RDNS 2008 Annual Report - Royal District Nursing Service

celebrating diversity

Royal District Nursing Service ABN 49 052 188 717
Page
Contents
2 Introduction
3 2008 at a glance
3 Staff Achievement Awards – 2008 winners
4 Chairman’s and Chief Executive Officer’s report
7 Operational report
12 Our clients: diversity and dignity
12 Robert – Homeless Persons Program client
14 Roy – home-based client
16 Our nursing care: diversity in action
16 Janie – wound care
18 Jane – palliative care
20 Our staff: diversity and dedication
20 Chris – mechanic
22 Jessica – registered nurse
24 Our world: diversity of cultures
24 Toula – client
26 Daniel – nurse
28 Financial summary
29 Our Executive Team
30 Donations received
32 Facts & figures 2008
36 Our Directors
40 Corporate governance statement
Patrons’ Council
Dr Sally Cockburn
Lady April Hamer OAM
Darvell Hutchinson AM
The Honourable Jeffrey Kennett AC
The Honourable Joan Kirner AM
Simon Molesworth AM QC
Lady Primrose Potter AC DLJ
Sir Gilbert Simpson KNZM QSM
Dr Mano Thevathasan

Welcome to the
royal district
nursing service
Annual Report 2008
Thank you to our clients and staff
To the clients and staff of RDNS who
have so graciously participated in this
Annual Report, we extend our heartfelt
thanks and appreciation. Thank you for
allowing us into your homes and lives
and for so generously sharing your stories.
Welcome RDNS Annual Report 2008 1

celebrating diversity
Diversity is all around us. More than ever
before, our society is a rich assortment of
people, customs, cultures, traditions, views
and opinions. Certainly, diversity brings
its challenges – it requires us to adapt, to
understand, to cooperate and to change.
But with diversity comes enormous rewards –
new insights, understanding, experiences
and progress all stem from the rich tapestry
that has become the modern world.
And diversity is no more evident than at
Royal District Nursing Service. Our clients
are the embodiment of variety. Each year
we care for over 30,000 people across
Melbourne, drawn from every conceivable
walk of life and possessing a bottomless
reservoir of life experiences. We care for those
who have lived a life of relative comfort to
those who have battled at the margins; we
tend to those needing a little help to get back
on their feet and accompany others as they
enter the last phase of their lives.
Our staff cross all age, gender and cultural
boundaries, bringing with them a rich
selection of professional training, experience,
skill, know-how and insight. Individually they
bring comfort, hope and healing to our clients;
together they form a cohesive and dedicated
group of healthcare professionals.
Modern Australia is the epitome of cultural
diversity and the world of RDNS offers up
a melting pot of cultures, customs and
traditions. Our clients come from almost 150
different cultures and our staff too originate
from many different cultural backgrounds.
But the ultimate aim is to deliver nursing
care to our clients, and diversity plays a key
role in meeting our responsibilities. Each
nurse at RDNS enters a complex and diverse
world every day. Different people, different
challenges, different family dynamics, different
medical conditions lie behind every door. The
broad range of care delivered by our staff is
testament to their skill and training and brings
to clients independence, greater control and
peace of mind.
Diversity in all of its forms accounts for much
of the richness of life. And certainly the world
of Royal District Nursing Service is brimming
with multiple riches. This year, we salute
diversity at RDNS.
2 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Introduction

2008 at a glance
Clients visited 32,125
Visits made 1,608,257
Hours of care 558,646
cars 592
DISTANCE travelled 9.2 million km
staff 1,300
staff achievement awards
The Staff Achievement Awards is a peer-nominated, annual awards scheme
which recognises and celebrates RDNS staff members for their dedication,
enthusiasm, accomplishments and contributions. The awards identify
excellence in client and customer service, innovation and creative thinking.
There are four award categories.
The Outstanding Clinical Outcome Award
Awarded to a direct care staff member who has
displayed extraordinary commitment to a particular
client and their condition in a way that has seen
that client achieve a significant and positive
clinical outcome.
2008 winner: Leanne Quach – RDNS Springvale
The Beyond the Call of Duty Award
Awarded to a staff member who has either
shown repeated displays of working beyond the
normal requirements of their daily role or has been
responsible for an extraordinary, individual act
of going ‘beyond the call of duty’ in the course
of their work.
2008 winner: Denman Lombard
Information Services
The Leadership Award
Awarded to a staff member who has shown
remarkable leadership, whether that leadership
is of people, programs, projects or specialities.
2008 winner: Jaklina Michael – Cultural Liaison
The Star Performer Award
Awarded to a staff member who has displayed
outstanding service in their field and has
demonstrated integrity, professionalism, ability to
draw respect from colleagues and clients/customers
alike and has shown an on-going and genuine
commitment to RDNS and the community we serve.
2008 winners: Carmel Brown – RDNS Lionsville;
Laura Hyndman – RDNS Rosebud
Introduction RDNS Annual Report 2008
3

CHAIRMAN’s and
CEO’s REPORT
4 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Chairman’s and Chief Executive Officer’s report

To say that the past year has been one of great activity at
Royal District Nursing Service would probably be a significant
understatement. With a strong sense of commitment to the
future, our focus has been firmly on continually improving
what we currently do, responding to the growing need for
community-based healthcare and pursuing the opportunities
presented by a highly skilled staff using a sophisticated and
leading-edge technology base.
As this Annual Report amply demonstrates, our wonderful staff has
continued to provide quality care to large numbers of people and
their families and we have seen the bedding down of some major
initiatives of recent years.
Last year we spoke of the pursuit of future directions and new
horizons for RDNS. Against a backdrop of rigorous public and
political debate about the future of healthcare directions and the
long overdue recognition of the importance of realistically funding
and supporting community-based healthcare services, much is
being achieved at RDNS. Considerable work has been undertaken
on ways by which we might best take RDNS forward, with directors
working closely with management to chart the strategic directions
which we must pursue from a clinical and a business perspective.
Whilst RDNS has always been – and will remain – a major
Melbourne icon, we know that the future is one in which we must
grow in terms of our current work and service offerings, in terms of
geographic boundaries and in terms of the diversity of the people
we care for.
Our attention has been focussed in various ways. We have a
major service planning review underway, looking at the likely
demographic changes across Melbourne over the next decade
and the implications for community care services. We have been
actively exploring opportunities for RDNS across and beyond
Victoria with a number of situations identified in which the
expertise of our staff and the infrastructure of our organisation
as Australia’s leading district nursing service can be effectively
applied in working with others.
Chairman’s and Chief Executive Officer’s report RDNS Annual Report 2008
5

