Media Releases

Media enquiries should be directed to:
Richard Sharman
Telephone: 0424 420-257
Email: richard.sharman@sjog.org.au

12 December 2007

St John of God Hospital, Berwick has received a $40,000 donation from the Ladies Auxiliary to purchase two new Resuscitor machines for the Maternity ward.

A Resuscitor machine assists in resuscitating newborn infants by helping with breathing and suction and maintaining a baby's body temperature.

Tony Hollamby, CEO and Director of Nursing at St John of God Hospital, Berwick, is enthusiastic about the new machines. "The Resuscitators are another important addition to our maternity services and will, with our other facilities, continue to ensure our newborn babies receive state of the art care" Mr Hollamby said.

Cheryl Reeves, President of the Ladies Auxiliary, said: "The Ladies Auxiliary raised the money locally and is proud to donate these machines so that the Berwick community can benefit from continued excellent care from St John of God Hospital, Berwick."

"It's great to receive such passionate support from the local community and I praise and thank the Ladies Auxiliary for their efforts and support of the hospital," Mr Hollamby said.

"These machines really help those babies who experience breathing difficulties and will be a boon for the babies, their parents and the midwifery staff," Mr Hollamby said.

"The Ladies Auxiliary has a proud history of supporting the hospital since it was a Bush Nursing and Community Hospital and is glad to carry on that tradition since St John of God Health Care took over the hospital in 2003," Mrs Reeves said.

The new Resuscitors replace existing machines that are over 20 years old. St John of God Hospital, Berwick will be donating these machines, which are still operational, to a charitable healthcare organisation.

In the 2006-2007 financial year, 436 babies were born at St John of God Hospital, Berwick and it is expected that the 2007-2008 year will see many more new arrivals at Berwick.

Thursday, 15 November 2007

The $14.5m redevelopment and expansion of St John of God Hospital, Berwick will be officially opened tomorrow at a ceremony attended by local and interstate dignitaries.

St John of God Hospital, Berwick has been an integral part of the Berwick and surrounding community since it started life in 1939 as the Berwick Bush Nursing Hospital.

The $14.5 million redevelopment has given the hospital new and updated facilities, including two new operating theatres to complement the existing two theatres, 30 additional inpatient beds, a new day procedure unit with patient lounge, new reception and admission areas and a Chapel.

The hospital's Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tony Hollamby, said the redevelopment ensures that the people of the City of Casey can access a wide range of high quality private health care services now and into the future.

"The redevelopment represents a significant investment in our community, which resides in one of Melbourne's fastest growing suburban corridors. Updating and expanding the facilities and services we can offer at the hospital means local people do not have to leave their community to access health care services," Mr Hollamby said. "People can be treated in their local community by doctors, nurses and other caregivers, who are predominantly also members of their community. The new facilities are also enabling us to attract more specialist doctors to Berwick."

Last financial year, the hospital treated 1,792 inpatients and 5,841 day patients. It also welcomed a record 436 babies. "Given the growth projections for the local area population, demand will only continue to increase for local, accessible high quality health services, which may entail further redevelopments and expansions in the future," he said.

The redevelopment has given the hospital a contemporary new facade featuring dark brick veneer and recycled Blackbutt timber panels - a design inspired by the hospital's leafy location near Berwick's commercial centre. The design aimed to recreate in a modern manner the hospital's origins as a bush nursing hospital. Internally and externally, the building incorporates a range of natural materials and finishes, and all windows were designed to bring natural light into the hospital while maintaining privacy and shading from the sun.

The redevelopment will be officially opened by Sr Isobel Moran, a Trustee of St John of God Health Care and Province Leader of the Sisters of St John of God, who founded St John of God Health Care in 1895. The hospital buildings will also be blessed by the Most Reverend Jeremiah Coffey, the Bishop of Sale, whose diocese the hospital is in.

10 January 2007

If you knew something was 80% fat, would you put it in your mouth? And if that food was supposedly a "healthier" choice, would you be shocked?

