and streamlining patient assessments.

Participation in Strengthening Hospitals in Melbourne’s West

Mercy Health takes part in (and chairs) the Elective Surgery Working Party in Victoria’s Strengthening Hospitals in Melbourne’s West collaboration. The program fosters information sharing and regional action between Werribee Mercy Hospital, Djerriwarrh Health Services and Western Health.

Achievements this year include developing: • a regional pathway for patients with renal colic

to improve local access to treatment• a regional approach to smoking cessation in

preadmission clinics• the Regional Surgical Services Information Resource to

help health practitioners refer and inform their patients• a map of the patient journey through preadmission clinics

in the west to help shape future services• monthly sharing and review of regional maternity data,

allowing sites to identify and plan support for regional trends • a gap analysis of shared maternity care models across

the region to identify ways to enhance services • a regional review of paediatric ambulatory service

provision, focusing on enhancing local service and referral pathways.

Wound Care Project rollout

Patients who have had surgery or who are confined to bed for long periods are at heightened risk of wound complications and pressure sores.

In 2014, Health Services engaged Wound Wise Consulting to launch a Skin Integrity and Wound Management project, to set best practice guidelines on how to manage various types of wounds across all clinical areas.

After an in-depth review of current practices, seven new guidelines were developed and four well-received staff education sessions have been presented to date.

Did you know?Mercy Hospital for Women is one of the top five best performing Victorian hospitals for Category 2 Elective Surgery.

Giving their all

Volunteer Joanne Downey giving her time at Mercy Place Lathlain, WA


The year in volunteering

Health Services

South Melbourne Auxiliary

After 44 years of service Mercy Hospital for Women’s longest serving charity group, the South Melbourne Auxiliary, disbanded in December 2014. The group has raised close to $100,000 for the hospital towards essential items such as neonatal intensive care cots and oncology equipment.

Pat Brown, auxiliary president for the entire life of the group, said everyone involved was proud of the results achieved.

Former Executive Director, Leadership & Mission Sr Helen Monkivitch RSM AO paid tribute to the group’s tireless efforts. “Pat and the auxiliary leave an irreplaceable legacy; the staff and patients at Mercy Hospital for Women will be forever grateful,’’ Sr Helen said.

Heartfelt support for grieving families

For parents facing the heartbreak of the death of their baby, a few precious hours can provide a lifetime of memories.

Volunteer organisation Heartfelt offers this priceless gift to grieving families at Mercy Hospital for Women. A team of professional photographers, Heartfelt visits the hospital on request to take photos of the baby, at times with families. This includes families who have experienced stillbirths, premature births, or have children with serious and terminal illnesses, capturing memories of their cherished child. The photos are taken and supplied free of charge.

“These photographers are at the peak of their careers, but they give their time so generously,” said Volunteer Coordinator Maria Kosberg. “We have had 10 Heartfelt volunteers visit the hospital this year. It means so much to families to have that memento with them forever.”

Volunteering beyond borders

Mercy Health Midwife and Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) volunteer Jacinta Knell knows how volunteering can be both rewarding and challenging. Jacinta has worked for MSF throughout parts of Sudan, Nigeria and Pakistan where there are none of the first world amenities Australians take for granted, like public safety, housing, a reliable source of food or 24-hour electricity.

Jacinta found working as a midwife for MSF to be an incredibly worthwhile experience, but also confronting.

“Sometimes it can be overwhelming when the expectant mothers just keep coming in the door and I think ‘What am I going to do?’” Jacinta said. “But then you take a deep breath and keep going. You just do the best you can. You can learn to do things you never thought possible.”

Mercy Health Midwife and Médecins Sans Frontiers volunteer Jacinta Knell

Chris Hawkins (auxiliary member), Sr Helen Monkivitch RSM AO, Pat Latchford (auxiliary member), Margaret Conerford, (auxiliary member), Pat Brown (auxiliary member) and Dr Linda Mellors

Mother’s Day roses

Every year a group of loyal volunteers at Werribee Mercy Hospital makes 100 ribbon roses for Mother’s Day.

Volunteers Merle, Robyn, Lesley and Trish have again made and attached the roses to cards, ready to be placed on breakfast trays for female patients and mothers with babies in the Special Care Nursery on Mother’s Day.

