Introducing Simbook

Upcoming events

Introducing SimBook

Monash University School of Rural Health - Bendigo, La Trobe Rural Health School and the Loddon Mallee and Hume Clinical Training Networks are pleased to announce the launch of a new simulation resource portal called SimBook.

SimBook provides access to a range of resources to support simulation education, including:

an inventory of simulation equipment in both the Hume and Loddon Mallee regions
details about simulation training facilities in both regions
a calendar of simulation workshops in northern Victoria
and current simulation news and events

SimBook is a FREE resource designed for clinicians, academics and students who take an interest in the transformative power of simulation-based education.

For more information visit

Clinical Supervision Support Program

One day workshops at foundational or intermediate level have been funded by HWA and the Department of Health (Victoria). In Hume CTN they are being run by Charles Sturt University.

Foundational and Intermediate Levels Contact: Charles Sturt University

To register, please forward your name, discipline, health service, email address, phone number and preferred workshop

Full details on the first release of training for Hume CTN, including all dates for 2014, the course outline and full registration details are available here:

Information sheet – Hume CTN Clinical Supervision Support Program dates

June - July Newsletter

Chair's Update

As we move into the busy time of the year with Clinical placement planning in 2014 underway, I thought it would be good t recognise some of the work and achievements to date for this year.

17 Hume health services have implemented the Best Practice Clinical Learning Environment Framework, including assessment, action planning and selection of indicators for monitoring.
33 foundational and intermediate clinical supervision training workshops are scheduled across Hume over the remainder of the year.
Hume Simulation Alliance continues to embed Simulation Based Education and Training into how clinical training is conducted across the region, and to progress the research that is a vital component of this program.
Hume CTN 2014 work plan finalised and endorsed by the committee. The work plan is based on the priorities identified by members at the 2013 annual forum.
Establishment of a Student Accommodation Working Group endorsed and supported by the committee. This group will review and progress the Hume CTN Student Accommodation Strategic Plan developed in 2013.
Hume CTN assists in the development of the Terms of Reference for the statewide Advisory Group on Standardised Student Induction, a group established from an agenda item raised by Hume CTN members, in collaboration with two other CTNs.
Hume CTN representation and presenters at the recent successful People in Health Summit. Some excellent presentations by Hume members demonstrating the level of collaboration and innovation across Hume.
Increased participation of Hume CTN members in Clinical placement planning in 2014. Participants representing allied health disciplines, nursing and midwifery attended planning meetings. Hume CTN members have participated in the Senior Reference and Implementation Advisory Groups on clinical placement planning.
Nursing education providers met to collaborate on how they can improve coordination of their placement requests to reduce request dates clashing.

This is just a sample of the ongoing work in which Hume CTN members participate. This work is well supported by the Hume CTN committee. Thanks to everyone for your commitment to our network.

I am pleased to advise that we have welcomed some new members on the Hume CTN committee. Jenny Ockwell has commenced representing the Aboriginal Health sector, Fiona Brew representing the Public Health (regional) sector and Andrea Appelman representing the Private Health sector. I'm sure you will join me in welcoming our new representatives and acknowledge and thank Donna Sherringham and Karen Sutton for their contributions as they leave the committee.

The minutes for Hume CTN committee meetings are available via the link below on this page and Hume CTN members can submit agenda items via their sector representative, or directly to the Hume CTN Coordinator, Deb Gleeson. If you are not receiving a call for agenda items, please contact Deb Gleeson to ensure your contact details are included on your representative's sector list.

If you have any queries regarding the work of the Hume CTN committee or other clinical training initiatives please access the committee list with contact details below on this page.

Elaine Mallows, Chair, Hume CTN committee

People in Health Summit and Awards

It was great to see many Hume stakeholders at the People in Health Summit in May.

Dr. Lesley McKarney, Executive Officer LaTrobe University Rural Health School / Faculty of Health Sciences, presented an abstract on behalf of the Hume Simulation Alliance - Developing an inter-professional, simulation-based programme for students placed at rural hospitals: an exercise in teamwork - which outlined how the alliance works, the project goals, the Hume CTN Hub sites and the key learnings.

For more information about the work of the Hume Simulation Alliance, please contact .

