Latest News
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Official Opening of the Tarnbuk Centre
[caption id="attachment_36954" align="alignnone" width="576"] Mental Health Minister Gabrielle Williams and Peninsula Health Acting Chief Executive Helen Cooper unveil a plaque, officially opening the Tarnbuk Centre.[/caption]It was terrific to officially open the Tarnbuk Centre today, with the assistance of Mental Health Minister Gabrielle Williams.
Indigenous Elder Uncle Mick performed a traditional smoking ceremony and welcome to country, to cleanse the new space, overseen by Peninsula Health Aboriginal Elder Aunty Helen.
Peninsula Health Acting Chief Executive Helen Cooper said the new centre brought the Mental Health and the Alcohol and Other Drugs teams into the one facility, allowing them to work more closely together.
“The aim of co-locating these two services is to improve continuity of care for clients and ...
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Peninsula Health’s COVID Positive Pathways’ Milestone
Since starting in March 2020 in response to the pandemic, our COVID Positive Pathways program has provided clinical care and support to more than 100,000 people.
Staff from our community care department banded together with volunteers to ensure community members who tested positive for COVID-19, who were sick but didn’t need to be hospitalised, were able to receive world-class care from the comfort of their own homes.
To celebrate this milestone, we held a small ceremony to recognise the amazing contribution of our positive pathways staff throughout the last two years.
Peninsula Health Acting Chief Executive Officer Helen Cooper said the team had done a fantastic job responding to the needs of community members during exceptionally difficult times.
“We have received heart-warming feedback from our clients utilising this service, and we continue to receive overwhelmingly positive comments about the professionalism and compassion showed by our ...
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Helen Hutchins Celebrates 50 Years of Service
We’re delighted to be celebrating Helen’s 50th year at Peninsula Health. It is a milestone few people ever see in their careers.
As a Registered Nurse, Helen has spent the majority of her professional career leading and delivering the provision of high quality healthcare to children and their families. She is the current Nurse Unit Manager of our Paediatric ward and has also been an active member of many paediatric professional groups, including the Children's Healthcare Australasia, the Safer Care Victoria Paediatric Network, the Victorian Paediatric Nurse Managers Branch and the Mornington Peninsula Branch of Soroptimist Australia.
Helen is described by her staff as ‘not your average Nurse Unit Manager’ and her leadership is outstanding. She led her team to be the first Paediatric service in a Victorian hospital to do nurse-initiated discharges, meaning once the patient achieved the pathway goals they ...
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Raising awareness of chronic pain
National Pain Week (25 July - 31 July) is dedicated to raising awareness about chronic pain and reducing the social stigma associated with it.
Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three months or exceeds the normal healing period. Chronic pain may be a symptom of an illness, an injury, or both, but it can also exist without a clear cause. It is a condition that can be debilitating, and can cause people to feel isolated and disempowered by their pain.
More than 3.6 million Australians suffer from chronic pain.
This year’s theme ‘Living well with pain’ encourages individuals who are living with chronic pain to remain strong and resilient.
We spoke with Peninsula Health Persistent Pain management program participant Dale-Allison Newman about overcoming the challenges of living with chronic pain.
Prior to suffering from chronic pain, Dale-Allison found happiness through dancing. But at 58 she began ...
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Meet the Diabetes Educators providing a ‘Heads Up on Diabetes’
As part of National Diabetes Week, our Diabetes Educators, Jane, Brooke, Caroline and Vanesa, are providing a ‘Heads Up on Diabetes’.
As part of our Community Health services, the Diabetes Education team helps people manage their diabetes and provides further individualised support through programs designed to break down the stigma around diabetes.
Research has found that four out of five people living with diabetes have experienced stigma at some point. Our Diabetes Education team helps people with the highs and lows of living with diabetes. Diabetes Educator Jane Ivey said diabetes was a chronic condition that could have a significant impact on a person’s life.
“Diabetes changes the way people make lifestyle decisions regarding their health and wellbeing,” she said. “To manage diabetes well, a person must focus on getting adequate sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising, maintaining ...
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Frankston Hospital Redevelopment Update
This week, we turned the first sod on the construction of our brand new hospital building.
Works are now underway, and we look forward to watching this development as it progresses.
This new facility will help us provide improved hospital care to patients across Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula.
Our new hospital will comprise of: • An Emergency Department for children • A 12-storey clinical service tower with bay views • A cancer wellness centreWe will continue to keep our community updated about the construction works as they progress. The building is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
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Helen Hutchins Receives Medal of Distinction by Children’s Healthcare Australasia
We are very proud to announce that Helen Hutchins, our Paediatrics Nurse Unit Manager, has been awarded the 2021 Medal of Distinction by Children’s Healthcare Australasia. This award recognised Helen’s highly valued contribution to improving the health of children through paediatric nursing care and education in Australia and abroad.
Children’s Healthcare Australasia Chief Executive Officer Dr Barb Vernon said the award was well-deserved.
“Helen’s contribution to children’s healthcare is both exceptional and outstanding,” Dr Vernon said.
“Helen has provided leadership at local, state and international levels. She represents her profession, her healthcare, and her country well.”
Helen has been commended by her colleagues on excellent leadership skills.
“Effective leadership is known to improve outcomes,” Dr Vernon said.
“Helen ensures care is provided within a multidisciplinary team approach. All ...
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‘Early detection saves lives’ – Act today to prevent bowel cancer
This month is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, an important campaign to raise awareness about Australia’s second deadliest cancer. While many people die from bowel cancer, it is one of the most treatable types of cancers if detected early. To delve deeper into the significance of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, we spoke to our Director of Oncology, Dr Zee Wan Wong.
“Early detection saves lives. The cure rates for early bowel cancer diagnoses exceed 90%,” she said. Early-stage bowel cancers are limited in the extent of involvement, making them much more treatable than when detected at a later stage. “Generally, curative surgery is all that is required.”
The current recommendation is for everyone aged 50 and older to regularly test for bowel cancer. If you are aged 50-74, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program will send you a free bowel screening test in the mail ...
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Clinic 185 opens on the Mornington Peninsula
Peninsula Health’s Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health service recently opened a medical abortion service – Clinic 185 – in Hastings. The clinic aims to provide easier and safer access to medical abortions for those living on the Mornington Peninsula.
Abortion is a common and essential health service. Clinic 185 has received a number of client referrals since opening in December. Each client receives a phone assessment prior to attending the clinic.
Peninsula Health Nurse Practitioner Cathy Halmarick led the rollout of the service, alongside Dr Nicky Martin. Both Ms Halmarick and Dr Martin were glad to be expanding Peninsula Health’s Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health service and said that Clinic 185 had been well received by the community.
“The service has enhanced women’s health and wellbeing by providing a sensitive and respectful service for women who find themselves in this situation,” Ms Halmarick said.
“The decision to have an abortion can be very difficult, ...
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Peninsula Health to become new provider of regional assessment services
As you get older, everyday tasks can become more difficult and you may find that you need help completing tasks around the home.
From 1 July2022, Peninsula Health will become the provider of regional assessment services within the Frankston local government area, to be known as the Peninsula Regional Assessment Service (RAS).
Peninsula RAS aims to ensure that the services you receive respond to your needs and support you living independently at home.
To receive a RAS assessment, you must be aged 65 years and older, or aged 50 years and older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Peninsula RAS will not be replacing MEACAS.
Regional Assessment Services (RAS) conduct Home Support Assessments to assess people for eligibility for entry level home help services through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
Aged Care Assessment Services (ACAS) conduct comprehensive assessments to assess people for eligibility to access higher level services, including Commonwealth-funded residential aged care, residential ...