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Midwives train up paramedics to improve maternity care in the community

More than 100 paramedics have boosted their skills in delivering emergency maternity care in the community after completing a maternity training program developed by Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD) and NSW Ambulance.

The program pairs paramedics with midwives for a full day’s placement at Nepean Hospital’s Birth Unit to support paramedics to manage out of hospital birthing and maternal emergencies by offering interprofessional education and clinical placement support.

A typical day of activities in the program sees paramedics assist in all types of birth scenarios including vaginal births (including water births) and emergency caesareans, as well as how to provide care during obstetric emergencies such as shoulder dystocia.

The training program enables paramedics to provide care throughout labour, birth and early postnatal period.

Midwives are able to share their expert knowledge to help paramedics further develop their skills to provide care during birth in the community, this includes in the event of an obstetric emergency.

NSW Ambulance Paramedic, Tim Timmer, has completed the training program and already applied skills learnt from his experience working with the hospital midwives.

Minster for Health Ryan Park said:

“For midwives, provision of labour and birth care are day to day experiences, but paramedics experience labour and birth less often in the community.

“When they do, the births are often unexpected and may sometimes be emergencies.

“This training ensures that our paramedics are best placed to provide care and treatment in these circumstances, fostering improved health outcomes.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan said:

“This partnership with Nepean Hospital will further optimise maternity care in the local community.

“This is a great example of highly skilled paramedics working collaboratively with hospital maternity clinicians to share their skills and knowledge to provide the best possible care to women and their babies.”

Member for Penrith Karen McKeown said:

“I am so proud that this life saving training is taking place right here at Nepean Hospital.”

Nepean Hospital Divisional Manager of Women and Children’s Health and midwife, Kerry Tosswill said:

“This program is a great opportunity for these two highly skilled professional groups to come together to learn and share knowledge to improve patient care.

“This program demonstrates innovation in action within our health system.

“The program is leading quality improvements to ensure safer patient care through partner agency engagement and inter-professional learning.

“The skills transfer that occurs within this clinical placement support is immediate, delivering instant benefits to maternal outcomes and experiences.”

NSW Ambulance Paramedic, Tim Timmer said:

“You develop a heightened confidence and when you apply that out in the field you can systematically go step by step knowing that you’ve seen this before, you know what happens next and this is what I need to do.”

Appeal to locate teen missing from Maitland

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing from the state’s Hunter region.

Brielle Wild, age 15, was last seen on Patriot Close, Gillieston Heights, about 6.20pm yesterday (Saturday 11 May 2024).

When she could not be located or contacted, Brielle was reported missing to officers from Port Stephens Hunter Police District who commenced inquiries to locate her.

Police and family hold serious concerns for her welfare due to her age.

Brielle is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 130cm to 140cm tall, thin build, with brown hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing a black pants and a black jumper with a red logo on the front.

Brielle is known to frequent the Gillieston Heights and Maitland areas.

Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to call local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Driver charged over fatal crash – Lake Macquarie 

An unlicensed driver has been charged following a fatal crash at Lake Macquarie last month. 

Emergency services had been called to Freemans Drive, Cooranbong, about 12.15am (Sunday 14 April 2024), after a northbound car hit the rear of parked SUV.

An 18-year-old man in the front passenger seat died at the scene.

The 17-year-old driver was freed by emergency services and taken to John Hunter Hospital, while a 43-year-old man in the SUV suffered minor injuries.

Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District established a crime scene before the investigation was taken over by specialist officers from the Hunter Crash Investigation Unit.

The driver – now aged 18 – was arrested when he attended Newcastle Police Station yesterday (Saturday 11 May 2024). He has now been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death – drive manner dangerous, and negligent driving occasioning death.

He has been granted conditional bail to appear in Broadmeadow Children’s Court tomorrow (13 May 2024).

Champion for women’s sport recognised with City of Newcastle’s highest honour

Netball player, administrator and Hunter sports and civic luminary Adele Saunders OAM has been inducted as the 18th Freeman of the City of Newcastle.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes awarded the title to the 88-year-old lifelong Novocastrian at City Hall today before an audience that included city officials, cultural leaders and fellow Freemen John McNaughton, Margaret McNaughton, and Father Nicolaos Zervas.

