When we talk about healthcare, the most important part is the patients. Today’s episode is about what it has been like to be a patient during a pandemic. Tash Miles speaks to Krystal, who has chronic cancer and had jaw surgery this year, Aidan, who has cystic fibrosis, and Tess, who has been a carer and has had other interactions with the healthcare system through the pandemic. We hear about about the changes they’ve seen – what’s been hard, what’s been better and how they have maintained connection with their practitioners and their support networks.

Be sure to check out Krystal’s podcast First Time Feelings.

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In this episode, Susan Biggar speaks with Dr Rod Hunt, neonatologist and scientist at Monash Health, Professor Suzette Woodward, Visiting Professor in Patient Safety at Imperial College, London and Michael Greco, CEO of Care Opinion Australia. Susan asks our guests, when it comes to healthcare, what is safe culture? If safe culture exists, then what does unsafe culture look like, and what does this mean for patients and their families? Our three guests share their experiences and opinions, as well as examples of what they see around them. We hear key challenges in creating good working environments in healthcare settings, improvements that are happening right now, and what they want for a safer health workforce across all contexts.

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For the second part of this series, host Tash Miles talks to a doctor and nurse about what it has been like for them working, and living, through the global COVID-19 pandemic. Both guests live and work in Victoria, a state hit hard with long lockdowns and high case numbers. Join Dr Gavin Wayne, paediatric basic trainee, and Ralph Teodoro, registered nurse, for stories and experiences that stand out to them, personally and professionally, as they share what they’ve learned, what they’ve cherished, and the strange turns their lives are taking.

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In this episode, host Tash Miles talks to two doctors about some of their experiences over the past two years. From NSW, Dr Charles Jenkinson, cardiothorasic surgeon final year trainee and Chair of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Trainees' Association and from Victoria, Dr Sophie Thorn, junior doctor working in an emergency department. Join for stories and experiences that stand out to them, personally and professionally, as they share what they’ve learned, what they’ve cherished, and the strange turns their lives are taking.

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What does improvement in healthcare look like? It’s critically important for our health system because sustained improvement that tracks with the science and evidence will mean improved patient safety. Our guests are all involved in a unique program called The Healthcare Improvement Fellowship run by Clinical Excellence Queensland. Dr Michael Tresillian is general physician and Program Director for the Healthcare Improvement Fellowship. Sari Holland is a midwife and unit manager at Townsville Hospital and Health Service. She was a 2020 Fellow of the program. Shailendra Maharaj, is a physiotherapist at Queensland Children’s Hospital and a current Fellow.

Thank you for listening to Taking Care. Please don’t forget to find us on Spotify, Apply Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to listen to podcasts by searching for ‘Taking care’. You can subscribe, review or just join us on your morning walk as you listen to our hefty back catalogue. If you have any feedback or ideas for episodes, please drop us a line at [email protected]. We’ll see you next time.

What is long COVID? What are some of the effects, who is most at risk and what can be done to help those who suffer from it? Host George Hyde is joined by Scott Willis, National President of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, A/Prof Dale Edgar, who is leading the longitudinal study on the effects of COVID termed LATER-19 and Dr Paula Harding, a musculoskeletal physiotherapist at the Alfred Hospital prior to COVID-19, who in 2021 was appointed as the Allied Health Workforce Manager for the COVID-19 response. In line with World Physical Therapy Day, our guests discuss the long-term problems faced by those after recovering from original COVID-19 infection, as well as opportunities for the future of the profession during and after the pandemic.

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To read about LATER-19, see A/Prof Edgar’s paper.

This episode is about VAD, or voluntary assisted dying, and the realities of legalising VAD for doctors, patients and our broader communities. Host Tash Miles speaks with television and podcast presenter and founder of Go Gentle Australia, Andrew Denton, oncologist Dr Cameron McLaren and regional Victorian GP Dr Nola Maxfield.

Victoria was the first Australian state to pass VAD laws, coming into effect in 2019. Our guests reflect on what this has meant for patient safety and choice in dying, what challenges have arisen and what the future could hold.

Links

If you have found themes of this episode upsetting, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

DRS4DRS offer an independent, safe, supportive and confidential service for medical practitioners drs4drs.com.au.

· Healthcare Professions for Assisted Dying Choice

· Go Gentle Australia

· Our first conversation about VAD with Dr Charlie Corke and Dr Scott Blackwell on the law and patient choice

In this episode, host Susan Biggar begins our conversation on a sensitive and important issue that is relevant for all of us at some point: choices at the end of life. The law in Australia has changed in several states in the past two years regarding voluntary assisted dying (VAD) and possible legislative changes are being considered in others. Susan is joined by two doctors with extensive experience and interest in the law and its application in the context of VAD: intensive care specialist and Deputy Chair of the VAD Review Board in Victoria, Dr Charlie Corke, and medical practitioner and Chair of the VAD Board in Western Australia, Dr Scott Blackwell.

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If this episode has raised issues for you, there is help available. You can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or at www.lifeline.org.au or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 or at beyondblue.org.au

In this episode, host Tash Miles hits the open road (metaphorically) to hear the student perspective on healthcare in rural and remote communities. We meet podiatry student Hayley Johns, medical student Harry Gaffney and medical student and pharmacist Debra Lee. We hear about the unique opportunities presented when living and working in outside of metropolitan centres. The three guests offer reflections on pandemic life in rural and remote communities as well as the unexpected benefits of this life. They have a lot to tell us about how these experiences are shaping them as budding healthcare professionals and as humans.

Don’t forget to subscribe for future episodes and to explore our ever-growing back catalogue by searching for ‘Taking care’ in your podcast player. To give us any feedback or ask a question, email [email protected]

In this episode, host Susan Biggar talks with two women in surgery, vascular surgeon, Dr Pecky De Silva, and breast, endocrine and general surgeon, Dr Christine Lai. This is part two of a two-part series on women in surgery. In professions that are underrepresented by women, we hear what this means for the women who work in surgery, and what changes they would like to see. Pecky and Christine share their training paths and some of the barriers and assumptions they’ve encountered as they have progressed through their careers. They talk about the support they received within the profession and how having greater female representation amongst surgeons is important for patient safety and better outcomes.

Don’t forget to subscribe for future episodes and to explore our back catalogue by searching for ‘Taking care’ in your podcast player. For feedback and questions, please email [email protected].