To read the full media release from the Midwifery Council of New Zealand, go to:  http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1506/S00155/slight-increase-in-qualified-midwives-in-the-workforce.htm

"While participants acknowledged that patients could play a role in preventing infections while in hospital, that role was largely associated with maintaining their own personal hygiene ... Some participants said that they would feel comfortable and happy to engage with staff, while others voiced concerns. Some about not wanting to ‘cause trouble or start fires’ and therefore would not tell staff members to perform hand hygiene [or] articulated a fear that their care may be negatively affected if they directly engaged or confronted clinicians about their behaviours". The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1757177415588378 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Seale, H., et al. (2015). ‘I don’t want to cause any trouble’: The attitudes of hospital patients towards patient empowerment strategies to reduce healthcare-acquired infections. Journal of Infection Prevention, 31 May [Epub before print]

Eighteen studies (6 randomised trials, 2 quasi-experimental studies, 8 with historical controls and 3 with retrospective comparators) were included from primary, secondary, community and managed care settings serving a total estimated asthma population of 800,000 people in six countries.

In these studies, targeting professionals (n=2) improved process, but had no clinically significant effect on clinical outcomes. Targeting patients (n=6) improved some process measures, but had an inconsistent impact on clinical outcomes. Targeting the organisation (n=3) improved process measures, but had little/no effect on clinical outcomes.

Interventions that explicitly addressed patient, professional and organisational factors (n=7) showed the most consistent improvement in both process and clinical outcomes. Authors highlighted the importance of health system commitment, skills training for professionals, patient education programmes supported by regular reviews, and on-going evaluation of implementation effectiveness.

The authors conclude that effective interventions combined active engagement of patients, with training and motivation of professionals embedded within an organisation in which self-management is valued. They go on to say that healthcare managers should consider how they can promote a culture of actively supporting self-management as a normal, expected, monitored and remunerated aspect of the provision of care.

This is an open access article and can be read in free full text at:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12916-015-0361-0

Pinnock, H., et al. (2015). Implementing supported self-management for asthma: A systematic review and suggested hierarchy of evidence of implementation studies. BMC Medicine, 13:127.

More than 100 enthusiastic students from Hamilton high schools packed the auditorium at Waikato Hospital yesterday to hear what working in health is really like. And if they take home messages from the health professionals who spoke, they will know a passion for making a difference, enjoying working with people, and a curiosity about life are just as important as the qualifications the careers require.

The students were there as part of the Health Careers Day annually sponsored by Waikato District Health Board.

The aim of the day is to promote the vast number of careers in health. That is reflected in comments made by the students themselves, many of whom thought of health careers just as doctors, nurses and maybe a couple of other professions.

The sessions open their eyes to the wide range of fascinating career options available – from occupational therapists to anaesthetic technicians to medical lab scientists or dietitians.

Theatre nursing, medical radiation therapy, speech language therapy, clinical physiology, and audiology were other professions covered on the day – as well as being a doctor.

Many of the professions and specialties held interactive displays after the main presentations where students could get “hands on” with equipment and ask questions. The packed room and high energy levels were testament to their enthusiasm and interest.

Anaesthetist educator Iain MacLeod and trainee anaesthetic technician Selina Ryan said that their profession is one of those many young people are unlikely to hear about – they both found out about anaesthesia only through word of mouth from people they knew. “These career days are so much better at letting people know what a wide range of health roles there are,” they say.

Clare Bateson, coordinator with the DHB’s Recruitment service says there is no shortage of students keen to attend the annual Health Careers Day.

“We contact schools let them know what we are offering, and the spaces are filled on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. The response is always very positive.”

The information aims to help prepare them well for New Zealand aged care workplaces, which can be quite different from those in their own countries.

The guide can be downloaded in full text at:  https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/resources/working-in-aged-care

Consultant paediatrician John Malcolm will receive the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) Rural and Remote Medal 2015 at a gala ceremony in Cairns, Australia, on Sunday (24 May). He says he is humbled by the award.

To read the full media release from Bay of Plenty DHB, go to:  http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1505/S00091/bay-of-plenty-paediatrician-awarded-top-honour.htm

To read the report, go to:  http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Engaging-Patients-in-Communication-at-Transitions.pdf

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2015). Engaging patients in communication at transitions of care. Prepared by a consortium from Deakin and Griffith Universities. Sydney: ACSQHC.

