PDH

SPHAG helps GSAHS towards better answers

5.32 Sunday 24 January 2010

Majority of Bega Valley maternity recommendations in place

This news item was issued publicly by Ken Barnett on Thursday 21 January 2010. Strangely. it was not offered for inclusion on this website, as other recent media releases have been, possibly because its author was aware that it might attract evident and justified criticism.

Source

Editor: The community served by Pambula Hospital does not wholy agree with Mr Barnett's description of reality. See "INACCURACIES, MISTRUTHS AND SPIN: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE GSAHS MEDIA RELEASE"

1.52pm Tuesday 10 November 2009

PAMBULA NURSE CONGRATULATED FOR 30 YEARS SERVICE

Tribute has been paid to a Pambula nurse for her long years of service at the Pambula Hospital.

Endorsed Enrolled Nurse, Liz Shaw, has worked at the hospital for 30 years and more recently moved to share her hospital hours with Community Health where she does foot care. She is also studying a Certificate IV in Allied Health.

Mrs Shaw said she started her nursing career in Sale, Victoria, and later moved to Pambula with her family.

"I've worked most of the time full-time but did do part-time work for a couple of years while my children were young. I also took some leave without pay to work at Bourke for four months and long service leave to travel around Australia where I worked in Darwin, Perth, Alice Springs and Sydney," Mrs Shaw said.

"Nursing has changed a lot since I first started but it's a fabulous profession to be in. It's very flexible and rewarding.

"I'd like to keep working for as long as I can and hope to still be caring for the community at 70," she said.

Greater Southern Area Health Service General Manager Eastern Sector, Ken Barnett, thanked Mrs Shaw for her years of service.

"Nurses like Liz are a credit to their profession and I would personally like to thank her for her professionalism and dedication not only to nursing but to the Pambula community as well."

Enrolled Nurse Liz Shaw celebrated 30 years nursing at Pambula Hospital on 6 November with a staff morning tea.

1.30pm Sunday 08 November 2009

PAMBULA NURSES OBTAIN ADVANCED CLINICAL SKILLS

Pictured with their Enrolled Nurse Emergency Care (ENEC) Course certificates are Enrolled Nurses Irene Miles (left) and Judith Binder.

Four nurses at Pambula Hospital have completed challenging courses which have given them higher levels of clinical practice.

Registered Nurses Suzanne Reynolds and David Petty have completed the First Line Emergency Care (FLEC) Course and Enrolled Nurses Judith Binder and Irene Miles have undertaken the Enrolled Nurse Emergency Care (ENEC) Course.

Both FLEC and ENEC offer programs tailored to the rural emergency work environment.

The nurses are presented with current managements of life threatening emergencies and the opportunity to practice emergency skill simulations, for example managing a severe asthma attack or a cardiac arrest with defibrillation and drug treatments.

Acting Nurse Manager at Pambula Hospital Susan Berry said the courses are challenging and she has been impressed with the skills the nurses have obtained.

"We are very proud of their achievements and I've been very impressed by the increased level of skill in the emergency setting.

"I've had a number of nurses coming forward interested in doing the courses next year and I'm looking forward to receiving their applications," she said.

Both courses are offered yearly with study blocks at Goulburn Base Hospital for the FLEC Course and at Gundagai for the ENEC Course.

The courses are delivered by expert emergency practitioners and provide the newest international and domestic standards in first aid management.

5.38pm Thursday 20 August 2009

Building starts on Bega Valley Mental Health Unit.

Construction has started on a $2.2 million interim mental health unit for the Bega Valley, Greater Southern Area Health Service Chief Executive Heather Gray announced today.

4.38pm Thursday 20 August 2009

Paediatric patient admitted to Pambula Hospital.

The mother of one of the first children to be admitted overnight to Pambula Hospital since renovations to the paediatric ward has praised the hospital and staff.

Pearl Butler-Woollard, from Merimbula, was recently admitted to the ward and her mum Jasmine said the overnight stay was very comfortable.

“The ward is great and very colourful. The staff were also wonderful and very accommodating of Pearl’s illness” she said.

Pearl was treated with a Care Flight Bear donated by Mrs June Whalley of Eden.

Renovations to enable overnight admissions to Pambula Hospital were recently completed at a cost of more than $30,000.