Of particular importance this past 12 months has been the
development of our Customer Service Centre (CSC) which
provides an improved and consistent response to the ever growing
requests for RDNS’ services. The full implementation of the CSC,
achieved during this year, is an important milestone in re-shaping
our organisation for the future. The pathway leading to that
achievement has, at times, not been an easy one for our staff or
for our clients and referrers. We are grateful for the willingness
shown by so many people both across and beyond RDNS to
assist in ensuring that the quality of care and support provided
to our clients in their homes and communities across Melbourne
remained paramount.
A mid-year customer satisfaction survey gave us confidence
about these changes. With a high response rate, the survey
results identified exceptional results overall, exceeding industry
benchmarks and demonstrating great satisfaction with client
care, dealings with our field staff and with staff at the Customer
Service Centre.
In New Zealand we have built strong relationships with service
planners, service providers and many others associated with
community-based care and by year’s end had appointed our first
New Zealand manager, established an office in Wellington and
were well advanced in the development of a strategic alliance
with a local service provider.
The Royal District Nursing Service Helen Macpherson Smith
Institute of Community Health plays a central role in the
pursuit of many of these new directions, ensuring a solid base
for our delivery of clinical care and ensuring new levels of
excellence in research and training across the community care
sector. We are committed to further enhancing our relationships
with universities and continue to develop collaborative initiatives
and new opportunities.
Our financial position remains strong and healthy and our
financial management reporting and monitoring systems have
been further developed and enhanced this year, ensuring that
board directors receive timely and accurate information to
fulfil their governance role.
As is often remarked, it is the people at RDNS who make the
organisation what it is – who make the difference – pursuing
exceptional care for our clients and ensuring our systems operate
efficiently and smoothly. We are privileged to work alongside such
a wonderful group. But we also recognise the existence of growing
workforce shortages, particularly in nursing. Our challenge is to
continue to recognise and celebrate the diverse work of each and
every individual, to provide the environment in which everyone at
RDNS has the opportunity, desire, encouragement and support to
contribute to our work, and to maintain our success in recruiting
and retaining the best possible staff.
An extensive number of our donors and supporters are specifically
noted later in this report. Such supporters are many and varied,
from large philanthropic and community organisations, to
individuals who contribute a few dollars each year. We receive
support from large and small businesses, and from individuals
including our own staff. We want to draw attention to the
important difference their support makes to what we can achieve.
Whether it be funds to enable us to purchase expensive leg ulcer
dressings for clients who would otherwise be unable to afford
them; or tens of thousands of dollars to support a major research
initiative; or support for a research master class, funds to assist us
to purchase a car or provide food and nutrition for the homeless,
donations to enable us to employ more nurses; or Christmas
hampers for some of our needy clients, every donation to RDNS
makes a difference, is truly appreciated and we sincerely thank you.
After 17 years of strongly supporting RDNS, the directors of the
RDNS Foundation this year decided to wind up the Foundation’s
operations and hand its assets to RDNS. The directors of both
companies see this decision as reflecting changing corporate
structures and needs, and particularly as being in the best
interests of RDNS clients. Within RDNS a Charitable Trust has
been established to ensure that the underpinning philosophy
of the Foundation – to protect the philanthropic capital built up
during over 120 years of RDNS charitable operations – continues.
We thank current and past directors of the Foundation for their
careful stewardship of this responsibility over the years.
From our respective leadership roles, we also similarly express
our gratitude to our board directors and our staff, many of whom
have been engaged with RDNS for many years. In our meetings
with staff across the organisation we are so frequently aware of
the strong sense of dedication, caring and compassion of our
staff. Our directors devote many hours each month to RDNS’
work, and we acknowledge their significant contribution to
making RDNS what it is today.
As will be evident in reading this year’s report, we celebrate
and showcase diversity: the diversity of our clients, our staff, the
services we offer and the skills we apply, the diversity of those
who support us in a multitude of ways, whether through referral
of people to us for care, through contracting with us for services,
or by donations or voluntary support.
RDNS symbolises the very essence of our diverse
society – its richness and its depth, its caring and its
sense of community.
Jillian Pappas
Chairman
Dan Romanis
Chief Executive Officer
6 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Chairman’s and Chief Executive Officer’s report

operational report
1
strategic objective
Our people
At RDNS, all staff are highly regarded and have
the desire, opportunity and encouragement
to contribute to exceptional client care.
The year saw us take an important step forward when a four-year,
RDNS-specific Collective Agreement for all award-based staff was
successfully negotiated with staff and relevant unions. This has
provided us with an opportunity to recognise and reward the
contribution of all our staff through the provision of conditions
of employment that reflect the work that they undertake. The
agreement allows, for the first time at RDNS, the employment
of Division 2 Registered Nurses and a new structure for the
employment of Community Care Aides (previously known as
Health Aides).
In addition, 20 graduate nurses were appointed to the RDNS
Graduate Nurse Program. This welcome increase is indicative
of the level of interest in community nursing.
Existing staff were provided with skills and professional
development through various education programs offered by
the RDNS Helen Macpherson Smith Institute of Community Health,
all of which contributed to the on-going cycle of improved clinical
practice and better client care.
As a measure of RDNS’ positive and rewarding conditions,
67 staff received Long Service Awards, recognising service
to RDNS of 10, 15, 20, 25 and in two cases, 30 years.
In response to the tightening of the healthcare workforce and
the competitive market for staff, we streamlined our on-line
recruitment process to ensure a faster turnaround of candidates.
Information sessions for potential candidates were launched
enabling them to learn more about RDNS. Further enhancements
were also made to our graduate recruitment activities. RDNS
managers also completed recruitment and performance
management training.
Media publicity focused on the achievements of RDNS nurses and
the benefits of community nursing with good publicity achieved
across all media. Local newspapers provided the strongest form of
exposure, lending good endorsement to the importance of local
community-based healthcare.
Prominent involvement with industry and nursing expos continued
to raise our profile and generated interest in job opportunities, new
business and education and training.
Operational report RDNS Annual Report 2008
7