HIIRC identified this research via the Ministry of Health Library's Grey Matter newsletter.

The international invited speaker, Professor Beth Winkelstein (USA), is a  Professor of Bioengineering and Professor of Neurosurgery, as well as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in the School or Engineering and Applied Science, at the University of Pennsylvania.  

To find out more about this event, go to:  http://www.fpm.anzca.edu.au/events/2015-spring-meeting/welcome.html

The authors conclude from the results that "despite experienced critical care practitioners being able to deliver quality end-of-life care without using the Liverpool Care Pathway, junior nursing and medical staff need clear guidelines and support from experienced mentors in practice. Evidence-based guidelines related to family involvement in end-of-life care planning in critical care settings are also needed to avoid future controversies".

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jan.12680 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Ramasamy Venkatasalu M., Whiting D. & Carinduff K. (2015) Life after the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP): a qualitative study of critical care practitioners delivering end-of-life care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 14 May [Epub before print]

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says a record number of doctors and nurses are working in District Health Boards across the country.

“Our dedicated health workforce is making a difference to the lives of New Zealanders day in and day out,” says Dr Coleman.

As of 31 March 2015 there were 7,648 doctor and 22,092 nurse full-time equivalents employed by DHBs – that’s 1,718 more doctors and 3,768 more nurses compared to 2008.

This includes 986 more senior doctors and 970 more senior nurses.

A copy of the latest workforce report is available on the Ministry of Health’s website.

“While many other countries are freezing or even reducing health funding, we are committed to protecting and growing our public health services,” says Dr Coleman.

“Health funding has increased every year under this Government and once again Health is expected to receive the largest share of new funding in Budget 2015 when it is released later this week.”

The most common distractions came from external staff, followed by case-irrelevant conversations. The authors that:

• case-irrelevant conversations were associated with poorer team performance.
• irrelevant conversations initiated by surgeons were associated with lower teamwork in surgeons  and anesthesiologists.
• equipment-related distractions were related with higher stress and lower teamwork in nurses.
• acoustic distractions were related with higher stress in surgeons and higher workload for anesthesiologists.

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000001051 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Wheelock, A., et al. (2015). The impact of operating room distractions on stress, workload, and teamwork. Annals of Surgery, 261(6), 1079–1084.

"Using three hospital sites, we compared site-specific changes in prescribing error rates following use of an online education module alone (low intensity) with prescribing error rates following a high-intensity intervention (comprising the same online education module plus nurse education and academic detailing of junior prescribers)". 

Based on the results, the authors conclude that "improvements were seen in several prescription elements after the intervention but the majority of elements that improved were affected by both low- and high-intensity interventions. Despite targeted intervention, significant rates of prescribing breaches persisted".

Now available to read in free full text at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hcu213 

Thomas, J.S., et al. (2015). A comparison of educational interventions to improve prescribing by junior doctors. QJM, 8(5), 369 - 377

Thirty articles were included in the review. " Prominent predisposing factors (antecedents) include the person's age and gender, their family circumstances, possible comorbidity, high use of medications, characteristics of treatment and their relationship with their health-care provider. The most dominant consequences are poor health and well-being, non-adherence to treatment, ineffective resource use and burden on significant others. Furthermore, many of these consequences can also become antecedents, reflecting the cyclic and dynamic nature of treatment burden".

The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hex.12046 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Sav, A., King, M. A., Whitty, J. A., Kendall, E., McMillan, S. S., Kelly, F., Hunter, B. and Wheeler, A. J. (2015). Burden of treatment for chronic illness: a concept analysis and review of the literature. Health Expectations, 18, 312–324.

The primary focus of the EAG is to understand the extent of the problem in the practice of surgery in Australia and New Zealand and recommend actions the College can take directly and in partnership with others such as employers and hospitals, to prevent it.

To read more about the EAG, go to:  http://www.surgeons.org/about/expert-advisory-group/

They conclude from their analysis that "communication failure occurred because important information was sometimes buried in documents, insufficient, inaccurate, out-of-date or not verbally reinforced. Furthermore, busy nurses were not always able to access information they required in a timely manner. Patient safety was affected, which led to delays in treatment and at times inadequate care".

