The Royal Melbourne Hospital

The RMH was proud to host its inaugural Leukaemia Study Day this week, bringing together clinicians and allied health staff from across Victoria. More than 60 people attended the event, which focused on sharing knowledge and best practice information for caring for patients with leukaemia. This included specialist sessions on topics like CAR-T therapy and acute myeloid leukaemia, as well as pharmacy and outpatient management for patients with leukaemia. Clinical nurse educator Emily Matthews (pictured, far left) said she was thrilled with the event and proud of her colleagues across the RMH and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre for sharing their expertise. “We’re very passionate about hematology and empowering nurses and staff in the leukaemia space,” she said. “It’s a credit to the amazing clinicians and the organisation we have.”

Happy birthday to our Joint Venture Partners The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. Festivities for the Doherty’s 10-year anniversary are in full-swing this week, with a special event kicking off celebrations at Parliament House. Minister for Health and Aged Care The Honourable Mark Butler MP and Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care The Honourable Anne Ruston joined the Doherty Institute staff members to mark a decade of excellence in infection and immunity research, education and public health. University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital partnered in 2014 to establish the Doherty Institute as a joint venture to find solutions to treat, prevent and cure infectious diseases. We had a vision of a centre of excellence where leading scientists and clinicians collaborate to improve human health globally. Ten years later, the Doherty Institute is now internally renowned as a leader in infection and immunity. Addressing the Doherty Institute community in his speech, Minister Butler said: “For 10 years, 700 of you have worked really pushing the frontiers of infectious disease, obviously not just COVID... I hope you take some time to pat yourselves on the back at an extraordinary 10 years, particularly that period where you made such a contribution to the global fight against COVID and our own national fight.” Senator Ruston complimented the joint venture model, in which researchers across the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne come together at the Doherty Institute. “The idea that collaboration, coordination, not working in silos, getting everybody together... is clearly the secret to your success.“ We look forward to many more years of infection and immunity excellence. Read on our website: https://lnkd.in/gzAqqHcF

Congratulations to the RMH and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre's Professor Karin Thursky and Professor Monica Slavin, who have been awarded National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Grants totalling $6m to advance care and treatment for patients. The NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence Grants, announced on Friday, are for studies focusing on infection management and antimicrobial stewardship. Both Professor Slavin and Professor Thursky will receive $3m over a five-year period for their respective research projects. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gVHRPWBS

It's springtime! 🌷 And while the impending sunshine and blooming flowers are a welcome site for some - for others, it can mean the start of the season of allergies. Professor Jo Douglass, the Director of Research at the RMH, spoke with 3AW's Healthy Living podcast to explain the reasons behind many allergies. Prof Douglass urged people who live with asthma or hayfever to take precautions this spring, and particularly during periods of wild weather. "There's a lot of pollen in Victoria and a lot of people are allergic to it - about one in five people. And that means they're predisposed when they get exposed to pollen..." Prof Douglass said. "Be aware of high pollen days, be aware of thunderstorm asthma alerts and stay out of the storm front at those times." Listen to the full interview via 3AW's website (from the 33-minute mark): https://lnkd.in/gXX7DFHB

Happy Wear it Purple Day. 💜 Staff around the RMH, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research), Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The Royal Women's Hospital dressed in purple as a sign of solidarity to our LGBTIQA+ staff, patients and community. We’re proudly committed to being a great place to work, and a great place to receive care for everyone under the rainbow. This year’s theme encourages people to “Share Your Passion, Share Your Pride” as an affirming and empowering message to LGBTIQA+ youth to express their true selves and identities. ”We know adolescence can be a difficult time...and for LGBTIQA+ youth it comes with additional challenges and complexities,” Senior LGBTIQA+ Patient Liaison .Tegan (they/she) said. “We want to let LGBTIQA+ people in our community know that you deserve to be celebrated and respected! RMH is committed to fostering safe and inclusive care , and we’re here if you need support.” If you would like to learn more about our LGBTIQA+ support services, please see: https://lnkd.in/ez_-jzJA

The RMH has gone purple today for Wear it Purple Day but we’re here everyday for everyone under the rainbow! 💜 🌈 One example of this is the Health Hub, an app that shows you your electronic medical record at the RMH and The Royal Children's Hospital, The Royal Women's Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Health Hub also allows you to record your gender identity, sexuality, sex at birth, pronouns and chosen name as part of your electronic medical record without needing to ask a clincian. More than 7,500 RMH patients and consumers have shared their sexual orientation and gender identity using our patient portal, Health Hub, over the past 12 months. "We know that people from LGBTIQA+ community may not always feel comfortable visiting hospitals so having this Health Hub feature available signals safety,” Senior LGBTIQA+ Patient Liaison Tegan Murnane says. You can find out more about Health Hub at our website, along with our LGBTIQA+ Liaison service, which can support you through your health journey: https://lnkd.in/ez_-jzJA

