RAMSAY AUSTRALIA
CEO MESSAGE
With the development of
COVID-19 across the world we
are all living in very uncertain
times. It is important that we
continue to work together
and support each other as
we respond to this constantly
evolving situation. The safety
of our patients, our staff,
our doctors and our broader
communities is paramount.
I want to thank you for your understanding and
professionalism as we navigate this unprecedented
COVID-19 situation together.
Globally, Ramsay’s hospitals in France, Italy and the
United Kingdom are also heavily impacted as the virus
spreads rapidly through Europe. It is impacting all our
people in a variety of ways and our industry is at the
centre of the response. We continue to actively
monitor and respond to the latest advice from the
Australian Department of Health and jurisdictional
Public Health Units.
While the World Health Organization is leading the
global health response to coronavirus, it also declared
2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife. I would like
to acknowledge the nurses and midwives who make
up 54 per cent of our workforce in Australia. They play
a vital role in delivering excellent health care services
in our hospitals, day surgeries and clinics. We have
launched a global campaign in 2020 to honour these
men and women who dedicate their lives to improving
the wellbeing of others. Between now and the end
of the year, we are profiling one Ramsay nurse or
midwife from a different part of the world each week.
I encourage you to find out how you can show your
support by reading the article on p4.
It has also been a busy start to the year for several of
our sites with some fantastic and much-anticipated
new developments opening. Bringing these expansions
to fruition takes many months or years of planning,
construction and fit-outs, so it is always extremely
rewarding to see the end results for our doctors, staff
and patients. Our customers are already benefiting
from newly opened projects such as the mental health
expansion at The Adelaide Clinic, the redevelopment
at Peninsula Private Hospital, and the revamped and
expanded emergency department at John Flynn Private
Hospital. More developments are also in the pipeline at
Greenslopes Private, Hollywood Private and Joondalup
Health Campus.
We are also making some great strides in the
sustainability space (pages 10 and 11). We have released
our annual Global Impact Report which highlights the
way Ramsay operates to ensure sustainable practices. In
Australia, our IT team is saving an incredible 98 per cent
of e-waste from landfill, while six of our hospitals are
receiving $400,000 worth of efficient lighting upgrades.
During the first month of 2020, I was extremely proud
to see every single Ramsay facility in Australia rallying
together to raise money for the Ramsay Bushfire Relief
Appeal. This was a national initiative we developed in
response to the devastating bushfires occurring across
many parts of our country. Our staff raised a total of
almost $88,000 through gold coin donation lunches
and raffles and Ramsay matched this amount, resulting
in a $176,000 donation. It was my pleasure to recently
present two $88,000 cheques to the NSW Rural Fire
Service and Country Fire Authority in Victoria on behalf
of all Ramsay Australia employees. It was wonderful to
see our colleagues from the United Kingdom also show
their support by holding their own fundraisers, with
the proceeds also going to the same fire authorities.
You can read more details about our comprehensive
national bushfire relief initiatives on pages 12 – 15.
Finally, I look forward to hearing from many of you
throughout 2020. While we are in the midst of a
challenging situation, I believe the months ahead will
show how strong we are as a team. We have been
caring for Australians since 1964 and we look forward
to continuing to do so for generations to come.
Danny Sims
CEO, Ramsay Australia
| 01
2 The Ramsay Way 2020 01
Strategies to manage coronavirus anxiety
Widespread media coverage on the evolving COVID-19 situation can be triggering for many
people, as the number of confirmed cases rises and the impact on our communities grows.
Ramsay and Remedy join forces
to deliver hospital in the home
A new standard in hospital-in-the-home services will be set by an innovative
Australian company launched by two leading healthcare providers.
Ramsay Connect – a joint venture between Ramsay
Health Plus and Remedy Healthcare – will use its parent
companies’ combined expertise to provide coordinated
care during and after a patient’s hospitalisation, with
a focus on providing people with greater choice and
convenience as to where they access their care.
Ramsay Health Care CEO Danny Sims said Ramsay
Connect would set a new benchmark in care for patients,
facilitating seamless care delivery models from hospital
to home and providing patients with a truly integrated
healthcare experience.
