Personal Social Media Policy PO-A143-01 [PDF, 60KB]

 Social Media Policy PO-A142-01 [PDF, 70KB] 

This event will highlight the impressive work that has been completed in the public sector over the past few years and will include projects that received funding in the 2009 and 2010 DHSV Research and Innovations Grants Round.

• When: 8 March 2012 from 9am-3pm
• Where: Rydges Hotel in Swanston Street, Carlton

The confirmed speakers are below, with more to be confirmed.

To attend:

Please contact Ariana Carrodus on 03 9341 1709 for enquires and to register your interest by Friday 24 February 2012. 

Confirmed speakers

Associate Professor Andrea De Silva-Sanigorski
Increasing the coverage of the VicGeneration study: A birth cohort to examine the environmental, behaviour and biological predictors of early childhood caries in childhood from the Western corridor of Victoria.

Associate Professor Andrea De Silva-Sanigorski
Prevention of early childhood caries with the Caries Management By Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) protocol –A pilot study to test the application of this intervention in culturally diverse communities in Victoria.

Diana Antoniazzi
Healthier Smiles for Bendigo Children

Adjunct Professor Hanny Calache
Revision and extension of “Implementing a Minimal Intervention Dentistry Clinical Protocol for adolescent public dental patients as high risk to dental caries: a pilot study”.

Lauren Prosser
An examination of the upstream determinants of oral health and best options for population level intervention.

Dr Shane McGuire
Travel patterns for government emergency dental care in Australia: a new approach using GIS tools

Dr Stuart Willder
20/20 Indigenous Dental Insight- Indigenous youth dental assessment and intervention plan.

All proceeds will go to Ovarian Cancer Australia as they support those suffering from the disease and also work towards educating Australian woman to know the symptoms so they can seek treatment and support as early as possible.

Date: Friday 17 February
Time: 10am - 11am
Where: Common Room, Ground Floor, RDHM

Did you know that there is currently no early detection test for ovarian cancer?

Did you know that three Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each day?

Do you know what the risks and symptoms are for ovarian cancer?

If you don’t know what the risks and symptoms are for ovarian cancer you need to come to our Morning Teal to support Ovarian Cancer Australia!

At DHSV we have done significant work to promote and support the role of dental and oral health therapists. Last year, the Victorian Minister for Health, David Davis awarded our Director Clinical Leadership, Education and Research, Professor Hanny Calache and his team the ‘Developing a Capable and Engaged Workforce Award’ for a project that focussed on expanding the scope of practice of dental therapists to adults aged 26 years and over.

We look forward to continuing to work with healthcare professionals and the community to highlight the important role that dental and oral health therapists play in providing high quality care to the Victorian population.

The donations your family, friends and colleagues make (as well as your registration fee) help young people throughout the country to deal with alcohol and other drug issues. In 2012, eight charities and community partners will benefit from your funds. They are:

• YSAS in Vic
• Mater Health Services in Qld
• The Ted Noffs Foundation in NSW and ACT
• Bushmob in the NT
• Mission Australia in SA and Tassie
• Holyoake in WA and
• The Australian Drug Foundation nationwide.

Each of these great organisations provides a range of support, re-education and counselling for young Australians tackling serious alcohol and drug issues.

For more information, please go to www.febfast.org.au

This updated procedure replaces the following procedures:

• Cash Reserves Policy PO-A123-01
• Cash Float Handling Procedure PR-A016-04

A new Internal Audit Charter is also now online.

 Download the new Cash Reserves Policy PO-A123-02 [PDF, 58KB]

 Download the new Cash Float Handling Procedure PR-A016-04 [PDF, 56KB]

 Download the new Internal Audit Charter PR-A071-01 [PDF, 60KB]

New models of care for public dentistry

Did you know that 30% of the population is eligible for our care but we currently only treat 14% of those eligible?

I believe that we can do more to improve the oral health of Victorians. That’s why we are about to embark on an exciting journey to establish new models of care for public dentistry in Victoria.

A model of care is a ‘prescription’ for providing evidence-based care to patients. It provides a picture of how care is delivered and practised by answering the following key questions:
• Why do we provide care?
• Who receives our care?
• How do we provide care?
• Who provides the care?
• What care do we provide?

