Portland District Health in Portland, Victoria | Public & government service

Portland District Health

Locality: Portland, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 5521 0333

Address: 141 Bentinck Street 3305 Portland, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.pdh.net.au

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25.01.2022 PDH AIMS TO INCREASE SURGICAL CAPACITY Portland District Health is renewing a campaign encouraging local residents to have surgical procedures done close to home, while also helping Warrnambool’s hospital to ease its waiting lists. PDH’s new perioperative services manager Michael Ashby said the hospital’s surgical facilities were underutilised and he is encouraging local GPs to refer patients to Portland wherever possible.... Mr Ashby said PDH’s services could grow but you need to provide the client base from the referrals of GPs. Instead of referring to Warrnambool or Geelong, we need to encourage GPs to refer people here as much as possible. We’ve got two theatres but we have top-rate equipment and best practice procedures and staff and there is more capacity to provide services to local people. PDH has agreed to a request from South West Healthcare in Warrnambool to use some of the Portland theatre capacity but Mr Ashby said there was still room to do more procedures. We routinely offer four days a week; my first priority is to get the four days fully utilised, he said. A community deserves the hospital that it wants. If the community is willing to support and use the health service, we can positively look to the future. If we can bring more services to the area, it means better health outcomes for local people. Our aim is to stop people travelling to bigger hospitals but the difficulty with providing services is that it has to be consultant-driven and consultants need a client base. PDH CEO Chris Giles said better use of the operating theatre would be more convenient for locals and would help to increase the types of surgical procedures being offered to Portland. Fully utilising the facilities will also help the hospital’s financial position. PDH has previously run an it’s ok to ask campaign encouraging local people to ask their GPs for referrals to their local hospital. Mr Ashby has moved to PDH after similar roles at Mildura and Fairfield Hospital in Sydney. He said he would be working with management to try to attract more specialists to Portland. Like all regional hospitals, we would like to have less dependence on locums and more tenured medical staff but it is difficult, he said. Mr Ashby said he was impressed with the facilities and staff at PDH and he hoped to bring fresh eyes to the organisational procedures. Already the hospital has bought new pieces of equipment which I had suggested to improve the processes, he added. Photo: Michael Ashby - New Theatre (peri-operative) Manager

24.01.2022 NAVIGATING MEDICAL ACCESS DURING THE CHRISTMAS / NEW YEAR PERIOD With Christmas and New Year upon us, PDH understands how difficult it can be at times to gain access to medical advice with doctors booked out in advance and clinics closing during the festive season. One way to navigate medical advice is by contacting the Nurse-On-Call Service which is a service run by Ambulance Victoria. ... NURSE-ON-CALL puts you directly in touch with a registered nurse for caring, professional health advice around the clock. Call 1300 60 60 24 from anywhere in Victoria for free health advice, 24 hours a day. If you think your situation is an emergency, you should always call 000 or go to our Urgent Care Centre (Emergency Department). You may need this service if you or someone you are caring for is feeling unwell, you are not sure whether to seek medical help, you’re away from home or situated a long way from medical help or you simply want advice or information about health services in your area. We do not want to deter people from using our services and we reiterate the need to present to our Urgent Care Centre should you have an urgent medical condition or injury that requires attention. We are well aware our Urgent Care Centre will be very busy over the next few weeks and you may experience lengthy delays should the demand become overwhelming. Remember patients are triaged based on their illness or injury not by who arrived first so we ask you to please be kind to our staff whilst they tend to everyone’s needs. We ask you to please consider the nature of your visit to the Urgent Care Centre before presenting. If you would like to call the Urgent Care Centre before attending please call on PH: 5521 0346. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and New Year and we hope you stay safe and healthy.

23.01.2022 Sarah and Matt were thrilled to welcome their precious first born Eva Jarli on October 19. Eva was born at 8.56am and weighed in at 3.7kg. Welcome Miss Eva

23.01.2022 NEW CT UNIT WILL PROVIDE BETTER IMAGES AND POTENTIALLY NEW SERVICES A new Computed Tomography (CT) unit expected to be in service at Portland District Health next February will provide quicker and better images and potentially create new services. The CT unit has been funded by the Victorian Government’s Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program to upgrade or replace important equipment including generators, chillers, emergency lighting, patient lifts and water and fire ...service upgrades. PDH will receive $590,000 for the unit. PDH Executive Director of Medical Service, Dr Kaushik Banerjea, said the existing CT unit was more than 10 years old and it was time for an upgrade. Because the old machine is using older technology, the quality of images is not up to modern standards, Dr Banerjea said. What we are getting is one of the best machines on the market for this size hospital, he said. The unit will have new technologies not available on the existing machine, potentially leading to new services for Portland. We can look at conditions related to the heart, for example, that are not available on the current machine, Dr Banerjea said. Because of the improved quality of the images we will be in a position to identify stroke patients. At the moment, stroke patients go to either Warrnambool or Hamilton but once we have the new technology and better definition, we have the ability to start partnering with the Victorian Stroke Team. This will require the support of the Victorian Stroke Team but in the past, we couldn’t have that conversation because the quality of our images was not good enough. Dr Banerjea said PDH welcomed the funding and the community would see the benefits. It means the images are going to be better quality and produced quicker using less radiation, he said.