Losing weight and getting fitter are probably the most common of new year's resolutions, but a couple of weeks into the "new you", it won't help if your plans are being sabotaged without your knowledge.

As dietitian Amy Neill explains, it is the hidden fats in food that can derail even the best of dietary intentions.

"It's summer, so it's the ideal time for enjoying healthy salads," says Amy, dietitian at St John of God Hospital, Berwick. "And while the dressing you put on the top may not seem like much, it is important to note that some mayonnaise varieties contain as much as 80% fat." Since most of this is saturated fat, it's bad news for your blood cholesterol as well as your waistline.

A salad doused in one of these mayonnaise varieties can easily contain more fat than a Big Mac. And pre-packaged creamy salads, such as pasta or potato, can be even worse, filled with fat, salt and sugar. If you want to lose weight, just don't go there. 

In 2007, eating for weight loss is no longer about deprivation, but modification. Amy points out that the seemingly little things matter enormously, and the mere act of modifying your favourite recipes using lower fat alternatives can dramatically reduce one's calorie intake.

Cream is an obvious example, says Amy. You can make a delicious creamy pasta dish with real cream (35% fat) or you can use light evaporated milk thickened with cornflour (such as Carnation Light & Creamy) which is only 1.5% fat.

Sour cream is equally fat-laden, and even the light variety still contains 18% fat. "A great alternative is a dollop of fat-free natural yoghurt which tastes just as delectable on top of a baked potato," says Amy.

Ricotta cheese whipped with a little icing sugar is another taste sensation - and a much better alternative than cream or ice-cream to enjoy with summer's seasonal fruits. (Choose fat reduced ricotta cheese which is 95% fat free).

Curries and Thai dishes can still be on the menu, even though the coconut milk they usually contain is extremely high in saturated fats (even most "light" varieties). For all the flavour without the fat, substitute a can of light evaporated milk, thickened with cornflour and blended with a few drops of coconut essence. 

If you can't have a barbecue without the traditional snag in bread (22% fat), try instead a much leaner kangaroo sausage, which is only 3% fat. Grilled corn cobs, and fish or veggie skewers make great finger foods for outdoor eating, and instead of the pav for afters, serve lightly grilled cubes of skewered seasonal fruit, dusted with cinnamon and sugar.

But back to salads. Amy says these can still be your best friend, saving you both money and calories when you make your own. Experiment with ingredients like balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, a light spray of olive oil, herbs, garlic and pepper until you get that " just right" taste - one so good you'd reckon it could be bottled.

Amy suggests the following healthy recipes as modified versions of traditional favourites:

Spaghetti with Spring Vegetables

Ingredients:
500g spaghetti
Olive oil spray
3 cups mixed chopped vegetables
4 slices lean ham, cut into strips
375 ml Carnation Light & Creamy evaporated milk
1 tablespoon cornflour

Method:
Cook spaghetti according to directions on packet, drain and keep warm.
Lightly spray olive oil in pan and add vegetables and ham, cook for 2 minutes.
Add combined remaining ingredients, bring to boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Toss through pasta.

Hearty Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:
1 kg sweet potato (kumara), peeled and cut into large chunks
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
4 spring onions, (shallots), sliced
100 g baby English spinach leaves
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
400 g chick peas, rinsed and drained
400 g Nestle' Diet Juicy Nectarine Yogurt
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method:
Preheat oven to 200øC (400øF). Put the sweet potato onto a non-stick baking tray, drizzle with the sweet chilli sauce. Bake for 40 minutes or until the sweet potato is caramelised and soft. Allow to cool.
Transfer the sweet potato to a large serving bowl, add the spring onions, spinach, pepitas and chickpeas and gently toss to combine.
Whisk together the lemon juice, yogurt and coriander. Drizzle over the salad and serve immediately.

12 October 2005

Catering Services' caregiver Margaret Watson would not work anywhere but St John of God Hospital, Berwick - and this week the hospital showed its appreciation.