When Bruce Gilpin retired after an impressive 29 years at Frankston Hospital/Peninsula Health, little did he know a phone call from the RMH three weeks later could see him working for a further 23 years (and counting). Bruce answered the call to oversee the installation of emergency generators at the RMH Parkville he affectionately named by Capital Works “Bruce & Shirl” (his wife’s name is Shirley). You wouldn’t know it, but Bruce & Shirl keep our lights on and temperatures controlled when the power goes down at the main Hospital. Bruce was also part of the design team and project managed construction of southern and eastern tunnels of the RMH Parkville. While our original tunnels were set up during World War 2 by the American Army, Bruce’s sophisticated tunnel system contains a tiered-system of air conditioning, steam, storm water, sewerage, medical gasses, emergency generators, hot water and chilled water and more - every pipe underground works in a orchestrated fashion, designed to have back-ups to keep things flowing smoothly upstairs. The RMH’s Director of Capital Works Leanne Chappell (pictured here with Bruce) said she loves working with Bruce because of his commitment to patient-centred care. ”Bruce’s work always comes back to the patients. He’s always interested in providing alternatives and solutions to minimise patient disruption,” she said. ”While Bruce has a wealth of knowledge from working in engineering for more than 50 years, he’s always listening and learning from clinical staff about their priorities when it comes to patient care and delivering a system that supports them and the patients,” she said. Bruce’s love of engineering, and in particular steam engineering, bleeds out into his personal life; him and Shirley love taking trips on The Ghan and Indian Pacific, he’s a Life member of the Box Hill Miniature Steam Railway Society…and he’s even built two miniature steam trains on his property (which his grandchildren adore). Thank you Bruce for your service for advancing care for everyone, every day

The RMH’s Professor Geoffrey Lindeman, a trailblazer in breast cancer research, has been announced as the joint winner of the 2024 Buchanan Medal. The accolade is awarded by the UK’s prestigious Royal Society and recognises outstanding contributions to biomedical science. Prof Linderman recieved the honour alongside his WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) colleague Professor Jane Visvader. For over 25 years, Prof Linderman and Prof Visvader have led groundbreaking research, uncovering critical insights into the cells that cause cancer in women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. And what's more - it's only the third time an Australian has won the Buchanan Medal since it began in 1897 and the first time it has been given to dual winners. Congratulations to both Prof Linderman and Prof Visvader! Read more 👇

Congratulations to ICU Intensivist Dr Yasmine Ali Abdelhamid, who has been offered a prestigious McKenzie/Puzey Postdoctoral Fellowship from the University of Melbourne. This 3-year, highly competitive research fellowship recognises outstanding early career researchers working in the fields of medicine, science or engineering and provides salary and project cost support. The research fellowship will support Dr Ali Abdelhamid’s project “Targeting muscle loss to improve outcomes from critical illness”. Established in 2010, the McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellowships scheme is the University of Melbourne’s flagship postdoctoral development program. The scheme is named in recognition of the significant contribution made to research and the mentoring of early career researchers by Professor John McKenzie FAA, who was the Dean of the Faculty of Science (1998-2004) and served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) (DVCR) at the University of Melbourne (2006-2008). Please join us in congratulating Yasmine on this achievement.

Congratulations to project management consultants and the RMH project partners Johnstaff, who were awarded a Australian Institute of Building Excellence Award for their outstanding delivery of our Emergency Department (ED) Hub. Johnstaff worked alongside a large team at the RMH, such as Emergency Department clinicians, Access and Flow Critical Care and Investigative Services as well as our Facilities Management team members, and more to consult and build the multi-million dollar facility. The ED Hub was launched in 2023, providing a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure consumers with urgent mental health, alcohol and other drugs needs receive specialist, dedicated care and support sooner. It includes six new mental health beds and the relocation of six behavioural assessment unit beds, plus staff facilities and flexible spaces that can be used by patients and families. Congratulations to Johnstaff and all staff involved in this project who have delivered a space where we can continue to provide Safe, Timely, Effective Patient-centred Care for patients at the RMH.