L to R: Sharon Claydon MP, Adele Saunders, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Cr Elizabeth Adamczyk

The City’s newest Freeman, who insisted on being referred to as “Dell”, was celebrated as a pillar of netball as a player, official and administrator who brought empathy and a social conscience to every voluntary role she performed.

“If you’ve lived in Newcastle you’ve been helped by Dell Saunders, it’s as simple as that. Dell has time for everyone and she’s part of the fabric of our city,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

“You can get a sense of Dell’s legacy from her longevity, and over seven decades of serving Newcastle in sport, cultural and civic life. But the richness of her contribution continues to elevate people in big and small ways – this honour goes some way towards recognising that.”

Dell’s life in netball started when she was 11 playing for her primary school, Mayfield West. She would grow into a state level centre. She later became an All Australian netball umpire and president of the Newcastle Netball Association from 1978 to 2019. 

Dell had already served as secretary to the Association since 1955, winning the NSW country championship with the Newcastle representative team the same year.

The face of Newcastle netball to many, Dell insisted on a modest ceremony with the dimmest personal spotlight. But she allowed a reflection on her character in netball terms.

“To be an umpire you have to be completely unbiased. You have to be fair. You should never penalise someone or inhibit their skills as long as it’s within the rules,” Dell said. 

“And you have to be able to ignore the brickbats that come your way. If the spectators crowd you, sometimes it pays to run with your elbow out. I’m still at the umpires’ office every Saturday; it’s rewarding to see someone make it. That’s what comes with being a voluntary person – you set the standard and they remember. We don’t just give them sport, we make them citizens.”

Dell Saunders was also a mainstay of City committees that delivered the Mattara Festival and a vocal advocate for more and better netball courts in Newcastle.

Investing in a better future for Tasmania

The Albanese Labor Government is making more critical investments in Tasmanian infrastructure to improve road safety and cut travel times.

In next week’s Budget, we are investing more than $219 million in a roads package for the state.

This will fund over $124 million for new projects, including:

  • Lyell Highway – Granton to New Norfolk.
  • Huon Highway Corridor upgrades.
  • Planning along the Devonport to Cradle Mountain and Arthur Highway Corridors.

We are also committing $95 million to ensure the following existing projects can be delivered:

  • Mornington Roundabout Upgrade.
  • Midland Highway – Campbell Town North (Campbell Town to Epping Forest).
  • Algona Road Grade Separated Interchange and Duplication of the Kingston Bypass.

The Lyell Highway upgrade will boost safety and reliability of travel times along narrow sections of the highway. This will greatly improve access to tourism hotspots and vital community facilities in New Norfolk and the Derwent Valley.

The Mornington Roundabout is a key pinch point causing congestion and safety concerns. This investment will ensure the necessary upgrades for improved driveability and traffic flow.

The planning projects along key Tasmanian corridors will lay the ground work for a pipeline of future investments that are properly scoped, designed and costed.

This builds on our existing investment in Tasmania of over $2 billion, delivering 35 road and rail projects.

We are working closely with the Tasmanian Government on priority projects for the benefit of the community.

We are getting on with delivering a better future for all Australians, one made in Australia that builds economic opportunity and thriving communities.

We will have more to say about infrastructure spending in Tasmania at Budget time.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“When residents and visitors move around Tasmania, they move around by road. But after a decade of neglect, many of Tasmania’s roads are not fit for purpose.

“Last year Tasmania lost more than 30 people on the roads, with more than 300 critically injured. That’s not good enough.

“This investment in our Budget is about getting Tasmania moving safely – to allow people to spend less time on the road and more time with their loved ones.”

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“We are working for all Australians to deliver significant infrastructure that connects communities, stimulates jobs and builds the future of our nation.

“The hard work we undertook to clean up the mess in the infrastructure pipeline means there is room to deal with ongoing cost pressures and plan for future projects.

“I thank the Tasmanian Government for working closely with us to ensure the delivery of these projects.”