“Leveraging 70 years of combined exp erience in
delivering the highest quality healthcare, Ramsay
Connect will provide community and home-based
care including rehabilitation in the home post joint
replacement,” Mr Sims said. “Ramsay Connect will also
look to deliver a range of other services including out-of-
hospital palliative care, chronic disease and mental
health management programs.
“Our service will be accessible and flexible, working in
conjunction with the patient’s clinical teams both in and
out of hospital ensuring we deliver care that is evidence-based,
in the most cost-effective environment.
“With Remedy, Ramsay looks forward to further
expanding our healthcare services beyond the hospital
walls, simplifying the care coordination for our patients
COVID-19
from hospital to home and integrating care across all
service providers including the GP.”
Rohan Mead, Group Managing Director of Remedy
Healthcare’s parent company Australian Unity, said that
the new business model would create services that can
be delivered at a lower cost than the traditional longer
hospital stays, while still providing high quality outcomes
and greater choice for patients.
“Australia’s healthcare sector is changing dramatically,
with an ageing population driving a shift from the
provision of acute and episodic treatment to the ongoing
management of the nation’s burgeoning level of chronic
disease,” Mr Mead said.
“The sector needs to similarly evolve to effectively and
efficiently meet these changes, which includes delivering
solutions that are outside the traditional parameters of
service delivery in a hospital or healthcare institution.
“We need healthcare that can be flexibly integrated
into people’s lives, particularly where they are living
independently and need and want access to suitable and
effective clinical care in a setting of their choice. In our
view, patient-centred, integrated care is the way forward
and not managed care.
“Remedy Healthcare is delighted to partner with Ramsay
Health Plus, bringing the best of both companies
together to support better patient outcomes.”
Ramsay Australia’s Mental Health Service Line Director,
Dominique Robert-Hendren, said it was important for
people to notice, acknowledge and accept how they are
feeling when stressed, worried or anxious, and to take
some steps to look after their emotional health.
“Self-care is an important investment towards long-term
wellbeing,” Ms Robert-Hendren said.
Ramsay Health Care has prepared five key strategies to
help Australians manage stress, worry and anxiety during
the COVID-19 situation. They are:
1. Acknowledge your feelings: It is a natural response
to be experiencing an element of worry or fear in a
situation such as this
2. Put it into perspective: Stay informed with accurate
information and only follow advice from reputable
sources, such as official government information, or
reliable medical officials. Set limits on media coverage,
and avoid unreliable reports from social media.
3. Reframe your perception: Although you might not
be able to change the situation, you can change your
perception of how you will cope with the stress and
worry. Begin by reframing any negative thoughts
about the situation. You might find it useful to take
a problem-solving approach (define the problem
proportionately, list possible options each with pros
and cons, identify best solutions that are practical and
helpful and put them into practice).
4. Stay connected to others: It is important not to feel
you are going through this on your own. Although
direct contact is not recommended for anyone feeling
unwell, there are still many other ways to remain
connected to family, friends and colleagues by using
the telephone, skype, zoom and text messaging.
Share your concerns about how you are feeling with
them and build a strong support network.
5. Take care of your body: Eat healthy balanced
meals and exercise regularly. Put into practice some
evidence-based techniques. These include (a)
relaxation breathing, (b) mindfulness meditation and
(c) healthy sleep hygiene.
Ms Robert-Hendren said it was also important for parents
and caregivers to take the time to talk with children and
young people about the COVID-19 situation openly and
honestly.
“Use age-appropriate language to relate information
without causing alarm and don’t volunteer overwhelming
information,” she said.
“Listen intently and respond to their concerns; answer
and clarify any questions that may arise.”
“Be developmentally appropriate when discussing
the importance of following official advice, particularly
around observing good hygiene habits.”
Ms Robert-Hendren said parents and caregivers should
try to model a calm approach.
“Validate your children’s experience and normalise what
they are feeling. Reassure them that everything is being
well managed and that they are safe.”
Finally it is also important for people to seek help when
needed from a GP, counsellor or psychologist.
Ramsay Health Care staff have access to free,
confidential counselling services through the company’s
Employee Assistance Program provider, Benestar.
Details are available through the Ramsay intranet.