2
strategic
objective
our clinical quality
RDNS delivers high quality, individualised
healthcare based on best practice.
The RDNS Helen Macpherson Smith Institute of Community Health
continued to capitalise on its strong research capacity, undertaking
a number of innovative research projects throughout the year. The
aim of our research is to promote and develop evidence-based
practice to improve clinical care for clients. With over 10,000 clients
during the year receiving wound care from RDNS, research into
best practice wound management continued to be an important
area of our work. Our Clinical Leadership Groups provided expert
input and leadership into research projects, education programs
and enriched our evidence-based framework for clinical practice.
Providing adequate resources (staff and material) for research
projects remained a constant challenge. Recruiting clinical staff
from the field to assist with projects has an impact on clinical staff
resources. However, such opportunities add to the experience and
skill development of clinical staff, provide valuable clinical support
for research activities and assist in the retention of staff at RDNS.
The Angior Initiative, a major research project aimed at improving
the care and outcomes of clients living with chronic lower leg
ulcers, was completed in 2008. This initiative was funded by the
Angior Family Foundation, the RDNS Foundation and the Victorian
Department of Human Services (DHS). It involved a three-pronged
research study, the major component of which was a controlled
trial which compared two types of antimicrobial dressing on leg
ulcers. The trial was conducted in collaboration with Silver Chain
Nursing Association in Western Australia. RDNS also undertook
a qualitative study considering nurses’ perceived barriers to
applying compression bandaging and a wound best practice
education and evaluation program.
Also of note during the year was the implementation of an Active
Service Model Project with Banyule City Council. Funded by the
Department of Human Services, the model enhanced clients’
functional capacity and independence in the management of
their continence issues. The result was that the vast majority of
these previously housebound clients improved the management
of their continence, became more active at home and socially
and required less personal care than before the project.
During the year, development commenced on an on-line
Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training package that will
provide convenient access to this mandatory training module
for our clinical staff. This is the first on-line training package to be
developed by the RDNS e-learning team and key learnings will
inform future work in this area of education and training.
During the year, 229 complaints from consumers were received.
Complaints related primarily to accessing RDNS services. In
response, several process and technology improvements were
implemented at the Customer Service Centre to improve the grade
of service. At the time of writing it is pleasing to see a reduction in
the number of these complaints.
Like most healthcare organisations, we require the reporting of
all incidents involving clients and staff: 558 incidents were
reported for the year, which equates to one incident for every
2,881 visits. The most significant issue during the year concerned
the administration of medication. The challenges associated with
managing client medication in the healthcare sector are well
known, with medication errors contributing to 26% of hospitalrelated
incidents as reported via the Australian Incident
Monitoring System (2003).
To help address this issue we completed a Medication
Management Review Project during the year which will see
new initiatives implemented across the organisation during
2008–2009 to improve systems and processes for the safe
administration of medication.
Several papers were published and presentations delivered on
this initiative, which was a runner-up in the Victorian Primary and
Community Health Network Awards for Innovation and Excellence
in the category of Research and Development in 2007. Most
importantly, guidelines and recommendations for clinical practice
have already been, and will continue to be, considered at RDNS
and by other health services to improve the care of, and outcomes
for, people living with a lower leg ulcer.
8 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Operational report

3
strategic
objective
our growth and
diversification
RDNS will continue to grow and diversify the revenue
base within existing and new market segments.
One of the most significant developments in client care was our
employment of Division 2 nurses, 12 of whom joined our nursing
team in mid-2008 in the provision of client care. This is the first time
Division 2 nurses have been employed by RDNS and the on-going
effects of this workforce change will enable us to help more clients
with high care needs, boost our nursing workforce overall and
address the healthcare needs of our ageing population.
We achieved another first during the year – the provision of
clinical placements to eight second-year medical students via
the Monash University Community Based Practice Program.
This program offers medical students the opportunity to
understand and apply the principles of a social model of health,
social justice and equity and relate these to the practice of
medicine. RDNS’ participation in this program enables us to
expose future doctors to community nursing and the role of
interdisciplinary health teams in a community-based setting.
The change in the Federal Government has provided several new
opportunities for RDNS. We have worked to build relationships with
our new Ministers, local Members of Parliament and individuals
participating in new high-level groups such as the National Health
and Hospitals Reform Commission, the National Primary Health
Strategy’s External Reference Group and the Minister’s Dementia
Advisory Group.
We continued our participation in nine Hospital Admission
Risk Program (HARP) projects, working in partnership with other
health services to provide coordinated care in order to reduce
presentations at hospital emergency wards.
Our commitment to the on-going work of the 12 Primary Care
Partnerships continued with the aim of improving the overall
health and wellbeing of Melburnians by reducing the preventable
use of hospital, medical and residential services through a greater
emphasis on health promotion programs and by responding to
the early signs of disease and/or people’s need for support.
During the year we also participated in the following forums
and projects, all of which aimed to improve the overall health
and wellbeing of people:
• Advisory Group of the Service Delivery Framework and
Funding Model Review being undertaken by the Cancer
and Palliative Care Unit of DHS
• Alzheimer’s Australia National Cross Cultural Dementia Task Force
• Commonwealth Access Points
• Commonwealth’s Green Paper – Which Way Home
A new approach to homelessness
• Department of Health and Ageing Dementia Advisory Group
• DHS Care in Your Community
• DHS Because Mental Health Matters – A new focus for
mental heath and wellbeing in Victoria
• DVA Community Nursing & Veterans Home Care
• HACC Wound Project
• HACC Active Service Model
• National Health & Hospitals Reform Commission
• Victorian Elder Prevention Advisory Group
• Victorian Health Incident Management System Project
Advisory Group.
This year our core Home and Community Care (HACC) funding
increased by $1,571,981 (2.4%) enabling the provision of over 20,000
hours of service to new clients. This increase also reflected the
continuing close working relationship between RDNS and the
Department of Human Services (DHS) in addressing the healthcare
needs of ageing Victorians.
Our community partnership with RACV continued into a fourth
year with RACV providing the funds to purchase a car for our
Homeless Persons Program (HPP) outreach services. Additionally,
RACV made a substantial donation to fund the cost of transporting
homeless clients to medical and other appointments and to
support HPP’s Food and Nutritional Support Program, which
equips HPP nurses with food for certain clients.
We also entered into another year of a corporate sponsorship
with Telstra, who continue to be a major supporter of RDNS.
A new corporate sponsorship that supports the work of our nurses
in the community was achieved with our information technology
supplier, Leading Solutions.
Fundraising returned an outstanding result for the year of
$2,378,930 which is a 26% increase from the previous year.
Fundraising costs increased from 11 cents to 16 cents for every
dollar raised due to the introduction of a new revenue stream from
telemarketing, however it is pleasing that this cost remains below
the industry standard.
Operational report RDNS Annual Report 2008
9