This project provides a great opportunity for us to develop clear and consistent messages about what we do and how we care for people. It will look at how we can respond to our rapidly changing workforce and improve the patient and carer experience.

Developing new models of care requires input from staff working in all areas of the hospital. The involvement of our valued clinical and frontline staff is crucial to the success of the project.

We are currently seeking expressions of interest in joining the Project Control Group (PCG) and Advisory Group. The PCG will provide strategic leadership while the Advisory Group will provide clinical leadership and operational advice to the PCG.

If this project sounds like something you would like to be involved in, please email Estée Hulley. Project meetings will being mid-February.

I look forward to working with you to establish new models of care that will help us reach more Victorians in need.

Date: 27 February 2012
Time: 9:30am to 1:00pm
Venue: Seminar Room C

Light refreshments provided

This 3.5 hour workshop is facilitated by AJ Williams-Tchen.

AJ is a Wiradjuri / Watjobaluk Aboriginal man with over 20 years health and community services experience, as well as training experience in Aboriginal cultural awareness, community services training packages and mental health first aid. AJ holds qualifications in social work, nursing, mental health, career counselling and education.

Please email jacqueline.watkins@dhsv.org.au  to express your interest in attending the workshop.

Please note: limited spaces available, so book soon to secure your place.

As an employee of Dental Health Services Victoria you are entitled to salary package up to $9,095 each year towards your mortgage, rent, credit card and other approved items.

In addition to this, you can package extra benefits such as Meals Entertainment, Venue Hire and Laptops/PDAs.

If you would like to start salary packaging or amend an existing package, Remunerator will be here on Thursday 19 January 2012.

Daniel Hurley will be available to meet you in the Common Room from 9.00am -12.00pm.

To make an appointment with Daniel please email him at hurley@remunerator.com.au or you can call him directly on 9805 5603.
 

A report recently published by the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, End the Decay: The cost of poor dental health and what should be done about it, found that poor dental health is costing the Australian economy between $1.3 billion and $2 billion a year in direct and indirect costs, including avoidable hospital admissions, lost productivity and induced illnesses such as periodontal-related coronary heart disease.

Yet dental care constitutes only 6 per cent of national health spending, and a large amount of that spending is out-of-pocket expense by the individual.

Advertisement: Story continues below It's time to act. We need to introduce a universal dental scheme so that everyone who needs to see the dentist for basic healthcare can.

Research shows that in the past two years, almost 2 million Australians who needed dental care were unable to get treatment because they couldn't afford it.

So it's no surprise that children from low socio-economic areas have 70 per cent more dental decay than children whose parents are well off. Adults on low incomes are 60 times more likely to have no teeth than prosperous people.

Visiting the dentist can be an expensive exercise. Many Australians cannot afford to see a private dentist and, when they try to access public dental services, they are faced with long waiting lists - a national average of more than two years. As a result, poor dental health has reached epidemic proportions. Our children and those experiencing financial hardship are suffering the most.

In November, I met the National Advisory Council on Dental Health to advocate a universal dental scheme.

In the lead-up to my meeting, I collected stories from everyday Australians who are suffering from poor dental health. Some of the people who shared their stories were under the age of 35 and had none of their natural teeth left. That simply isn't good enough.

We need a system that helps people get the care they need when they need it. A system that encourages education, prevention and early intervention of oral disease. A system that will enable Australians to access dental care before their oral health becomes so bad that their only option is to have their teeth extracted.

Dental health is a vital component of general health and wellbeing. A 2010 study found that a person who has fewer than 10 of their natural teeth left is seven times more likely to die of coronary disease than someone with more than 25 of their own teeth. A report, reviewing almost 100 publications, released by Dental Health Services Victoria last month, explains how poor oral health has also been linked to diabetes, respiratory diseases, stroke, kidney diseases, dementia and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

In addition to its links to chronic diseases, dental health has a huge impact on people's everyday lives. Poor dental health affects people's ability to eat, speak, socialise and find work. Many Australians who have lost some or all of their natural teeth are too embarrassed to leave their homes for fear of ridicule and judgment.

Despite its strong links to general health, dental health is currently treated as a separate entity. If you have a health concern relating to your eye, ear or throat, you can make an appointment to see your local GP within a day or two and your bill is mostly covered by Medicare. But if you need a dental check-up you have one of two options: find the money to see a private dentist, or go on a waiting list to access public dental services if eligible.

