COMMUNITY NEWS GEORGIE TAKES ‘NO ROAD TO HEALTH’ Georgie Sladden is currently studying her Registered Nursing in Rockhampton and is working as an AIN at Hillcrest Rockhampton Private Hospital. In April, Georgie had the opportunity to undertake volunteer work with an organisation called ‘No Road to Health’. The program consisted of eight days trekking through Kokoda and assisting in setting up and working in healthcare and nursing clinics in the villages that they passed through. Nine students participated in the trip which saw them trek to the villages of Maraba, Kagi, Naduri, Efogi and Manari where they conducted general health checks to people who have very little access to health care services. Hillcrest held a number of activities to support Georgie, including a fundraising morning tea. 16 The Ramsay Way 2017 | 02 As part of our health & wellness initiatives, Hillcrest staff dusted off their walking shoes and trekked to the top of Mount Archer. This was followed by a nutritious breakfast and plenty of banter around who ‘beat the boss to breaky’. Georgie said the clinic focused on pregnant women. Students had access to a Doppler which allowed pregnant mums in the remote villages the opportunity to listen to their babies heart beat for the first time. They donated a Doppler to the Efogi Village to act as an incentive for pregnant women to seek regular health checks throughout the duration of their pregnancy. The majority of the people that we saw experienced harsh arthritic pain due to a life of climbing and farming the steep mountains of the Kokoda track. Some common illnesses included; malaria, influenza and severe chest infection as well as malnourishment in infants. It was interesting to report there were very limited cases of diabetes and hypertension; however dental hygiene was very poor with high rates of tooth decay, even in children. This is a result of chewing sugar cane and beetle nut from young ages. Georgie said the learnings she gained from the program were tremendous and the warmth and gratefulness of the people in the villages will remain with her for a long time. The highlight of the trip was using the Foetal Doppler. Seeing the joy on the mothers face when she heard her baby’s heartbeat for the first time was a beautiful experience. Courage in war Australia’s oldest living and last Imperial Victoria Cross recipient has spoken about the role of courage in war during his special address at Greenslopes Private Hospital’s ANZAC Day Dawn Service. Mr Keith Payne VC AM dedicated his speech to the brave and dedicated women who served as nurses during World War One. “Courage presents itself in many different forms; sometimes in the form of the quiet determination of those who persevere with their most exacting tasks while all the time confronted by seemingly impossible odds,” said Mr Payne. As a former Australian Army Warrant Officer, Mr Payne served in locations including Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam. His bravery during a battle in Vietnam in 1969 earned him the Commonwealth’s highest award for valour: the Victoria Cross. Mr Payne was among 2,000 people at Greenslopes Private Hospital paying tribute to all Australians who served and died in war. Among the audience were special guests including Dame Quentin Bryce, war veterans and widows, and representatives from organisations including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Australian War Widows, Naval Association of Australia, Australian Red Cross, and the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation. The service was broadcast live to televisions throughout the hospital so patients could pay their respects as the ceremony unfolded. Greenslopes Private Hospital CEO Tim Daniel said he was proud to have such a strong sense of community within the hospital. “Each year our wonderful staff and local community work together to host this traditional service to pay tribute to the service men and women who have gone above and beyond for our country,” said Mr Daniel. Greenslopes Private Hospital was originally built for World War Two patients in 1942. Over the past 75 years it has evolved to become one of the leading private hospitals in Brisbane. Greenslopes Private has named its mental health facility in honour of Keith Payne VC AM. The Keith Payne Unit specializes in veterans’ mental health services including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, drug and alcohol management, depression, and anxiety. A large crowd gathers before sunrise at the Greenslopes Private Hospital ANZAC Day Dawn Service. Inset: Dame Quentin Bryce and Mr Keith Payne pay their respects at the GPH ANZAC Day Dawn Service. Peel Health Campus recently consulted with local Aboriginal Leaders George Walley and Franklyn Nannup for advice on conducting the prescribed burn that the hospital has planned for this winter. The hospital is conducting the burn to reduce the risk of bushfires to the campus and other nearby commercial and residential buildings. Hospital CEO Dr Margaret Sturdy said the campus had partnered with the City of Mandurah, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, along with a contractor, Working on Fire who is managing the burn on behalf of Ramsay Health Care. The hospital also consulted with the Department of Parks and Wildlife and the local Aboriginal community. “We have a great relationship with our neighbouring Aboriginal Health Centre, Nidjalla Waangan Mia, and felt it was especially important to consult with the centre in regard to burning the land,” said Margaret. George and Franklyn said there was much to be learnt from traditional methods to reduce the frequency of major fire events and keep the country cool. “Burning has been part of our traditions for many years in saving flora, wildlife and potentially people’s lives by preventing large-scale bushfires”. ‘”You've got to burn it in a way that creates balance and heals the land and this will stop unseasonal fires in the future. All fires eventually regenerate the bushlands and this time of the year is good to control burn, going into winter and then spring for new growth to emerge”. George also directed that the fire should happen in sections to give wildlife the opportunity to escape the area that will be affected. “The community should be aware that small animals escaping from the controlled burn may seek refuge in backyards across the road from the remnant bushland”. PEEL HEALTH CAMPUS CONSULTS LOCAL ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY ON PRESCRIBED BUSH BURN
The Ramsay Way - Winter 2017
To see the actual publication please follow the link above