22.01.2022 Walking, jogging & cycling has increased over the last 6 months. What other positive habits have formed during that time? A good article from VicHealth on positive habits we may have formed during the COVID period & how we can continue to keep active for physical, social & mental health benefits. https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au//taking-healthy-habits-fr

22.01.2022 Lily and Mathew welcomed a second sweet baby girl at PDH on November 13. Layla arrived at 2.24am and tipped the scales at 7 pounds, 8 ounces. Big sister Amelia (16 months) is smitten!

22.01.2022 DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH OF YOUR MEDICATIONS TO COVER THE HOLIDAY PERIOD? As you may be aware PDH Urgent Care Centre is experiencing an extremely high number of patients. This has been worsened by the unavailability of many local GP’s over the Christmas break. Getting your scripts filled in a timely manner is crucial to maintaining your health. Please contact your regular pharmacist for script refills. Please note - At present there is temporary legislation which allows a pharma...cist to supply / sell other medications that may be required by you for the short term. We appreciate your understanding in this matter. See more

21.01.2022 WE HAVE LIFT OFF!! Our new lift installation is now complete!! Thank you to everyone for your patience during the changeover. This changeover was a smooth, well planned out exercise under the direction of our hard working PDH Engineering Department.

21.01.2022 PDH NURSE TO FILL SPECIALIST NEED A Portland District Health nurse will use a $5000 scholarship to develop skills to help meet local demand for lymphoedema care. Jenni Batten has received the annual Bert Wilmot scholarship to undertake lymphoedema upper and lower limb education to qualify as a lymphoedema practitioner.... Ms Batten will undertake an online course and expects to spend two weeks in face-to-face study in Melbourne in 2021. A 29-year veteran at PDH, Ms Batten is a Registered Nurse working in the sub-acute department. She has previously worked in theatre but is now enjoying a focus on chronic health care. Ms Batten said there was demand for more lymphoedema care in the Portland region. It’s nice to be able to offer these services locally so people don’t have to travel too far for their care, she said. Ms Batten said the scholarship enabled her to do the study. It’s fabulous, she said. If I didn’t get this scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to do the course because of the travel and accommodation costs. The scholarship will have flow-on benefits for the community. It’s keeping local staff well educated and informed and that is forwarded on to good care for patients, Ms Batten said. PDH acting CEO Karena Prevett described Ms Batten as a kind and resilient nurse who is focused and committed to patient care. Jenni will make a wonderful and caring lymphoedema practitioner, Ms Prevett said. Her interest in chronic disease will benefit patient care and provide a point of care for the oncology service and other consultative clinics provided at PDH. PDH lacks expertise in this area with only one other staff member qualified and working minimal hours to provide this service. Bert Wilmot served on the Hospital Board and its sub committees between 1964-1995 and held senior offices from 1980-1986. He was chairman of the joint committee of management which oversaw the hospital’s 1988 redevelopment. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the hospital, the Board of Management established an annual scholarship named in his honour. Congratulations Jenni from all the staff at PDH. Photo from right: Ros Nagorcka, Director of Nursing presenting Jenni Batten with the Bert Wilmot Scholarship

21.01.2022 Portland District Health has two new staff members helping people to get back on their feet as they recover from illness and injury. Physio Lauren Russell (in photo) and exercise physiologist Pat Hegarty have joined the PDH allied health team, helping a range of people to recover and return to fit and healthy lifestyles. Prior to moving to Portland, Ms Russell was working for Healthcare Australia, predominantly in aged care.... She’s enjoying her first placement outside Melbourne. The job ad itself read like a holiday adventure and then I realised it was a hospital job, which is exactly what I’m interested in, she said. I’ve wanted to work in hospitals since I was 11 years old so this ideal. At this stage Ms Russell works with both in-patients and out-patients, seeing a variety of clients. I enjoy that because you can get to see any type of patient, which is a nice challenge, she said. Everyone so lovely and helpful and that makes it a good place to work. Exercise physiologist Pat Hegarty recently completed his Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology at Deakin University in Melbourne. During his study, Mr Hegarty took on industry placement alongside several physios and exercise physiologists. That meant I was able to be more hands-on as a student and seeing that work environment and what an exercise physiologist can do to help people drew me to the role, he said. Exercise physiology can help with anything from mental health to pain relief to cardiac rehab. It brings people together to exercise in groups or under supervision, Mr Hegarty said. At Portland it’s a lot more medical and quality of life improvement and preventing decline of health. The roles are complementary. A physio will diagnose and an exercise physiologist is complementary as we work together to work on stabilisation, strength, range of motion to help return people back to work or sport and their normal activities, Mr Hegarty said.