In the absence of a national voice for district nursing, we continued
to work with other peak bodies that could assist RDNS by speaking
on behalf of district nursing. We also continued to pursue
strategically significant new opportunities in line with RDNS’
current core business and capability. Groundwork has been laid
and relationships established in several potential new markets.
Strong relationships also have been built in New Zealand which
provide potential for RDNS to work with service planners and
heathcare providers in New Zealand.
The recent refresh program of the 1,000 mobile computer devices
used by our nurses was recognised during the year with an award
by the Australian Institute of Project Management in recognition
of excellence in the management of a complex project. In addition,
RDNS’ Homeless Persons Program was chosen as a finalist in
the City of Melbourne Awards for its implementation of the
‘Where the Heart Is Community Festival’.
4
strategic
objective
our efficiencies
and performance
The RDNS website and the intranet were both redeveloped,
providing a more professional on-line environment for both
the general public and staff and allowing for the introduction
of a collaboration tool for the intranet, enhanced informationsharing,
more staff ownership of content management and a
common platform for future RDNS web systems.
In summary, 2007–2008 has been a year where we have
sought to consolidate a number of important activities whilst
steadily moving towards further growth and improvement.
The challenge, as always, has been to ensure that we meet our
core commitment of providing superior home-based nursing
care, whilst at the same time endeavouring to grow and
expand our business.
Exemplary clinical care was our driving goal and ensuring
that we fostered an environment for our staff that is supportive
and positive remained a key foundation for performance.
Certainly in the year ahead we will continue to assess our
performance and explore further efficiencies and new
business ventures in a fast-paced and constantly changing
marketplace. We look forward to those opportunities with
eagerness and enthusiasm.
We will continue to improve management of our
resources in order to enhance the services we provide.
The new Collective Agreement has provided us with workforce
flexibility that will enable us to further improve our service
provision to the community. With an increasingly mobile workforce,
the agreement enables our staff to support other RDNS locations
in the provision of services to clients and assists us in meeting the
service delivery demands and expectations of our consumers.
A priority for RDNS over the last year has been the integration of
the Customer Service Centre (CSC) with staff, clients, referrers and
the community. The CSC provides a first line response to all our
clients, health professionals and the general public.
Open Disclosure principles were also introduced during the year.
These principles focus on open and honest communication
between clients, their family and/or carers, about an incident that
may have caused harm or concern to the client. Open Disclosure
supports our commitment as a leading healthcare provider to
improve the quality and standards of the service we deliver.
This practice will help strengthen the relationship between
clients, their carers and family and our staff who care for them.
During the year, an on-line exit survey tool was launched as part of
our retention and recruitment strategy. This on-line tool provides
us with feedback and information from staff who have resigned
from RDNS that can be used to inform retention strategies. To aid
staff in the ordering and management of their corporate wardrobe,
we also introduced an on-line ordering system for all staff.
Rosemary Hogan
Executive General Manager
Client Services
Stelvio Vido
Executive General Manager
Strategic and Support Services
10
RDNS Annual Report 2008
Operational report

Operational report RDNS Annual Report 2008
11

Our clients:
diversity and dignity
Home is where the heart is and it’s true that much of the time you
will find our nurses behind closed doors in the privacy of clients’
homes. But not all clients have a roof over their head and some
are experiencing life in their own home for the first time.
12 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Our clients: diversity and dignity

obert – client, RDNS Homeless Persons Program
It’s a glorious day: the sun is shining after its prolonged winter retreat
and the birds have returned to the branches of newly blooming trees.
They sing merrily, as if to celebrate the onset of new life. But today,
their choral efforts are being challenged.
On the third floor of a public housing estate in Melbourne’s inner
west, a singing voice booms out of a single open window. It’s mildly
gruff and recognisably male, but it holds its tune as it accompanies
the latest offering from FM radio. Most noticeably, it carries an air
of joy, of lightness, of hope. Like the birds, it seems to celebrate
new life.
The flat is small and sparsely furnished, but to its
occupant Robert, it’s almost palatial: most importantly
though, it’s home. After all, he explains, this is the first
place he has been able to call his own in his entire
life. For year after year Robert had been ‘living rough’.
Sometimes it was on other people’s couches, sometimes
on the streets, sometimes in the local lock-up. Most of
it was spent in a dark blur of alcohol and drugs he says,
in an attempt to dull the pain that he has kept locked
up inside since, as a three-year old, he spent time in
a boys’ home. He tells his story with painful honesty
and touching politeness. He is gentle and dignified
and his face, despite the years of abuse from external
and internal forces, has a tenderness and warmth that
betrays his history.
He had little hope he says, and was destined to maintain
his vicious cycle until one day, while he was ‘couch
surfing’ at a block of flats in Preston, someone noticed
him. That someone was Darren, from RDNS’ Homeless
Persons Program, and what began as a sequence of
short exchanges gradually led to a life-changing series
of events.
At first, Robert was wary of this stranger, explaining
that no-one had taken an interest in him before.
“I kept waiting for the bill!” he says with a warm
chuckle. There was no bill and there was no agenda,
except for Darren to ensure that Robert was linked into
the support services he needed to help turn his life
around. The early days were challenging: Robert needed
temporary accommodation; he was badly malnourished
and of his substance abuse he simply says: “There was a
fair bit going into the system”. Darren helped link Robert
into the relevant services, and although progress was
slow to come, come it did.
With disarming candour and heart-warming
honesty, Robert says that it was then, once
the fog had lifted a little, that he realised
there was a better life than the one he had
been living for over 20 years.
Darren helped to educate him about his health, he
reduced his drinking significantly and he had his teeth
fixed, which had been in a bad state of repair. After so
long, Robert felt he could smile again. But perhaps the
most significant moment came when he moved into
his current flat. It was here, he says, that he had one of
the happiest days of his life: he received an electricity
bill. “I’d never received anything with my own name and
my own address on it before,” he explains, aware of the
paradox of the experience.
He is proud of how far he has come. He is living
independently now, cooking for himself and eating
more healthily. He sees “different sorts of people” socially
to avoid the temptations of his former life and he enjoys
gardening, often lending a helping hand in a nearby
neighbour’s garden. He talks about his love of writing
and he says that he’d like to work.
Darren has a less prominent role in Robert’s life these
days, maintaining a balance between ensuring things
are going well and allowing Robert to build a life of
independence. “There’s a bit of letting go,” Darren
explains, ”but you don’t want anyone to become
dependent. We’re not always successful; you see people
fall through. But Robert, he’s a good story. A good story.”
Robert makes his way into the laneway that borders
his home, checking his mailbox on the way. The sun
floods his face with warmth and his eyes light up as he
breathes in the fresh, lightly scented air. Above him the
birds of his neighbourhood launch into another cheerful
chorus. Robert smiles. Yes, there is good reason to sing.
Our clients: diversity and dignity RDNS Annual Report 2008
13

oy – RDNS home-based client
The first sign that Roy is approaching is the sound of his
whistling. As he makes his way in from his garden, this
bright 87 year-old offers up old time tunes that celebrate
a bygone era. He introduces himself with assertive
friendliness; his hand shake is firm and certain.
Putting his walking frame to one side, Roy sits himself down
in his favourite armchair, smoothing his enviably thick head
of hair as he settles in. The key to his healthy pate, he jokes,
is that his father would run the clippers over his head every
week when he was a boy, in the belief that it would ensure
a lifetime of thick locks.
Across the impressive ornamental coffee table, just one of
many items collected during a lifetime of travel, Roy’s wife
Pat playfully rolls her eyes at her husband. After 66 years of
marriage, she is well-accustomed to his social antics and his
almost endless stories. There are many tales from his time
as a naval man in the war – he was stationed on board a
sub-chaser – and still more from his long career as an expert
witness within the judicial system. A quick survey of their
bayside home indicates a love of art, sculpture and furniture.
Pat laments that this is about a third of what they had before
they downsized to their current home. Much of it, collected
while travelling overseas every year for as long as she can
remember, was given away or sold when they moved.
A mild wince and shake of the head confirms that it’s a
subject that still pains Pat.
14 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Our clients: diversity and dignity