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12809 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Braaf, S., Riley, R. and Manias, E. (2015), Failures in communication through documents and documentation across the perioperative pathway. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 4 May [Epub before print]

The authors conclude from their analysis of the results that "ICU clinicians experience audit and feedback as fragmented communication with feedback being especially problematic. Attention to improving communication, integration of the process into daily clinical activities and making feedback timely, specific and actionable may increase the effectiveness of audit and feedback to affect desired change".

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2015-003978 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Sinuff, T., et al. (2015). A qualitative study of the variable effects of audit and feedback in the ICU. BMJ Quality & Safety, 24, 393-399

Australia and New Zealand have launched the first bi national physiotherapy practice threshold statements at a joint meeting of both countries’ key physiotherapy stakeholders held in Singapore on 1 May 2015.

 “This a landmark moment for the physiotherapy profession in both countries”, stated Janice Mueller (Chair Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand).  “It recognises there is professional movement between our two countries”, stated Paul Shinkfield (Chair Australian Physiotherapy Board).  

The new Practice Thresholds replace the existing Standards for physiotherapy (2006) (in Australia) and the New Zealand Physiotherapy Competencies (2009) (in New Zealand).

The Practice Thresholds aim to ensure there are mutually consistent entry level statements for the physiotherapy profession for Australia and New Zealand.  These practice thresholds set the requirements for all New Zealand and Australian physiotherapy graduates. “They also provide a valuable tool for use by the broader profession when assessing physiotherapists.  This is important for the ongoing assurance of competence as physiotherapists’ careers develop. For consumers of services; it is important that they have confidence that the care provided is safe and reflects contemporary practise”, states Janice Mueller.

“The implementation will be a phased process as we need to work our key stakeholders”, says Paul Shinkfield; “this is not an immediate process and there are differences that both countries need to work with on the rollout”.

The Practice Thresholds are published on each Board’s website:

• Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand
• Physiotherapy Board of Australia

Thirty-two cluster-randomised controlled trials (RCTs), comparing an intervention tailored to address identified determinants of practice to no intervention or an intervention(s) not tailored to the determinants, were included.

The authors undertook qualitative and quantitative analyses. The authors conclude that "tailored implementation can be effective, but the effect is variable and tends to be small to moderate. The number of studies remains small and more research is needed, including trials comparing tailored interventions to no or other interventions, but also studies to develop and investigate the components of tailoring (identification of the most important determinants, selecting interventions to address the determinants)". 

This article is available to read in free full text at:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD005470.pub3

Baker R, Camosso-Stefinovic J, Gillies C, Shaw EJ, Cheater F, Flottorp S, Robertson N, Wensing M, Fiander M, Eccles MP, Godycki-Cwirko M, van Lieshout J, Jäger C. (2015). Tailored interventions to address determinants of practice. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4, CD005470.

An environmental scan was conducted and the identified courses were evaluated using the Peer Review Rubric for Online Learning, which was selected based on its ability to evaluate instructional design. 

A total of 39 courses were identified, of which 24 unique courses were assessed based on their accessibility and functionality during the period of evaluation. Overall, the course ratings indicated that 17 of 24 courses evaluated failed to meet minimal quality standards and none of the courses evaluated could be ranked as superior. However, many excelled in providing effective navigation, course rationale, and content. Many were weak in the use of instructional design elements, such as teaching effectiveness, learning strategies, instructor’s role, and assessment and evaluation. 

This is an open access article and can be read in free full text at:  http://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3284

Selby P, et al. (2015). Review and evaluation of online tobacco dependence treatment training programs for health care practitioners. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 17(4):e97

In this study, the authors evaluate the effectiveness of aviation-style teamwork training in improving operating theatre team performance and clinical outcomes in 3 operating theatres in a UK district general hospital (1 control group and 2 intervention groups).

Capital & Coast DHB are doing their bit to protect patients from influenza this winter, with immunisation clinics for staff to receive free vaccinations starting this week.

Director of nursing and midwifery Andrea McCance helped out at one of the clinics on Tuesday.

“As health workers we have a duty of care to protect our patients and one of the best ways we can do this is to get immunised ourselves.

“Influenza A H3N2 has been the dominant strain in the Northern Hemisphere in the last few months, and it’s likely it will come to New Zealand this winter. We know that this strain of influenza hits those aged over 65 the hardest. 

“By being immunised we reduce the risk of spreading infection and make the hospital safer for both patients and staff.”

