Mansfield District Hospital

CEO Update

From the CEO

Janene Ridley, CEO

Exceptional commitment to our Community’ is the way that best describes how staff, Heads of Department, the Executive Team and doctors have tackled the difficult operational challenges faced by the organization over the past twelve months.

Difficulties with recruitment, retention, staff shortages and deficit budget are not issues solely restricted to MDH, however, when they impact on our ability to provide the best possible care and service to our community, it becomes a focus for ‘pulling together’.

Staff in all departments have worked additional hours, volunteered to be ‘on call’ on their days off, or cancelled their annual leave, to ensure the day-to-day care and services we provide are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. At times, we have struggled to maintain this commitment and it is extremely unfortunate that we have had to transfer some community members to other centres for definitive care when we could not care for them in Mansfield. The dedication shown by staff at all levels to keep our services operating has been truly inspiring.

There have been complaints from some community members for the inconvenience they have experienced when we did not have a bed or staff available to cater for their immediate health needs – to these people, we apologise. We do not take these decisions lightly and they are based on what is best for the patient, at the time, given the circumstances. Patient safety is the number one priority for us. If we are short staffed, or do not have the right skill mix of staff on duty, it is paramount that the person is cared for in another facility that can provide the safest and best care at the time.

It has been difficult for the local doctors who have had to inform patients that they can’t be admitted to MDH due to lack of beds or staff and will have to be transferred elsewhere; it has been just as difficult for the senior nursing staff to refuse such admissions, knowing how inconvenient travelling to another facility in another town can be. Yet, the spirit of cooperation between the doctors, nurses, management and patients in such situations has been exemplary.

I congratulate and commend all staff for their efforts, their commitment, and their support during a very difficult year.

Well done.

Janene Ridley

Chief Executive Officer