Southern Future Newsletter
July 2016 - Edition 1
Welcome to the first edition of the Southern Future newsletter!
So far this year we have heard from our patients, their whanau and each other about what matters; we have agreed our values and behaviours for how we will work together; and we have identified the key priorities that will make a difference. Now is the time for action.
Here, we're excited to be sharing stories that celebrate our staff, and show how we’re living our values and making a difference for patients and staff.
Please help us share your stories by emailing the communications team communications@southerndhb.govt.nz. And remember that a wide range of resources to help build the future we want can be found in the Southern Future SharePoint site. If you would like any advice on this, please contact Mel Green at listening@southerndhb.govt.nz
But first, the values
Our final values and behaviours were shared with you all in June. They apply to us all, at all levels and in all roles, in how we behave every day with colleagues, patients, whānau and other organisations. They are a vision for the great patient and staff experience we all aspire to, a starting point for conversations about how we work together, so we can appreciate what matters most to people, and support colleagues when they may be struggling to be consistently at their best. It’s up to us!
We encourage you to make use of the values in conversations with colleagues, team meetings and as you personally reflect on your own area of work and the situations you experience. We also encourage you to tell us your stories of how these values are being lived in your work with your colleagues and patients so we can share them with others and celebrate the great work that is happening at Southern DHB.
Celebrating Southern
Congratulations to Cate Wilson, who has become Dunedin Hospital's first Diabetes Nurse Prescriber.
Becoming a Diabetes Nurse Prescriber was a natural career progression for Cate. A Clinical Nurse Specialist in Diabetes, she specialises in diabetes in pregnancy and supports individuals with diabetes and the allied health professionals caring for them.
Having completed a postgraduate diploma in 2012, she recently achieved the Diabetes Nurse Prescriber qualification by undertaking a 12 week practicum. This enables her to now prescribe identified diabetes-related medications for her patients.
Cate says that achieving the qualification has been a hugely positive process.
“I work for an amazing team of people and we take care for each other, are there for each other and help each other. I couldn’t have done this without the help of my team especially the support of my nursing director, Sally O’Connor and my mentor, Dr Victoria Stott who has supported me throughout and continues to support me on an ongoing basis.”
Nursing Director Sally O’Connor is delighted with Cate’s achievement.
“Cate is extremely dedicated and capable. Being a Diabetes Nurse Prescriber is a win-win situation for both the team and our patients. It helps improve the continuity of care for our patients, and reduces the need for separate appointments for routine prescriptions.”
Living our values
“It’s up to us” say the North Community Mental Health Team
The North Community Mental Health Team are getting on with the “It’s up to us” philosophy of the Southern Future Programme. The team have created fabulous Southern Future displays which highlight the values, the seven improvement priorities for staff, the seven priorities for patients and some of the other resources available on the
Southern Future SharePoint site.
Every staff member in the team has a copy of the values and behaviours and over the next few weeks the team will use the videos of Tim Keogh’s May feedback sessions to promote discussion about how the team can embed the values and improvement priorities into their everyday practice. The feedback sessions are also available on the Southern Future
SharePoint site.
“The North Community Mental Health Team have truly embraced the Southern Future programme and I’m very proud of their enthusiasm and teamwork. They are an excellent example of how we all should be embedding the values, behaviours and improvement priorities and it’s something we will see across the directorate and the DHB in the coming months,” said Southern DHB Nursing Director Heather Casey.
Well done team!
If you know of great examples of people living the values at Southern DHB, please let the communications team know so we can share these stories by emailing: communications@southerndhb.govt.nz.
My Care Plan
Patients have told us that they want to be listened to more, and to better understand their plan of care.
We’re listening to their feedback, and as part of the Releasing Time to Care programme Southern DHB has developed the ‘My Care Plan’ patient board which is placed at the patient bedside to improve communication between the patient and their care providers.
Making a difference
for patients -
We're listening more
“The board acts as a source of information for the patient; it identifies the members of the team who are involved in their care; and it also provides useful information for families such as the estimated date of discharge and what the plan is for their family member on that particular day,” said Southern DHB Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Leanne Samuel.
The boards also inform patients that handover will occur at the bedside which is another initiative being rolled out as part of the Releasing Time to Care programme.
“These care plans are designed for our patients, who are encouraged to write any questions they may have on the board so they can be answered during ward rounds and bedside handover," says Leanne.
They are also important for improving patient safety as at a glance as team members can easily identify if a patient is at risk of falling, has any allergies or is at risk of pressure areas.
Some of our fabulous staff at Southern DHB!
Making a difference
for staff
Appreciating our staff
As part of our organisational commitment to build a culture of appreciation within the Southern DHB, we’re delighted to announce a new initiative to celebrate our staff and their significant service milestones.
On reaching a 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 year milestone, staff will be recognised with a letter of appreciation from the CEO, along with an invitation to a yearly Service Milestone Celebration.
Celebrations will be held in November around the district to recognise our staff who have reached 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 years’ continuous service during the current year.
An inaugural Service Milestone Celebration will be held in September to formally launch this initiative, where our longest-serving staff will be recognised. There are 240 staff who have reached 31+ continuous years of service with Southern DHB and its predecessors.
You may ask why we are launching with 31+ years. This is because we have over 1600 staff who have 10+ year continuous service with Southern DHB and its predecessors, over 770 with 20+ year continuous service, and over 480 with 25+ years of continuous service. A significant number!
“I’m delighted that this initiative is being launched. It’s a true celebration of the wonderful service, and commitment of our staff. It’s a chance for our leaders to show their appreciation in person, and an opportunity for stories, and memories to be shared,” said Southern DHB Chief Executive, Carole Heatly.
Should staff have any queries regarding their service records they are encouraged to contact their HR Coordinator.
