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ABC News
10-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Safewards model of care pilot reduced violence in hospitals — to be rolled out across ACT
Health authorities are hoping a program which gives patients more information about their treatment and the people who'll be providing it could reduce incidences of violence on ACT hospital wards. First trialled in Canberra in 2021, Safewards is an internationally recognised model-of-care which includes strategies to reduce the likelihood of conflict and make hospital wards a more positive environment. It has since been rolled out in 10 wards across Canberra's public hospitals. Practically, there's things like photo boards with staff's faces, names and personal interests near ward entrances, staff are trained in using 'kinder' language when speaking to and around patients and visitors, and senior team members visit each patient daily to hear concerns directly. Clinical Nurse Consultant at North Canberra Hospital Leah Marshall said the morning conversation with patients and family members had significantly reduced complaints. "It's a great opportunity to address those issues at the point of care, so they don't become bigger issues," she said. "We get great feedback from patients and their family members about feeling more supported, knowing that the senior nursing team is looking out for them. "They feel like they're heard." According to the ACT government, the pilot found more than half of Safewards nurses thought the model of care had an impact on conflict and containment in their workplace, two out of three thought their colleagues viewed the program favourably and nearly half had heard positive patient feedback. Canberra Health Services (CHS) intends to roll out the program in two more wards, while practices learned by staff from Safewards will filter through other areas of the hospital system. Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said it was part of a broader strategy aimed at improving the system's safety culture. "That has partly been around ensuring that staff feel safe and supported to report incidents of occupational violence and know that there will be a response to that," Ms Stephen-Smith said. "Overall the feedback from staff and from patients and families and carers is that they're feeling a more positive environment. "They're seeing a reduction in occupational violence but also a reduction in the use of restrictive practices like medication to keep patients calm." The system encourages staff to report incidents of violence, which may be partly responsible for an increase in cases. CHS figures show there were 168 reported incidents of violence in the Canberra Hospital emergency department in the 2024-25 financial year — up from 95 the year before and 50 in 2022-23. Earlier this year, the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine reported more than half of emergency doctors surveyed nationally said physical violence occurred in their department daily or weekly. Australian National University Associate Professor David Caldicott, who is a full-time emergency consultant in Canberra, said it was impossible to trace more incidents of physical violence to a single cause. "It might be a reporting bias, it might be the fact that a different demographic of people is presenting to the emergency department because they're finding it harder to get healthcare elsewhere," Mr Caldicott said. The government says the Safewards program would be difficult to implement in environments like emergency departments, but Mr Caldicott said there was great merit in fostering a kinder culture within the health system. "The emergency departments, particularly, are designed for the addressing of emergencies. "While we'll see anybody with any medical problem at any time, they may be asked to wait a little longer and that can be very frustrating if you are uncertain about the nature of your medical problem, if you are in pain, if you're angry or you're anxious. "But we would ask people to be patient with us because there's not one member of the healthcare profession who isn't trying their very best to get at the problem. "The exhortation to the general public is that we have zero tolerance or no tolerance [to violence]. That's fantastic but it doesn't change anything. "So we should be more sophisticated than that and look at the reasons why people might find themselves resorting to verbal or physical abuse and try to address each of those in their individual manner." The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation was consulted on development of the government's current Towards a Safer Culture strategy. But the union's ACT branch secretary Carlyn Fidow argues ongoing incidences of occupational violence, "highlight significant gaps in workplace safety settings and the absence of a safety culture at CHS". "We have seen the ability of CHS to be somewhat responsive to safety issues with the recent notices issued by WorkSafe ACT, but this has been a reactive response. "What our members want to see is safety being embedded into everyday practices at CHS in a proactive way." Ms Fidow said improving safety settings included bridging the gap between safety and clinical practice through fit for purpose policies and procedures, as well as ensuring there was adequate training, encouragement of the reporting of safety issues and empowerment of workers to assess risk to themselves in any given situation and remove themselves if necessary. The union also wants better consultation in the workplace and action on psychological and psychosocial hazards and impacts. A CHS spokesperson said providing a safe working environment was a key priority and support services were available for staff who experienced violence. "Any assault is one too many," the spokesperson said. "These incidents don't just impact the individuals involved but the whole team — and potentially other patients. "CHS is always seeking to improve workplace safety across the organisation and the ACT government has made a number of significant investments to reduce the incidence and impact of occupational violence. "We continue to foster a positive reporting culture to better understand the factors contributing to occupational violence."