“The card includes the words ‘A mother’s love is in every language; giving thanks for the mothering we have received and given,” Werribee Mercy Pastoral Care Coordinator Sr Trudy Keur said. “It’s a way of acknowledging that this is a meaningful day for all our patients.”


Long-term volunteers were celebrated at Mercy Health Albury during National Volunteers Week

China Tea at Mercy Care Centre Young

China Tea has become part of our mission to nurture patients, family, friends and staff. From a volunteer perspective, it is a way to see immediately that what they give makes a difference.

“Each Tuesday patients are encouraged to invite guests to share their Tuesday afternoon tea, prepared by a roster of 40 volunteers,” Mercy Care Centre Young Pastoral Care Associate Denise Norwood said. “It’s served on beautiful china donated by the local community, each piece with its own story. Very often it was given in remembrance of someone who had died at Mercy Care Centre.”

“The aims to offer the comfort of home and to empower patients in an environment where they often feel disempowered. We also wanted to create an arena for storytelling.”

“The reminiscing that happens when the beautiful cups arrive is amazing and often allows conversations to flow.”

Did you know?In the month of May alone, volunteers contributed thousands of hours of their time

407 at Werribee Mercy Hospital

373 at Mercy Hospital for Women

599 at Mercy Health Albury and Mercy Care Centre Young

300 in Residential Aged Care

China Tea volunteers Val Patterson (left) and Kathy Rolfe (right).


Albury Regional Volunteer Network

Staff and long-term volunteers attended an information day in May 2015 during Palliative Care Week, where certificates were presented to long-serving volunteers recognising their work, worth, roles and contribution as integral members of our care team. This year saw volunteers Helen Martin and Suzy Bunyan both achieve 25 years of service.

Palliative care volunteers are placed in a diverse range of roles that support the community, hospice health facility and nursing home. Volunteers are introduced to patients and family in friendship and offer social, emotional and spiritual support.

“Mercy Health Albury truly appreciates the commitment, passion, skill, accountability and professionalism the PC volunteers bring to their role, and in turn the community,” Operations Manager/DON Mercy Health Albury Christine Arnold said.

Free to keep caring

When Mercy Place Lathlain carer Joanne Downey retired at the end of 2014, her colleagues and friends thought she’d be looking forward to winding down.

But after working at the Perth home for close to two decades, Joanne wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Instead she put her hand up to volunteer each week, helping with activities and events and spending quality time with residents, many of whom she has known for years.

“I love my voluntary work; it makes me feel like I am giving something back to the community and gives me a real sense of achievement,” Joanne says.

“I look on the residents as part of my family and I really enjoy their company.”

Our year in research

Researcher and obstetrician Dr Fiona Brownfoot


Caring first through innovation

Our researchers consistently achieve world class scientific breakthroughs in areas that demand, but do not always receive, sustained focus: those that seek to advance care for the most vulnerable members of our society.

Here is a snapshot of the key research Mercy Health has worked on this year.

Perinatal medicine

Objective: integrate clinical care, education and research to reduce stillbirth and improve pregnancy outcomes

• Sleep-disordered breathing and maternal position during sleep: effect on wellbeing of babies in the womb

• Improved diagnosis of fetal growth restriction to combat stillbirth

• Improving pregnancy outcomes in obese women• Preeclampsia treatments including new drug therapies• Medication based treatments to replace surgery for

ectopic pregnancies• Effect of maternal diabetes and obesity on placental

function: implications for fetal growth and development

Urogynaecology

Objective: Advance care for common urogynaecological conditions including prolapse and incontinence

• Prolapse and incontinence treatments: new surgical techniques

• Use of Botox and other interventions for pain management

• Perineal ultrasound to diagnose complicated presentations

Gynaecological Oncology

Objective: Combat serious gynaecological cancers and improve patient quality of life

• Use of PARP inhibitors and other drugs to prevent recurrence of ovarian cancer

• Effect of lifestyle factors on ovarian cancer management

• New drug treatments for uterine cancer

Paediatrics

Objective: Advance care in the delivery room, postnatal wards, and neonatal intensive care, and neurodevelopmental outcomes throughout childhood and adolescence