After a number of weeks in hospital, Roy was discharged:
considerably improved but with his diabetes in need of on-going
attention. With no car and limited mobility, Roy and Pat were
dependent on assistance from Royal District Nursing Service.
Amanda is Roy’s primary nurse, having attended to his diabetes
care since his return home. She and her colleagues have been
seeing him every day, giving him his insulin injections and
keeping a close check on his blood sugar levels. There was a
problem with one of his feet early on but that has been addressed.
Communication with Roy’s doctors has been regular and today
there is good news: Roy can cease having injections for his
diabetes and return to taking tablets.
Causing her more pain however is the slow healing of her hip.
Broken in a household accident, it has been a long process
of recovery and she is clearly annoyed that her normal levels
of energy and activity have been so acutely curtailed these
past weeks. Compounding issues has been the fact that Roy
has also been ill. Pneumonia, infection and uncontrolled
diabetes saw him admitted to hospital recently for an
extended period. With Pat battling through her own medical
crisis, it was a stressful and anxious time, even for these most
experienced of life’s travellers.
For a couple who had rarely needed assistance for
anything in the past, RDNS was a comforting surprise.
Pat freely admits to not previously knowing much
about what nurses like Amanda and her colleagues
did, but she is effusive in her praise and readily
concedes that she and Roy would not have been
able to manage without RDNS’ help.
Much to their regret, Roy and Pat don’t travel overseas anymore –
Hawaii was a favourite – but there is still plenty of life to be lived
and much to be enjoyed. RDNS has helped get Roy back on his
feet and Pat is looking forward to walking on hers without the
aid of a walking stick. For Amanda, only three months into the job,
this is what district nursing is all about: helping people like Roy
and Pat maintain independent living. And for this well-travelled
and dignified couple, independent living is a prize not to be
given up lightly.
Our clients: diversity and dignity RDNS Annual Report 2008
15

Our nursing care:
diversity in action
For every RDNS nurse, no day is the same. Different clients, different
living environments, different conditions provide wonder, challenge
and great reward. But within the vast array of care provided by
our nurses, some staff have pursued a specific field of expertise.
Some chose their field by design, others arrived almost by accident;
all are single-minded in their dedication.
16
RDNS Annual Report 2008
Our nursing care: diversity in action

janie – wound care
For one so diminutive in physical stature, Janie Beckhouse possesses
a ferocious tenacity when it comes to the battle against her clients’
wounds. She speaks bluntly about being intolerant of persistent leg
ulcers that won’t heal and makes no apology for untiringly pursuing
a 100% success rate. It’s not possible of course, not yet at least, but
that doesn’t prevent this veteran of RDNS from signing up with a
daily dose of passion in her battle against one of the most common
ailments affecting RDNS’ clients.
Janie explains that wound care has taken off as a speciality in the
last 15 years and the progress made in terms of treatments and
technology have resulted in greatly increased recovery rates.
As a young nurse looking to make a difference, she wanted to work
in psychiatric care. She felt that this would help her to look after the
‘whole person’. But it quickly became evident after a short time that
RDNS would fulfil her need to care for clients holistically. That was over
20 years ago and although she started life at RDNS as a general field
nurse, she realised over time that many of her clients, regardless of
their primary diagnosis, were suffering wounds of one sort or another.
A natural student and seeker of knowledge, Janie set out on a quest
to educate herself about wound care and within a short period,
equipped with new learning and understanding, the opportunity
arose for her to become a Clinical Nurse Consultant in wound care.
It was a daunting moment but she grasped the opportunity and
since then has made wound care her vocation and her passion.
She spends a large part of her working life in the wound clinic at
RDNS’ Rosebud site. Unlike the majority of RDNS’ work, which see
nurses visiting clients in their own homes, the clinic allows clients to
visit Janie at a scheduled time. Most of the clinic’s clients are receiving
treatment for leg ulcers and there is a large degree of follow-up
consultation for clients who have already achieved good results.
She also acts as a consultant to other local healthcare providers,
particularly local doctors, who refer their own patients for Janie’s
expert assessment and treatment. The care she tailors for clients
requires careful consideration of all of the factors that can affect
healing: their lifestyle, general health, medical history, nutrition.
And the state of their circulation. Blood circulation, Janie explains
earnestly, is a key factor in the healing of wounds.
Outside of the clinic, Janie spends considerable time informing other
health service providers about RDNS’ particular expertise in wound
care. It leads to a more holistic model of healthcare, she explains, and
promotes good collaboration and working relationships across the
Mornington Peninsula, where she is based.
The rewards come thick and fast from this
type of work, she enthuses. She recalls with
obvious pleasure an early client who was
suffering such a terrible plight with leg ulcers
that she had almost become a recluse.
So bad was her affliction that she would not
see her family or even venture out shopping.
Within three months of meeting Janie, her
wounds were healed and she was on a
plane for an extended family holiday.
It was a pivotal moment in Janie’s career
and secured her commitment to this
highly specialised vocation.
She loves the fact that progress
in wound care is obvious and
demonstrable.
Clients can witness their ulcers healing, their
pain reducing and their suffering retreating.
It is the most satisfying aspect of what
Janie does and bolsters her determination,
especially on those days when certain wounds
seem particularly resistant to her intervention.
With a wry smile, Janie recalls that she fell
into her job almost by default, her early sights
set on psychiatric nursing. The look on her
face as she recalls her many years as a wound
specialist confirms the fact that, despite
her tentative start, she is well-satisfied with
the path that she took. And one gets the
impression that, for all of the healing that she
has helped achieve for clients on the outside,
there has been plenty of inner healing as well.
Our nursing care: diversity in action RDNS Annual Report 2008
17

JANE – palliative care
Death isn’t easy. It’s confronting and arresting and disquieting, prompting
questions about life, loss and meaning. But even in the shadow of death
and dying, amidst its grief and pain, there is often beauty, quiet dignity
and the unmistakable touch of grace. At least that’s the experience of
RDNS nurse Jane Bourke, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Palliative Care.
Whilst the primary charge of most of RDNS’ nurses is to restore health and
ensure a better quality of life for clients, Jane’s role is located squarely in the
world of dying. She acknowledges that it is not a field that many would
voluntarily choose, but she is adamant that helping people with a terminal illness
to prepare for the last chapter of their lives is a noble pursuit; one that affords
her many moments of enormous, albeit subdued, satisfaction.
She explains that it is more natural for people to die in their homes, with their
loved ones close to their bed and even closer to their heart, than to die “behind
closed doors in some facility.” And although her role is indelibly tinged by one
of life’s most confronting inevitabilities, the job itself is varied and multi-faceted,
blending a mix of clinical care, education, mentoring and support.
Over half of her work involves providing nursing care to terminally ill clients
to help manage their pain and distress. To achieve this is not always easy and
much of her time is spent seeing clients with complex care needs. Effective pain
management borders on being an art form and requires careful consideration
of all of a client’s needs. In each case she says she must work in with the family
dynamic, whatever that may be. In most cases she sees families do and say things
that are needed; forgiveness is sought, peace is made and relationships are put
right. People assume different roles and she acknowledges the privileged part
she has to play in the overall situation. She maintains professional boundaries
but admits it is hard not to be affected by her work.
In addition to providing direct care,
Jane spends a lot of time with other RDNS
nurses to help them better care for their
own clients. She also teaches palliative
care at the RDNS Institute, educating
RDNS staff and other healthcare workers
about this specialty area that has grown
into its own in the last 15 years. She also
has an active role on RDNS’ Palliative
Care Clinical Leadership Group, whose
task it is to pursue best practice in
palliative care based on the latest
research and education.
It’s a cool Spring day, and as the rain
lightly falls, Jane concedes that her job is
emotionally demanding; there is a place
for her own tears amidst those of her
clients and their families, she explains.
She grieves for those she cares for and
those she says good-bye to with relentless
regularity. But with four children of her
own, she explains that most days there
isn’t a lot of time to dwell too heavily.
“It’s a normal human reaction to share
people’s pain and to grieve for them, but
when I leave work each day I have to work
out what I’m going to cook for dinner,
what homework needs doing.”
As the late morning sun splinters the high
grey cloud, Jane sums up what her job has
taught her over the last 18 years. “Live in
the moment,” she says. “Don’t put off what
you want to do … and make the most of
who you are and what you’ve got.”
18
RDNS Annual Report 2008
Our nursing care: diversity in action