In addition to the clinics, 52 staff volunteered to become immunisation champions and offer vaccinations to their colleagues on the ward.

“So far the response to the campaign has been great with 342 staff immunised on the first day the clinics were opened, 100 more than last year.

“Our rates of immunisation have been increasing each year, and last year around 60 per cent of our staff had their influenza vaccination.”

The World Health Organisation recommend an influenza uptake of at least 80 per cent by healthcare workers to offer a 'ring fence' around those most vulnerable.

The effects of influenza are often underestimated. Each year around 400 New Zealanders die, directly or indirectly from the influenza.

“Vaccination is your best protection from influenza, and by getting immunised you protect not only yourself but your family and friends,” says Andrea.

Visit influenza.org.nz and see if you fit the criteria for a free vaccination, or talk to your GP to see what options are available to you.

Practitioners frequently encounter safety problems that they themselves can resolve on the spot. In this qualitative study, the authors ask: when faced with such a problem, do practitioners fix it in the moment and forget about it, or do they fix it in the moment and report it? They consider factors underlying these two approaches.

The Clever Commuters project has been developed in conjunction with the Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury to make it easier for CDHB staff to walk, bike, bus or carpool to and from work. It is being launched at the Hillmorton Campustomorrow (16 April), with a view to rolling it out to other campuses later in the year.

James Young, CDHB Sustainability Advisor, says changing how staff get to work, even just twice a week, will benefit staff, patients, the community, and the environment.

“Small changes by a lot of people can have a big impact,” James says.

“Biking, walking, bussing and carpooling can save money, free up parks for patients, and reduce air pollution.

“Walking and biking can help reduce cardiovascular disease and stress levels, can improve mental health, and makes us more productive. Bussing and carpooling are great ways to beat the stress caused by Canterbury’s bumpy roads, congestion and parking hassles.”

To read the full media release from Canterbury DHB, go to:  http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1504/S00060/cdhb-launches-clever-commuters.htm

The conference theme encourages strength-based presentations relating to indigenous health teaching and learning, curriculum development and research in health professional education as well as models for community engagement and the recruitment and graduation of indigenous students.

To find out more about this event, go to:  http://www.limenetwork.net.au/lime-connection/lime-connection-vi

Auckland DHB have produced a short video as an overview of the process: https://vimeo.com/123374964

Thirty-three papers were included and the authors conclude from their analysis that "acute hospital staff require adequate training, including symptom control, and the correct environment in which to deliver dignified and person-centred end-of-life care. Specific models/approaches to care can be beneficial, if adequate training regarding implementation is given. The needs of family members also require consideration, particularly following bereavement".

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269216315575681 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Pringle, J., et al. (2015). Dignity and patient-centred care for people with palliative care needs in the acute hospital setting: A systematic review. Palliative Medicine, 23 March [Epub before print].

Two RCTs and four CRCTs were included, involving 352 physicians, 48 residents, and 135 allied health practitioners. The authors describe the quality of the evidence as low. They conclude that, " .... when provided with a combination of EHI and training, practitioners used the information more often. Two studies measured doctors' use of electronic treatment guidelines, but showed that the electronic aspect of the guidelines did not mean that doctors followed the guidelines. This review provided no information on whether more frequent use of EHI translated into improved clinical practice or whether patients were better off when doctors or nurses used health information when treating them".

This article can be read in free full text at:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004749.pub3

Fiander M, McGowan J, Grad R, Pluye P, Hannes K, Labrecque M, Roberts NW, Salzwedel DM, Welch V, Tugwell P. (2015). Interventions to increase the use of electronic health information by healthcare practitioners to improve clinical practice and patient outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3, CD004749.

http://www.ranzcr.edu.au/advocacy/statements

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (2014). Role and Value of the Clinical Radiologist: Recognising the Value and Responding to the Challenges. Clinical radiology - position paper. Sydney: Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Associate Health Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says $1.19 million in scholarship funding this year will help 118 Pacific tertiary students studying for health-related qualifications.

The Aniva Scholarships, previously known as the Pacific Health Workforce Awards, have just been awarded for 2015.

“The aim of the Aniva Scholarships is to achieve greater participation and success of Pacific students to enter the health and disability workforce,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

The scholarships fund full tuition fees for high-achieving Pacific students in fulltime tertiary study which helps boost the quality of the health workforce.