Ms Watson, who joined the hospital 15 years ago, was one of  46 caregivers at St John of God Hospital, Berwick to receive awards for service of five years or more. The hospital's Chief Executive Officer and Director of Nursing, Tony Hollamby, presented medals and certificates of appreciation to nurses, catering and administration caregivers at a special morning tea.

"It is just so nice to get recognition for your services," Ms Watson said. "I love working at the hospital - it has such a lovely atmosphere."

In a speech thanking caregivers, Mr Hollamby said the hospital appreciated the work they did and their commitment and dedication to the hospital and its patients.

The morning tea also celebrated Foundation Day, which marks the foundation of the Sisters of St John of God on 7 October, 1871. Mr Hollamby said the order, which originated in Ireland and was named for a 15th century Spanish saint, arrived in Australia in 1895 when eight Irish nuns arrived in Western Australia and began nursing in the goldfields.

"Today we remember and celebrate the foundation of our organisation by a group of faith-filled women," Mr Hollamby said. "Times were desperate and needs were great. They had faith to believe they could make a difference; faith in what they could achieve to bring about social change and make the world a better place; faith in a God who walked with them and would help them to realise their dream. Their faith continues to inspire us."

St John of God Hospital, Berwick is currently undergoing a $14.5m redevelopment, which will provide 30 more beds and a range of important new facilities including two new operating theatres. It will mean more work for caregivers - but the consensus on Foundation Day was that they enjoy every minute of it.

5 October 2005

Six caregivers from St John of God Hospital, Berwick were part of a group given special treatment - including tai chi, music therapy and meditation - at the first of a planned series of Caregiver Wellness Days organised by the hospital.

The special days, which were the brainchild of St John of God Director of Mission Brendan Egan, are being held at the Sisters of St John of God beach house in Mornington.

"The idea is to provide caregivers, as we call our employees, with an opportunity to take paid time out from work to partake in a day of quality reflection and relaxation, to recharge and revitalise," Mr Egan said. "The day is an expression of St John of God Health Care's commitment to helping caregivers develop a healthy work/life balance. It is also an opportunity to show our appreciation for their hard work and commitment to providing quality health care."

One of the most popular sessions, guided music imagery, was conducted by St John of God Sister, therapist and psychologist Sister Florence Holligan, a trained nurse who has a background in psychiatry and spent many years treating psychiatric patients in public and private hospitals.

Sr Florence moved out of hospital work in 1995 and studied to become a music therapist. Today the University of Melbourne runs a diploma course but when Sister Florence trained, American experts were brought in to teach. The advantage of music as therapy? "When people don't have the energy for anything else, they can still relate to music," Sister Florence said.

For the last 10 years, Sister Florence has worked in private practice in East Bentleigh, using music as psycho-therapy.   

Comments from caregivers after the Wellness Day included: "I'm feeling really relaxed - it's a lovely break from the stresses of work"; "It's a wonderful opportunity to spend one whole day re-charging your body and mind. We never do it enough - life is so hectic it's so nice to put the brakes on and really replenish yourself"; and "It's been a really good time to relax and reflect and introduce some new experiences - the music therapy and the art therapy were very different and new and I'm really glad I tried it."

5 October 2005

Zena Liston has traveled the world, worked as a nun in Africa, studied in Paris, been caught up in the religious conflicts of Northern Ireland, run a bookshop and lived in a caravan.

Life will probably be calmer now she has been appointed pastoral practitioner for patients, families and staff at St John of God Hospital, Berwick.

"We love Zena," one nurse said. "She's just so warm and friendly - you feel you could really lean on her in times of trouble."

Zena describes herself as "a country girl". She grew up on a farm near Limerick in Southern Ireland and taught primary school. She has also worked with the terminally ill. However a gift for languages and a bent for travel took her to the Jesuit Institute in Paris where she gained a Bachelor of Theology and trained in spiritual direction before spending seven years as a university chaplain in Nantes, in the west of France.

