As part of the Riv’s year in review, we spoke to Echuca Regional Health chief executive Robyn Lindsay about the highs and lows of the past 12 months, and looked ahead to next year.
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Looking back on the highlights of this year, providing care close to home was number one on Ms Lindsay’s list.
Almost 30,000 people were admitted to the ERH emergency department, thousands underwent surgery and around 380 births were supported by the hospital.
On top of these figures, ERH also looked after 60 residential aged care residents and expanded a range of services.
“We take the responsibility of providing services to the community without them unnecessarily needing to travel somewhere else really seriously,” Ms Lindsay said.
“(It’s) something we don’t take for granted, and that over 1000 staff have worked really hard to achieve, so we’re really proud of that.”
Important to daily operations, and a separate achievement in itself, was the ERH team’s commitment to continually improve on its services, Ms Lindsay said.
“We’ve really tried to listen very hard to the community when we’ve been planning new things, but also to feedback on what we’re already doing,” she said.
Behind the scenes, milestone achievements were made in planning, Ms Lindsay said.
A new strategic plan, made in collaboration with the community, staff, other regional hospitals and the Victorian Department of Health, was published in November.
“It took us a good part of a year to write that plan and release it, so that’s been a highlight of the year,” Ms Lindsay said.
The plan outlines ERH’s priorities over the next three years, and will work alongside property, workforce, and environmental sustainability planning.
“The strategic plan is at the centre, but there’s a lot of other planning that’s been done to make sure we can meet the growth in demand for services now and in the future,” Ms Lindsay said.
While a growing population was expected to put pressure on the hospital, Ms Lindsay said it underscored a positive trend in the region.
“It provides some challenges ... but we’d much rather have that problem than the opposite, where the community wasn’t really vibrant and prosperous,” she said.
Changes in local demographics, including an ageing population and an increase in people aged 25 to 40, had also raised service requirements, Ms Lindsay said.
Efforts to improve emergency department admission and discharge times this year had been effective, with reductions in wait times and releases, Ms Lindsay said.
“We need to do that because the place is getting busier,” she said.
“It’s trying to make sure that our models of care keep up with that demand, and that we don't compromise on the safety and quality of care.”
Partly in preparation for the increase in people accessing ERH’s services, an international recruitment program was introduced this year.
Ms Lindsay said that, within the next three months, around 50 new staff members would have been recruited by the program.
Another highlight was the introduction of the First Nations cancer journal, developed by and for local Aboriginal communities, to be rolled out across Victoria in coming years.
Led by emotional wellbeing worker Uncle Gilbert Wanganeen, the pilot program was informed by his lived experience to support Aboriginal people experiencing cancer in a holistic and culturally sensitive way.
The ERH at Home program also boosted its services, with 14 per cent of hospital admissions taking place at a residence over the past year.
The program was overseen by a doctor and provided basic care to patients, reducing the likelihood of disorientation, falls and infections, Ms Lindsay said.
“The more that we can do safely at home, the better it is for that patient and their family,” she said.
“We’re one of few hospitals in the state that can provide that much care at home, so we’re really proud of that.”
ERH’s primary mental health and wellbeing services were recently expanded to meet an increased demand, now providing care for around 140 community members.
Looking ahead, Ms Lindsay said she was eager to see the formal opening of the adult primary mental health unit, with the current building currently undergoing works.
An increase in the amount of maternity services offered at ERH is also expected, catering for more complex pregnancies and reducing the need for travel.
A building project was under way on a new dental and oral health clinic, Ms Lindsay said, which patients would hopefully be able to access by the end of 2025.
Overall, Ms Lindsay said she was excited to continue supporting staff to be highly skilled and engaged across all departments.
“We look forward to supporting all those people over the next 12 months to take that next step in their development,” she said.
“We know that will have great benefits for the community and the patients as well.”
Ms Lindsay said each of the 1042 staff members played an important role at ERH, from medical staff to maintenance, food, accounting and technology workers.
Sixty-five volunteers provided over 3000 hours of support this year, and over 300 toys and blankets were donated by the community.
“The foundation of what we do is provided by the non-clinical staff. They don’t often get the recognition that they absolutely deserve,” Ms Lindsay said.