20.01.2022 COMMUNITY HEALTH WARNING A HIGH risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma conditions has been forecast in the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country and South West weather districts for TOMORROW 11 November 2020 due to the combination of grass pollen and severe thunderstorms. There is also MODERATE risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma conditions TODAY in adjoining weather districts for Mallee and Wimmera.... If people have asthma or hayfever, the advice is to go inside, close doors and windows and avoid wind gusts before and during the storm. Reliever medication should be carried at all times today. You can subscribe for the distribution of health alerts. This service is available to everyone. To subscribe to receive health alerts and other emergency advice go to: www.health.vic.gov.au/subscribe

20.01.2022 PDH SEEKS COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON STRATEGIC PLAN Portland District Health is seeking local community feedback as it prepares to finalise its new 2021-2024 Draft Strategic Plan. The plan is available to review on the PDH website under publications. It is available via the below link:... https://pdh.net.au//Strategic-Plan-2021-2024-draft-23-Nov. The plan highlights the need for PDH to provide safe, quality care and services; to collaborate to deliver excellent and appropriate local services; to care about its people, and to manage efficiently and effectively within finite resources. During September and October, Marie Larkin and Colin Pidd from Click Consulting undertook consultations sessions with key stakeholders, including staff, visiting medical officers, regional healthcare CEOs, the Department of Health and Human Services, local community members and consumer representatives. PDH Director of Corporate Services Karena Prevett said the health service welcomed any comments from the community about the draft document. There has been a significant consultation process which allowed us to develop this draft and before the Board is asked to endorse the plan we want to go back to the community for their input, she said. The strategic plan will inform the direction of the organisation in serving the community in the most appropriate way and catering for the needs of local people; therefore, the input of local people is highly valued. All feedback and comments should be emailed directly to Cindy Huppatz, Executive Administration email: [email protected]

19.01.2022 Portland District Health this morning held a morning tea to celebrate last weeks National Volunteer Week and to thank these fabulous people who through their volunteering support, sharing of their skills, time, advocacy and more, support all of our Portland and district community. There are currently some volunteer vacancies at Portland District Health. If you are interested in joining this team of volunteers please email [email protected] It was great to see those... who were able to attend this morning, lots of fun and laughter was had while while taking of our photos Volunteering Australia Volunteering Victoria See more

19.01.2022 NEW RADIOGRAPHER JOINS PDH TEAM Attracting radiographers to regional hospitals can be challenging, so it helps when the CEO’s son has those qualifications. Mark Giles, the son of Portland District Health CEO Chris Giles, has recently joined the PDH radiology team.... While studying at Charles Sturt University, Mr Giles got the bug for working in regional hospitals. While many of his fellow students opted for placements in metropolitan areas, Mr Giles chose Cains, Thursday Island, Canberra and Wangaratta. He completed his internship year at Geelong, including some placement time at Portland, and went on to work at Albury for a year and for the past five years at Wonthaggi. I picked out-of-the-way places and I’ve worked all over the country, which was really exciting, he said. It’s hard to get professionals out to rural areas. Most students initially go to the city but I went the other way. His move to Portland has professional advantages as well as family benefits with his grandparents also living in the area. Mark’s work at Wonthaggi had changed to a clinic and he was keen to return to a hospital setting. I want hospital work and I want to be close to my family so it’s a perfect fit, he said. It was a good time to move. I like the challenge of hospital work; I like the diversity of pathology at hospitals and the fast-paced action of emergency situations. I find it a lot more engaging to have to make important decisions moment by moment. Working in a clinic, everything is very planned out. In an emergency situation, your problem-solving skills are tested and I enjoy that challenge. Mark had been encouraged by his mother to continue the family tradition of working in health. I didn’t know what I wanted to do so Mum suggested radiography. I am genuinely interested in people and their stories so what better way to get to know people and help them than in healthcare. Mark has found Portland to be a beautiful place with welcoming people.