She spent 15 years as a nun, entering a religious congregation known as The Faithful Companions of Jesus when she was 21. "You ask why I left? A mixture of things," she says. "I never imagined I would. It was difficult - there's always going to be some regret. I still remain very close to them and I think I remain very much a Faithful Companion of Jesus in my heart and in my way of thinking and living, and the values that I hold."

Zena speaks fluent French and Gaelic. The gift for languages seems to be a family trait - her two brothers live in Brazil and speak near-perfect Portugese. "My family is all over the place," Zena says. "My father died when I was 15 - my mother is still alive, a strong lady, living on her own at 83. I have another brother who lived in Uruguay. My youngest brother lived in Africa for a few years with his wife.

"When I was a nun I spent some time in Sierra Leone prior to war breaking out. After I left, the Faithful Companion of Jesus sisters had to flee with just the clothes on their back, going secretly over the border. I wasn't at risk myself at that stage - I think if I was at risk anywhere it was probably in Northern Ireland. You know, you get caught up in things without realising it - all of a sudden  you're surrounded by mobs and with mob rule, there is no sanity. Only once I was really scared. One night during the July marching season, when tensions flare up, I was traveling home with a friend late one evening and a mob had blocked the road and surrounded us and wouldn't let us go forward or back. Eventually they let us go - but it was very frightening."

In 1998, Zena and a friend opened a bookshop in Armagh, Northern Ireland. "Every now and then police would drop in to tell you 'There's a spate of letter bombs around - please check your premises before closing up'. Letter bombs were tiny - how do you check for something like that in a bookshop?"

Zena left the bookshop in 2002 and spent six months traveling Ireland, England and France in a caravan. "Time out," she says, smiling. She has friends in Australia and had visited Australia twice before, as well as spending time in Africa, France, Belgium, Brazil and Uruguay.

Zena sees her new role at St John of God Hospital Berwick as "a real privilege - to be a listening ear and a companion to people in times of difficult, uncertainty and suffering". She also works at St John of God Nepean Rehabilitation Hospital in Frankston.

2 September 2005

When young Campbell Bates made his appearance at St John of God Hospital, Berwick on May 8 this year he was simply carrying on the family tradition.

His mum, Narelle, was also born there - as were his grandmother, Noleen, his aunts Meagan and Allison, and his cousins Luke and Ryan. The family has decided that any other additions will also be helped into the world by the St John of God Hospital midwives.

"I had Campbell on Mother's Day so I was pretty happy with that day," Narelle said. "I just love the atmosphere of this little hospital - it's a beautiful hospital and because Mum was born there and I was born there I wanted Campbell to be born there too. The midwives there are just lovely - it's a really special place."

Narelle's mother, Noleen Combridge, was born on June 6, 1945, at the old Berwick Bush Nursing Hospital, as it was then called. "I had my tonsils done there and a couple of other things - Berwick was THE place," Noleen said. "It's lovely - I could say nothing but good things about it."

Noleen's three daughters - Meagan, 34, Allison, 33, and Narelle, 32, were born at the hospital. Meagan's two children were also born at the hospital - Luke, 9, and Ryan, 6. Noleen said Allison may be planning to have a baby within the next 12 months and she would not dream of having it anywhere but at St John of God Hospital, Berwick.

Narelle, a dental nurse and her husband Peter, 39, who works for Danks & Son Hardware, are also planning another baby - and he or she will also be delivered in the one-time little bush nursing hospital.

Noleen, Narelle and Campbell will be guests of honor at the Turning of the Sod ceremony at St John of God Hospital Berwick at 2pm on Monday, September 5. The ceremony will mark the beginning of a $14.5million redevelopment of the hospital, with Noleen turning the first sod.

For Noleen Combridge, nee Sherriff, the whole Berwick area has happy memories. "We lived in Berwick until I was eight. We used to go out on Clyde Rd in a horse and cart. My grandparents lived out on Golflinks Rd and we used to visit them in a horse and buggy - and look at it now - freeways and lights! It was lovely. It was a really lovely little village, a little country town. And you went from Berwick to Dandenong and there was hardly a house - just a few at Narre Warren."

