News

The board wishes to advise the Friendlies community that Ms Simone Finch has resigned and finished as Chief Executive Officer due to pressing personal circumstances that required her to urgently move interstate. The board thanks Simone for her service, which included steering the organisation through a successful accreditation process and creating the framework for the next strategic plan. Chief Financial Officer James Waters (pictured) has stepped into the role of acting Chief Executive Officer pending a decision on Simone’s replacement.More

Unit One at The Friendlies has been refurbished to improve amenities for patients and staff. Senior Manager Clinical Operations, Jackie Emery, said the project involved replacing carpet with vinyl and repainting the walls. Work was finished in January 2023. “It’s a refurbishment to freshen up the unit and make it more comfortable for patients,” Jackie said. “We’ve listened to feedback from our community and taken this opportunity over Christmas, while it’s relatively quiet, to upgrade the unit. “Vinyl is easierMore

The Friendlies’ endoscopic fleet was upgraded this year with the $475,000 purchase of new videoscope equipment. Endoscopy is a procedure where the doctor passes a thin camera into a patient’s body. This enables the doctor to look at a person’s organs to diagnose and treat some conditions. The new ultra-high-definition camera control unit offers 4K high-quality image processing with improved visibility and operability. It incorporates a user-friendly touch panel control system with various cameras and modules. Nurse unit manager MariaMore

A bright and engaging room for people with cognitive impairment is planned at The Friendlies Private Hospital to improve amenities for patients and their families. With an increasing elderly population, the hospital is seeing a growing number of general admissions who need higher care. Unit Five nurse unit manager Donna Habermann said the goal was to provide a home-like environment for patients with dementia and to activate their memories. The project will involve painting a four-bed room in bright colours,More