Our nursing care: diversity in action RDNS Annual Report 2008
19

Our staff:
diversity and dedication
When it boils down to it, RDNS is all about providing nursing
and healthcare. Naturally, nurses make up the bulk of our
workforce. But it is the efforts of so many different people doing
very different things that allow us to fully meet our charter.
20
RDNS Annual Report 2008
Our staff: diversity and dedication

chris – RDNS mechanic
They say that big boys don’t cry. But one gets the
feeling that if the Collingwood Football Club doesn’t
make the finals, RDNS’ Chris Glitzos will need his own
box of tissues.
There is black and white blood running through
the veins of this burly mechanic, his devotion to his
football club evident at every turn. Whether it be the
Collingwood diary that sits atop his desk, the huge
logo that adorns his office wall or the fact that he is
Collingwood’s Team Leader in the AFL Cheer Squad
League, here is a man of whom Eddie McGuire
would be proud (and probably is).
It all started as a young boy who wanted to buck
the trend: his mates barracked for Hawthorn, Chris
wanted to be different. He bought a Collingwood
jumper and hasn’t taken it off since. The Pies
have been a part of his life for as long as he can
remember. Also a part of his life since a young
age has been cars. After leaving school, the
young football fanatic launched into a mechanic’s
apprenticeship. Soon after its completion he was
working for a major rental car company. He liked
the work: it was rewarding fixing cars but in time he
wanted an added dimension to his vocation.
An advertisement in the local paper prompted him
to apply for a job at Royal District Nursing Service.
With hundreds of cars in the RDNS fleet, here was a
steady stream of activity and the chance to work for
an organisation that made a positive difference to
the community. Chris applied and shortly afterwards
began as one of three mechanics at RDNS. That
was 18 years ago: he has received two long service
awards since, one for 10 and one for 15 years of
service; it seems likely that he will notch up his
20-year anniversary.
He’s a sensitive man, clearly moved
by his experiences at RDNS and the
interaction he has had with nurses and
clients. His main responsibility is servicing
RDNS’ massive fleet, which stands at
almost 600 cars, but he also has a hand
in car trade-ins and installs key safes
at clients’ homes.
He’s on the road a lot of the time, visiting RDNS’
20 sites in his van and servicing vehicles as he
goes. It can be lonely work he confesses wistfully,
and these days he’s the only full-time mechanic.
But it’s honest work, he says, and that’s what’s
important. In his 18 years he estimates he’s serviced
almost 20,000 cars. That’s a lot of grease and oil
changes. He is a devoted family man, happily
married for 22 years and the obviously proud father
of two grown children. As a family they support
their beloved Collingwood Football Club, his
wife attending most games with him.
As Chris lowers the hoist and anticipates
Collingwood’s future challenges, it’s clear that
here beats a heart of black and white. It’s also clear
that within this hard-working RDNS employee
beats a heart that is a loyal and faithful. And thank
goodness: with over 5,000 square kilometres to
cover every day there’s a lot of nurses dependent
on the work of this cheerful mechanic. And a lot
of Collingwood supporters.
Our staff: diversity and dedication RDNS Annual Report 2008
21

jessica – RDNS registered nurse
It was only after Jessica Booth had left RDNS for another nursing job that she
realised that working at RDNS was what she really wanted to do. The bubbly
nurse recalls how she thought trying something different might be a good
idea. She remembers with a mild tinge of embarrassment telling her new
employer that she felt she had made a mistake and wanted to return to her
role at RDNS. It had only been two weeks.
22 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Our staff: diversity and dedication

These days she is a settled and accomplished
member at one of RDNS’ largest sites and embraces
her daily work with dynamic enthusiasm. An average
day may involve managing multiple medications
for clients with dementia, treating wounds of
varying severity, providing catheter care and giving
many other forms of clinical care. It’s a diverse and
constantly changing world and that’s exactly what
appeals to Jessica. She is bright, keen and clearly
passionate about what she does, explaining what
a pivotal moment of realisation that fortnight away
from RDNS was. “I knew then that this is where I
wanted to be and I now appreciate what I do even
more,” she says.
It wasn’t always like that. Jessica’s early days at
RDNS were challenging and she admits that at times
she felt the pressure. Not only was there the clinical
care to administer, she was required to exercise
her judgement and discretion at a much higher
rate than she was used to. Having spent time in a
hospital setting, she explains that she had become
accustomed to being told what to do, rather than
having to employ her own decision-making skills
with incessant frequency. The first six months
were the most demanding of her career but she
emphasises that she was determined to overcome
these early challenges, stressing that despite the
new level of pressure, she prized the experience.
It has made her into a better nurse, she says:
more confident in her own ability and more
prepared to back the expertise that has come
from the combination of her studies and first-hand
experience at this front line of nursing. Quite apart
from the smorgasbord of clinical care that she
administers, each day brings any number of other
trials. There is the careful negotiation needed for
clients who are non-compliant regarding their care
and family dynamics throw up a constant challenge.
She says that one of the real beauties of district
nursing is respecting people’s right to choose.
“We can never force people to do what we ask,”
she says respectfully. “We can only educate and
advise and we have to avoid being judgemental.”
She has seen many things in her time at RDNS which
underscore this ethic: from her early days working in
high-rise flats to the challenges of caring for people
coping with intellectual disabilities.
All of it, she explains with a hint of steel in her
voice, has strengthened her resolve to be the best
nurse she can be. She says that the lifestyle at RDNS
is second to none and is still amazed that some of
her old nursing friends think that district nursing
isn’t as challenging as a hospital environment.
Nothing could be further from the truth she
emphatically declares:
“Every day is different. Every day
is new. Nothing is ever the same.”
And after three years at RDNS, neither is Jessica.
And that’s just the way she likes it.
Our staff: diversity and dedication RDNS Annual Report 2008
23