The Sherriff family lived in Miller St. "Our house was about ten down Miller St and that was it - then there were just paddocks," Noleen said.

The three generations of this one family born at St John of God Hospital, Berwick will receive a pomegranate tree - the symbol of the Sisters of St John of God - as a memento of the occasion.

4 May 2005

They spend their days and nights looking after the sick and frail, but on International Nurses' Day (Thursday 12 May) it will be the turn of caregivers at St John of God Health Care's Berwick hospital to receive much-deserved pampering.

At this former bush nursing hospital in one of Melbourne's fastest growing municipalities, the term caregivers refers to all employees - not just nursing staff - acknowledging the fact that everyone - from clinical to administrative to catering staff - works together to ensure patient needs are met at the highest level.

Nurses at Berwick are sharing the day with their hardworking colleagues in all departments by inviting them to participate in a day of pampering and fun. Activities will include massage (back, neck and hand), aromatherapy foot spas, belly dancing lessons and a barbecue lunch.

International Nurses' Day is celebrated annually on the birthday of the world¿s most famous nurse, Florence Nightingale. The day acknowledges and celebrates the valuable contribution nurses make to the community.

The hospital's Chief Executive Officer/Director of Nursing, Tony Hollamby, said activities such as this were a vital part of the hospital and organisational culture, which is strongly focused on providing a good work-life balance.

"As a not-for-profit Catholic hospital, we are committed to ensuring all caregivers are able to fulfil our Values of Hospitality, Compassion, Respect, Justice and Excellence," he said.

"One of the ways we do this is through organisation-wide activities and celebrations which bring everyone together and allow us to take some time out from our hectic schedules. International Nurses' Day is one such occasion. While it is directed at nurses - who do a wonderful job - we all recognise the vital role all of our caregivers play in enabling us to provide quality healthcare to our community."

Similar celebrations will be held at St John of God Health Care's other Victorian hospitals - Nepean Rehabilitation (Frankston), Ballarat, Bendigo, Warrnambool, Geelong and Pinelodge Clinic (Dandenong).

29 April 2005

Almost 400 babies were delivered safely at St John of God Health Care (SJGHC) Berwick last year. With even more young locals expected to begin their lives there this year, the hospital's hardworking and dedicated midwives more than deserve to celebrate their achievements.

And that is exactly what they will be doing between 10am and 12noon on Thursday 5 May - International Midwives' Day.

The day was established in 1992 to acknowledge the work of this specially trained group of nurses, and to raise awareness of their role within the general community.

SJGHC Berwick midwife and maternity unit manager Donna McKendry is passionate about her work and the fact that she is able to "mother the mothers" she meets every day in the 65-year-old former bush nursing hospital.

On Thursday, Donna will be sharing her passion for her work with the Berwick community by setting up a display area outside Amcal in Berwick Village.

She will be available to discuss nursing and midwifery, the hospital's maternity services, and how the upcoming $14.5 million redevelopment will enhance maternity services with the establishment of a dedicated women's health unit.

Donna, a mother of two, will distribute balloons and stickers provided by the Australian College of Midwives, as well as brochures about SJGHC's maternity services.

"Midwifery is such a rewarding career. You develop a very special bond with mothers, and it's always wonderful to see them come back for their second or third child and to know that you helped them in some way," she said.

22 March 2005

A strong focus on `mothering the mother' is one of the secrets to the success of St John of God Health Care Berwick's Maternity and Neonatal Unit.

The Gibb St hospital delivered 397 babies last year and is well on track to deliver even more this year, despite facing competition from many larger and newer private hospitals.

Unit Manager Donna McKendry - also a mother of two - attributes at least part of the unit's growth to the midwives' approach to their work.

"Our midwives are all mothers, so they understand how women feel before, during and after childbirth," Donna said.

