Construction Developments Update - The Melbourne Eastern Private Hospital
(formerly - Mountain District Private Hospital)

After two years of planning, construction is set to commence early 2010 on a multimillion dollar redevelopment and expansion of The Melbourne Eastern Private Hospital which includes a state of the art outpatient service and medical centre. The development caters for local community growing demand for private hospital and support services  and includes a much needed  sophisticated computerised scanning facilities (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in addition to first class general radiology services.

St Vincent’s Pathology already located within the hospital with a full collection centre will relocate into the new medical centre.

Substantial major road works will be carried out on Scoresby Road thus making it easier to enter the hospital and also raising the visibility of the hospital which is currently obscured by trees and houses on Scoresby Road.

Essendon Private Hospital:
The Rosehill Unit / Victoria
Just 25 minutes north-west of the Melbourne CBD, not far from the airport, you will find Essendon Private Hospital. Located within the anonymity of this medical / surgical facility, is the Rosehill Unit; a purpose-built and recently opened mental health facility.

This 10-bed Unit has been designed to meet the needs of most patients who need treatment for mental health problems and who require a short to medium stay in a safe and caring environment.

“We are all really delighted to have the Unit fully functional” said Acting State Manager, Colleen Blums. “With the recent appointment of the NUM, Cheryl Ritter, we can move onto introducing the full range of services that have been on the drawing board for some time.”

The Rosehill Unit now provides treatment on an in-patient basis and a day-patient basis as well as resourcing special evening programs for patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder and Anxiety Disorders. An evening Carers’ Group is due to start within the next week or so. Carers will have a forum to discuss their concerns, receive   education and be linked to other networks that are relevant to their situation e.g. ARAFMI.

Ms Ah-Nya On, an RN with extensive experience, and a nurse practitioner candidate, has joined the Rosehill team employed under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program.  “This is a Medicare funded initiative” explained Mrs.  Blums “that allows us to provide a full range of services that a small unit might otherwise struggle to provide.”

Ah-Nya On’s appointment also means that other post-discharge services are now available such as:

• family support;
• home visits;
• liaison with GPs, including an  active involvement in the development of each patient’s  mental health care plan.

“If anyone would like to know more about the Rosehill Unit,  pick up the phone and give us a call” invited Mrs. Blums.

Malvern Private Hospital Drug & Alcohol Program
‘Great relief’ was the only way to describe our reaction to the news the week before last that the Victorian Department of Human Services (DHS) had approved the introduction of a specialised drug and alcohol rehabilitation program for the Malvern Private Hospital. We have been working at getting this service established for over a year now and at last can see our way clear to move onto the next phase in its development.

The Malvern Private Hospital Drug and Alcohol Program (MPH D&AP) service will treat patients who have an addiction to alcohol and / or prescription drugs. Put aside any stereotypes that you have about people with addiction! It is more common than most of us realise. It doesn’t play favourites - it can affect anyone, from any walk of life; business women, politicians, mothers, friends, doctors, members of the clergy, sons, daughters, and can sometimes go unrecognised, by even those closest to the person who is addicted, for a long time, although you might suspect that something isn’t quite right.

Using an evidence-based approach, already proven to work in other well recognised centres, the MPH D&AP will provide a 28-day residential program comprised of medically supervised withdrawal followed by a rehabilitation program. There will be a strong emphasis on aftercare, because addiction is a chronic condition.

The goal of the program is simple; help patients learn the skills needed to lead a clean and sober life with emphasis on building healthy relationships.

“A lot of people are very excited about this centre opening.” Glaswegian and senior MPH D&AP counsellor, George Thompson, has told us “Melbourne has been crying out for additional private facilities for the treatment of people with addiction. We’ve put together a really good, experienced team with Dr Jack Warhaft, who has years and years of experience in addiction medicine, as the medical director.”