In the lead-up to my meeting with the National Advisory Council on Dental Health, I commissioned a survey of 1081 Australians to examine their perceptions of the current health system and measures that would be supported to advance dental health. The survey found that 73 per cent of respondents were in favour of receiving basic dental care through a system such as Medicare, even if it results in an increase to the Medicare levy.

A universal dental scheme is estimated to cost $9 billion over four years. You might think that sounds like a lot of money, but if every Australian had all of their natural teeth, that $9 billion works out as $3 per tooth per year. That's less than the price of a cup of coffee.

Dental health can no longer be ignored. We need a system that supports prevention and early detection of dental disease. We need a system that breaks down the barriers that Australians are facing when trying to access dental care.

The federal government has shown a strong interest in improving dental health by establishing the National Advisory Council on Dental Health. The council's interim report, which has not been made public, has been forwarded to the government for consideration. This is a positive first step and sets the scene for the introduction of a universal dental scheme.

It will take at least four years to fully implement a universal dental scheme, and that is why decisions and planning need to start today.

We cannot afford to wait any longer for a scheme that will not only benefit those in our society who need support, but a scheme that will have enormous benefits for all of us in reduced costs of disease and increased productivity.

I urge the federal government to commit to a universal dental scheme that will help all Australians live happier and healthier lives.

Written by DHSV CEO Deborah Cole - as seen in Fairfax media on January 8 2012.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/a-system-in-decay-20120107-1ppd0.html#ixzz1jZLZOxjz

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful break over the festive season and are looking forward to a happy and healthy 2012.

If you managed to read yesterday’s Age newspaper, you would have noticed my opinion piece about the need for a universal dental scheme. If you didn’t get a copy of yesterday’s paper, the article can be viewed online.

Last year, the Federal Government established a National Advisory Council on Dental Health to provide expert advice on future dental policy.

In November, I attended a round table discussion with the council where I expressed my support for a universal dental scheme that would enable Australians to access subsidised dental care through a system like Medicare.

In December, I went public with my views on a universal dental scheme when I was interviewed by Channel Nine News and the Today Show.

The council has since presented their interim report to the Federal Government. We are now eagerly waiting for the report to be released.

This is an exciting time for dentistry. The establishment of the council is the first step towards implementing a dental scheme that will make a real difference in improving the oral health of Australians.

At DHSV, we have a lot of innovative projects getting off the ground in 2012. It is going to be a very busy year for us and I look forward to working with you as we reach great heights.

In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”
 

1. Operating as usual:

· Primary Care services for emergency dental treatment, including denture repairs.

· After hours Emergency Services.

2. Operating with limited capacity between Thursday 22 December 2011 and Monday 2 January 2012 inclusive:

· Radiology Unit.

· Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit will have two operators on duty.

3. Closed between Thursday 22 December 2011 and Monday 2 January 2012 inclusive:

· Specialist Services (except Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit).

· Undergraduate Teaching Clinic.

· The Medical Response Team will not be available. During this period the medical emergencies protocol will be the same as for after hours.

4. Closed between Thursday 22 December 2011 and Friday 6 January 2012 inclusive:

· Day Surgery Unit.

The Emergency Services On-call Clinician should be contacted on 0419 898 699 to discuss any complex clinical situations for which clinical advice is required.

Day Surgery Unit will resume normal operations from Monday 9 January 2012.

All other departments will resume normal operations from Tuesday 3 January 2012.

The December Word of Mouth is now available.

In this month's edition:

• Can you spot yourself in the end-of-year function photos?
• The 2011 Public Oral Healthcare Award winners
• Our DAs helping to improve our workforce capacity
• Winners of the Decorate Your Department competition

I am delighted to announce that the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) Accreditation surveyors were impressed by our organisation and are recommending that we pass all Accreditation criteria.

At the Accreditation summation yesterday afternoon, surveyor June Graham said that DHSV has “a culture of improving performance and working as a team” and is driven by “a strong evidence base” that flows on to the way that we provide care to the community.

The surveyors assessed us against 43 criteria, rating us as either:

LA – Little Achievement
SA – Some Achievement
MA – Moderate Achievement
EA – Extensive Achievement
OA – Outstanding Achievement

The surveyors are recommending that we receive a total of eight EA ratings. That is a huge improvement on our 2009 results when we received only one EA rating.