Pacific peoples are under-represented in the workforce across the health sector.

Recipients are awarded based on their academic achievement, community involvement, leadership qualities and commitment to Pacific communities.

Priority is given to students studying medicine, nursing, midwifery, oral health and allied health. 

Compared with the total New Zealand population, Pacific peoples have poorer health status in a number of areas including child and youth health, exposure to risk factors leading to poor health and non-communicable diseases.

The Aniva Scholarships are funded annually through the Pacific Provider Workforce Development Fund.

The booklet is available to read and download in full text at:  http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/publications-and-resources/publication/2046/

They conclude from the results that "increasing surgical case volume and years of practice are associated with improved performance, in a procedure-specific manner. Performance may deteriorate toward the end of a surgeon's career".

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000000852 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Maruthappu, M., et al. (2015). The influence of volume and experience on individual surgical performance: A systematic review. Annals of Surgery, 261(4), 642–647.

"Practitioners within the nursing profession have a marked preference for interactive and human sources of information. They habitually associate information seeking with professional development rather than with clinical practice. Lack of time is the most frequently reported problem; also, they frequently lack confidence in searching and appraising the professional literature and in applying research in practice. Cultural factors may inhibit information seeking in the workplace, and access to appropriate information technology may be limited".

The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/NLW-07-2014-0085 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Ebenezer, C. (2015). Nurses’ and midwives’ information behaviour: A review of literature from 1998 to 2014. New Library World, 116(3/4), 155-172.

In this case the focus was on multi-disciplinary communication within daily board rounds on an acute medicine and care of the elderly ward. Baseline assessment and post intervention testing of perceptions of change by both full and core team were undertaken to establish the impact of VERP training. In addition pre and post focus group discussion and film analysis supplemented evaluation.

The findings support the view that after VERP training of a core team, board rounds were seen as consistently easier to participate in, providing improved focus, were more efficient in goal setting and resulting in better care for patients as well as improved pathways to discharge. This suggests benefits to the communication "culture" of a multidisciplinary team resulting in increased benefits for the wider team. It is concluded that the use of tailored VERP training for personal, professional and team development is relevant, feasible, and worthy of further testing and investigation.

This case study is available to read in free full text at:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjquality.u206968.w2801

Hellier, C., et al. (2015). Improving multidisciplinary communication at ward board rounds using video enhanced reflective practice. BMJ Quality Improvement Reports, 4.

The Walking in Another’s Shoes programme, an experiential dementia training programme, has seen its first graduates in the MidCentral district.

The programme is designed to help aged care workers understand what it’s like to live with dementia, and better help them understand the condition. The first class began last year, and all 22 participants have recently graduated.

The first class was a mixture of diversional therapists and caregivers, with the next two classes, that began in February, including caregivers and registered nurses.

MDHB Portfolio Manager, Health of Older People Jo Smith has talked to the graduates and seen the benefits of the course.

She said: “The graduates and their managers have really seen the benefits of this programme. Talking to the graduates, they have expressed just how much their views on dementia residents have developed over the last few months.

“MidCentral DHB is one of only three DHBs to have committed to funding Walking in Another’s Shoes on an enduring basis. This is because we recognise the growing need for dementia care in our district, and we want to ensure the best quality of care we can for these older people in our aged care facilities.”

Through the programme staff are taught many new skills, informed of the important role they play in the shift toward person-centred dementia care, and shown the ways in which challenging behaviour in those with cognitive impairment can be seen as a communication of unmet needs.

Walking in Another’s Shoes was developed by a psychogeriatrician and occupational therapist at Canterbury DHB and was rolled out here after a successful demonstration at Hawke’s Bay DHB.

This study examined the current practices of senior emergency physicians’ at 2 large Australian hospitals in regards to test result notification, along with their attitudes to direct patient notification of clinically significant abnormal and normal test results. Results showed that more than half of the emergency physicians surveyed (54%) were uncomfortable with patients receiving direct notification of abnormal test results. A similar proportion (57%) was comfortable with direct notification of normal test results. The authors conclude that, although patients’ direct access to test results could serve as a safety net reducing the likelihood of abnormal results being missed, emergency physicians’ concerns need further exploration.