19.01.2022 SIX SUCCESSFUL TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PDH In 2019-20, Portland District Health successfully applied for two scholarships from the DHHS Health Services Worker Training Fund, helping to transform the careers of two staff. This year PDH applied for six scholarships and was again successful with all six applications.... The successful 2019 2020 recipients were health promotion officer Craig Keenan who undertook Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance and Katrina Draper who studied a Certificate IV in Sterilisation Services. In 2020-21 the successful applicants are Jennifer Cameron Cert IV in Health Administration, Lauren Hockley Cert IV in Health Administration, Toni Kedzia Cert 3 in Health Administration, Alexandra Lesslie Cert IV in Hospital/Health Services Pharmacy Support, Cindy Purcell Cert IV in Leisure and Health and Casey Mills Cert IV in Clinical Classification. The training fund aims to support the careers of frontline health service workers and provides scholarships to support education and training. It enables non-clinical frontline health service workers to undertake education and training to improve their skills, increase worker satisfaction and add further value to our health services. Frontline health service workers include health service employees such as hospital cooks, orderlies, cleaners, security officers, administrative staff and other non-clinical support workers. Mr Keenan said the scholarship had been timely and helpful. I was aiming to eventually work in allied health and as a result of the pandemic, I was redeployed in allied health anyway and started assisting in occupational therapy and then physiotherapy, he said. As a result, an allied health assistant role was developed and advertised and Mr Keenan successfully applied for the position. He will start the role in January. The hospital has been very supportive and I’m now about 70 per cent through my course and will finish the last part as a practical component, he said. Without the scholarship, it would have taken longer and been more expensive. Congratulations to all six staff members. Photo: Scholarship recipients Harbourside Lodge activities coordinator Cindy Purcell, Environmental Services employee Toni Kedzia and volunteer coordinator of community transport and Telecare Jennifer Cameron.

18.01.2022 HOSPITAL CARE HELPS EASE THE TENSION FOR HORSE-KICK VICTIM Young Logan Mayne is living up to the old maxim about getting back on the horse after being bucked off. Although only two and a half, Logan has grown up around horses and he’s quickly returned to the fold after being kicked in the head last Friday.... Logan has fully recovered, though still sporting two black eyes and a scratch on his head, and has ventured out into the paddock to say hello to the family’s four horses and walk his pony. His relieved mum Jess said it had been a stressful time but the care provided by Portland District Health (PDH) helped to ease the burden. Ms Mayne, who is a medical administrator at PDH, said the accident was horrifying at the time. We were out in the paddock brushing the horses like we always do and the horse just kicked out when Logan walked behind him, she said. We’re very careful and Logan is good around the horses but it was an accident that could have happened to anyone. Making quick calls to her mother Michelle and husband Damien as she rushed Logan to the hospital, Ms Mayne admits she was in tears worrying about her son. We got in the car and raced to the Urgent Care Centre, she said. They saw him straight away which was good. The nurses took his observations and then the doctor came to see us. The staff, especially Doctor Karan Kurup and nurse Tim Edgcumbe, not only tended to Logan but helped to calm his mum. They were fantastic, Ms Mayne said. Tim the nurse managed to keep me calm which was good because I was in quite a bit of shock. The care was excellent. Logan was kept for observation in the PDH Urgent Care Centre for about five hours for monitoring and a CT scan before being taken by ambulance to Warrnambool for observation overnight. Because it was a head injury, they wanted to make sure there was no damage and he was fine to come home the next day, Ms Mayne said. He’s got two little black eyes at the moment and a cut on his forehead but he’s fine now. His parents have explained the dangers of walking behind horses and hope Logan has learnt his lesson. He’s been over and said hello to the horses which is good, Ms Mayne said. Logan has a little pony that he likes to ride. He’s just at walking pace at the moment, which is fast enough for me.

17.01.2022 HAVE YOU PICKED UP YOUR ORDER YET? HERE UNTIL 6PM Poco Artisan Icecream and Shaw River Buffalo Cheese orders from our recent fundraiser. Please remember to bring some cooler bags to place your order in for your trip home. ... PORTLAND Friday 13 Nov - 1pm to 6pm 3A Julia St (In Courtyard next to Lido Larder) PORT FAIRY Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 Nov 1pm to 5pm During normal opening hours at Poco Thank You again to everyone in our community who supported this fundraiser.

17.01.2022 PDH Medical Imaging

16.01.2022 Sweet Miss Minna June made her speedy arrival on October 18 at PDH to the delight of parents Danika and Mark. She joins proud big brother Wally (2) who is looking forward to showing her the ropes on the family farm. Congratulations gorgeous family!

