“There is a reason you stay in a job for 29 years,” reflects Gillian Butcher, Head of Podiatry & Allied Health Administration at Monash Health, as she prepares for her upcoming retirement.
Gill has witnessed vast changes since her first day as Chief Podiatrist at Monash Health in 1993, where the team consisted of two part-time staff and basic care podiatry services at Monash Medical Centre.
She has been instrumental in driving the growth and streamlining the podiatry service within Monash Health, to make it what it is today, a centre of excellence.
Gill was involved in the Steering Committee for a 3-year project, between 2001 to 2004, for the prevention and management of pressure injuries. The Department of Health adopted the process and recommendations, including upgrading all basic hospital mattresses to help reduce pressure ulcers developing. Pressure injuries declined 30% to 5% during the duration of this project.
With the help of Al Saunders and Jennifer Wong, Gill worked tirelessly to develop a proposal for a Diabetes Centre. This was the start of the High Risk Foot (HRF) outpatients clinic, or ‘Happy Feet’ as it became affectionately known.
The HRF clinic provides care and support for those patients with diabetes and vascular conditions, and therefore a higher risk of ulcers and amputation. Shortly after, the Inpatient Foot Unit at Dandenong Hospital was established.
In 2007, Multidisciplinary Ward Rounds were introduced to allow high-risk inpatients to be seen by a number of specialists at one time, streamlining the process.
This approach has seen Monash Health’s podiatry service grow to meet the needs of high-risk patients, provide a full continuum of care for our patients and receive certification as a Centre of Excellence in 2020, only the fourth service in Australia to receive this honour.
Gill states that when she started in 1980 podiatry was in its infancy in Australia. It has presented opportunities and she has always taken the viewpoint of “let’s look and see what can be done”.
“The role kept changing. Every few years there was something new and this kept the role interesting, with the opportunity to always do better and improve our patients’ lives,” she says.
Gill has seen the podiatry service at Monash Health grow to 18 employees, with podiatry offerings now across five sites as well as a community service.
She puts her success down to a cohesive team that works together to get the best patient outcomes and supportive managers who have enabled her to take opportunities when presented.
“Podiatry doesn’t stand alone. You are as good as the team around you, and it’s been a real highlight to be surrounded by our team of amazing Allied Health professionals,” Gill said.
“As we see patients present with more complex conditions, the challenge is now to continue to see these patients early so we can manage and continue to improve outcomes,” she explains.
While Gill will miss the wonderful team and her Monash Health colleagues, travel beckons, with a two-month trip to Queensland the first of many. She is also looking forward to more time with her grandchildren and her husband.
We wish you all the best in your retirement Gill.
Approved by: Stuart Cavill