South China Morning Post
02-07-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Libby Lee to lead Hong Kong's Hospital Authority, steer medical reforms
Undersecretary for Health Libby Lee Ha-yun will head the Hospital Authority as the new chief executive from August, steering reforms of the city's public hospitals. Advertisement Authorities said on Wednesday that Lee, who previously served with the Hospital Authority's senior management, would take over the new role after current chief executive Tony Ko Pat-sing stepped down when his term ends on July 31. Cecilia Fan Yuen-man, currently a consultant in family medicine at the Department of Health, will succeed Lee as the new undersecretary for health, working alongside the health minister Lo Chung-mau. Lee had previously been with the public hospitals body before leaving in 2022 to join the Health Bureau. Lee, an anaesthesiologist, first joined the executive team of the Hospital Authority in 2008, and in 2016 she became the body's director of strategy and planning. Advertisement In her new role as head of the Hospital Authority, Lee will be expected to help address the long-standing issues faced by public hospitals, such as medical manpower shortages and patient safety blunders.
BreakingNews.ie
11-06-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Waiting-list funding halted at second hospital over ‘potential financial irregularities'
Funding to help alleviate waiting lists has been suspended at a second hospital because of 'potential financial irregularities'. The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) said it had suspended all insourcing work at the public hospital since April 11th and immediately informed the Department of Health and Health Service Executive (HSE). Advertisement The matter had been referred to the HSE's internal audit team. 'The board and executive of the NTPF take their responsibilities very seriously and will take whatever actions are necessary to ensure our spend with public hospitals is fully protected for the benefit of public patients,' NTPF chief executive Fiona Brady said. 'Any proven misuse of public money by public institutions will be treated with the gravity it deserves.' The NTPF, which is a body that arranges external treatments for patients on public hospital waiting lists, has come under scrutiny in recent weeks. Advertisement It was reported in the Sunday Times that a consultant breached HSE guidelines by referring patients he was seeing in his public practice to his weekend private clinics, rather than securing earlier treatment for them by referring them to HSE colleagues. The newspaper said the consultant was paid thousands of euro through the NTPF, and the details were uncovered by an internal investigation by Children's Health Ireland (CHI). The NTPF said on Wednesday that following a meeting of its board, it would immediately recommence insourcing work with CHI after a review of its assurances. But it said that the board and executive 'remain deeply concerned' that there had been a breach of its processes by another public body. Advertisement It said governance and oversight across its insourcing work with public hospitals – who until now have been responsible for this internal governance – would increase. As well as notifying the Department of Health and HSE of its decision, the NTPF had also written to all public hospitals with whom it funds insourcing work to obtain further confirmation that all work is carried out in line with the NTPF's processes and procedures. A deadline of Monday, June 16th, has been given for the completion of these replies. 'Insourcing work through the NTPF has delivered benefits to thousands of patients in recent years and has a demonstrable impact on waiting times and waiting-list numbers,' Ms Brady said. Advertisement 'However, it is vital there is public trust and confidence around insourcing with public hospitals. 'It must be remembered that these public hospitals already have clear and established lines of reporting and accountability within the public system and clear obligations to comply with the terms of the signed memorandum of understanding in respect of NTPF-funded work. 'We will now work urgently with the Department of Health and HSE on any additional measures that may be needed to ensure that necessary controls of NTPF-funded initiatives are in place in the public hospitals.'