16.01.2022 ISOLATION ROOM STILL IN USE AT URGENT CARE CENTRE While COVID-19 is no longer present in the local community, Portland District Health continues to admit people to the isolation room in its Urgent Care Centre. Staff are still required under Department of Health requirements to isolate any patient presenting to the urgent care department with symptoms that may be linked with COVID. This includes cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, fever, loss of smell or taste, vomiting, d...iarrhoea, unconscious, being intoxicated or confused. All patients are screened at the triage desk by experienced nursing staff, and if they meet the above criteria, they will be taken to the isolation unit and placed in a cubicle where their care will be continued. Staff working in this area are required to wear full PPE. If people are assessed and require a COVID swab to be taken, this will be attended to by the nurses in the department. Urgent Care Centre nurse unit manager Deb Tozer said rules prohibited people from having visitors while in the isolation room. Whilst it can be lonely in an Isolation cubicle and some people would like visitors, unfortunately due to isolation restrictions and room sizes, visitors are not permitted into the unit unless they are a parent/carer of a child or a carer for a patient unable to communicate with staff, Ms Tozer said. The isolation room was introduced as part of a reconfiguration of the Urgent Care Centre to ensure possible COVID-19 cases were isolated and that everyone is protected. As part of the changes, the Urgent Care Centre entrance is available for UCC patients only, it no longer provides access to the rest of the hospital. if anyone is considered high risk, they are taken to the isolation unit. The changes and rules make it safe for everyone needing to visit the Urgent Care Centre and for staff working in the centre. PDH continues to encourage everyone in the community to follow COVID-safe guidelines.

16.01.2022 WISHING TREE ANNUAL APPEAL STILL GOING FOR A FEW MORE DAYS - PDH ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY SUPPORT Portland District Health’s annual wishing tree is encouraging the community to make Christmas a bit brighter for local people in need. We know many people in the community are hurting because of the economic and emotional impact of the virus and our annual wishing tree gives everyone the chance to add some sparkle to their Christmases, To ensure social distancing and COVID-19 proto...cols are followed, PDH has two drop-off places for gifts. Between 8am 4pm there will be a tub between the two automatic doors at the front entrance for easy and quick drop off. People can also place presents under the Christmas tree which will be located in the healing garden dining area near the hospital kiosk, beside the lift near the front entrance. All presents will go to local families through the Portland Branch of the Salvation Army. Donated presents can be wrapped, though that is not a necessity. Christmas tags are available on the tree if people would like to label their present. The Salvation Army Portland See more

15.01.2022 URGENT CARE CENTRE ACCESS We would like to remind the community that there is no public access to Portland District Health via the Urgent Care Centre (Emergency Department). The Urgent Care Centre can only be accessed by emergency patients and emergency healthcare staff.... All other non-emergency visitors to Portland District Health must enter through the main entrance (off Fern Street). Thank-You.

15.01.2022 SINGING PROGRAM EXTENDED TO REDUCE SOCIAL ISOLATION FOR OLDER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY Funding for the Singing Strong program has been extended until the end of the year, enabling residents at Aged Care Facilities to participate in and connect to the community through song. When the pandemic struck, the program was adapted to be Covid-safe with local musician, Jess Cook, moving the delivery of the program from face-to-face at Harbourside Lodge to live-streaming from her loung...e room. This also provides an opportunity to extend the program to a broader audience with residents from other aged care facilities joining in to hear Jess sing. Songs are selected for their sing-along value, offering a trip down memory lane for many of the residents, who join in by either singing, playing an instrument or merely tapping their toes. United Way Glenelg Executive Officer, Nicole Carr, said it was great to see technology being used to provide people in aged care with a sense of connection to others. With limited social activities on offer for those living in aged care, the risk of social isolation and disengagement is a real concern. The pandemic emphasises the importance of using technology to provide connectedness and enrichment in aged care settings. One family who has greatly appreciated Jess’s singing is Jenny King, her mum, Marge Wilson, was a resident at Harbourside Lodge and recently passed away. You were the highlight of my Mum’s week. You gave her time-out from her dementia problems and she adored you. Every time I hear you sing it brings tears, but they are happy tears as you made such a difference to Mum. Her last few months weren’t good, but singing with you made her so happy. The Singing Strong program is an innovative speech therapy program introduced to Harbourside Lodge residents in 2019, aimed at residents who are living with Parkinson's Disease, post-stroke affectations, mild dementia, or for those who have issues with voice, speech or breathing. This project is supported by the United Way Glenelg COVID-19 IMPACT Fund. If you would like to donate please head to https://www.givenow.com.au/uwg_covid19_impact_fund Singing Strong, held virtually every Tuesday from 2.00 pm via the Singing Strong Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Singing-Strong-109245644060265 We would like to thank United Way Glenelg for continuing to support this excellent and worthy program that brings joy to our Harbourside residents each week.