Urogynaecologist and researcher Associate Professor Joe Lee


• Interventions in the delivery room: examination of benefits of delayed umbilical cord clamping

• Nutrition: breastmilk exposure to improve feed tolerance in preterm babies and fish oil in infant feeds to protect against chronic lung disease

• Therapeutic hypothermia to protect against brain injury in preterm infants

Endosurgery

Objective: Improve diagnosis and management of common and serious conditions including severe endometriosis

• Use of MRI and ultrasound to diagnose deep-infiltrating endometriosis

• Management of endometrial polyps

Anaesthesia

Objective: advance the efficacy and safety of anaesthesia with a special focus on high-risk patients

• Comparison of combined-spinal epidural with spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section

• Investigation of the link between maternal body size and anaesthetic outcome

• Use of general anaesthesia for caesareans and the anaesthetic implications of placenta praevia

Nursing and Midwifery

Objective: improve the care of preterm and term newborns

• Comparison of neonatal outcomes in secondary versus tertiary care settings

Health Independence Program

Objective: enhance person-centred, integrated care to enable people to live independently

• Early outcomes for patients in the HIP’s model of holistic, patient-centred care

Mercy Health O’Connell Family Centre

Objective: foster healthy family relationships, especially for families facing disadvantage

• Impact of response-based settling interventions on infants at sleep time

Multicultural Services

Objective: advance culturally responsive, appropriate care

• Supporting young women who have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C)Nursing and Midwifery researchers Kym Harrison, Prof Susan

McDonald, Deborah Pidd and Elizabeth Thomas

Research Nurse Elizabeth Noble, Department of Paediatrics


Lymphoedema Services

Objective: advance care for people living with lymphoedema

• Comparison of techniques to assess lower limb primary lymphoedema

• Identification of lymphoedema in women after axillary surgery

Perinatal Mental Health

Objective: advance mental healthcare for women before, during and after childbirth

• Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study on care of women experiencing perinatal mental illness

• Antenatal Care of Women with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

Palliative care

Objective: improve quality of life for people with terminal illness and their families

• Benefits of, and barriers to, music therapy for children in palliative care, and their parents, from diverse cultural backgrounds

Research findings save lives

Jacob Horne, born at 24 weeks at Mercy Hospital for Women

In the days and weeks after his birth, Jacob faced a series of serious health complications, including a stomach infection and collapsed lungs, spending 75 days in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Thanks to the NICU’s highly specialised care developed through clinical and laboratory research, Jacob cleared every hurdle.

By mid-September Jacob’s condition had improved so dramatically that he was transferred to Wodonga to be closer to home, to the joy of mother Lucy, father Matt and sisters Zarly, 5, and Lara, 3.

To read our 2014/15 Research Report visit the Publications page of mercyhealth.com.au or email [email protected]

Music Therapist Lucy Forrest, Mercy Palliative Care

58

Fundraising & philanthropy

Fundraiser Alex Tighe with her mother Jo McCallum at the Mercy Health Ball


Chair of Maternal Fetal Medicine update

Professor Sue Walker delivered an inspirational presentation at the Annual Report of the Sheila Handbury Chair of Maternal Fetal Medicine in October.

Professor Walker’s address ‘The First Nine Months’ focused on the importance of the health of a baby during pregnancy. “We need to make the first nine months count,” Prof Walker said. She also spoke about recent initiatives to help educate and inform the medical community about perinatal research, including ongoing research into stillbirth and preeclampsia.

Thank you

Highlights of our community’s support this year

Jimmy’s Golf Day This important annual event on the Mercy Health calendar raised $25,876, bringing the total amount the golf days have raised since 2012 to $90,000.

Crystal Summerhayes Car and Bike Show

Crystal again hosted her annual car show as part of her fundraising campaign, Lexi’s Legacy, on behalf of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mercy Hospital for Women.

Lexi’s Legacy has raised more than $14,000 for equipment in the NICU.

Angel Gown/baby book donations

Twenty beautiful gowns made from recycled wedding dresses were donated by Angel Gowns Australia to Mercy Hospital for Women. Bereaved families can dress their baby in a gown as a way of honouring their brief time together.