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Why nurses and midwives dey strike for Ghana
Tears full di eyes of 40-year-old pregnant Rosemary Adjei for di Adabraka polyclinic afta im find say nurses and midwives for di kontri dey strike. Di seven-month-old pregnant mama say im dey feel plenty pain for back and im belle na so she go di facility but im dey disappointed. "I bin dey come antenatal, dis time my body all don dey pain me wey I try waka come di hospital but nobody dey hia; di nurses all dey strike," Rosemary tok. Afta many hours, im carry her pain go back to her house. Many oda patients including children bin dey stranded for many public hospitals and clinics as di strike by di nurses and midwives continue to dey bite hard. For some hospitals, doctors don dey work overtime to cover for nurses. Di strike begin on 2 June, wia di nurses withdraw some of dia services but dem now totally withdraw on 9 June as dem tok say goment neva meet dia demands. Why di nurses and midwives dey strike? At least 128,000 nurses and midwives across di kontri bin declare dis nationwide strike. Di health workers dey protest failure of goment to implement dia conditions of service wey dem sign for May 2024. According to dem, afta dem sign dis document for di previous goment, dem neva implement am till now. Dis na some of di tins inside di conditions of service document - Book & research allowance (determined by goment) - Uniform allowance Ghc 1,000 ($99) - Fuel allowance 180 litres - Non-basic allowance (5% of monthly basic salary top-up) - On-call facilitation allowance (overtime) - Rural incentive allowance - 13th month salary - Licence renewal allowance Why di previous goment no implement di agreement Di nursing and midwifery group bin get five unions inside di group, wia di Ghana registered nurses and midwives association (GRNMA) get di most members ; 96,000. Na so some of di pipo for di group tok say dem no dey involved for di negotiation of di conditions of service, wey dem carry di mata go court for 2024. Di GRNMA tok say, "we no dey aware about dia existence during di negotiation, na so we reach di agreement wit goment. But dem carry di mata go court," GRNMA tok tok pesin Philemon Gyapong explain to BBC. Im add say, "afta di court listen to di mata, dem tok say make all di unions for di association sidon to address di mata through alternative dispute resolution (ADR), na so we do am." Di GRNMA tok say since dem solve di mata wit di oda unions inside dia group, di govment get to implement di agreement but di former govment no do am, na so dem expect say di current goment go take am up. "We bin negotiate dis conditions wit di ministry of health, di fair wages and salaries commission and odas, so afta di court mata, di govment need go ahead and implement di agreement wey suppose last for two years bifor anoda negotiation," deputy PRO Philemon Gyapong explain to BBC. How govment don respond? Di health minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh tok say di nurses and midwives suppose sit for table make dem tok di mata, instead of going on strike. Im explain say di govment already bin prepare budget for dis year wia dem allocate moni already, so dem no fit create space for di demands of di nurses and midwives. "Govment dey ready to engage wit di nurses about how to implement di conditions of service for di nurses and midwives wey no go dislocate di national budget," oga Mintah Akandoh tok. Im add say, "if we implement dis conditions of service immediately, e go throw di kontri budget out of gear, wia we neva wan do unbudgeted expenditure wey go create wahala for di govment." "Govment dey ready to engage to find wetin go work for both parties for dis mata." Di finance ministry tok say e go cost di govment Ghc 2bn ($200m) to implement all di conditions of service for di ova 138,000 nurses and midwives for di kontri; but dat kind moni no dey. But di nurses bin dey insist say goment fit to implement am if dem dey take health workers serious. Di fair wages and salaries commission don go court to file injunction against di strike as dem tok say di nurses no use di right channel bifore dem go strike. Di commission tok say as far as dem dey concerned, dis strike wey di nurses and midwives don dey on, na illegal. Di health ministry bin publish list of hospitals and health facilities wia few nurses wey decide say dem no go join dia mother association for dis strike, dey work. Di sector minister tok say make sick pipo go dis hospitals for healthcare for di mean time as dem dey continue to dey engage di nurses. Di minister also tok say "govment dey appeal to retired nurses and midwives to volunteer to work for di public hospitals for di period wey dis strike dey continue." "We appreciate nurses wey decide to continue to work despite di strike sake of dia feeling for human being and dia compassion at dis time."