15.01.2022 PDH COVID DRIVE-THRU CLINIC HOURS THIS WEEK

15.01.2022 63 YEARS - WHAT A MILESTONE Everyone at Portland District Health extends their congratulations to Dixie & Ken Mason, who were all smiles today as they were celebrating their 63rd wedding anniversary at Harbourside Lodge where Ken is a resident.

12.01.2022 PDH COVID-19 FEVER CLINIC HOURS Commencing Monday 16 November 2020

12.01.2022 LIFT WORKS AT PDH 3 WEEKS COMPLETE / 3 WEEKS TO GO HALF WAY THROUGH :) First week of installation of our new lift has commenced.... There are some changes on entry and within our facility where an alternative passenger lift is available for those who require it. Directional signage and assistance is in place. Please ask for assistance if you are unsure. We apologise for any inconvenience these works may cause.

11.01.2022 PDH RECORDS IMPROVED FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AS SERVICE DELIVERY VARIES Portland District Health posted an improved financial performance in 2019-20 while its service delivery varied dramatically during the year. Before capital and specific items, PDH recorded a surplus of nearly $800,000, largely due to sustainability funding from the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Net result before capital and specific items is the system used by management of PDH,...Continue reading

08.01.2022 PDH BOARD DIRECTOR APPLICATIONS - CLOSE SOON (MON 30TH NOV) Are you community minded and passionate about the healthcare needs of Portland and surrounding communities. PDH are currently seeking applicants to the PDH Board of Management to fill vacant Director positions.... We would particularly welcome people with expertise and governance in the following areas: - Community Services - Law - Audit & Risk - ICT Strategy - Clinical Governance Application can be submitted via the DHHS website link: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/hosp.../boards-and-governance Application process closes on 30 November @ 5pm.

07.01.2022 NEW VISITING HOURS AT PDH In line with DHHS rules issued 22 November, Portland District Health visiting restrictions are as follows. General Visiting hours... o 1:00pm 4:30pm to be reviewed in mid-December o No restriction on the purpose of the visit, number of visitors or length of time for the visit o COVID safe room density rules must be adhered to, meaning the number of persons in a patient room at one time will depend on the size of the room and is clearly displayed at the entrance of each room. o Masks must be worn at all times in the hospital. Portland District Health Visiting Hours: 1.00pm 4.30 pm (Visits outside these hours must be approved by the nurse in charge of the ward) Patients currently in isolation on the ward cannot receive visitors unless there is exceptional circumstance, these visits must be approved by the ward manager.

07.01.2022 ARE YOU ABLE TO HELP BY DONATING A PRESENT FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ANY AGE GROUP? Drop these to the tub at the main entrance, or the Christmas tree near the lift. These presents will be distributed by the Portland Salvation Army team to members throughout our local community who are doing it tough this festive season. The Salvation Army Portland

07.01.2022 HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE There has been reported cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in the Portland community. Please refer to the attached health information for symptoms to look out for, spread of disease and caring for children at home. There is no need to attend a doctor clinic or Urgent Care Centre unless your child is unwell.

07.01.2022 UPDATE FOR BENALLA AND PORTLAND: Coronavirus fragments have been detected in wastewater from Benalla and Portland. If you are a resident or have visited either ...of these areas from November 15-17, please be alert for symptoms. If you have symptoms, no matter how mild, get tested and stay home until you have your result. Find a testing site near you https://dhhs.vic.gov.au/getting-tested Find out more about how wastewater testing helps Victoria stay safe and stay open https://dhhs.vic.gov.au/wastewater-monitoring-covid-19

07.01.2022 VISITORS INFORMATION / VISITING HOURS UPDATE: Portland District Health Visiting Hours: 1.00pm 3.00pm Visits outside these hours will be considered by the ward manager upon prior request.... Patients currently in isolation on the ward cannot receive visitors unless there is exceptional circumstance, these visits must be approved by the ward manager. Social distancing, good hand hygiene and masks measures must be adhered to and are seen as the best defense in delaying the spread of the virus. All visitors will undergo a health and temperature check before entry to the health service. As of 8 November 2020 the following visitor restrictions apply: People in hospital can have one household visit them once per day for up to two hours (subject to density rule) If a visitor’s presence at the hospital is for the purpose of providing essential care and support necessary for the patient's physical, emotional, cultural, spiritual or social wellbeing that optimises the care and support delivered by workers at the hospital, they may visit alone and for an unlimited time. A person under 18 years of age who is a patient in hospital can have a visit from a maximum of two parents, carers or guardians at any one time. There is no time limit. People in maternity wards of hospitals can have one household visit per day for up to two hours and a visit from a partner or support person with no time limit. People of any age can visit people in hospital. Harbourside Lodge Aged Care Facility: One visitor per day for a maximum of 1 hour (regular visitors have allocated time slots) If you are an irregular visitor to a resident at Harbourside Lodge you are required to ring in advance to arrange a time on 5521 0300. Hairdressers and barbers can visit care facilities to provide hairdressing services to residents PLEASE DO NOT attend our health service or aged care facility if you are awaiting a coronavirus test result, are unwell with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), such as a cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath, fever or loss of sense of taste or smell, have a temperature higher than 37.5 degrees Celsius, arrived in Australia within the last 14 days, have been diagnosed with coronavirus and have not yet been given clearance from self-isolation, have had known contact in the past 14 days with a person who was a confirmed case of coronavirus. THANK YOU for assisting PDH to limit the spread of Coronavirus and keep our staff, patients and community safe.