Carlisle Homes Carlisle Homes gave a $21,500 grant was given to refurbish the paediatric waiting room at Werribee Mercy Hospital.

Neonatal Services Parent Access Cards

Parents who chose to donate the deposit they pay for access cards gave $10,000.

Hoppers Club Hoppers Club in Hoppers Crossing gave $6,500 to upgrade the Gabrielle Jennings courtyard and purchase new visitor chairs and various items for the patient kitchen.

Alex Tighe Alex and her supporters raised more than $10,500 for this year’s Mercy Health Ball to support Mercy Perinatal (read more on page 60).

I Heart Yarraville Local designers and the Sun Theatre in Yarraville, Melbourne teamed up to donate proceeds of their annual fashion parade to Mercy Palliative Care’s Urgent Need Appeal.

Urgent Need Appeal continues to build

Over the last 12 months fundraising activities have contributed more than $500,000 towards the Urgent Need Appeal. Our Christmas and Tax Appeals, a grant from the William Angliss Foundation and the many individual memorial fundraising campaigns contributed significant funds to this campaign, creating a safety net for families that need our palliative care services.

Urgent Need: my wish list

Colleen Kannegiesser, Mercy Palliative Care Bereavement Manager

“On top of the sadness and fear, children miss out on a lot when someone is dying.

“So a trip to the zoo or the Royal Show or Scienceworks or Circus Oz…all of those things take them away from the emotional pain for a little while and that can be very therapeutic.“

You give a few precious hours of childhood back

$20 buys two movie tickets $50 buys three zoo day passes $80 buys four Luna Park passes

Donate to our Urgent Need Appeal at mercyhealth.com.au/donate


Cuddle Cots: Melinda’s precious legacy

A Cuddle Cot gives grieving families the one priceless gift they need: more quality time with their newborn after stillbirth.

In January this year Werribee Mercy Hospital received two Cuddle Cots, donated by the Currie family in memory of their cherished daughter Melinda Grace Currie who was born at the hospital on 17 July 2013. The cots were funded by generous donations from the Wyndham community and from Scentsy Australia, led by community fundraiser Tonia Zoldosh.

Kath was overwhelmed by their support. “There are so many amazing people in this world,” she said. “These cots are Melinda’s legacy.”

Megan Burgmann, Program Director Women’s and Children’s Services, thanked the Currie family and donors for their incredible generosity. “The cots will be invaluable in giving parents a chance to bond with their baby before they say goodbye,” Megan said.

Community fundraisers Kath and Steve Currie with daughter Ellie and the two Cuddle Cots for Werribee Mercy Hospital.

Mercy Health Ball kickstarts the future of perinatal medicine

The first nine months are arguably the most important in ensuring a healthy life. This concept that drew almost 500 generous supporters to the 2015 Mercy Health Ball, which raised more than $160,000 to fund a new program that aims to lead international practice, education and research in perinatal medicine.

Themed Kickstart for Life and sponsored by Catholic Super, the gala event showcased how Mercy Perinatal will advance care for at-risk women and babies by drawing together the combined expertise in maternal fetal medicine and translational obstetrics. (Read more about Mercy Perinatal on page 31).

Sheila Handbury Chair of Maternal Fetal Medicine Professor Sue Walker and Head of Translational Obstetrics Professor Stephen Tong spoke passionately about their quest to combat stillbirth and prematurity.

“Stillbirth currently claims more deaths than Victoria’s road toll, with one in 130 pregnancies ending with this tragedy,” confirmed Professor Tong. “Our research program aims to develop tests and treatments that can readily be translated to directly improving patient care. Mercy Perinatal will provide that platform.”

Honouring Jack: Alex’s gift

In 2012, the Tighe family was eagerly awaiting the arrival of their third child. Their lives were changed forever when their son, John (Jack) Benedict Tighe, was unexpectedly born prematurely and died at birth.

In memory of Jack, his mother Alex set out to support Mercy Perinatal’s fundraising effort. “I have been fortunate to meet some amazing health professionals including my doctor, Professor Sue Walker, who are working hard to save precious lives and to give families like mine hope, when previously there was no hope,” Alex said.