To access a free full text version of the article, go to: http://www.jmir.org/2015/3/e60/

Callen J., et al. (2015). Emergency physicians’ views of direct notification of laboratory and radiology results to patients using the internet: A multisite survey. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 17 (3), e60, doi: 10.2196/jmir.3721

In the February 2015 issue of Nursing Review, Fiona Cassie talks to a sleep physiologist and nurse leaders to find out how to minimise the risks and maximise the lifestyle benefits of shiftwork.

Kathryn Cook is to lead MidCentral DHB and will take up the CEO role in early May.

The announcement was made today by Phil Sunderland, MDHB’s Chairman who said: “Kathryn has a strong history of leadership in the health sector both in New Zealand and overseas, and offers a diverse breadth and depth of experience.  Kathryn has a health professional background and has successfully led a major public provider of health services, Western Health, for approximately 750,000 people living in western metropolitan Melbourne.”

Mr Sunderland said the Board received a number of high calibre applications for the role and it was Kathryn’s mix of skills and experience in both New Zealand and Australia across health planning and funding, service provision and policy which confirmed the Board’s opinion in her favour.

Kathryn will take up the appointment in early May and until then, Murray Georgel has agreed to remain in office so as to ensure a smooth handover, said Mr Sunderland.  “We are very fortunate that our outgoing CEO has extended his time at MidCentral DHB so he can hand over to his successor.”

Originally qualifying as a General and Obstetrics Nurse in New Zealand, Kathryn has gained an extensive background in health, both here and in Australia.  She is currently a Partner within KPMG Australia’s Health, Ageing & Human Services practice, where she is lead partner of the Victorian practice. Prior to joining KPMG, Kathryn was CEO of Western Health, which delivers health services through four acute hospitals and provides a range of community services to a diverse and growing population that includes two of Australia’s fastest growing communities. 

Before joining Western Health, Kathryn was Director, Access and Metropolitan Performance within the Victorian Department of Human Sciences, where she managed a range of State-wide programmes with a particular focus on emergency, elective and outpatient service reform. In addition, she was responsible for the allocation of metropolitan health service budgets, negotiating key targets and deliverables and monitoring health service performance.

Kathryn has also held a range of policy and leadership positions, including in the Western Australian Department of Health and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.

Kathryn is a New Zealander and is looking forward to returning to her homeland.

To read the full story in The Age, go to:  http://www.theage.com.au/national/health/doctor-makes-a-plainspeaking-change-for-change-day-20150302-13szkf.html

It provides a forum for staff, students and our networks to discuss key topics in public health. It includes discussion papers, book reviews, original research, and tools for policy makers, practitioners and researchers. The publishers welcome not only written contributions but other media. All contributions are peer-reviewed.

Members come from a wide range of practice backgrounds, public and private, broad or specialised.

They found that "... specific coping styles are associated with varied risk of burnout in ED staff across several different types of hospitals in a regional network. Coping style intervention may reduce burnout, while leading to improvement in staff well-being and patient outcomes".

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2014-203750 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Howlett, M., et al. (2015). Burnout in emergency department healthcare professionals is associated with coping style: A cross-sectional survey. Emergency Medicine Journal, 20 January [Epub before print]

http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/staff-engagement

To find out more, go to:  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plans-for-new-legal-protection-for-nhs-whistleblowers

For further information about this event, go to:  http://www.nahc.com.au/index.html

For further information about this event, go to:  http://www.prevocationalforum2015.com/

Pre- and post-operative surveys were completed by patients who underwent major hepatic, colorectal, or oesophagogastric surgery and surveys were also sent to surgeons, anesthetists, and nurses experienced in delivering enhanced recovery protocols. 

"Overall, both patients and care providers rated the majority of items as important and supported ERAS principles. Freedom from nausea ... and pain at rest ... were the care components rated the highest by both patients and care providers. Early return of bowel function ... and avoiding preanesthetic sedation... were scored the lowest by care providers". The authors conclude that ERAS principles are supported by both patients and care providers, althoough controversies still remain regarding the relative importance of individual ERAS components.

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2014.06.032 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Hughes, M., et al. (2015). Attitudes of patients and care providers to enhanced recovery after surgery programs after major abdominal surgery. Journal of Surgical Research, 193(1), 102–110.

Now available to read in free full text at:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1742-6723.12319 

Cheng, Y. H., Roach, G. D. and Petrilli, R. M. (2014), Current and future directions in clinical fatigue management: An update for emergency medicine practitioners. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 26(6), 640–644.