05.01.2022 Portland District Health has celebrated and marked this year’s NAIDOC Week with a small ceremony. Due to COVID-19, the National NAIDOC Committee set November 8-15 to celebrate NAIDOC Week, instead of the usual July. PDH executive together with ATSI workforce officer Sonia Shelton held a small ceremony to acknowledge and raise awareness of the week. ... NAIDOC week celebrations are held across Australia each year to celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the oldest continuing cultures on the planet. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. This year’s theme is Always Was, Always Will Be and recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for more than 65,000 years. Always Was, Always Will Be acknowledges this nation’s story began at the dawn of time and didn’t begin with documented European contact. NAIDOC 2020 invites all Australians to embrace and acknowledge the true history of this country a history which dates back thousands of generations. Ms Shelton manages PDH’s Aboriginal Employment plan which aims to increase employment participation of Aboriginal people at PDH to a minimum of 2.5 per cent of the total workforce. PDH uses State and Federal funding sources to create meaningful training and career opportunities for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Most recently funding from the DHHS provided an opportunity for a local Aboriginal woman to complete a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance. Ms Shelton also provides support and assistance to ATSI employees, addresses any concerns/complaints that ATSI clients may have, assists PDH staff with any ATSI concerns, and consults with local external agencies. All Australians should celebrate that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists, she said. It’s about seeing, hearing and learning the 65,000+ year history of this country.

05.01.2022 The way we work has changed. You may be sitting or standing more now. We're encouraging our staff to use these exercises to boost energy, reduce fatigue & increase blood flow before & during they're shifts. https://thelamp.com.au//5-exercises-nurses-and-midwives-c/

05.01.2022 An Advent calendar with a difference. Let's continue to move our bodies daily!

04.01.2022 We come to work to care for members of our community, not defend ourselves say these PDH staff members. Portland District Health Our Community, Your Health.

04.01.2022 SIGNIFICANT STEP IN ATTRACTING DOCTORS TO PDH NEW INTERN PROGRAM A new intern program designed to attract and retain doctors at Portland District Health is being described as the most important development at the health service in a decade. The medical internship differs from traditional medical intern programs by introducing a flexible approach and removing distinct block rotations. It is already creating strong interest with two interns starting the program this year.... PDH CEO Chris Giles said the new approach was exposing interns to all medical disciplines within any given week across a year-long placement. This is an exciting development and probably the most important thing we’ve done in the last decade, Ms Giles said, It will lead towards growing our own medical staff and support people to be permanently located in Portland as opposed to rotating through different health services. The program differs from traditional medical intern programs which comprise of five 10-week rotations in different departments. This innovative approach to medical intern training has been a collaborative effort between PDH and Active Health Portland, championed by PDH director of medical services Dr Kaushik Banerjea, and Active Health Portland Clinical Director, Dr Marg Garde. PDH’s clinical lead postgraduate education Debra Hobijn said that under this flexible approach, the intern is exposed to all the core and non-core disciplines within a given week and repeated over the entire year. They will develop the necessary skills, knowledge and professional attributes for each discipline in an integrated way rather than in sequential block rotations, she said. The intern may see a patient in the Urgent Care Centre (UCC) with an emergency specialist doctor on Monday, follow-up care in the general ward Tuesday to Thursday with a physician or surgeon and review previous patients managed in UCC or the acute ward setting in General Practice with their GP supervisor on Friday. It’s a supportive educational experience that will encourage junior doctors to stay in the region and become rural doctors. Ms Hobijn said Portland District Health was one of the first health services in Victoria to implement this longitudinal model for medical interns. The pre-vocational program meets all the requirements for general registration whilst providing exposure to rural medicine, allowing the junior doctor to gain valuable insight into a career as a rural generalist. It also mitigates barriers that arise from requiring sustained supervision and exposure to one discipline over an intensive period. PDH is partnering with Deakin University to evaluate the program, with results potentially being used to advocate for further accreditation and funding of longitudinal internship years.