Professor Stephen Tong, Alex Tighe, Professor Sue Walker and host Matt Tilley at the Mercy Health Ball


Giving back to the community

OXFAM Trailwalkers

Mercy Health staff successfully completed the 100km challenge in this year’s Oxfam Trailblazer, raising $6,000 for the charity. Health Services midwives, nurses, program directors, redesign staff, quality staff and administration staff saw months of preparation rewarded with valuable donations and personal triumph.

Tasting life below the line so others can thrive

A team of Mercy Hospital for Women employees raised more than $7,000 for a youth-run charity by eating on the cheap for five days in May 2015. The 10-person team survived for $2 a day as part of the Live Below the Line initiative, run by Oaktree to help address extreme poverty in Australian and overseas.

Coat drive for Off Your Back

145 coats were delivered to the Off Your Back program, run by the Salvation Army to deliver much-needed protection against the winter cold to Melbourne’s homeless population.

The coat drive was a joint effort between Support Services in Richmond, Werribee Mercy Hospital and Mercy Hospital for Women. This year’s haul brought the total collected over the last four years to 345.

A big night for a Tiny Miracle

Champion fundraiser Maria Dima and partners Pat Tartaglia and Sarah Ferreira raised more than $12,000 for Mercy Hospital for Women’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in May 2015 through their Tiny Miracles Dinner Dance.

The gala event was a huge success for the Dima family, whose precious daughter Tayla Destiny was born at 30 weeks at the hospital.

Now a healthy 11 month old, Tayla was the guest of honour among many stellar supporters including Socceroo and Melbourne Victory star Archie Thompson and comedian and MC Gabriel Rossi.

Mercy Hospital for Women Neonatologist Dr Philip Henschke thanked guests and the Tiny Miracles Team. “This means a lot to me personally, a lot to the hospital and a lot to the many, many parents and children these funds will support,” Dr Henschke said.

Our Oxfam Trailwalkers celebrate their achievements

Administrative Assistant to the CEO Office Ann Holmes with more than 135 coats donated this year

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Our people

Human Resources team members Ben Bajonat, Sandra Cinar and Alicia Thomas


We formally recognised the contributions our long-serving employees make

Highlights of 2014/15

We formally recognised the contributions our long-serving employees make

63

We celebrated our leaders at every level of our organisation

65

We turned the spotlight on our values champions 65

We continued to embed our equity and diversity 66

Mercy Health’s People, Learning & Culture and Leadership & Mission teams work together to foster a skilled, dedicated and inclusive workforce that lives our mission, vision and values every day.

Mercy Health Board changes

We farewelled three long-serving board members in November 2014 and welcomed two new members in March 2015.

Virginia Bourke, Gerard Dalbosco and Polly Caldow have each made lasting contributions to the operations and culture of Mercy Health and we thank them for sharing their expertise and commitment.

welcome farewell

Jo BarkerJulian Leeser

Virginia BourkePolly CaldowGerard Dalbosco

Celebrating dedication

Almost 200 people attended the inaugural Mercy Health Service Recognition Celebratory Dinner in October, acknowledging some of the organisation’s longest-serving employees. The Melbourne event recognised those who have worked with Mercy Health for 10, 20, 30 and 40 years.

Mercy Health Chief Executive Officer Adjunct Professor Stephen Cornelissen said the event, which will be held annually, is testament to the passion and commitment of the people Mercy Health attracts.

“It fills me with great pride to thank so many employees who have given so much to Mercy Health and to those whom we serve,’’ Adjunct Professor Cornelissen said.

Staff were treated to a performance by gifted musician and Mercy Place Colac volunteer Lisa Tucker.

Outgoing Board members Virginia Bourke, Gerard Delabosco and Polly Caldow

Nurse Unit Manager, Mercy Hospital for Women Emergency Department Mary McCarthy celebrates her long service with Group Executive Director People, Learning & Culture Kate McCormack

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30 years

Sisters Josephine (Mu Koon) Chan and Christine (Mu Fong) Woon were celebrated at the dinner for 30 years of dedicated work at Mercy Hospital for Women.

