Glynis Schultz

Sometimes it seems like a day is a long time in health and we had a few of them in the last month, and expect more in the coming weeks.

I am inspired by the Community and Oral Health team’s ability to take action when required, to take on something new, meet tight time frames and to maintain and increase the commitment to service delivery.

In the last month, we have again seen some great work and spirit, but also had the opportunity to pause and say thank you to our volunteers and nurses.

I was also honoured to be part of the Reconciliation Week launch celebration and want to again thank members of our Community and Oral Health Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group for their continuing work to develop a culture of respect and inclusiveness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, consumers, stakeholders and the community.

In this edition of the Express we profile another great initiative being delivered by Team Community and Oral Heath.

Our Community Palliative Care team are ensuring that aged care residents are spending their final precious days in their own homes with the people that mean the most to them.

Thank you to Dr Bill Lukin, Nicole Hutchinson and the broader Specialist Palliative Care in Aged Care (SPACE) project team. 

Since commencement of the project, they have visited most of the residential aged care facilities in the Metro North catchment, and supported staff and residents to deliver palliative care and avoid transfers to acute facilities.

This is another very important initiative that is connecting and enhancing care that we provide in the community.

I hope you enjoy this edition of the Community and Oral Health Express.

Glynis Schultz
A/Executive Director
Community and Oral Health