04.01.2022 Becoming a new parent or expanding your family is often daunting. Never more so than this year, in the midst of a Global pandemic. Congratulations to all those who were cared for and birthed at PDH this year. We are in awe of your courage and fortitude as you have adapted to lockdowns, ever changing regulations and increased stressors. This year the PDH maternity team celebrated 69 births, conducted 129 bookings, 361 home visits, 437 antenatal events and carried out 768 appo...intments. It was a privilege and pleasure to care for you all. Happy holidays! Please enjoy this video of the very special babies who brought light to a dark year. With love and best wishes from the PDH Maternity team *You Are My Sunshine by Jasmine Thompson used with permission*

04.01.2022 COVID - 19 Update 24th November 2020 WASTE WATER SAMPLING UPDATE As per the last Update Portland had a positive detection of COVID- 19 Fragments in the Waste Water (Sewerage)on the 17th of November. ... Subsequent testing on the 19th and 20th of November, samples have been negative (non-detect). More information on the Waste Water Sampling program can be found at www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/wastewater-monitoring-covid-19 Ongoing sampling of the Portland Waste Water is occurring. Thankyou to everyone for coming to our Drive Through Testing Clinic over the last week we have not found any positive cases of COVID-19. An important part of our COVID-19 norm is to get tested if you have even the mildest systems this enables us to find any presence of the VIRUS and contain it quickly. I would also like to congratulate the community on being responsible and remind everyone to be vigilent with personal COVIDsafe habits, we do not have a vaccine for the virus, it is highly contagious as we have seen. Remember the most effective methods to avoid any outbreaks in our community are good Hygiene (hand washing, hand sanitising), Wear a mask indoors or outdoors away from home if your cannot physically distance, and if you are unwell with even the mildest symptom get tested. Being patient, respectful and kind to others will keep our community vibrant, inviting and healthy, once again well done everyone Chris Giles

03.01.2022 LIFT WORKS AT PDH 5 WEEKS COMPLETE / APPROX 1 WEEK TO GO One week to go with the options to head up to our wards being the stairs or our second lift.... There are some changes on entry and within our facility where an alternative passenger lift is available for those who require it. Directional signage and assistance is in place. Please ask for assistance if you are unsure. We apologise for any inconvenience these works may cause

03.01.2022 Help us develop our Reconciliation Action Plan by completing the below survey.

02.01.2022 Exercise and Masks Don’t let hot weather and wearing a mask be an excuse from exercising. Remember, if you are doing exercise or physical activity where you are out of breath or puffing such as jogging, running and cycling, you do not need to wear a face mask. You do although have to carry a mask with you so you can wear it before and after exercising, unless you have a lawful exception. You must though wear a face mask when walking for exercise. ... Unless you have a lawful excuse such as a medical condition, where it would be dangerous to have obstructed breathing while walking around. It can be uncomfortable to be wearing a mask while walking but it is important to continue wearing them. They are still one of the best ways to prevent coronavirus infection.

02.01.2022 The power of Pet Therapy. There's plenty of research & evidence to suggest that our furry friends play a big part in our overall health, so don't forget to include your pets in holiday activities. They need just as much exercise & socialisation as we do & by doing it together you will be boosting your mental health as well as your physical health.... It doesn't have to be a walk every day either, as you can see here with our very own Jillian & her dog Buster enjoying a paddle board on the foreshore.

01.01.2022 PDH ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE ANNUAL WISHING TREE APPEAL Portland District Health’s annual wishing tree is being set up today giving the community a chance to make Christmas a bit brighter for local people in need. PDH community engagement officer Carolyn Malseed said the wishing tree would play an even bigger role than usual this year as the region emerges from the COVID-19 crisis.... We know many people in the community are hurting because of the economic and emotional impact of the virus and our annual wishing tree gives everyone the chance to add some sparkle to their Christmases, Ms Malseed said. To ensure social distancing and COVID-19 protocols are followed, PDH has two drop-off places for gifts. Between 8am 4pm there will be a tub between the two automatic doors at the front entrance for easy and quick drop off. People can also place presents under the Christmas tree which will be located in the healing garden dining area near the hospital kiosk, beside the lift near the front entrance. We want to ensure a smooth traffic flow for all those entering through the front entrance, Ms Malseed said. All presents will go to local families through the Portland Branch of the Salvation Army. Donated presents can be wrapped, though that is not a necessity. Christmas tags are available on the tree if people would like to label their present. The Salvation Army Portland