Their dedication is eclipsed only by the extraordinary way their paths have intertwined throughout their working lives. From nursing and midwifery training in the UK, through migrating to Australia and work in the same hospitals on the same shifts, Josephine and Christine have parlayed their family ties into professional synchronicity.

“Christine and I always work as a team,” Josephine confirmed. “We have similar ideas about everything so we can support each other.

“We’ve remained working at Mercy Hospital for Women as Associate Nurse Unit Managers on night duty for 30 years because the people we work with are very positive, caring and supportive,” Christine added.

“We’ve also seen a lot in our time here so we can help newer staff by sharing our experiences. It’s interesting for them that we’ve followed such a similar path!”

42 years

Honouree John Kotsiris, 64, retired in February 2014 after 42 years working at Mercy Hospital for Women.

Mr Kotsiris barely spoke a word of English when he started as a 21-year-old in the East Melbourne hospital kitchen in 1971, newly arrived from Kamaria, Greece.

“My English was not good, I knew 20 to 25 words and some phrases, but I had a dictionary and I went to school to learn the language,’’ John said.

After two and a half years he became an orderly, a varied role he held for the next four decades.

“Whether it was getting blood for the theatre or pushing a trolley I felt like I was doing something important, and that made me feel satisfied,” John said.

“It was a difficult decision to retire and on my last day I noticed some ladies were crying. But it was the right time for me and my family.

“There are so many nice people here; I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Josephine and Christine with Sr Helen

Monkivitch RSM AO and Group CEO Stephen Cornelissen


We turned the spotlight on our values champions

We celebrated our leaders at every level of our organisation

Leadership Day 2014

More than 200 leaders from all levels of Mercy Health attended our annual Leadership Day in December. “The day is designed to help our leaders network and foster a culture of continuous improvement to better meet the needs of the people we serve,” said Organisational Development Manager Rachel Gray.

Themed Innovation Today, Prosperity Tomorrow the day featured speakers including Herald Sun columnist Susie O’Brien, humanitarian Moira Kelly AO, Australian Catholic University Vice Chancellor Professor Greg Craven, and inspirational speaker Sam Cawthorn. Acclaimed guitar duo Slava and Leonard Grigoryan also entertained guests.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for Mercy Health staff to network and reflect on the achievements of the year,’’ Rachel said.

Ethos keeps the Mercy story alive

Mercy Health continues to participate in the Ethos Program, Mercy Story – Then and Now, a series of workshops and retreats run by the Institute of Sisters of Mercy Australia and Papua New Guinea (ISMAPNG). The program gives employees from every part of the Mercy ministry insights into our founding story and time to reflect on how it is realised in our day-to-day work.

Former Director of aged care pastoral services Kate Hewett, Group Chief executive Officer Stephen Cornelissen, Manager Multicultural Services Natalija Nesvadba, guest speaker Moira Kelly AO and Executive Coach & Mentor Sr Helen Monkivitch RSM AO at Leadership Day 2014.

Living Our Values awards

Our people work in some of the most challenging areas of care, so it is vital to recognise individuals and teams who consistently strive to enact our organisational values. Our Living Our Values awards enable staff to nominate one another’s exceptional efforts in caring for our community and each other.

This year’s overall recipients were acknowledged at Leadership Day 2014.

Value in focus winner

Compassion Noela Ackerley, Personal Care Assistant, Mercy Place Colac

Hospitality Beverley Wagner, Food Services Assistant, Mercy Place Lathlain

Respect Deborah Fowler, Emergency Department Coordinator, Werribee Mercy Hospital

Innovation Christine Anderson, Occupational Therapy Assistant/Physiotherapy Assistant, Villa Maria

Stewardship Kerri Anne Deane, Radiographer, Mercy Hospital for Women

Teamwork Carmel Musicka, Lifestyle Assistant, Mercy Place Montrose


We continued to embed our equity and diversity

Mindful of mental health

An integral part of our workplace calendar, R U OK? Day was this year marked with a range of activities designed to promote a mentally healthy work culture. Highlights included Mercy Mindfulness Month in which all employees were encouraged to improve their mental wellbeing by taking part in a 30 day Smiling Mind Meditation initiative, tracking and sharing with colleagues the benefits they experienced.

