Palliative care and staff wellbeing recognised at Victorian Public Healthcare Awards

Associate Professor Peter Poon and his team received the highly regarded Secretary for Health’s Award for improving integration of care for patients with chronic and complex conditions at last week’s Victorian Public Healthcare Awards ceremony.

Monash Health palliative care physician Associate Professor Poon, also from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS), was recognised with one of the five key awards for his innovative and collaborative model of care that supports patients with life-limiting chronic conditions (LLCC).

Associate Professor Poon said this is an area of care that needs to be addressed with urgency, especially in the setting of our ageing population and multi-morbidity.

“Too often patients with non-cancer LLCC and palliative care needs are unable to access timely early palliative care support despite being a vulnerable patient cohort that requires a co-ordinated and compassionate approach to their complex clinical and emotional needs,” Associate Professor Poon said.

“It is only by close collaboration and a multi-speciality, multidisciplinary approach that we can offer continuity of care both across our patient’s disease trajectory but also across care settings and especially between community and hospital.”

Associate Professor Poon said it is wonderful to be part of a team of like-minded passionate colleagues who have made this program possible at Monash.

"I extend my heartfelt thanks to our team from complex care, palliative care, general medicine, renal medicine, advance care planning, and collaborating community services (primary health networks, community health services, community palliative care).”

“We look forward to expanding this service to be more widely available,” he said. 

 

In further success from the palliative care team, Associate Professor Leeroy William and the Schwartz Round team were highly commended in the Safer Care Victoria compassionate care award category. Led by Anne Marie Hadley and Anjali Dhulia, the team were delighted to be recognised for their work that introduced Schwartz Rounds at Monash Health.

An initiative from the Schwartz Centre for Compassionate Care in Boston, ‘the Rounds’ provide a structured forum for all clinical and non-clinical staff to regularly come together to discuss the emotional and psychological aspects of working in health care.

Associate Professor William, Clinical Lead and Facilitator for the Rounds, said this activity builds a sense of community, reduces isolation and reconnects health care staff to the purpose of their work.

“There is a growing concern about the secondary trauma, or compassion fatigue, that exists in health care. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and this recognition acknowledges the emotionally challenging work we all experience in health care,” Associate Professor William said.

“Our hope is to generate a change in culture that facilitates compassionate care within health care, and we are proud that Monash Health is leading the way.”