Chief Executive Update – 20 October 2022

Chief Executive Update – 20 October 2022

As of today, we have:   

• 29 COVID-19 positive inpatients
• 44 employees with COVID-19
• 4 employees in precautionary quarantine
• 6 employees who are primary close contacts and working under public health exemption

In this update, we cover: 

• Introducing Monash Health Fertility 
• Designs released for Cranbourne Community Hospital  
• Floods impacting the community  
• Congratulations to all the winners at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards 
• Celebrating 50 Years of Infection Prevention 
• Cast your vote in our Fitness Passport survey  
• Length of Service Awards – 28 November 2022
• Mental Health Month – a meaningful conversation  

Introducing Monash Health Fertility 

Yesterday was an exciting day as we launched Monash Health Fertility, the first phase of public fertility services, which will improve access to those underserved or excluded from the private market.  

Monash Health Fertility, alongside The Royal Women’s Hospital, is the first publicly funded fertility service in Australia, providing a comprehensive range of fertility treatment and management options to Victorians.  

We are committed to the provision of safe, evidence-based, management and treatment options for those who would like to grow their family but have been unable to become pregnant, or who have medical conditions that reduce their fertility.  

You can find out more on Monash Health Fertility website which is now live. 

Designs released for Cranbourne Community Hospital  

Last week, the Victorian Health Building Authority released the designs for the new Cranbourne Community Hospital, which have been developed with extensive consultation. The hospital will increase our service capacity in the fast-growing population corridor and double our physical space at the current site on Cranbourne Road.  

The new hospital will significantly expand our points of care for services such as dialysis, public dental, mental health, child, youth and family, hospital in the home and more, to help take the pressure off major hospitals such as Casey Hospital. This will enable the major hospitals to focus on critical care, complex surgeries, emergencies, and trauma. 

There will be an increase from two to six theatres, allowing a significant expansion of services, such as ophthalmic day surgery. For more details, take a look at the presentation delivered by Julia Oxley, General Manager, Community and Associate Professor Christine Chen, Director of Opthalmology.   

The expected completion date for the hospital is late 2024.   

Floods impacting the community

The community conversation has certainly shifted focus this week as many in our state face the damage and destruction of the ongoing flood emergency.  

The widespread flooding looks like it will impact people in our state for some time, particularly with more rain expected in the coming days.  

I want to acknowledge those who live in flood-affected areas or have relatives and friends who are struggling. We wish you the best and hope you can get the support you need. Please reach out to the Employee Assistance Program, People and Culture, your managers or the management team as needed. 

This is a tough time with many people displaced from home and facing challenges they’ve never had to deal with before. It’s likely to continue for a while.  

Thank you to those who helped us prepare for last week’s weather events. We will keep a watching brief and keep you updated as much as possible, particularly if there are likely impacts closer to our sites.

Congratulations to all the winners at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards 

Congratulations to the Royal Melbourne for its award as Premier’s Public Health Service of the Year (large), announced last week.  

We were pleased to have been finalists in six Victorian Public Healthcare Awards categories, including Premier’s Health Service of the Year.  

I would like to thank and recognise the outstanding work, not just from the finalists but across our teams. There were also half a dozen other submissions we put forward to recognise a variety of excellent work during the awards period.  

The awards acknowledge all health services and all healthcare workers in Victoria for what we have achieved collectively over the last two and a half years. It is something we should all be very proud of.

We do know the exceptional work our teams have been doing. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to excellence and excellent care.  

Speaking of awards, congratulations to our Monash Health Security Services team, which is a finalist for the ‘Outstanding Security Team’ category at the annual Australian Security Industry Awards. Best of luck to the team and we will announce the outcome next week.  

Celebrating 50 Years of Infection Prevention  

International Infection Prevention Week offers us the opportunity to recognise the important role of infection prevention professionals globally. At Monash Health, we are proud of our infection prevention team and the amazing work they do every day to keep our colleagues, patients, and communities safe. 

At this week’s employee forum, Professor Rhonda Stuart and Nurse Manager, Marcus Kusiac, put a spotlight on key infection prevention topics to remind you about the importance of maintaining safe infection prevention practices in your everyday roles and responsibilities. Keep an eye out on iNews for profiles on these topics, and remember, infection prevention is everyone’s responsibility!

Cast your vote in our Fitness Passport survey

As part of our commitment to your wellbeing, we are considering partnering with Fitness Passport. Fitness Passport is a discounted workplace health and fitness program giving you and your family unparalleled access to a wide choice of gyms and pools. 

You can find out about the benefits of Fitness Passport here, and you can cast your vote for the gyms and pools you’d like to be included in our program by taking this short survey.

Length of Service Awards – 28 November 2022

I am pleased to confirm that this year’s Length of Service Awards will be held on Monday 28 November.

The Length of Service Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate our long-serving employees and volunteers, and the valuable contribution they have made to Monash Health and the community we serve. I take great pride in all the work that they do. 

I look forward to celebrating these significant milestones with you all in person, and you can read more about the event here. 

Mental Health Month – a meaningful conversation

Last week we assembled a panel featuring comedian and broadcaster Sammy J, comedian Felicity Ward and journalist Brad McEwan for a discussion about kindness, connection, and how they look after their mental health. 

This was an open and raw conversation about the power of the shared collective experience, such as we’ve had over the past two years. I recommend people listen to this thought-provoking conversation, which you can do anytime. 

Please note that the presentation contains discussions on mental health, including anxiety, depression, and suicide.   

If these topics raise any concerns for you, please know that you are never alone, and resources, programs and support services are available to help you.   

Thank you, as always, for the work you do to care for our patients and each other.  

Professor Andrew Stripp
Chief Executive