Diverse flavours of Harmony Day

Harmony Day is a tangible expression of our deep commitment to diversity in our care and in the workplace. Our annual Harmony Day celebrations brought out the inner Iron Chef in several clients and staff across our services, who rose to the challenge of creating dishes from around the globe in under 10 minutes. Staff at Mercy Hospital for Women, Werribee Mercy Hospital and Mercy Health Support Services competed enthusiastically, while Mercy Mental Health Program Director Mario Blandin De Chalain hosted a cooking class for clients at the Community Care Unit communal kitchen. Harmony Day is a tangible expression of our deep commitment to diversity in our care and in our workplace.

Did you know?Mercy Health won two major awards in 2014 recognising our commitment to fostering a diverse, supportive workplace. Categories won in the Australian Human Resources Institute Inclusion and Diversity Awards 2014 were:

• Age Diversity in the Workplace

• R U OK? Workplace

Harmony Day events included a cooking class at our Community Care Units.


Building on experience

In late 2014 Mercy Health received funding from DHHS for a ‘Mature Aged Workers Add Value Project.’ With significant workforce shortages across the health industry, we aim to retain skills developed over a long working life to meet current and future workforce needs. A series of focus groups and workshops is planned for 2015/16 to capture insights from our mature age workers and support them as they either extend their career or transition into retirement.

45 years is the average age of our workforce

> 2,000 employees are aged over 55

Acting on person-centred care

Following the positive reception of 2013’s patient-centred care play Hear Me, in 2014 Mercy Health commissioned a new play to give insights into issues aged care staff may face. Do You Know Me?, also written by noted playwright Alan Hopgood in collaboration with the Australian Institute for Patient & Family Centred Care for the aged care sector, was based on employees’ real life experiences taken from a survey circulated in July 2014. The play premiered at our Leadership Day in December, with further performances held across our aged care services in early 2015.

After each performance, staff discussed issues dramatised in the play, with feedback captured to inform future person-centred care training and education programs.

Mercy Health Training Institute (MHTI) partners with schools

In February MHTI kicked off its 2015 Vocational Education & Training in Schools Program in partnership with six schools in Victoria. Around 150 students are involved in our Allied Health Assistance program which will help ready them for further education and future careers in the health sector.

Diploma of Management

Offering a nationally recognised qualification that helps managers enhance their roles, this program saw five participants graduate in April 2014 and 29 commence the new program in May 2015. This year also marked the first time the program was extended to participants outside Mercy Health, providing valuable networking and collaboration opportunities.

Supporting women at work in 2014/15

Here are three ways we have continued our Foundress Catherine’s McAuley’s legacy of empowering women this year:

International Women’s DayInternational Women’s Day was celebrated across Mercy Health, with awards honouring female employees’ achievements given to Penny Sanderson, Manager Lymphoedema Services and Thuy Dinh, Psychologist/Case Manager, Mercy Mental Health. Earlier in the day Group Executive Director People Learning & Culture Kate McCormack joined a panel of thought leaders at Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) International Women’s Day celebrations.

Workplace Gender Equality Agency accreditationMercy Health was one of only 76 employers Australia-wide awarded this citation in 2014, and we have achieved it every year since 2008

Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace accreditationAwarded by the Australian Breastfeeding Association, this recognises employers who have policies and supports in place for women who return to work and continue to breastfeed.

Enhancing consumer participation

Consumer engagement & participation

Marianne Mahony, inaugural Consumer Chair

69Mercy Health Year in Review 2014/15 69

Mercy Health is committed to finding opportunities to work in true partnership with our community.

A key initiative that has grown significantly in the last year is our Consumer Advisory Group program.

The program consists of committees made up of local community members working directly with staff at our hospital sites. The committees meet to explore improvement opportunities based on the experiences of people who use our services.

Groups at both hospitals have developed Community Action Plans outlining the groups’ consumer-informed goals.

2014/15 highlights

• We introduced a new Consumer Engagement Framework that articulates our commitment to the communities we serve.

• The Consumer Advisory Committee welcomed two new members, Susan Ryan and Chau Ban Tran, and re-signed founding members for a second term.