"We make sure that we are mothering the mothers - they deserve lots of pampering and attention at this special time given everything they go through physically and emotionally.

"For me, being able to do this is an honour. It's very special to know that you can help a mother feel and cope better with what can be a very overwhelming and unfamiliar situation."

The whole community will be able to experience at least some of this special nurturing quality during the St John of God Health Care (SJOGHC) Berwick Maternity and Neonatal Unit Open Day, from 2pm-4pm on Sunday 10 April.

Visitors will be greeted at the hospital door and invited to walk throughout the hospital, stopping at information and display tables staffed by healthcare professionals and mother and baby care service providers, including:

• Hospital midwives, antenatal educators and physiotherapists
• Australian Breast Feeding Association
• Little's Car Restraints
• Acacia Flowers
• Gaia
• Wendy's Photographics
• Amcal Chemist
• My Planet Nappies and Nappy Wash Services

"Our midwives will be stationed throughout the unit - including the birthing suites - so visitors can look around and ask questions from the experts and gain a better understanding of our services, facilities and the standard of care," Donna said.

"As a special thank you to mothers who book with us during the open day, their partners will receive a voucher which entitles them to one free hospital meal every day during the hospital stay.

"It's our way of acknowledging the support partners provide. It will allow couples to share some special time together over a meal."

The open day will also include a free afternoon tea, product and information giveaways, including a basket of popular baby care products, generously donated by Gaia.

For further information contact Donna McKendry on 9707 1900.

2 March 2005

St John of God Health Care Berwick is calling for tenders for its $14.5 million redevelopment, which is due to begin in May.

The project is expected to be completed by mid-2006 and will include two new operating theatres, 30 additional inpatient beds, a Women's Health Unit, a new day procedure unit with patients' lounge, new reception and admission areas, and a chapel.

Chief Executive Officer Tony Hollamby said the expansion aims to enhance private healthcare services for one of Melbourne's fastest growing regions.

"The hospital has been a special part of the Berwick community for more than 65 years and the development heralds the start of a new chapter for both the community and the facility," he said.

"It's an exciting time to be here, watching the hospital growing with the City of Casey to meet the community's current and future healthcare needs."

The hospital will be working closely with the people of Berwick through its Community Advisory Committee during and after redevelopment.

 St John of God Health Care Berwick provides general medical and surgical services, specialist breast and endocrine surgery, as well obstetrics, endoscopy, urology, and neuroscience services. It has one of only three hyperbaric chambers in Victoria.

St John of God Health Care, a not-for-profit healthcare provider, is Australia's fourth-largest private hospital operator, with 11 hospitals in Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales, as well as pathology services in Western Australia and Victoria and medical imaging services in regional Victoria.

25 January 2005

St John of God Health Care Berwick could soon be nicknamed the 'Happy Hospital', with research revealing an overwhelming level of employee job satisfaction.

The Caregiver Perspective Survey was conducted by specialist healthcare surveying company Press Ganey Associates in December last year and ranks staff satisfaction in the top 96th percentile for the healthcare industry in Victoria. This means that only four per cent of similar organisations recorded higher levels of employee satisfaction.

While this is a positive result at any time, St John of God Health Care is particularly pleased as it comes just 16 months after merging with Berwick Hospital Incorporated in September 2003.

Chief Executive Officer Tony Hollamby is pleased with the way caregivers (employees) have quickly adapted to the organisation's culture and adopted the values and mission.

"All caregivers were asked to rank their satisfaction in various areas, including participation in decision making and policy setting, quality of supervision, job security and benefits," he said.

"In all of these areas the hospital was ranked in at least the top 90th percentile - and in some cases we received a perfect score, including the areas of job security and benefits.

"Satisfaction with pay was even high - receiving a ranking in the 70th percentile, which is above the national average ranking for the healthcare industry.

"The only area in which the hospital scored poorly was satisfaction with information technology. However, this was expected given that we are in the process of upgrading IT services throughout the hospital.