Twenty-nine medical and non-clinical managers from departmental to executive level were interviewed. The authors identified 3 themes: "(1) previous systems of managing clinical performance were considered to be ineffective due to insufficient empowerment of medical managers and poor quality of available performance data; (2) the implemented framework was considered to address these needs and was positively received by medical and non-clinical managers; (3) introduction of performance-related HRM required the involvement of the whole organisation to executive level and inclusion within organisational strategy, structure and training".

The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2014-003219 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Trebble, T.R., et al. (2015). Clinically led performance management in secondary healthcare: Evaluating the attitudes of medical and non-clinical managers. BMJ Quality & Safety, 24, 212-220.

Council chairman, Mr Andrew Connolly says the reality is that telemedicine will increasingly become mainstream, but the challenge is how to manage it and ensure that there are appropriate standards to protect patients and to ensure the competency of doctors practising telemedicine.

To read the full media release from the Medical Council, go to:  http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1502/S00030/medical-council-cautions-patients-about-telemedicine.htm

The video is available at:  http://vimeo.com/118445452

http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/cancer-programme/cancer-stories

The online Foundation Course in Cultural Competency is now available free of charge at Learn Online (www.learnonline.health.nz) – the course supports you to build your understanding of cultural competency and health literacy in New Zealand, with a focus on improving Māori health outcomes.

The multimedia, interactive course is a voluntary programme and is spread across four modules and is available for all people working in the health sector. Each training module is supported by videos, video transcripts, additional reading resources and library references.

Cultural competence training assists health workers to provide a more accessible and welcoming service and has been identified as a key skill to ensure health workers are more consistently able to provide patients and their whānau with health information in a way they can understand.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says applications are now being taken for the Māori Health Development Scheme 2015/16.

“This is an important scheme which works to increase the capacity and capability of Māori health and disability providers,” says Dr Coleman.

“The scheme is allocated $8.89 million each year which is spread over two programme areas – Māori health and disability provider development, and Hauora Māori Scholarships.”

Māori health and disability providers have used the funding to improve infrastructure, achieve service integration, improve the quality of services and develop workforce skills.

The Hauora Māori Scholarships assists a minimum of 535 people each year who are studying across a range of fields such as nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, physiotherapy and social work.

In 2014 for the medical category alone, 147 Māori medical students were awarded a scholarship – an increase of 50 percent since 2009.

“The Māori health workforce is a big asset for our health system and it needs our continued support in order to respond to Māori health needs,” says Dr Coleman.

A portion of the 2015/16 funding is already committed in multi-year contracting agreements signed in 2013/14.

Further information about the scheme and applications forms can be found on the Ministry of Health website, www.health.govt.nz. Applications close midday 13 March.

The Conversations have been rated 9/10 or higher by 64% of participants, while 75% of all participants voluntarily provided feedback. Feedback initially was that Conversations were too clinically-focused and further Conversations were more wide-ranging in topic and included departmental roadshows.

This is an open access article and can be read in free full text at:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjquality.u204059.w2102

Gardner, S. & Bray, D. (2014). Compassionate Conversations. BMJ Quality Imprvement Reports, 3.

This article is available to download and read in free full text at:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzu068

Manojlovich, M., et al. (2014). Achieving a climate for patient safety by focusing on relationships. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 26(6), 579 - 584.

Twenty-eight articles were included. Of these, 23 "... evaluated the effectiveness of developed patient-focused strategies and five articles examined patients' attitudes towards hypothetical strategies. Sixteen articles evaluated single-component strategies (e.g. videos) and 12 articles evaluated multi-modal approaches (e.g. combination of video and leaflet). Overall, the strategies showed promise in helping to increase patients' intentions and/or involvement in reminding HCPs about their HH. HCP encouragement appeared to be the most effective strategy. However, the methodological quality of the articles in relation to addressing the specific aims of this review was generally weak".

The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2014.11.010 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Davis, R., et al. (2015). Systematic review of the effectiveness of strategies to encourage patients to remind healthcare professionals about their hand hygiene. The Journal of Hospital Infection, 89(3), 141–162.

To read the full abstract, and for information on how to access the full text, go to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/imj.12604 or contact your DHB library, or organisational or local library for assistance.

Beran, R. G. (2014), Mandatory notification of impaired doctors. Internal Medicine Journal, 44: 1161–1165.