They included a bathroom extension and the creation of a new isolation room as well as the purchase of additional equipment.

The renovations were among the recommendations contained in the assessment of paediatric services at the hospital to conform to current NSW Health Department guidelines.

Staff were also required to undergo additional training and have completed a Paediatric Competency Training workshop.

Pictured in the attached photo with Pearl in the newly renovated Paediatric Ward are: (left to right) Endorsed Enrolled Nurse Kristie Reed, Registered Nurse Trish Hards, Nurse Manager Wendy Grealy, Pearl Butler-Woollard, Ward Clerk Tracy Bolton, Endorsed Enrolled Nurse Irene Lacey and Registered Nurse Linzi Kells.

10.38pm Sunday 19 July 2009

EOI FOR NEW HEALTH SERVICE CONSUMER GROUP EXTENDED

Residents are reminded to submit an Expression of Interest for the Bega Valley Health Service Consumer Group to help shape the future health service. To allow applicants more time, the closing date for the Expression of Interest has been extended to Friday 31 July.

9.30am Thursday 18 June 2009

Elective surgery growth in Bega Valley

Greater Southern Area Health Service is aiming to increase the amount of elective surgery performed in the Bega Valley, with opportunities being explored to perform additional operations at Bega and Pambula Hospitals.

Bega Hospital is piloting the use of its second operating theatre in an effort to improve waiting times for local elective surgery patients while expressions of interest are soon to be called for an ophthalmology service at Pambula Hospital.

9.24am Thursday 18 June 2009

Paediatric renovations at Pambula Hospital nearing completion

Renovations to the paediatric unit at Pambula District Hospital are expected to be completed by the end of this month.

3.56pm Tuesday 19 May 2009

Architect appointed for Bega Hospital plan

Sydney-based specialist architectural company, Health Projects International (HPI), has been appointed to design the proposed new $100 million Bega Hospital.

NSW Minister for Health, John Della Bosca, said HPI specialises in the planning, design and commissioning of hospitals and other health care facilities.

“It will be responsible for the development of the design for the new 136-bed facility which is to be built on an undeveloped site,” the Minister said.

1.14pm Monday 20 April 2009

PAEDIATRIC ASSESSMENT AT PAMBULA HOSPITAL

A report into an assessment of clinical services at Pambula Hospital to enable overnight admissions for children with suitable conditions is expected to be available within six weeks, Greater Southern Area Health Service said today.

The assessment was conducted recently by Wagga Wagga Paediatrician Dr John Preddy and Paediatric Clinical Nurse Consultant from South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service Tracey Couttie.

They met with a range of people including doctors, nurses, on site managers and community members.

Greater Southern Area Health Service Eastern Sector General Manger Ken Barnett, who also met with the assessment team along with Director Clinical Operations Dr Joe McGirr and Integrated Services Manager David Jeffery, said the visit went well.

"Both Dr Preddy and Ms Couttie spent time listening to all interested parties including three mums from the community.

"The report on the assessment will include advice on any action required to ensure Pambula Hospital meets NSW Health policy and guidelines for admitting children to hospital," Mr Barnett said.

Tuesday 7 April 2009

8.20am Saturday 11 April 2009

PAMBULA HOSPITAL RENOVATIONS

The renovation of a ward at Pambula Health Service will ensure cardiac patients can be visually monitored at all times when necessary.

Mr Bob Cassie, first patient to use the new cardiac monitoring room.

10.06pm Thursday 18 March 2009

Some Advice from GSAHS via Bega Valley Maternity Services

The Health Service is committed to providing good service and welcomes feedback on any part of our service or interaction with our staff. You have a right to inform us if you are unhappy with the service you receive. Feedback provides us ^with an opportunity to improve health services to you ahd to the community.

Complaints can be made in a letter, face-to-face with a staff member or manager, or by phone. Complaints can be about:

Complaints will be treated seriously, fairly and confidentially. All complain s will be investigated fully and the person who provided tie complaint will be informed of the results. If you are not satisfied with the results of the investigation you can nave your complaint reviewed by the Health Service or by an independent body.

The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) is an independent service and is available to investigate complaints about public health services and health professionals in private practice. The HCCC can review a complaint if a person is not happy with how their complaint has been managed by the Health Service or if they do not agree with the outcome of the Health Service's investigation.