our world:
diversity of cultures
The numbers say it all: RDNS’ clients come from 147 countries
of origin and speak 103 different languages. It’s a rich mosaic
of cultures and traditions that our nurses navigate each day.
Add to that the fact that our nurses themselves come from
scores of different backgrounds, and the cultural landscape
is even more luxuriant.
toula – RDNS client
There are two things that stand out
in Toula’s small apartment. The first is
the television, which sits like a faithful
companion in a corner of her living room.
It ‘talks’ to Toula constantly, in her native
Greek tongue, reminding her of her
culture, heritage and history.
She regards it as a friend, and like good
friends, the various personalities and actors
that grace the screen bring Toula a daily
dose of laughter, joy and sustenance. Toula’s
daughter Tanya says that having access to
Greek TV is a God-send for her ageing mother,
who after 50 years in Australia, still only speaks
minimal English. She explains that this small,
luminescent screen, with its mix of Greek
game-shows, news, dramas and movies, is a
comfort. “It’s her connection to her culture
and that’s so important,” explains Tanya.
The second thing you notice in Toula’s apartment is a small candle
in the far corner of the room. It burns all day, every day, fuelled by
a small pot of oil, and sits beneath a picture of the Last Supper and
various other religious mementos. In broken English Toula beams
that she is Greek Orthodox and Tanya confirms that faith is an
important part of her life. She ‘holds God close to her’, she explains,
and this delicate glowing ember serves as a reminder that in life
Toula is not alone, although it is alone that she lives.
It has been that way for a long time now. For 27 years she has lived
in the same apartment, and has enjoyed life in the small community
of which she is a part. But her life has not been easy. She was a
mature-aged migrant to Australia, arriving as a 27 year-old, displaced
from her homeland in the years immediately after World War II.
Born in Egypt to Greek parents and forced to move from one
country to another for much of her early life, she spoke no English
and had little money on her arrival. But through hard work and
determination, she found a job in a clothing factory, joining the
large throng of post-war migrants working in the textile industry.
Although these days her mind is affected by Alzheimer’s disease,
this gentle Greek lady with a winsome smile recalls her early days in
Australia with clarity. They were challenging times, that is obvious,
and when her marriage broke down in the years to follow, there was
an added level of strain in her life.
24 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Our world: diversity of cultures

But Tanya beams about her mother’s accomplishments, proud
of the determination she had to make a life of her own and
plainly protective of her as she now battles the stalking menace
of Alzheimer’s. It was a devastating time when, only 12 months
ago, Toula was hospitalised for an extended period following a
severe breakdown due to her condition. Displaced from the familiar
surroundings of her home and yearning for the security of the life
she had worked so hard to build, Toula found herself in a world
far more frightening than the one she had encountered as a
young migrant 50 years earlier.
Tanya relives the trauma of those weeks, as doctors sought to
stabilise the mother she so obviously cherishes. “All she wanted
to do was go home,” says Tanya reflectively. Eventually, Toula was
diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the right medicines were prescribed
and her symptoms brought under control. But it was the help
of RDNS that Tanya says has enabled her mother to return to her
home, and her life, with a large degree of normality. Twice a day
she is visited by her nurses, attending to her medication and other
medical needs. Tanya says that RDNS understands not only her
mother’s nursing needs but her cultural ones as well, so important
to helping her once again enjoy a life of relative independence.
Toula smiles serenely as she checks the candle at the centre of
her domestic shrine. She has lived a life full of challenges, none
more difficult than those of the last year. It is clear, as the candle
casts its gentle, flickering glow, that along with her nurses, doctors
and the unwavering love of her daughter, faith has played a
central role throughout it all.
Our world: diversity of cultures RDNS Annual Report 2008
25

daniel – rdns nurse
The last memory that Daniel Thomas has
of Mauritius is the sight of the island he had
called home since birth growing smaller in
the distance until gradually it faded from sight.
Aboard a plane for the first time, nervous,
excited and fearful all at once, the 15 year-old
was on his way to a new life in Australia.
26 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Our world: diversity of cultures

Daniel remembers the voyage clearly,
recollecting how his dominant thought
at the time was: “When will I see
Mauritius again” He recalls vividly his
first impressions of what was to become
his new home as his plane approached
Melbourne’s airport: the neat, uniform
boxes of the city’s outer suburbs; the vast
and tangled expanse of streets; the bitter
cold as the flight crew opened the doors.
It was the first day of a Melbourne winter,
a stark contrast to the balmy 25 degree
climes of his homeland. That was 25 years
ago and lamentably, this gently-spoken
RDNS nurse has not set foot back in his
homeland since.
But his connection to his heritage is
unmistakable and remains a prevailing
influence in his life. He is drawn from the
rich and diverse originating cultures of
Mauritius; in his family is an exotic blend
of Asia, France and Africa and he spoke
French and Creole before moving to
Australia. He still possesses a love of
his native tongue and has enrolled his
nine-year old daughter in French classes
so that an aspect of her own tradition
is maintained.
It was hard for Daniel in the early days of his migration. He spoke no
English and the Australian culture, whilst accepting, friendly and full of
promise for him and his family, was a world away from all he had known.
Buoyed by his parents’ adventurous and determined spirit, the young
Mauritian remembers walking 10 kilometres to school each morning and
10 kilometres home each night once the family settled in Melbourne’s outer
south east. He made friends easily and together his closest mates and the
masters at his school took him under their collective wing, supporting him
in both his education and his efforts to integrate at the social level.
His English improved quickly and upon finishing school he considered his
career options, acutely aware that to make something of his young life
was the least he could do for his parents, who had left their native land to
provide better opportunities for the family. Inspired by his family’s farming
background, he enrolled in and completed an agricultural course but soon
found that within stirred the need to do more then tend the land and herd.
Following the lead of his parents, both nurses, he studied nursing and after
a series of nursing roles in rural Victoria and at a major Melbourne hospital,
again found himself yearning for a greater sense of professional fulfilment.
He acknowledges his inquisitive spirit and nomadic propensity: it was only
a matter of time, he explains, before he ended up at RDNS. Here was a
job where he could “get out and about” and still contribute something of
supreme value to society. Community life is central to the Mauritian people
and he celebrates the influence of his parents and extended family, many of
whom now live in Australia, for instilling in him such attributes. He cites the
fact that he can see the efforts of his work take hold in people’s lives and
speaks with compassion and tenderness about helping clients and their
families in the latter part of their lives.
“Australia has taught me that no matter what background or culture you
are, we are all the same. We all share the same concerns and vulnerabilities.
This is the land of equality,” he says with quiet but certain resolve.
As for returning to his homeland, he says that a trip is definitely on the
agenda in the next year or two. But, true to his bohemian nature, he says
that it is his adopted homeland of Australia that also holds great allure for
travel. Whatever he does, it is clear that Daniel takes with him the richest
aspects of the many cultures that have helped to shape his life.
Our world: diversity of cultures RDNS Annual Report 2008
27