I will distribute the full results of our Accreditation survey when we receive the ACHS report early next year.

Thank you for all your hard work over the last two years and for the professional way that you showcased our fantastic organisation to the surveyors.

We are on the path to becoming a leader in healthcare in Australia and I am confident that we will be awarded OA ratings at our next organisation wide survey in 2013.

Public Oral Healthcare Awards 2011

The DHSV AGM was held last night and was followed by the presentation of the 2011 Public Oral Healthcare Awards.

I would like to congratulate the three winners of the 2011 Awards – Dr David Whelan, Ms Christine Ingram and Dr Mark Gussy. Their dedication and commitment to public oral health is helping to make a real difference to the lives of those Victorians most in need.

Dr David Whelan - Clinical Director (Goulburn Valley Dental Service)
Dr Whelan commenced his career in 1981 and has been making significant changes to public dentistry ever since. He is well known for his work in Vietnam, Cambodia and remote Aboriginal communities as well as his dedication to improving the dental health workforce.

Ms Christine Ingram – Oral Health Manager (Victorian Aboriginal Health Service)
Christine is the oral health manager at VAHS and, since taking on the role in 1998, has cared for countless members of Aboriginal communities and motivated them improve their oral health.

Dr Mark Gussy - Associate Professor of Oral Health (La Trobe Rural Health School, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health)
Dr Gussy is focussed on developing the future oral health workforce in Victoria. He has been instrumental in expanding the scope of practice of oral health therapists and he is also involved in several other programs, including the ‘Oral Health of Children’ program at Bendigo Health.

Accreditation

The DHSV accreditation process is nearly complete. Thank you all for the hard work you have put in so far.

The last step in the process is an Organisation Wide Survey (OWS) which will be completed by four external surveyors between Tuesday 29 November and Thursday 1 December.

The survey is an assessment of our performance against criteria developed by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS).

The DHSV surveyors are:
Ms June Graham – Lead Surveyor
Ms Sue Shilbury
Dr Peter Kramer
Dr Deane Golding
Dr Stephen Routley

They will be reviewing 43 criteria over the three days and will cover clinical, corporate and support services. They will also be visiting different parts of the hospital and chatting with staff about all aspects of DHSV operations.

This is a fantastic opportunity for DHSV to showcase all of the great work that we do. Please make the surveyors feel welcome and answer their questions as honestly as possible. If you are unsure of an answer, refer the surveyor to your manager.

At the end of the three days, the surveyors will decide DHSV’s accreditation status. They will also provide us with feedback and offer us advice on how to further improve our services and business processes.

We will distribute their feedback and recommendations to all staff as soon as possible.

If you have any questions regarding the accreditation process or what your responsibilities are, please call a member of the Business Improvement Team:

Deb Allen                 x 1152
Sarah Carter            x 1187
Pauline Fletcher        x 1003
Lauren Patrick          x 1343
 

Prof Hanny Calache and his team win a Victorian Public Healthcare Award

I am thrilled to announce that last night our Director of Clinical Leadership, Education and Research, Prof Hanny Calache and his team won a prestigious Victorian Public Healthcare Award.

The awards pay tribute to Victoria’s outstanding healthcare leaders and acknowledge their remarkable achievements.

The Victorian Minister for Health, David Davis awarded Hanny and his team the ‘Developing a Capable and Engaged Workforce Award’ for a project that focussed on expanding the scope of practice of dental therapists to adults aged 26 years and over.

We are all very proud of Hanny and his team’s achievement. The project was a great example of healthcare professionals working together to address the workforce challenges we face in the public health sector.

The team consisted of:

• Hanny Calache, Julie Shaw, Valda Groves, Julie Butcher, Deidre Mackechnie (DHSV)
• Rodrigo Mariño, Michael Morgan, Julie Satur, Matt Hopcraft (University of Melbourne)
• Mark Gussy (La Trobe University).

 Congratulations to everyone involved!

 For a full list of award winners, please visit the awards website .

DHSV is now on Twitter!

DHSV has joined the Twitter community! The official launch of our Twitter profile will take place at the DHSV AGM on 24 November. After the launch a social media policy will be distributed to staff and you will be able to access Twitter from your DHSV computer.