PAEDIATRIC ASSESSMENT AT PAMBULA HOSPITAL ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY

As assessment of clinical services is about to commence at Pambula Hospital to enable overnight admissions for children with suitable conditions.

Two paediatricians, one of whom is from a regional centre, and a Paediatric Clinical Nurse Consultant from outside the Greater Southern Area Health Service will be in the region this week to conduct the assessment.

Eastern Sector General Manger, Ken Barnett, said the purpose of the visit was to provide advice on any action required to ensure Pambula Hospital meets NSW Health policy and guidelines for admitting children to hospital.

“This includes not only ensuring that nursing staff are appropriately skilled but that there is appropriate physical space in which children can be under direct supervision separate from adult patients” he said.

Mr Barnett said the team is expected to complete the assessment and provide a report in 6 weeks. Initial advice is expected by the end of March.

Expressions of Interest (EOI) for land in the South Bega area to situate a new $100 million health facility for the Bega Valley have closed.

Greater Southern Area Health Service Eastern Sector General Manager, Ken Barnett, said there was strong interest from landholders and he thanked them for their submissions.

Greater Southern Area Health Service has expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the Merimbula Big Game & Lakes Angling Club for their recent donation.

General Manager Eastern Sector Ken Barnett said $3,000 was donated to the hospital from the club’s Gala Fish Auction to buy equipment for the Pambula District Hospital.

Mr Barnett said many people demonstrated thoughtfulness and generosity and he assured the community the equipment will remain at the Pambula District Hospital until the new facility is completed.

Hospitals and community health services in the Bega Valley are accepting donations to help the victims of the Victorian bush fires.

Tins to take monetary donations are at the reception areas of the Bega and Pambula District Hospitals as well as at the Community Health Centres in Bega, Pambula and Eden.

Greater Southern Area Health Service General Manager Eastern Sector, Ken Barnett, said the Health Service joins the local communities and the nation in disbelief at the magnitude of the fires.

Greater Southern Area Health Service (GSAHS) extends a warm vote of thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who generously donate their time to maintain connections with the community during a stay in hospital.

Pambula Hospital is hosting a morning tea on 27 February to formally recognise the ongoing support provided by volunteers.

One more week remains for landowners in the south Bega area to submit an expression of interest for the purchase of land for construction of a new health service for the Bega Valley region.

The $100 million health facility is to be built on a ‘greenfield’ site and the project is to be an environmentally sustainable development (ESD).

Bega Health Service has extended a warm welcome to the newly appointed Intensive Care Doctor who commenced in mid January.

Chair of the Medical Staff Council, Dr Gabriel Khouri, is pleased with the recruitment of Dr Daryl Catt who he said brings a great deal of experience to the area.

Dr Khouri said: “This represents a giant leap forward in the ability to provide intensive care services for residents of the far South Coast. To my knowledge it is the first intensive care unit to operate south of Nowra on the NSW coast. We have just finished a refurbishment at Bega Hospital which will allow the operation of a six-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU).”

Expressions of Interest are now being called for the purchase of land for construction of a new health service in the Bega Valley region.

The $100 million health facility is to be located within the South Bega area on a ‘greenfield’ site.Sydney based firm BlueVisions Management has been appointed to lead the project through the design and construction stages.

Greater Southern Area Health Service Eastern Sector General Manager, Ken Barnett, said landowners in the South Bega zone are invited to submit their interest.

“The size of the land for the new facility will need to be approximately five hectares with suitable traffic access roads and access to public transport,” Mr Barnett said.

“We also have the exciting opportunity to build an environmentally sustainable development and will therefore be looking forland that will be suitable to this including a locality that will have minimal impact on adjacent properties.

Greater Southern Area Health Service (GSAHS) has advised that progress is being made across a range of health services at Pambula Hospital.

During December two surgical lists were undertaken at Pambula Hospital; medical rosters have been improved to avoid ambulance bypass for critically ill patients; and moves are being made to enable overnight admissions of cardiac and paediatric patients.

South Coast Integrated Services Manager Mr David Jeffery said that a number of patients requiring minor orthopaedic and urological surgery were able to have their operations at Pambula Hospital recently. Doctors and GSAHS staff are discussing ways in which regular surgical lists can be implemented during 2009.

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