Historical Collection

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Department of Health Library Services ePublications - Historical Collection

Please Note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this publication may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.

Purpose

To apply preservation treatments, including digitisation, to a high value and vulnerable Historical collection of items held in the Darwin and Alice Springs libraries so that the items may be accessed without causing further damage to the original items and provide accessibility for stakeholders.

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Please note: this document is part of the Historical Collection and the information contained within may be out of date.

This copy is a reproduction of an original record. Please note that the quality of the original record may be poor and cannot be enhanced with the scanning process.

Northern Territory Department of Health Library Services Historical Collection

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J HISTORICAL

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TENNANT CREEK HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT BOARD

ANNUAL REPORT 1987/88

No.

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TENNANT CREEK HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT BOARD

Telex: AA81213 Telephone: 62 2202 In reply quote

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21 September 1989

Honourable Steve Hatton M.L.A.

GPO Box 3146 DARWIN NT 0801

Al I correspondence to;

Chairman Tennant Creek Hospital Management Board P .0. Box 346 TENNANT CREEK N. T. 5760

RE: HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT BOARD - ANNUAL REPORT

My Dear Minister,

I am pleased to forward the Tennant Creek Hospital Management Board Annual Report for the year 1987/88.

Please accept my apologies for the lateness of the report.

Yours sincerely

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CHRIS A'FIANOS CHAIRPERSON

CENTRAL LIBRARY 2 3 CT 1998

TERRITORY HEALTH SERVICES

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Government Printer of the Northern Territory

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TENNANT CREEK HOSPITAL: ANNUAL REPORT 1987/88 On behalf of Tennan~ Creek Hospital Management Board I am pleased to present to you the 1987/88 Annual Report.

OVERVIEW

The Board of Management, comprising three members listed at Attachment A, saw good attendance throughout 1987/88.

As part of the strategic planning process instituted region wide during the year, Tennant Creek Hospital staff at all

levels were involved in identifying and developing strategies to achieve stated objectives within the Department of Health and Community Services and the region's mission statements.

This activity led to clear directions being taken particularly in paediatric planning. The process provided staff with the opportunity to have input to the decision making process and thereby significantly enhance morale.

The planning process also addressed perceived needs such as suitable on-campus accommodation, increasing the number of registered hospital beds and landscaping.

TENNANT CREEK HOSPITAL ENERGY AUDIT

During the year the Government Energy Management Programme (GEMP) Working Party commissioned a firm of consultants to undertake an energy audit of the hospital.

The objective of the study was the "the reporting of the

hospital's energy costs, and the identification and evaluation of ways to economically reduce these costs".

A draft report was completed in April 1988 which stated that the recommendations, when implemented, would result in

electricity costs being reduced by 50% and heating oil (diesel) costs by 55%.

The project represented a total investment cost of $45815, and is to be funded via the Department of Mines and Energy and managed· by the Darwin office of the Department of Transport and Works. Work on this project is planned to commence during the 1988/89 year and will result in an estimated annual energy cost reduction of $144000.

LANDSCAPING

Due to excessive water costs, i t was decided to convert a large proportion of under utilized lawn areas to gardens

incorporating native trees, shrubs and ground cover, significant savings in water consumption were, and are anticipated.

Minor landscaping proceeded utilizing existing limited resources and funds will be sought to carry this project through over ensuing years.

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BED OCCUPANCY

Bed occupancy remained high for the full year and this is reflected in the attached graph.

ACCOMMODATION

A review of staff accommodation addressed the deficiencies in this area.

A proposal to upgrade on-campus accommodation at the Tennant Creek Hospital, similar to work undertaken at the Katherine Hospital, was put forward, seeking funds in 1988/89 Capital Works Programme.

Only bedsitter type accommodation (complete with cooking facilities) is available for staff.

Bedsitter accommodation is no longer acceptable to

professional, allied health professional or nursing staff resulting in low morale and high staff turnover. Staff are on- call and require on-campus furnished accommodation. Delays in allocation of Northern Territory Housing Commission

accommodation inhibits recruitment.

The proposal is to convert 12 bedsitters to 1 bedroom flats over a 3 year period.

STAFFING

Nursing staff levels during the year averaged a high 97%.

However the high termination rate due to various factors continued to demand the maintenance of a strong recruitment campaign and repetitions orientation and induction programs.

The shortage of medical staff was temporarily overcome by the use of locum agencies. The Board recognises that this is an expensive method of maintaining staff levels.

The temporary vacation of the Medical Superintendent position by the permanent encumbant, Dr Peter Fitzpatrick, was filled by Dr Robin Maharaj for most of the second half of the year. The Director of Nursing, Ms Pauline Evans, acted as Chief Executive Officer for some weeks during this period. The recruitment of medical staff continues to be difficult due to the hospital's remote location, relatively low starting salaries and

professional exposure.

Allied health _professional positions caused the Board concern, especially in the physiotherapy area. A plan to utilise staff from Alice Springs on a three monthly basis, as for the R.M.O.

position, was set up to be trialled.

HOSPITAL AUXILIARY

The Hospital Auxiliary comprised a very small band of dedicated women, with three active members.

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Nevertheless, the untiring fund raising efforts of these women resulted in the purchase of numerous items, considerably enhancing patient comfort.

Acquisitions included a television and video for the children's ward, a play gym for paediatric patients, six fold up beds for boarder parents, new armchairs and re-covering of existing chairs in the ward, provision of pedestal fans and the purchase of a mobile telephone for the use of patients confined to bed.

EVACUATIONS

A significant portion of the Hospital's administration and operational funds are necessarily devoted to Medevacs and Inter Hospital Transfers - a total of $220,000 for 1987/88.

Given the little scope for management control over evacuation costs, this expense will always be the cause of strain on the Hospital's budgetary constraints.

EXPENDITURE 1986/87 1987/88

$000 $000

Salaries 1986 2386

Administration and

Operational Expenses 786 796

Capital Items 64 74

Property Management 319 359

3155 3615

Some 66% of expenditure related directly to the payment of staff salaries and allowances.

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ATTACHMENT A

APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE TENNANT CREEK HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT BOARD

JUNE 1988

Mrs C Afianos Mr A Fillmore Ms C George

DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES

Mr M Tyrrell Dr R Maharaj Ms P Evans

RESIGNATIONS 1987/88

Mr A Turner Mrs s Lachs Mrs R Plummer

ATTENDANCE AT BOARD MEETINGS

Chairperson

Deputy Chairperson Member

Regional Director A/Medical

Superintendent Director of Nursing

Deputy Chairperson Member

Member

There were 10 meetings and attendance was as follows - ATTENDED ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND

Mrs C Afianos 9 10

Ms C George 4 5

Mr A Fillmore 8 9

Mrs s Lachs 4 5

Mrs R Plummer 1 4

Regional Director 10 10

Medical Superintendent 8 10

Director of Nursing 10 10

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JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE

AVERAGE-ANNUAL

TENNANT CREEK HOSPITAL BED OCCUPANCY RATES

1986/87

% 71. 75 68.70 93.50 98.55 116.83 75.80 82.74 102.85 97.90 105.00 90.48 97.33 91.79

1987/88

% 87.25 90.48 86.83 95.64 67.83 83.03 82.26 99.31 109.52 92.00 121.13 114.33 94 .13

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