"Prior to September 2003, the hospital had very limited IT resources, so it's a significant change for many of our caregivers, though they have accepted the challenge and are progressing well."

The positive survey results are well timed - coinciding with the receipt of final approval from the City of Casey for the hospital's $14.5 million redevelopment.

The project will include two new operating theatres, 30 more inpatient beds, a Women's Health Unit, a new day procedure unit with a comfortable patient lounge, new reception and admission areas, and a Chapel.

St John of God Health Care Berwick offers general medical and surgical services,
specialising in breast and endocrine surgery, as well as obstetrics, endoscopy, urology, and neuroscience services. It also has one of only three comprehensive hyperbaric chambers in Victoria.

Mr Hollamby said the hospital, which delivers approximately 400 babies each year, would increase facilities and services for women, establishing a dedicated Women's Health Unit as part of the redevelopment. It was also improving men's health services, welcoming new urologists.

Tenders will be called in the next few weeks, with work expected to begin in May. The redevelopment is expected to be completed by mid-2006.

St John of God Health Care, a Catholic not-for-profit healthcare provider, is Australia's fourth largest private hospital operator, with 10 hospitals as well as pathology services in Victoria and Western Australia, and medical imaging services in Victoria.

24 January 2005

More than 40 years of nursing experience will stand Berwick theatre nurse Ann McDonald in good stead when she heads to Indonesia on 7 February.

The St John of God Health Care Berwick Unit Manager (Operating Suite) will spend a month working as a volunteer theatre nurse in a Banda Aceh hospital which is struggling to cope with the community's needs for medical attention following last month's tsunami.

Ann will be joined by nine other Victorian nurses who have volunteered their services through the International Friends of Compassion.

All group members must receive sponsorship/community donations to assist with their air travel, and Ann said she is overwhelmed at the level of support from her employer, St John of God Health Care, and her colleagues at its Berwick hospital.

"The hospital's Chief Executive Officer Tony Hollamby, has been supportive since I first mentioned the opportunity to assist with the tsunami relief, which has made the decision to go much easier for me," Ann said.

"As part of St John's Social Outreach & Advocacy Program I'm able to take special leave with pay, and my colleagues are making donations towards my travel costs, with any shortfall funded by the hospital.

"I am very fortunate to have been part of such a generous and supportive team at Berwick for the past eight years."

For this 58-year-old mother of four and grandmother of six from Rowville, spending four weeks working in difficult conditions and with limited resources is something she "must do".

"I have a fair idea of what it will be like in Aceh because of the news reports and from discussions with others who have been working there," Ann said.

"I'm not expecting it to be easy, in fact it will be quite frightening - but that won't stop me
from going and doing what I can to help as much as I can. This is something I feel that I really need to do. Given my experience, I will be working as a theatre nurse most of the time, but I won't be limited to this."

Mr Tony Hollamby commended Ann on her commitment. He said it was reflective of the organisation's values of Hospitality, Compassion, Respect, Justice and Excellence.

"Ann is a well respected and valued member of the Berwick team and we are all very proud of her decision and will support her in any way we can. We are fortunate that our Social Outreach & Advocacy Program is structured to assist at a local, national and international level."

"It's a very brave thing to do, but given Ann's 40 years' experience as a nurse - 30 of those in theatre - and her commitment to helping others, she will make a valuable contribution to the relief effort. We wish Ann a safe journey and look forward to her return in March."

St John of God Health Care, as a Catholic health care provider, has also committed $100,000 towards the tsunami relief through Caritas Australia, a Catholic agency for overseas aid and development.

"Apart from this initial monetary contribution, we are fortunate to be in a position to assist staff who are so willing to give their time and experience to help others," Dr Michael Stanford, National Chief Executive Officer for St John of God Health Care, said.

"Given the need for assistance in these areas will continue for many years to come, we would also like to help the many victims of this terrible tragedy in making available our health facilities, including our counselling centres, should the need arise."

