General News
25 July, 2023
Surgeries to end at TDHS
TIMBOON and District Healthcare Service (TDHS) will see an end of an era for theatre services at the hospital but a start of a new regional collaboration.
TIMBOON and District Healthcare Service (TDHS) will see an end of an era for theatre services at the hospital but a start of a new regional collaboration.
As of September 8, TDHS will partner with Terang and Mortlake Health Service (TMHS) to ensure the ongoing provision and viability of theatre services in the local district as well as supporting the COVID Catch Up Plan.
As part of the partnership, TMHS will increase its theatre services to ensure the surgical needs of the Timboon and district community continue to be met locally, now and into the future.
TDHS board chair Frank Carlus said the decision to transfer theatre services to Terang followed extensive reviews and consideration of all issues including “our commitment to providing high-quality, sustainable services to our community”.
“We didn’t make this decision lightly, but we had to make this important decision to ensure the people in our care receive the highest quality of care,” he said.
TDHS chief executive officer Gary Castledine said the decision would allow TDHS to continue to support the community to access theatre services and to invest in more community and allied health services.
“This aligns with our vision to work collaboratively for a healthy community well into the future,” he said.
“This long-term, sustainable change to our service offering supports out commitment, ensuring that our local community gets the safe, high-quality they need, when they need it.”
Mr Castledine said TDHS was currently performing around six low complexity day-stay theatre procedures each fortnight, such as colonoscopies and gastroscopies.
“From September 8, these procedures will be performed at Terang, which will increase the number of days the TMHS theatre operates enabling it to take on Timboon’s procedures and up to an
additional 60 procedures each year benefiting communities across the region,” he said.
The transition is also expected to benefit the region by increasing Timboon’s capacity to accept sub-acute patients meaning more people can access the right level of care, closer to home.
Both health services have been supporting Victoria’s COVID Catch Up Plan, which will continue at TMHS.
Mr Castledine said pre-booked patients will be contacted directly and advised of the changes, with community transport available between both health services.
He said community members would continue to access pre-procedure appointments in Timboon and his team remained “committed to delivering safe, high-quality care”.
Mr Castledine said the move of theatre services to Terang would allow TDHS to focus further on keeping the community well by strengthening access to allied health professions, enhancing access to GP services, exploring an expansion of radiology services and supporting increased screening to reduce chronic disease in the community.
TDHS theatre co-ordinator Lynda McKenzie who has been at the health service for close to 20 years described the upcoming changes as the “end of an era”.
“It has been a honour to work in the operating auite at TDHS for the 19 years and in the role of Theatre co-ordinator for the last 10,” she said.
“I have had the privilege of working with an amazing team of skilled and dedicated nurses, GP anaesthetists, surgeons and physicians,each one of them bringing their own value to Timboon and District Healthcare service.”
Mrs McKenzie said TDHS has provided a theatre service to the community since it opened to patients.
“Over that time we have done multiple different types of surgeries and procedures and have been able to offer the community the convenience of these being done in their local area, with the comfort of faces that are familiar to them,” she said.
“Going forward in collaboration with Terang and Mortlake Health Service the plan is to continue to offer the services of preadmission for endoscopy at Timboon, with the procedure being done at Terang, and in the transition to this collaborative service clients will still get to see some familiar faces when they have their procedure done at Terang.”
Dr Warwick Rouse echoed Mrs McKenzie’s comments and said “working in theatre at TDHS with a great team of people has been a privilege”.
The change in service will impact a small number of TDHS staff, who will be engaged in a consultation process to identify other employment opportunities, including working at TMHS and TDHS.
TMHS chief executive officer Julia Ogdin said the organisation is looking forward to supporting patients from Timboon and district.
“As a local health service, we understand the needs of the broader community and have the infrastructure, staff and capacity to support patients from Timboon and the surrounding areas,” she said.
Mr Carlus agreed and said TDHS is looking forward to partnering with TMHS to continue “working closely together for a healthy community”.
The wider Timboon and district community will have an opportunity to ask questions as well as provide feedback with Mr Carlus and Mr Castledine at 10am on August 1.
Anyone who wishes to take up the opportunity can attend TDHS via the top entrance.