Member for Franklin Julie Collins:

“This is another example of the Albanese Labor Government delivering key infrastructure projects for Tasmania.

“I welcome the additional funding for vital infrastructure projects in my electorate of Franklin, including for the Mornington Roundabout and the Algona Road Upgrade – these projects have long been a concern for people in our local community.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the Tasmanian Government to ensure we can implement the possible solutions for our community.”

Senator for Tasmania Carol Brown:

“I’m thrilled the Albanese Government continues to invest heavily in Tasmania, with a range of exciting new projects to bolster road safety and increase productivity.

“We are also demonstrating our commitment to finishing existing projects, like the Mornington Roundabout, which are crucial pieces of infrastructure for our local communities.

“This roads package will increase road safety and reduce the risks of serious crashes and fatalities, helping to keep Tasmanian’s safe.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility across all levels of government, and across the community.”

Senator for Tasmania Anne Urquhart:

“Upgrading roads to popular tourism destinations will keep our tourists safe and also residents and community members safe while travelling our beautiful state of Tasmania.”

Senator for Tasmania Helen Polley:

“These road upgrades and improvements to rural and regional roads and tourism corridors are crucial to the safety of Tasmanians and tourists.

“The Albanese Government is investing in road safety to help protect all road users. Too many Tasmanians have lost their life on Tasmanian roads and these upgrades will go a long way to ensuring safer roads that are fit for purpose.”

Senator for Tasmania Catryna Bilyk:

“Motorists in greater Hobart have been grappling with traffic congestion for some time now.

“With the Mornington roundabout and Kingston Bypass upgrades, the Albanese Government is taking action to ease some of these bottlenecks that are causing frustration for so many motorists.”

Member for Lyons Brian Mitchell:

“This funding is all about improving motorists travelling experiences. This enables motorists everything Tasmania has to offer on safe and better roads.”

Multi-billion-dollar investment to build more homes for Australians

The Albanese Labor Government will make significant new housing investments in next week’s Budget to help deliver our comprehensive Homes for Australia plan.

The Prime Minister convened National Cabinet on Friday, where Premiers and Chief Ministers backed the following new measures in the Budget to help Australians build, rent and buy:

  • $1 billion directed towards crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic violence, and youth under the National Housing Infrastructure Facility. This includes increasing the proportion of grants for this investment from $175 million to $700 million in the Budget to be able to support crisis and transitional housing.
  • $1 billion to get homes built sooner – funding for states and territories to build the roads, sewers, energy, water and community infrastructure that we need for new homes and for additional social housing supply.
  • A new $9.3 billion 5-year National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness – for states and territories to combat homelessness, provide crisis support and build and repair social housing. This includes a doubling of Commonwealth homelessness funding to $400 million every year, matched by states and territories.

This significant new investment builds on the more than $25 billion in new housing investments our Government is delivering over the next decade, including:

  • $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund to build 30,000 social and affordable rental homes.
  • $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator to deliver around 4,000 new social homes across Australia.
  • $3 billion New Homes Bonus to incentivise states and territories to build more homes.
  • $5.5 billion Help to Buy scheme to help more Australians buy their own home.
  • $2.7 billion to increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 15 per cent.
  • $2 billion in financing for more social and affordable rental homes.

We need to build more homes, more quickly, in more parts of the country.

Which is why the Albanese Government has an ambitious goal of building 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade.

We know this is a challenge, but it’s a challenge we have to meet.

We need more tradies and construction workers. That’s why earlier this week the Government announced $90.6 million to boost the number of construction workers, including 20,000 new fee free places.

We also need to reduce pressure on the private rental market.

That’s why the Government is today announcing we will work with the higher education sector on new regulation to require universities to increase their supply of student accommodation for domestic and international students.

Homes for Australia is our Government’s plan to help keep the great Australian dream in reach.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“This Budget will provide an additional $1 billion for social and emergency housing to support women and children escaping domestic violence and will ensure a new five year funding agreement with states and territories for housing and homelessness.