News24
04-06-2025
- Health
- News24
Be silly, show you care about healthcare workers' mental health in your crazy socks
Friday 6 June is CrazySocks4Docs Day – and your chance to rescue the oddest pair of socks from your drawer and show you care about those who care for us: our healthcare workers, writes Lizette Rabe. 'I write this because I am a medical student typing on a small laptop in my wardrobe in the dark. Because I am sitting on the floor with my back against the wall. I write this because I cannot ask for help.' Because, she writes, if anyone should know how ill she is, she will not get a position as an intern after her studies. This is how a medical student in America described her experience of depression a couple of years ago. But it could just as well have been a South African medical student. When I quote her when speaking to students, nods of agreement of students in front of me prove they know exactly what I'm talking about. No one is allowed to realise the level of their mental suffering. And after they are placed, the worst is to come. Indeed, a recent report on News24 highlighted the harsh conditions junior doctors in public hospitals have to endure, and that many are already on antidepressants. Healthcare workers – including students in healthcare – experience some of the highest levels of stress which lead to severe mood disorders. That's exactly why the CrazySocks4Docs (CS4D) campaign started several years ago. Dr Geoff Toogood, an Australian cardiologist who lives with severe depression, started the campaign to raise awareness that also healthcare workers can suffer from serious mental illnesses. It was after he wore a funny combination of socks one day – and then heard colleagues giggling that he had 'lost it again'. The truth is that he was quite healthy at the time, but that a puppy got hold of his socks – those mismatched socks were the first ones he could find that morning. While he continues fighting his battle against depression, Toogood's advice to all healthcare workers – including students – is to not see their mental illnesses as a 'failure'. Instead, they should seek help. And know that they are not alone. In South Africa, healthcare workers are working under acute stress. Some state hospitals cannot even afford food for patients, or pay doctors overtime. Our healthcare system is failing, what with 2 000 vacant posts in state hospitals. With the withdrawal of American financial support for Aids programmes, the picture gets even darker. Highlighting a serious problem The CS4D awareness campaign exists so that those who care for us realise that they also need to care for themselves. Besides, it is our opportunity as the public to show we #Care4OurCarers. It may sound frivolous to wear silly socks to highlight a serious problem. But it is a way to break the silence and the stigma. According to studies, suicide rates are higher among doctors than among other groups. Suicide is even described as an 'occupational hazard' for medics. Supplied Research shows suicide ideation begins on medical campuses. The tragic incidence of suicide is also significantly higher among medical students than among other groups. A South African study found that a third of medical students experience suicide ideation and that more than 6% attempt suicide. Another study found that 30% of primary healthcare doctors suffer from moderate to severe depression – a condition 'that is unrecognised, stigmatised, and undertreated – one which can have fatal consequences'. Moral distress In 2023, another South African study found that 46.2% of doctors tested positive for burnout and 53.73% for depression. The irony is that healthcare workers work in the 'caring professions', but seemingly often do not take care of themselves. A professor of psychiatry has described burnout – dysphoria is the medical term – in the healthcare sector as a burning ship that is getting closer and closer. According to him healthcare workers are in 'moral distress'. Plus: Interventions should not just be a 'band-aid', or, as he refers to it, 'baby goat yoga'. Their plight requires 'continuous attention'. Of course, the medical student's cry for help above is a catch-22 situation. They cannot show they are suffering. And then that black dog sneaks up on them; and it can destroy everything. Toogood also referred to how he postponed his own search for help because he was afraid of the consequences. What if it became known that he, as a cardiologist, suffers from severe depression? He also experienced feelings of shame. As a doctor, he thought he must be 'bulletproof'; and comments around the condition made him feel like a failure. That he couldn't handle a demanding profession. That he had chosen the wrong profession. That he wasn't resilient enough. Even that it was his 'choice' to feel the way he did – as if a cancer patient chooses to have cancer. Or this one: 'Everyone feels 'down' or 'a little sad' sometimes.' The importance of self-care Awareness-raising needs to make healthcare workers realise it's okay to seek help and to support each other, says Toogood. Mental health is about the health of your brain – which affects your entire body and life. It's not something you 'imagine'. There is still a long way to go to destigmatise mental illness in the healthcare sector to help more healthcare workers – and students – to seek help sooner. So, dear doctor, nurse, caregiver, student: learn the importance of self-care. CS4D is the ideal opportunity. You are not supermen or superwomen. To help students break the stigma, a 'sock selfie' competition will be held on all South Africa's medical campuses. All you have to do is post your sock selfie on social media with the hashtag #CrazySocks4Docs by 13 June, link it to the Ithemba Foundation's Facebook (IthembaFoundation1) or Instagram pages (@ithembafoundation) and ask family and friends for 'likes'. The student with the most 'likes' on each campus wins a whopping R2 000 in cash. Simultaneously, this is our opportunity as the public to show we care for those who care for us. Find your silliest mismatched socks to wear on Friday (and don't forget to post your sock selfie on social media). It may be a light-hearted way to draw attention to a serious topic, but together we can show we #Care4OurCarers. - Lizette Rabe is professor emeritus at Stellenbosch University and founder of the Ithemba Foundation which promotes awareness of mental health and funds research. *Want to respond to the columnist? Send your letter or article to opinions@ with your name and town or province. You are welcome to also send a profile picture. We encourage a diversity of voices and views in our readers' submissions and reserve the right not to publish any and all submissions received. Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24.