St John of God Health Care, a not-for-profit healthcare provider, is Australia's fourth-largest private hospital operator, with 10 hospitals in Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales, as well as pathology services in Western Australia and Victoria and medical imaging services in regional Victoria.

30 September 2004

Tony Hollamby has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Director of Nursing of St John of God Health Care Berwick and will manage the hospital and its $14.5 million redevelopment.

Tony said the hospital would build two new operating theatres, 30 more inpatient beds, a Women's Health Unit, a new day procedure unit with a comfortable patient lounge, new reception and admission areas, and a Chapel. Work is expected to start later this year and finish by early 2006.

He said the redevelopment was an exciting chapter in the hospital's history and would ensure the people of the City of Casey, one of Australia's fastest growing municipalities, could access modern, vibrant private healthcare facilities and services.

"For 65 years this hospital has been a much loved and respected member of the community. I am delighted to be leading the hospital through this exciting new chapter and working with the community to ensure we meet its needs for diversity and quality in healthcare facilities now and well into the future," Tony said.

Apart from managing the redevelopment, Tony will be establishing a Community Advisory Committee to garner community interest and input into the hospital. "I think one of the great things about this hospital is the goodwill it enjoys, both internally and externally. Money just can't buy that type of good will and it is something we are very thankful to have," he said.

St John of God Health Care Berwick offers general medical and surgical services, specialising in breast and endocrine surgery, as well as obstetrics, endoscopy, urology, and neuroscience services. It also has one of only three comprehensive hyperbaric chambers in Victoria.

Tony said the hospital, which delivers approximately 400 babies each year, would increase facilities and services for women, establishing a dedicated Women's Health Unit as part of the redevelopment. It was also improving men's health services, welcoming new urologists.

Tony's career in healthcare is extensive, with experience as a senior manager in the public and private sector and across acute and sub-acute settings. For the past three years, he ran his own consulting business. Between 1994 and 1999 he was Operations Director at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Western Hospital and their associated health services.

St John of God Health Care, a Catholic not-for-profit healthcare provider, is Australia's fourth largest private hospital operator, with 10 hospitals in Victoria, WA and NSW, as well as a pathology services in WA and Victoria and medical imaging services in Victoria.

Friday, 3 September 2004

The hyperbaric chamber at St John of God Health Care Berwick is treating a wide range of patients suffering from non-healing wounds and other medical conditions like radiation necrosis.

Patient Mike Emsley's windpipe was "disintegrating like dead coral" and he faced losing his voice, already an almost inaudible whisper, when he started hyperbaric treatment.

Now, after 50 two-hour treatments in Berwick's hyperbaric chamber over a 10-week period, Mike is overjoyed to have a stronger voice and his specialist "just about did a tap dance" when he reviewed Mike's progress. Every indication is that the radiation necrosis, which was breaking down cartilage and soft tissue in his neck, has been halted. Radiation necrosis is a delayed and rare side effect of radiation therapy, which in Mike's case appeared four years after he was treated for throat cancer.

There are many stories of lives changed through the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at Berwick, which is run in association with hyperbarichealth. Another patient, Bill Lawson, faced the amputation of his foot before treatments healed his diabetic ulcers.

While hyperbaric chambers are most commonly known for treating divers with the bends, they are now being used to treat other conditions such as gas poisoning, gangrene, bone infections and some non-healing wounds. Pressurised to the equivalent of 10 metres below sea level, the chamber increases oxygen, helping the body heal.

Berwick's chamber, which accommodates eight patients and one nurse, is one of only three comprehensive hyperbaric chambers in Victoria. To increase awareness amongst health professionals, Berwick and hyperbarichealth recently undertook a major marketing campaign aimed at over 1,000 GPs and podiatrists in the region.

Unit Manager Liz Hanna said people travelled a long way to the clinic and most wounds required at least 30 two-hour consecutive (Monday-Friday) treatments. "A lot of the patients we are getting come here as a last resort - when everything else has been tried. It would, of course, be better if they came sooner."