SA Health

Meet Dan, a Senior Occupational Therapist at the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, providing vital mental health support for his community. Dan supports his patients through their recovery, getting to know their unique challenges, strengths, and goals, and empowering them to get things back on track and live life independently. He works with them to develop new skills and coping strategies, explore new hobbies and interests, and find the right community supports and services. “When individuals come into the hospital, it might be the worst day of their life. We aim to provide not just treatment, but a pathway to recovery, ensuring they have resources and connections to avoid returning to the same struggles” says Dan. Thank you, Dan, and to all of our occupational therapists for the role you play in supporting the health and wellbeing of your community. Interested in a career in mental health? We have multiple opportunities available across a range of locations and specialities. To learn more, visit: brnw.ch/21wOblF

Earlier this month, Carers SA held the annual Carers Expo in Adelaide – a free event dedicated to unpaid Carers in South Australia, showcasing the many resources and support services available to them. The Safety and Quality team attended the event alongside representatives from across the health system, including the Mental Health Strategy and Planning team, SA Dental and BreastScreen SA. “Together we were able to offer resources and information for Carers to learn more, better navigate the health system and make informed decisions” says Bee, Senior Project Officer, Consumer Experience. “It is wonderful to be able to support Carers and assist with their journey.” If you provide unpaid care and support for a loved one in the community, regardless of whether the care you provide is for an hour a day or 24/7, support is available for you. To find out more, visit https://lnkd.in/gUme8FFw

Theresa has been nursing at the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network for 15 years, across a variety of roles. Her empathy and passion are what keeps Theresa going, as well as the team around her – who say she’s the driving force behind the work they do. “When you’re walking down the street and you run into a [patient] or their family, and they thank you for the job that you’ve done, that’s what I’m proud of.” Theresa’s compassion and leadership earned her a win at this year’s Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards in the Excellence in Practice – Enrolled Nurse category. Nominations for the 2025 Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards close 17 November 2024. To read the nomination guidelines and apply, visit brnw.ch/21wNWHh

Professionally, Sarah leads a range of organisational culture change and improvement initiatives at SA Health but in her personal life, she has performed a very different role. Sarah has supported her grandparents over the last 3 years as their health declined, providing weekly social support connection, shopping and tech support and connection to family interstate and overseas. She became even more involved when her grandad was no longer able to drive. Sarah says her involvement in Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging initiatives at work helped her to recognise her role as a Carer at home. “Carers bring invaluable benefit to our health system. I am grateful that I have access to flexible working options to support my caring role,” says Sarah. “Caring and supporting others just feels part of my DNA – it’s why I’m so passionate about workplace inclusion and helping others achieve and belong as their whole selves at work.” Sarah says it helps to talk with other Carers. If you are an unpaid Carer you can connect with others through Carers SA, the Carer Gateway, or by joining a Carer group in your local area. To find out more about the support available to Carers, visit https://lnkd.in/gUme8FFw

There is no safe level of lead exposure. Health professionals play an important role in identifying and managing lead-related risks to protect our communities. Recommending a blood lead test when needed and appropriate management are critical in minimising the harmful effects of lead. 🔍 Identifying sources of exposure and providing targeted interventions is essential for reducing the risks. ⚠️ Who is most vulnerable? • People who are pregnant, young children, and even pets are at higher risk of harm from lead exposure. • People exhibiting pica disorder (a compulsive eating disorder where people eat non-food items, such as dirt and paint flakes). Lead specifically targets the brain and nervous system in both adults and children, leading to long-term health impacts. For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/gmW3Q3Sn

Meet Leanne, a Carer Consultant Project Officer within our Mental Health Strategy and Planning Branch. Leanne helps to plan, develop, and implement projects to ensure that the voice of Carers is included in the planning and delivery of mental health services in South Australia. Leanne is also an unpaid Carer for both her daughter and one of her grandchildren and says it took years for her to recognise that she wasn’t just a parent or a grandmother – she was also a Carer. “Being a Carer is emotional and tiring, and may not always be welcomed. Even with my lived experience, the hardest part has been trying to navigate so many systems to try to do the best for my child” says Leanne. “However, being a Carer is also positive and very rewarding, especially when hard-fought achievements and successes are realised. Like knowing you have helped someone who needs you, enabling them to improve their quality of life.” Like many Carers, Leanne doesn’t do it alone. “My family is a constant source of strength, and there whenever I need. My husband has recently retired so he now has a bigger list of things to be done.” This support allows Leanne to switch off when she needs to, “sometimes I just need to unwind and play Pokemon Go.” Every day, Lived Experience workers like Leanne help to ensure that our services are informed and shaped by the people who access them. Whether you provide care for one hour a day or 24/7, you can access advice or assistance from other Carers through Carers SA, the Carer Gateway, or by joining a Carer group in your local area. To find out more about the support available to Carers, visit https://lnkd.in/gUme8FFw

Do you work in a South Australian community pharmacy? You can complete free mental health first aid training to improve early identification of mental ill-health and provide appropriate initial support. Pharmacists and pharmacy staff are often the first point of access to health care and are in a unique position to identify and respond to early warning signs. For more information and to enrol, visit https://brnw.ch/21wNPPy

At work, Ana is a Business Change Consultant. At home, she is a wife and mum of two children, and a Carer for her 80 year old non-English speaking mum. “It fills my heart with joy knowing I can be there as a Carer for my mum, when she needs it the most” says Ana. Ana supports her mum 24/7 to live independently – paying her mum’s bills, attending medical appointments with her, and assisting with travel. She has also helped her mum to attend an English class. “This year, for the first time, I’ve begun to see myself as a Carer, which is really empowering” says Ana. “Before, I never really stopped to think about it—it was just something I did.” Like Ana, if you provide unpaid care and support to a person with specific needs, it can help to talk with others. Whether you provide care for one hour a day or 24/7, you can access advice or assistance from other Carers through Carers SA, the Carers Gateway, or by joining a Carer group in your local area. To find out more about the support available to Carers, visit https://lnkd.in/gUme8FFw

Healthcare staff and volunteers play a vital role in preventing and managing the spread of infection to keep South Australia’s health system safe. Thank you to all staff and volunteers working across South Australia’s healthcare settings for the work you do every day, to keep your patients, your colleagues and yourselves safe. To help you reflect on the fundamentals of infection prevention and control, you can find a range of resources on the SA Health website bit.ly/3Q4EyKD

In Australia, allied health professionals represent almost a third of the health workforce and deliver more than 200 million health services annually – working alongside doctors and nurses to diagnose, prevent and manage the health of their patients. Today, we want to thank each and every one of them for the vital role they play in keeping South Australians moving, seeing, talking, hearing, eating, and thinking well. 📷 Here are just some of the amazing allied health teams providing exceptional care across our health sites. 💚 Who are the allied health heroes in your community? Give them a shoutout below. 👇