“We are encouraging states and territories to kick-start building by providing an extra $1 billion to help fund the roads and services new homes need, and for new social housing.

“This Budget means more tradies, fewer barriers to construction, less talk and more homes.

“This isn’t about one suburb or one city or one state. It’s a challenge facing Australians everywhere and it needs action from every level of government.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers:

“Housing is a big priority for the Albanese Government and it will be a big focus of the Budget.

“Australia needs to build more homes more quickly and that’s what this substantial investment will help to deliver.

“We’re delivering billions more dollars in the Budget to build more homes across the country because we know that to address this housing challenge, we need to boost supply.”

Minister for Housing Julie Collins: 

“Building more homes is the best way to address Australia’s housing challenges, and this is exactly what Homes for Australia will deliver.  

“Homes for Australia will turbocharge the construction of new homes right across the country and ease the pressure on Australians doing it tough. 

“We’re working across government, and with other tiers of government, to achieve the ambitious national target of 1.2 million new homes by the end of the decade.

“This will deliver more homes for home buyers, more homes for renters and more homes for Australians who need them.”

Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“Our international education sector is incredibly important to our country.

“We need to ensure its ongoing sustainability and part of that means we need more purpose-built student accommodation.

“We need more purpose-built housing to support students in higher education and that’s what these reforms, developed in consultation with the sector, will help to drive.”

PRRT BILL

The Government’s proposed changes to the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax will see revenue go down, not up, and shows the Labor Party are being used as a tool of the gas cartel, the Greens say.

“Labor’s proposed changes to the PRRT, as dictated by the gas industry, represent a massive missed opportunity,” Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“Even with the proposed changes, the government will get more revenue from student debt indexation than from the PRRT.”

“On the government’s own projections, revenue will go down from the PRRT. This is intolerable and shows Labor’s warped priorities.”

“Labor faces a clear choice: work with the Greens to make the gas cartel pay more tax, or work with Peter Dutton to gut environmental regulations for gas corporations.”

“If Labor would get on board the numbers are there in both Houses of parliament to double the revenue from the PRRT changes.”

“Labor’s PRRT changes show the danger of letting fossil fuel corporations write their own tax laws.”

“Labor also needs to ditch its laughable attempt at a wedge by conflating highly contentious changes to a broken gas tax system with badly needed reforms based on the PWC scandal.”

City of Newcastle Councillor information sessions

Are you interested in representing your community as a Councillor?

Becoming a Councillor is an exciting opportunity to represent your community and the interests of City of Newcastle’s residents by providing leadership and guidance to the community.

City of Newcastle is hosting a candidate information session on Monday 27 May 2024.

The nomination period for candidates for an election in a local government area or ward ends at noon Wednesday, 14 August with the next local government general election to be held 14 September. 

The session allows people to identify key requirements of becoming a Councillor, understand the rules and processes for registering as a candidate and running a campaign and to understand the role of Council, Councillors and the key elements of council meetings.

The session will be facilitated by Maire Sheehan, who held the role as Mayor of Leichhardt between 1999 and 2004, and previously as Councillor.

The session can be attended in-person at City of Newcastle’s Council Chambers at the City Administration Centre, 12 Stewart Avenue Newcastle West.

Session:
 Date: Monday, 27 May 2024.

Time: 5.30pm – 9.00pm (doors to open at 5pm).

Venue: Council Chambers, City Administration Centre, 12 Stewart Avenue Newcastle West.

BOOK HERE https://CN-becomeacandidate.eventbrite.com.au.

The session will run for approximately 3.5 hours, and will be delivered in person, however the option to attend online for those unable to make it in person is available.

More information about local government election can be found here 2024 NSW Local Government elections – NSW Electoral Commission.

Short stay areas boost Wollongong Hospital ED performance

Wollongong Hospital is significantly improving wait times through innovative use of the Short Stay Unit in the emergency department (ED), almost tripling the use of these beds in the past 12 months.

ESSA (Emergency Short Stay Area) operates like a ward within the ED itself – one designed to provide a short period of ongoing treatment and observation of a patient’s condition, avoiding an unnecessary hospital stay.

