Message from the Chief Executive

As of today, we have:

• No COVID-19 positive inpatients
• One employee with COVID-19 (not acquired at work and no workplace exposure risk)
• 12 employees in precautionary quarantine

It is essential that you remain aware of exposure sites and take the necessary action if required. It is also essential that you ensure you are up to date and vigilant about COVID-safe practice.

In this update, we cover:

• COVID-19 update
• National Reconciliation Week
• State budget funding announcements
• National Sorry Day
• People Matter – improving our recognition program
• Pfizer at Cranbourne and Sandown
• New and improved Care Plan view in EMR
• Nursing and Midwifery registration due
• Cleaning and decluttering your areas
• STAR award Providing Excellent Experiences
• Exercise Right Week

Exposure sites and COVID-safe restrictions
Additional COVID-safe restrictions are now in place across Metropolitan Melbourne in response to a growing number of exposure sites. You can find advice for employees, including changes to PPE and visitation, on coronavirus.monashhealth.org.

As Victoria responds to the outbreak, numbers are up at our testing sites and vaccination clinics. We are opening an additional pop-up drive-through testing site at 299 Centre Dandenong Road, Moorabbin (opposite DFO) tomorrow to support the increased demand. In addition, operating hours have been extended at all our testing locations.

Monash Health employees have priority access at our drive-through clinics. Please show your employee ID to the traffic controller.

If you have not yet received your COVID-19 vaccination, I encourage you to make a booking today.

Reconciliation Week
Tomorrow (Thursday 27 May) marks the start of National Reconciliation Week. National Reconciliation Week is recognised each year, from 27 May through to 3 June. These dates mark the anniversary of two significant historical milestones for the journey to Reconciliation; The 1967 Referendum, which occurred on 27 May 1967, and the High Court Mabo decision, which was handed down on 3 June 1992.

At Monash Health, we acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, patients, local Elders and communities. We are committed to creating a culturally safe environment and ensuring that everyone has equal healthcare opportunities.

Our Reconciliation Action Plan presents our reconciliation journey and our relationship with the Aboriginal community. We want to lead the way in ‘Closing the Gap’ between health outcomes for Aboriginal people and other Australians.

I encourage you to join me at tomorrow’s Welcome to Country with Aunty Georgina Nicholson, and participate in our other online events during Reconciliation Week.

State budget funding announcements
Last week, the Victorian Government announced their 2021–22 state budget, which had a focus on mental health, hospitals, and our healthcare system. 

For Monash Health, the state’s funding announcements included:

• Funding to build and expand community hospitals, including those at Cranbourne and Pakenham
• Funding to construct a new paediatric emergency department at Casey Hospital
• Funding to support trans and gender diverse young people at our Gender Clinic
• Funding for new and ongoing Hospital Outreach Post-suicidal Engagement (HOPE) sites across some of our campuses

The budget included several broader funding announcements for healthcare in Victoria, which will no doubt apply to the programs of care we provide at Monash Health, and I look forward to providing more updates in the months ahead as we learn more.

As the situation in Victoria continues to evolve, please stay across any COVID-19 related emails you receive. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to keeping each other and our community safe.

Andrew Stripp
Chief Executive

Key messages

National Sorry Day – Wednesday 26 May
National Sorry Day acknowledges the negative impact Australian policies, practices, and attitudes toward Indigenous peoples which resulted in the forcible removal of individuals from their families and communities. They are now known as the Stolen Generations.

We also acknowledge the strength and resilience of survivors of the Stolen Generations. While the process for healing within the community is ongoing, there is much hope for reconciliation and a just Australia for all of us.​ Learn more.

Employees can now get Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination at Cranbourne and Sandown
We are now administering both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines at our Cranbourne Turf Club and Sandown Racecourse vaccination centres. We continue to use the latest Government guidelines to administer the most appropriate vaccine for you.

All employees aged 50 and over are eligible for the AstraZeneca vaccine. If you are under 50, you can receive the Pfizer vaccine.

You can still book a vaccination at our Clayton, Dandenong, Kingston and Moorabbin sites, with Sandown and Cranbourne, making it even more convenient to protect yourself and those you care for. Book now on 1800 675 398, choose option 1, then option 1, then option 1. Find out more here.

Changes to screening for visitors, carers, support people, contractors and ambulatory patients
The Victorian Government QR Code Service is being progressively rolled out across our sites, for all visitors, carers, support people, contractors, and ambulatory patients. All our sites will be using the service by 28 May.

The Victorian Government QR Code Service and the related Service Vic App collect contact data to help contact tracers contain COVID-19 outbreaks. It replaces the existing Monash Health online visitor registration and the contractor paper-based form currently in use.

There are no changes to employee screening or attestations. Please remain vigilant, don’t attend work if you are unwell, and pay careful attention when completing your daily attestation.

People Matter – Improving our employee recognition program
In just under two weeks, the Victorian public sector’s annual employee opinion survey, People Matter, will open. People Matter is an opportunity for you to help us shape the future of our workplace through your feedback. Please take the time to share your thoughts.

New and improved Care Plan view in EMR
From Thursday 27 May, a new Care Plan view will be available to all disciplines in the EMR.

The new Care Plan view will provide higher visibility and easy access to your patient’s Care Plans, while improving clinical review and documenting.

Read more here and ensure you are familiar with the updated Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) and key workflow resources on the homepage of the EMR website to understand how these changes will benefit you.

Is your Nursing and Midwifery Annual Registration one of the 4,908 yet to be renewed?
Thank you to the almost 50% of our nursing and midwifery employees who have renewed their registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). If you are one of the 4,908 Monash Health registrations yet to be renewed, please ensure you do so by Monday 31 May. Learn more and renew your registration here.

Updated Department of Health COVID-19 guidance now available
The Department of Health has recently issued updated COVID-19 guidance on employment-related matters. The changes include: Where an employee experiences an expected Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) with the COVID-19 vaccination that either requires them to isolate or be unable to work related to the symptoms experienced, they may be entitled to paid special leave. Read more and view updated information here.

Cleaning and decluttering your areas
A big part of preparing and being ready for accreditation is ensuring our work and communal areas are kept clean and free of clutter.

As our Quality Manager for Standards, Audits and PROMPT, Rachel Vogelsang likes to say, “Accreditation is similar to preparing your house for auction. We want to showcase and present it in the best possible way.”

Our General Services team work tirelessly to deliver a clean environment for our patients, visitors and employees, but keeping our areas and facilities clean and free of clutter is everyone’s responsibility.

Find out how to request the removal of any excess, broken or unused equipment on your ward and some tips about keeping your areas clean and free of clutter here.

Providing Excellent Experiences – Margaret Harley
Our STAR Award winner for Excellent Experiences this quarter is Margaret Harley. Margaret joined our recent employee forum to receive her award.

Margaret is the Director of Clinical Operations for Specialty Medicine at Monash Medical Centre. Recently, she demonstrated exceptional leadership in ensuring the team were well supported during a challenging situation on Ward 54. Read more about how Margaret provided an excellent experience here.

Exercise Right Week – let’s get active!
This week marks Exercise Right Week, a reminder for us all to get more active. This year’s theme, ‘Exercise changes lives’, highlights the importance of exercise in developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

While it is easy to fall into a sedentary state, particularly if you have experienced a shift in routine or work environment, it is important to ensure you are getting the right advice for you and your environment. Here are some ways you can get active this week.