• We appointed our first Consumer Chair Marianne Mahoney and introduced a process to appoint other consumer chairs throughout the organisation.

• The Clinical Governance Committee introduced consumer representation into meeting structures, welcoming Viktoria Rother as a consumer advocate.

• We reviewed Resident and Relative Committees across aged care and created new strategies for committee coordination now and into the future.

• We introduced a Consumer Engagement in Property Development policy to encourage consumers to help shape the design of our new and refurbished facilities, keeping service users central to our decisions.

Ways we engage with consumers

• Community Advisory Committee (a board subcommittee)

• Werribee Mercy Hospital Community Advisory Group

• Mercy Hospital for Women Community Advisory Group

• Mercy Care Centre Young Community Advisory group

• a newly formed Mercy Mental Health Consumer Advisory group.“We introduced a new Consumer

Engagement Framework that articulates our commitment to the communities we serve”

The Consumer Engagement and Participation team L-R: Emma Williamson, Scott Swanwick and Rebecca Jolly

Join a Mercy Health Community Advisory Group

Contact Bec Jolly [email protected]


Health servicesVictoriaMercy Hospital for Women,Heidelberg: 03 8458 4444Mercy Health Lymphoedema Services,Heidelberg: 03 8458 4949Werribee: 03 8458 4990Mercy Health O’Connell Family Centre,Canterbury: 03 8416 7600Werribee Mercy Hospital, Werribee: 03 8754 3000Mercy Mental Health, Saltwater Clinic,Footscray: 03 9928 7444Mercy Mental Health Triage Service: 1300 657 259Mercy Palliative Care: 03 9313 5700 Mercy Grief Services: 03 9364 9838

New South WalesMercy Health Albury: 02 6042 1400Mercy Care Centre Young: 02 6382 8444

Aged careVictoriaMercy Place Abbotsford: 03 9419 3933Mercy Health Bethlehem Home for the Aged,Bendigo: 03 5440 8200Mercy Place Boronia: 03 9762 6506Mercy Place Colac: 03 5233 5600Mercy Place East Melbourne: 03 9413 1777Mercy Place Fernhill: 03 9291 8000Mercy Place Montrose: 03 9724 6000Mercy Place Parkville: 03 9385 9222Mercy Place Rice Village, Geelong: 03 5247 2200Mercy Place Shepparton: 03 5832 0900Mercy Place Warrnambool: 03 5564 2800Mercy Place Wyndham, Werribee: 03 8734 6500

New South WalesMercy Place Albury: 02 6024 9500Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s,Young: 02 6380 1300

QueenslandMercy Place Westcourt: 07 4031 6977 Mercy Place Woree: 07 4054 5544

Western AustraliaMercy Place Lathlain: 08 9361 8969 Mercy Place Mandurah: 08 9535 4799 Mercy Place Mont Clare: 08 9383 0000 Edgewater Mercy Hostel: 08 9306 2449 Mercyville Hostel: 08 9401 2841 Villa Maria Hostel: 08 9291 6314

Home & Community CareVictoriaBarwon: 03 5240 7300 Colac: 03 5233 5603 Melbourne North West Metro: 03 9385 9444Melbourne South East Metro: 03 8530 6999

Australian Capital TerritoryCanberra: 02 6228 9600

New South WalesAlbury: 02 6024 9508Young: 02 6382 8322

Training and educationMercy Health Training Institute: 03 9261 2000

Support and administrative servicesMercy Health: 03 8416 7777

CareersFor careers information at Mercy Health visit:careers.mercy.com.au

Visit us:mercyhealth.com.au

Follow us on Facebook:Facebook.com/MercyHealthCareFirst

Follow us on Twitter:@MercyHealthAus

View our videos and podcasts on Vimeo:vimeo.com/mercyhealth

Where we are located

Mercy Place Villa Maria resident and former pastry chef Helge

Trneny, now sharing his talents with the home’s community


P12

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Mercy Health

Level 2, 12 Shelley Street

Richmond Victoria 3121

Phone +61 3 8416 7777

mercyhealth.com.au

Mercy Health - Annual report, 2014-15

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