Congratulations to the following Hume finalists for the recent awards:

Spotlight on Country Victoria: Rural & Regional Health Workforce Initiative Award

Promoting careers in health to school students through work experience, Northeast Health Wangaratta
Rural health service partnership project in Hume, Yarrawonga Health

Spotlight on County Victoria: Rural & Regional Educator Award

Eric Moyle, Albury Wodonga Health

Hume CTN Coordinator's Update

Clinical placement planning in 2014

Clinical placement planning in 2014 is well underway. Sharon and I are busy scheduling general support meetings along with viCPlace training sessions for new and current users. If you are a participant in Clinical placement planning in 2014 and have not responded to an invitation to meet or for training, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.

Best Practice Clinical Learning Environment (BPCLE) Framework implementation

Congratulations to the Hume health services that have implemented the BPCLE Framework. Based on discussions with most of the implementation coordinators, whilst the work associated with the implementation has been significant, all recognise the experience as positive. It has been interesting to note from your comments some common areas of opportunities for improvement across sectors.

The new version of BPCLEtool is now live and includes indicator monitoring functionality which enables users to record data against their selected indicators within BPCLEtool. Users will be able to download reports relating to the data they record against their indicators and, for public health services, it will also enable the direct submission of a report to the Department of Health for the six externally reportable indicators.

The new version also includes comparison reporting functionality that will allow users to compare indicator data both within their own organisation and with like organisations across the state (de-identified). This may assist in identifying regional issues and opportunities for collaboration. So we will be able to do some comparisons to see if the commonalities are confirmed, and what this means as far as opportunities to collaborate to meet these identified problems from a regional perspective.

There are also changes to the BPCLE resource kit, specifically in relation to the spread sheet registers and survey templates for use in monitoring indicators. A new data collector tool has been developed that replaces the monitoring resources in the original resource kit, and this tool and an updated version of the resource kit will be available in the resource library of BPCLEtool when the new version is launched.

As many of you who are responsible for implementation of the BPCLE Framework are also involved in Clinical placement planning in 2014, Sharon and I will consult with you over the next month regarding training requirements, and availability, regarding the new version.

Deb Gleeson, Coordinator, Hume CTN

Cross-CTN Update

People in Health Summit and Awards

The People in Health Summit was held 22-23 May 2014 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and brought together over 500 delegates from health services, education providers, professional associations and government to engage on health workforce issues. The Summit showcased over 90 abstract and poster presentations on health workforce initiatives.

The inaugural People in Health Awards dinner was a notable highlight with over 350 guests attending the event at the Melbourne Museum on the night of 22 May. Over 95 nominations were received across the 12 categories, with the quality of nominees and finalists universally praised by the judging panel. Congratulations to all winners and finalists.

The survey evaluation has revealed that over 87% of respondents thought the Summit provided them with valuable information, 83% recognising that it provided a good opportunity to build relationships and networks, and over 76% reporting that the event met or exceeded expectations.

The Department of Health would like to thank all delegates and presenters for attending and participating in the event, and the Steering Committee for their valuable guidance and advice.

Best Practice Clinical Learning Environment (BPCLE) Framework

Public Health Services have now completed initial implementation of the BPCLE Framework using the web-based BPCLEtool. Initial evaluation survey results indicate that:

Over 90% of organisations utilised a whole-of-organisation approach.
Over 60% of respondents indicated that a key enabler is the support of a senior staff member.
Close to 80% of respondents indicated that implementation was either a good or very good learning experience in relation to internal systems and structures.
Over 75% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that the BPCLE Framework will have a positive impact on the organisation's learning environment.
Over 70% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend other health services implement the BPCLE Framework using the BPCLEtool.

The latest version of BPCLEtool is now live and includes indicator monitoring and comparison reporting functionality. The new version also includes updates to the resource library. To start using the new functionality, it is recommended that users log into BPCLEtool and create their master list of indicators for monitoring.

Victoria's Health Workforce Knowledge Bank

Victoria's Health Workforce Knowledge Bank is a new comprehensive and interactive online repository for data on the health workforce in Victoria. Knowledge Bank has grown out of viCProfile, and has been designed based upon stakeholder feedback requesting greater data reliability, relevance and integrity. It is available at

Knowledge Bank is intended to assist stakeholders with accessible data to inform evidence-based approaches for better planning and development of strategic workforce initiatives. Currently, data contained on the site relates primarily to professional-entry clinical placements across all disciplines, with further data sets and visualisations to be added as they become available, including organisation-level reports, overviews of geographic regions and Clinical Training Networks, postgraduate training activity, as well as workforce demographic and service activity data.

If you would like to submit ideas about reports, data presentation or if you are the custodian of a relevant data set and would like it included on Knowledge Bank, please email .

Clinical placement planning in 2014

Clinical placement planning has commenced for 2014, with the first of the three-phase facilitated process having been conducted from 12 June to 19 June 2014.

