The Royal Melbourne Hospital

It’s World Hepatitis Day. While Australia has a robust vaccination program for hepatitis, around about 205,000 people in Australia live with chronic hepatitis B, which can develop into severe liver disease including cirrhosis and liver cancer. It’s estimated that three-quarters of the people living with chronic hepatitis B in Victoria were either born overseas or who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. The RMH and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity's Professor Ben Cowie spoke to the PHN about the importance for culturally-appropriate and peer supporter-led care in tackling hepatitis B in Australia. “Being able to meet and hear the voices of people with lived experience – hear them describe how they respond to their diagnosis and the care they receive – gives doctors an invaluable consumer perspective.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gAvPj6qV

Welcome to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Fiona Whitecross! Fiona joined the RMH last month as the new Director of Nursing Operations for Mental Health Services. She has extensive experience in senior nursing leadership roles, including at Alfred Health and Forensicare, and also wide-ranging experience in quality, including in the Department of Health in Sector Quality and Workforce Development. In her spare time, Fiona is also a passionate cricket fan – “cricket is my number-one love” – who was thrilled to (finally!) receive her MCC membership recently. And fun fact, she also knows how to play the bagpipes, a nod to her Scottish ancestry. Fiona says she is excited to become involved in mental health care at the RMH as it leads some of the exciting initiatives born out of the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System, such as the the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing. The RMH and the University of Melbourne are the lead clinical and academic partners of the Collaborative Centre. “It is a real privilege to be here. Being a part of any kind of healthcare setting and working with others towards improving it is a privilege, regardless of where you are,” she says.

In a tremendous show of solidarity for our patients who wear a stoma pouch, more than 40 the RMH staff members participated in the Great Stoma Challenge 2024. More than 47,000 Australians live with a stoma pouch (or bag). Any surgery that involves the removal of part of the bowel or bladder requires a stoma. A stoma is an opening in the abdomen which can be attached to a pouch to remove bodily waste. For Stomal Therapy Awareness Week this year, the RMH stoma team encouraged staff to take part in The Great Stoma Challenge - which involved wearing a stoma bag for up to 72 hours. ”Transitioning to a stoma pouch can be a difficult time for our patients, so we encouraged staff members to wear one for three days to really understand the challenges of having one,” Stomal Therapy Nurse Liz said. Forty nurses, doctors and allied health professionals wore a pouch for 72 hours, all while exercising, looking after kids, showering and working. Read about their experience on our website: https://lnkd.in/g84fPQMp

The RMH Chief Executive Professor Shelley Dolan will be speaking at the Australasian Forum on Person-Centred Value-Based Health Care (PCVBHC), on the 2nd and 3rd of September at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Come along and hear Professor Dolan speak on managing safe, timely, effective, person-centred care alongside several distinguished presenters, from organisations such as the University of Melbourne, Northern Health and the NHS. This event is open to health care professionals, health care system leaders, consumer representatives, policy decision makers, and industry leaders. For more information, and to register, please see: https://lnkd.in/epzpACBc

After 30 years at the RMH, Waiting List and Pre-Admission Bookings Team Leader Aldo Farchione is retiring. Aldo has seen many changes since 1994, from using index cards to keep track of bookings, to the more sophisticated electronic booking system through EPIC (our Electronic Medical Records System). Throughout the changes and challenges adapting to new systems, Aldo said its one thing that kept him coming back to the RMH after all these years. “It’s the camaraderie,” Aldo said. “I’m really going to miss all the staff here. They create a fantastic atmosphere. They’ve made it a great place to work.” Elective Surgery Access Manager Ellen Duffy said Aldo will be missed. ”Aldo has been the ‘go-to person’ not just for us in the planned waiting list and pre-admission team but to many of our stakeholders,” she said. “Aldo has been a great employee to work with; reliable, respectful and has always shown great pride in his work, which is invaluable in an employee.” Aldo has actually worked at the RMH for 28 years, with two years away working as a photographer - one of his favourite hobbies. He looks forward to spending his retirement tending to some home improvements and taking photos of European landscapes when he takes a well-earned overseas holiday next year. Thank you for your service to our patients, fellow staff and the community Aldo.

