Congrats to our Sustainability/ Infection control team and our Leura Aged Care teams for the following nominations:
– Elvira Hewson and Jen Lukeis and their team’s submission for the Gloves On/ Gloves Off campaign; and
– Hellen Radford and Abhi Dolar and their team’s s submission for the development of Screamies ice creams, have both been named as finalists for the Awards Gala to be held on November 26.
More about the entries….
Developed in response to the increase in personal protective equipment (PPE) use throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the ‘Gloves on/ Gloves off’ campaign aimed to change staff behaviour to reduce the overuse of non-sterile gloves where appropriate – instead focusing on regular handwashing.
The campaign was born through collaboration between SWH’s Sustainability and Infection Control teams and led to the creation of a simple behaviour-change campaign focused on one product and one action. Grounded in evidence that good hand hygiene is fully effective when there is no risk of exposure to blood, bodily fluids, or hazardous substances, the campaign empowered staff to make informed decisions about glove use. Over a twelve-month period, the ‘Gloves On, Gloves Off’ project achieved a 17% reduction in glove use, preventing 400,000 individual gloves from entering landfill, reducing associated emissions, and contributing to a decrease in hospital-acquired infection rates.
“COVID-19 saw a huge increase in the amount of single-use medical waste used in health services across the globe as people became heightened to the idea of infection prevention – as was required at the time. But moving forward we need to start to correct this trend for the sake of sustainability and look at what PPE is ‘best practice’ and what is blatant overkill,” says Jenny Lukeis, Manager infection Prevention, South West Healthcare.
Following a trip to the UK as the AEW Matthews Scholarship winner, Ms Lukeis was inspired to create change. “Jenny’s trip to the UK and her experience at the Infection Prevention Society Conference in Bournemouth in 2022 really solidified that non-sterile gloves were being used unnecessarily in certain situations contributing to a lot of waste – so we honed in on them and began a behaviour change campaign,” says South West Healthcare Environmental Sustainability Officer, Elvira Hewson. “I think one of the reasons why it worked so well was because it was a joint effort between sustainability and infection prevention. Staff were getting a consistent message from both – that this was good for patients and good for the environment – a win/win.” Says Hewson.
The campaigns success has drawn attention across the state, with SWH now sharing its learnings with other Victorian healthcare services. The model is fully replicable and has already begun delivering positive outcomes beyond SWH campuses.
“We are incredibly proud of our teams who have been recognised as finalists in this years awards,” says CEO Craig Fraser. “Each year the awards are an opportunity for us to put our ideas and our innovations to the test and to share what we’ve learned with the state. It’s not just about recognition for a job well done but about making a lasting impact on healthcare generally. For a regional service, we are consistently recognised and that really demonstrates the talent we have working for us, providing quality care to the southwest.”
Many aged care residents living in residential care have difficulty swallowing their food, known as dysphagia. For many this meant that melting ice cream (which can be aspirated) served on a stick (which can be a chocking hazard) are off the menu. Until now.
Staff worked together to come up with a new no-melt ice cream innovation that allows their residents to enjoy an ice cream treat safely, with dignity and improved nutrition. The project began with a resident’s nostalgic wish for an ice cream after a BBQ lunch and quickly evolved into collaboration between nurses, kitchen staff and leisure and lifestyle coordinators. Together the team trialled and perfected a safe, no melt ice cream product using “Screamies”, an Australian made, shelf stable ice cream suitable for freezing and consumption by those on modified fluid diets.
The project has enhanced the dining experience for residents and has demonstrated South West Healthcare’s commitment to person-centred care, clinical excellence and innovation. Hellen Radford, Service Care Manager at South West Healthcare’s Leura Aged Care, who initiated the project said “being named a finalist in the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards is a proud moment for our team. It highlights the power of small ideas to make a big impact in people’s lives.”
CEO Craig Fraser said “these little details make Leura Aged Care feel like a home and not just a facility. The dedication of our staff in developing this solution empowers residents to live fully, knowing that their voices are heard and their needs respected.” These ice creams are now a meal time staple at Leura Aged Care, available to all residents, those with dysphagia and those without, any time they would like one. It’s a great example of how aged care can be both clinically sound and deeply personal.
Please see below a link with all of the Finalists across all of the Categories.
Victorian Public Healthcare Awards finalists | health.vic.gov.au