Day surgery unit opens

NCMDR John Shevlin with nurse Helen Lonergan, LSMED Andrew Day and LEUT Tammy Thomas in the new day surgery unit at BNH

A new day surgery unit, with operations on Saturdays and new high-tech surgeons and surgical procedures have been introduced at the Balmoral Naval Hospital to meet the challenge of increased numbers.

Although the initiatives mean a busier operating suite and wards, they also reduce the need for RAN personnel to attend civilian public hospitals.

Savings in the Defence budget result.

BNH has fast become a medical facility where Defence doctors and nurses work shoulder to shoulder with civilian counterparts.

On October 15, the commanding officer of HMAS Penguin of which BNH is part, CMDR John Shevlin, formally opened an eight-bed day surgery unit.

The unit, which also incorporates a patient lounge, is under the direction of Ms Helen Lonergan, the acting Nursing Unit Manager.

She is working with LEUT Tammy Thomas, the Nursing Unit Manager-Operating Theatre.

New equipment has been bought and furnishings updated in the new unit.

“The hospital’s theatre has seen a 17 per cent increase in operation numbers compared with the last financial year,” the Director of Nursing, LCDR Meg Ford, said.

“The complexity of surgery has also increased.

“BNH now regularly performs joint reconstructions.

“It has also in recent times completed emergency procedures such as appendectomies, open fixation of broken bones and bowel resections.

“We are also doing large numbers of endoscopic, or keyhole, procedures,” LCDR Ford said.

She said the hospital had brought in new specialised surgical equipment which enabled staff, both military and civilian permanent members and visiting surgeons and anaesthetists to carry out more intricate surgery.

“We have introduced a ‘high dependency’ bed.

“Operations are now carried out from Monday to Friday.


“The theatre was opened on three weekends this year to complete dental cases (wisdom teeth extraction) from HMAS Creswell.

“These operations had to take place to allow midshipmen to do their sea training,” said.

On Friday, September 27 orthopaedic surgeon Steven Quain, who recently joined the Reserves undertook surgery on a number of patients using an endoscope linked to a television monitor.

LCDR Ford said the hospital was not being insular in its operation.

“Theatre nursing officers from Navy, RAAF and the Army meet regularly to negotiate borrowing of equipment and maintaining common standards of care.

“One Navy nursing officer is working in the theatre suite at Royal North Shore Hospital.
“The nurse is there through a strategic alliance between BNH and RNS.

“The experience in the RNS theatres will maintain the nurse’s clinical currency,” LCDR Ford said.
Balmoral Naval Hospital is a 36-bed facility.

• By Graham Davis

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