If you have the opportunity to access Twitter from a smart phone, iPad or home computer before the AGM, please follow us at http://www.twitter.com/_dhsv

Reminder about the DHSV AGM

A reminder that the DHSV Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Thursday 24 November from 5pm in the RMIT Lecture Theatre on Level 2 of RDHM. The DHSV Public Oral Healthcare Awards will be presented at the AGM. Please RSVP to Kym Reading today.

National Council for Dental Health

As some of you may be aware, members of the National Council for Dental Health visited The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne on Wednesday 9 November. They were given a tour of the hospital and were very impressed by the services we provide.

The National Council for Dental Health was established as part of an agreement between the Commonwealth Government and the Australian Greens. The council provides expert advice on future needs and priorities for reform, and plays a key role in providing advice on future dental policy.

I attended a round table discussion with the council prior to their RDHM visit along with our Manager Health Promotion, Sue Kearney. We took the opportunity to highlight the links between oral health and general health and presented research on Australian community attitudes to dental care.

If you would like a copy of the materials that were presented to the council, please email the Communications team.

DHSV Annual General Meeting

A reminder that RSVP’s for the DHSV Annual General Meeting (AGM) close today.

The AGM will be held on Thursday 24 November in the RMIT Lecture Theatre on Level 2 of the hospital. Beginning at 5pm, the AGM will include presentation of the DHSV Public Oral Healthcare Awards as well as staff service awards. Refreshments and canapés will be served following the meeting.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Kym Reading on x1146 or via email by COB today (Friday 11 November 2011).

It’s the season for celebration!

The DHSV end of year function will be held at Rydges on Swanston on Friday 9 December. I look forward to seeing you there to celebrate our achievements over the last year.

 Download event flyer >>

Let’s acknowledge a colleague!

In her job as Administrative Support Officer, Anastasia Perri tackles the problem of children waiting a long time for dental check-ups. Anastasia contacts parents to ask if their children can be seen at The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne’s after hours clinics or at an alternative community dental clinic. Anastasia is passionate about her job. She treats people with compassion, kindness and patience at all times. Many of the people Anastasia has contacted have applauded her customer service skills. Congratulations Anastasia and thank you for your dedication to your important role at DHSV.

This recall is being conducted because some samples of the product have been found to contain bacterial contamination. As a precaution, you should stop using this product.

You can identify contaminated bottles of Savacol Antiseptic Mouth & Throat Rinse by:

• Changed colouring
• The appearance of white flecks in the product
• Altered smell
• Different taste.

All bottles should be returned to Colgate-Palmolive no matter how the product appears.

Information for consumers

The bacterial contamination is unlikely to harm healthy people, but those with lowered immunity or long term lung problems such as cystic fibrosis may be at risk of chest infection.

You should contact Colgate's Consumer Information Service on 1800 636 551 or at www.colgate.com.au or email consumers_aunz@colpal.com to arrange the return of the product and a refund.

If you have any concerns about your health after using this product you should contact your health practitioner.

Additional information

The supply of this product will cease until the cause of the problem is detected and steps are taken to prevent a recurrence.

TGA has verified that no other therapeutic products supplied in Australia are affected by the contamination including other Colgate-Palmolive Savacol products.
Savacol Antiseptic Mouth & Throat Rinse was used to reduce dental plaque, the incidence of gingivitis and to relieve the discomfort of mouth ulcers.

The contaminating bacteria are Burkholderia cepacia and B. stabilis.

Article courtesy of the Therapeutic Goods Administration

http://tga.gov.au/safety/alerts-medicine-savacol-111103.htm

DHSV supports all staff who would like to take part in Movember festivities this year. We will be posting photos of staff member mo-growing progress as the month goes on. If you would like to show off your efforts, let the Communications team know – x1134 or email lisa.fairweather@dhsv.org.au.

In 2010, over 130,000 Australian Mo Bros and Sistas participated in Movember, raising $25M AUD.

Movember has grown to become a global movement with more than 1.1 million participants in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and Ireland. It continues to change habits and attitudes of men, educating them about the health risks they face, getting them to act on that knowledge and ultimately increasing the chances of early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.

To join the other DHSV MoBros, register here: http://mobro.co/VictorianPublicOralHealth