Wollongong Hospital is prioritising patients needing treatment for moderately complex conditions through the ESSA, freeing up beds in the ED for more seriously unwell patients and enabling the earlier discharge of patients who don’t require admission to hospital.

In the month of January 2024, almost 770 patients were treated in Wollongong Hospital ESSA, compared with 282 patients treated in January 2023. Performance has further improved in March, with 831 patients managed though ESSA.

In the 3 months to December 2023, 43,216 people attended EDs across the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and the number of ambulance arrivals was 12,532, which represents the second highest quarter on record.

Despite this increased demand, ED staff achieved some remarkable results, including a 27.5%-point improvement in the number of patients transferred from ambulances to the ED within 30 minutes at Wollongong Hospital, compared with the same quarter in 2022.

Health Minister Ryan Park said:

“These improvements have come about thanks to excellent collaboration of staff across ED, hospital wards, transit lounge, patient flow teams and multidisciplinary working groups.

“Together, they’ve implemented more robust analysis, better communication pathways and focused on the availability of transition-to-ward beds that better aligns with peak ambulance arrival times and maximised the efficacy of the short stay model of care within the ED.

“Collectively, these initiatives are having an impact.”

Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said:

“The innovations undertaken by frontline health staff at Wollongong Hospital to improve patient access to care is clearly working and I’m incredibly grateful for their efforts.

“The stronger focus on the use of the short stay area means people in our community are being seen and treated faster.”

Toll cap cash flowing — motorists claiming $264 on average

Motorists in Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Marsden Park, Auburn and Merrylands are among the biggest beneficiaries of the NSW Government’s $60 toll cap.

Motorists are claiming an average $264 in cash back from the signature cost-of-living relief scheme that began on 1 January.

Drivers in Auburn ($600.51), Lakemba ($516.33) and Wiley Park ($465.87) have received some of the largest average toll relief returns during the first month of claims.

More than 47,600 claims have been lodged by drivers who are able to claim for the first 3 months of the toll cap period.

A total of $46.8 million is available to 350,000 toll account holders to be claimed after the first quarterly period.

Claims will open for future quarters on 9 July 2024, 9 October 2024 and 9 January 2025.

Get more information and claim Toll relief.

Top 20 suburbs ranked by total claim amount

SuburbsCount of ClaimsTotal Claim Amount ($)Avg Claim ($)
Baulkham Hills706$222,463$315.10
Blacktown659$212,152$321.93
Marsden Park555$196,844$354.67
Auburn324$194,564$600.51
Merrylands445$190,828$428.83
Quakers Hill496$155,753$314.02
Castle Hill525$153,210$291.83
Kellyville468$134,130$286.60
Greystanes460$129,795$282.16
Lakemba235$121,337$516.33
West pennant Hills285$100,813$353.73
Glenwood303$97,365$321.34
Bankstown299$96,948$324.24
Schofields295$95,646$324.22
Glenmore Park381$89,775$ 235.63
Wiley Park184$85,720$465.87
Punchbowl217$83,763$386.00
Seven Hills266$83,013$312.08
Melonba196$81,248$414.53
Mascot276$77,782$281.82

Minister for Roads John Graham said:  

“The $60 weekly toll cap is working just as it was designed – getting relief to where it is needed most.”

“This means much-needed dollars in the pockets of drivers across western Sydney, those areas where people have little other choice than to use toll roads and where public transport alternatives are not as viable as in other parts of Sydney.

“The NSW Government’s number one priority is delivering cost of living relief and I urge those drivers who are eligible for toll relief to link their toll account with Service NSW.”    

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:  

“The Labor Government’s toll relief scheme is helping households save money, and people can easily access this using the Service NSW website.”  

“There is a video on the Service NSW website which walks customers through the steps of the claim process. People need to link their toll account to their MyServiceNSW account, follow the prompts and submit a claim if eligible.”  

“Toll relief customers have found the online claim process seamless and accessible, and team members at Service Centres are also available to assist people or you can call 13 77 88 for assistance. I encourage people to jump online and make a claim.”