Phase 1 commenced on 12 June, with participants meeting to network with colleagues, develop partnerships and discuss their placement arrangements for 2015. Paramedicine and allied health science disciplines attended statewide meetings in Melbourne, while allied health therapy disciplines, nursing and midwifery attended meetings in their local CTN(s).
Phase 2 commenced on 23 June, with participants accessing viCPlace and booking precommitted placements.
Phase 3 will commence on 21 July, with participants having the opportunity to arrange 2015 placements using viCPlace.

The Medicine Senior Reference Group on clinical placement planning met on 23 June 2014 to consider medicine's participation in the process. The minutes of the meeting will be published at www.health.vic.gov.au/placements/epg.htm when available.

viCPlace: release 7.1

The release of viCPlace 7.1 on 23 June 2014 represents a major update to improve the look, use and feel of the system which coincides with the beginning of Phase 2 of Clinical placement planning in 2014. This version of viCPlace has incorporated stakeholder feedback received through the evaluation of Clinical placement planning in 2013 and via requests to both the viCPlace "helpdesk" and CTN Information Support Officers (ISOs).

A quick guide to the changes can be downloaded from the dashboard within viCPlace or at

viCPlace: API

The department is leading development of an application programming interface (API) to enable interoperability between viCPlace and in-house or third-party placement management systems.

The department has sought education provider nominees to the viCPlace API Advisory Group, and has obtained information from group members about their current systems.

The first meeting of the Advisory Group is scheduled for mid-July 2014, and it is anticipated the API will be available for Clinical placement planning in 2015.

Simulation-Based Education and Training (SBET) Expert Advisory Group (EAG)

The SBET EAG provides a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral, state-wide mechanism to inform and support the strategic development of SBET in Victoria. As part of its remit, the EAG has identified three priority areas of focus for 2014. These are to:

ensure sustainability of simulation;
widen the simulation community of practice (CoP); and
develop an evidence base supported by research and data.

The SBET EAG is currently considering how to best support simulation personnel and the use of assets for clinincal education and training in Victoria through development of a state-wide sustainability plan.

To complement this work, the EAG is also supporting other activities including:

supporting travel awards to attend SimHealth/SimTecT on 25-28 August 2014 in Adelaide (see next item);
hosting an 'Ask an Expert' open session on Friday 25 July 2014, 2.00-4.00pm at the Department of Health (RSVP by 16 July to );
publishing an education and training resource guide for simulation educators, coordinators and technicians;
developing a research agenda to better understand the link between simulation and outcomes such as patient safety; and
contributing to the agenda for co-hosting a symposium with the Clinical Supervision and Expanded Settings EAGs later in the year.

Simulation-Based Education and Training (SBET) - Awards to attend SimHealth/SimTecT 2014

SimHealth/SimTecT 2014 (25-28 August) brings together international and local experts in simulation education, research and development, human factors, system design and quality improvement.

The department is sponsoring five awards (up to $2000 each) to cover individual expenses associated with attending SimHealth/SimTecT 2014 (conference fees, accommodation and airfare, train/bus fares to Adelaide).

Award applications are now open. The guidelines, including eligibility criteria and a link to the application form, are available at Applications close 5.00pm (AEST) Tuesday 15 July 2014.

For further details about this opportunity please email .

Expanded Settings Program: Update

The Expanded Settings Expert Advisory Group (EAG) held a facilitated workshop on 27 May 2014 to prioritise the activity and focus of Victoria's Expanded Settings Program. Outcomes will be available shortly.

For further details about regarding the Expanded Settings Program and EAG are now available at www.health.vic.gov.au/placements/esp.htm.

Clinical Supervision Support Program: Update

The clinical supervision skills training workshops are underway. Register now to secure your place.

Over 150 workshops are being held over the next year to provide free foundation and intermediate level training for the supervision workforce in Victoria's health services.

To find out about workshops being held near you, please ask your CTN Coordinator or read the 'Upcoming events' (above on this page).

If you have any questions about the training or the Clinical Supervision Support Program, please email .

VSA Metropolitan Symposium

Registrations are now open for the VSA Metropolitan Symposium to be held on Friday 18 July 2014 at Holmesglen Simulation Centre, Moorabbin, Victoria

The VSA welcomes Professor Robert P. O'Brien Professor and Director of Edith Cowen University Health Simulation Centre, as keynote speaker, addressing "Health Simulation in Australia: it's time to stand up as a world leader".

Details are available on the VSA website