Dementia has touched the lives of countless Australians. Being the second-leading cause of death in the country, and with more than 421,000 people living with dementia, many people know loved ones with the condition. In our fifth instalment of our YouTube series, we took a look at dementia - the signs, symptoms and prevention measures for the condition. Our professionals also spoke on the topic of young-onset dementia, a type of dementia in people under 65, and the complexities, frustration and difficulties that comes with diagnosing a condition often thought to just affect older people. Watch part 1 and 2 of our video on Dementia in full now: https://lnkd.in/ghAbH-iR

The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) had three very special visitors this week. This week the RMH welcomed Brianna and her family for a special visit to say thank you for their fundraising achievements. Brianna shared her incredibly moving story with the RMH Foundation for our 2023-24 tax appeal. At just 17 weeks pregnant, Brianna suffered a devastating stroke that required emergency surgery. Her arrival at our ED marked the beginning of a long road to recovery, with teams from across the RMH providing life-saving care, rehabilitation and support along the way. Thanks to the tax appeal campaign, the support of this beautiful family and the generosity of our community - including individual and corporate donations - the RMH Foundation has raised $1 million towards our goal of $2.5 million for a second CT scanner in our Emergency Department (ED). With more people coming through our ED than ever before, this is a vital piece of equipment that will provide rapid and accurate diagnosis for trauma and stroke patients. Thank you Brianna and to all our supporters who have been part of this story to date. The generous support of our community helps the RMH to remain at the forefront of healthcare delivery and research. Because when life is unpredictable, our response isn’t. Visit the website to donate to the RMH Foundation: www.thermh.org.au/CT

The RMH Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant team, (AKA The Haem Dream Team) is in the thick of their 4th year of Dry July fun(draising)⭐ Long-time fans know about the amazing projects they’ve funded through Dry July, like our outdoor garden space and comfy chairs for patients and their loved ones. This year, the Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant team is working towards: ✨ Transforming an underutilised room into a cozy, tucked-away spot for family meetings. ✨ Upgrading their blanket warmer to provide immediate comfort for patients. Every dollar raised helps us support RMH’s cancer patients and their families. Donate today: http://dryjuly.com/rmh

New guidelines are changing the way we diagnose and manage Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). International T1D experts, including the RMH endocrinologist Associate Professor John Wentworth have co-authored a consensus document in Diabetes Care and Diabetologia, outlining the best methods and recommended frequency for monitoring the progression of T1D across pre-symptomatic stages. T1D is traditionally diagnosed when people present to their GP with symptoms of thirst, weight loss, tiredness and increased urination. Insulin is already required at this point, meaning diagnosis often occurs too late and can result in sudden hospitalisation. Prior to the consensus document, there was no standard advice on how to detect, follow up, or support people with early-stage (or pre-symptomatic) T1D. Researchers hope this document will help prevent unneccessary hospitalisations and long-term damage from late diagnosis. Read more on our website: https://lnkd.in/ghxYuz6U Thank you to the JDRF Australia for their help in funding some of John’s research to understand pre-symptomatic T1D.

Do you identify as a Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person? We’re looking to help improve our Emergency Department experience for First Nations people, and we need your input. We are seeking feedback from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members to find out how we can ensure the Emergency Departments at the RMH is culturally safe and welcoming for First Nations people. The RMH and the Royal Children’s Hospital has engaged First Nations Consulting organisation Karabena Consulting to help facilitate interviews with our First Nations staff, patients and community on their experiences, insights and suggestions. Your input is crucial in guiding us towards meaningful improvements in Emergency Departments at the RMH and the RCH. If you identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, aged 18 years or older, interacted with the ED at the RMH, RCH or any other hospital, please reach out to [email protected] to arrange a time to have a yarn. You will receive a $20 gift card for sharing your time and insights. Thanks so much for helping us advance care for everyone.