financial summary
A copy of the full Directors’ Report and Financial Statements can be downloaded from www.rdns.com.au
Income Statement
for the year ended 30 June 2008
RDNS 2008 RDNS 2007
$ $
Revenue from continuing operations 89,979,817 85,085,319
Net gain / (loss) on disposal of property, plant and equipment 359,199 191,509
Total revenue 90,339,016 85,276,828
Total expenses 88,505,326 83,482,205
Surplus from continuing operations 1,833,690 1,794,623
Balance Sheet
as at 30 June 2008
RDNS 2008 RDNS 2007
$ $
Total current assets 9,540,908 6,258,972
Total non-current assets 22,101,503 25,189,329
Total assets 31,642,411 31,448,301
Total current liabilities 19,983,931 18,773,027
Total non-current liabilities 2,348,927 3,116,095
Total liabilities 22,332,858 21,889,122
Net assets 9,309,553 9,559,179
Reserves 3,295,260 5,378,576
Accumulated surplus 6,014,293 4,180,603
Total equity 9,309,553 9,559,179
28
RDNS Annual Report 2008
Financial summary

our executive team
Dan Romanis
Chief Executive Officer
rosemary hogan
Executive General Manager,
Client Services
stelvio vido
Executive General Manager,
Strategic and Support Services
anthony boffa
General Manager,
Finance and Assets
ian cash
General Manager,
Information Services
Lisa DONOHUE
General Manager (Acting),
RDNS Helen Macpherson
Smith Institute of
Community Health
evan gordon
General Manager,
Marketing and Planning
debra harrison
General Manager,
Human Resources
fiona hearn
General Manager / Director
of Nursing, North and
West Regions
mark smith
General Manager,
External Relations
martin wischer
General Manager/Director
of Nursing, South and
East Regions
Our Executive Team RDNS Annual Report 2008
29

Thank you!
We would like to thank the individuals, philanthropic trusts
and organisations listed below for their wonderful support
during the past year. We also sincerely thank the many donors
whose names we have been unable to list.
Every gift is important.
As we strive to keep pace with the demand for our
services, your support is more important than ever.
If you can help RDNS please send your gift today or call
RDNS on (03) 9536 5222 to donate. You can also make
a secure on-line donation at www.rdns.com.au
Major donors – $15,000 and over
Estate of William Lawrence Anderson
ANZ Trustees Charitable Purposes in
Victoria – Miss Ruth Watchorn Estate,
VCF General Fund, Leigh & Marjorie
Bronwyn Murray Trust, Alfred
Edments Estate
Jack Brockhoff Foundation
William Buckland Foundation
Estate of James Douglas Collins
Marian & E H Flack Trust
Estate of Irene Florence
Joan Foreman
Gandel Charitable Trust
$10,000 – $14,999
Berwick Opportunity Shop
Inc
Miss Leline Cairns-Lloyd
Award Fund
Collier Charitable Fund
Honda Foundation
Kimberley Foundation
James N Kirby Foundation
Herbert & Dorothy Lancaster
Charitable Trust
Flora & Frank Leith
Charitable Trust
Estate of Mr Franz Strazar
VicHealth
Estate of Mrs Jessie R Young
$1,000 – $9,999
Ms Janet Adams
Mr Edward Anderson
Andrews Foundation
Angel Opportunity Shop Inc
William Angliss (Vic)
Charitable Fund
Mrs Nola Armstrong
Banyule Watsonia RSL Trust
Mrs Brenda Baxter
Besen Family Foundation
Mrs Sheila Bignell
Miss Bea Boardman
Mr William Bowness
Peter Brock Foundation
Bryan Fund
Mr Robert Butler
Sylvia Caddy Charitable Trust
Miss Georgina Caldwell
Mr E J Camm
Caulfield Voluntary
Opportunity Shop
Mrs Nora Cayley
Cheltenham Golf Club –
Lady Members
Estate of Lois Mary Child
Mr Alan Cohn
Combined Charities
Christmas Shop
Commonwealth Bank
Australia Home Loan
Processing Centre Staff
Mrs R E Costello
Mr John Covell
Dr Nancy Cowling
Ms Gael Danaher
John & Ina Davey Trust Fund
Mrs Eileen Davies
Mr G Davies
Ms Margaret Dean
Miss Valerie Douglas
Mr Stephen Earp
Ms Elizabeth Eastgate
Eltham Rural Group
Mary Evans Estate
Mr Con Foscolos
Mr Glenn Fouse
Mr A Frederick
Clive Johnson Trust
Pam & Alfred E G Lavey Trust
Leading Solutions
Estate of Edith May Martin
Sidney Myer Fund
Mrs Merna Olver
Sax International Pty Ltd
RACV
Telstra
Trust Company Ltd
Union Jack Club of Australia
J O & J R Wicking Trust
Estate of Ian Fraser Freeman
Freemasons Public Charitable
Foundation
Sir John Frew Memorial Fund
Ms Meigs Ghent
Mr & Mrs S & T Greedy
Estate of Jonathon Greening
Mrs Carol Greig
Mrs E M Groat
Mrs Jean Hadges
Ms Sally-Anne Hains
Mr Craig Handasyde
Estate of Jack Stanley Haynes
Dr Margaret Henderson
Miss Belinda Ho
Ms Patricia Holmes
Inner Range Pty Ltd
Ms Hilary Irwin
Ivor Ronald Evans
Foundation
H & K Johnston Family
Foundation
Kathleen Townsend
Executive Solutions Pty Ltd
Mr Ron Kerr
Mrs Betsy King
Dr Jean Laby
Mrs Laura Lewis
LINUS Information
Security Solutions
Lioness Club of Deer Park
Lioness Club of Dromana
Lions Club of Rye Inc
Mrs A I Longworth
Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund
Mr Brian Lowe
Miss Nannette Lowth
Mrs Ann Marsh
Mr D T McGregor
McGregorWestWong
H V McKay Charitable Trust
Mr James McKenzie
Mr John McPhee MBE ADM
Mrs Daisy Merrett
Harold Mitchell Foundation
Modara Pines
Mornington Peninsula Shire
Mr Nicholas Mules
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch
AC DBE
Nelson Alexander
Charitable Foundation
Mrs Jillian Pappas
Mr Michael Paris
Mr Alexander Parker
Mrs T M Parry
Pierce Armstrong Foundation
RACV Retail Network
RDNS Frankston Auxiliary
Mr Gary Richardson
Ritchies Supermarket
Mr Ian Robertson BEM
R E Ross Trust
Rotary Club of Rosebud Inc
Doug Sandell Trust
Mr Greg Shalit &
Ms Miriam Faine
Professor Alan Shaw
Miss Jane Sheridan
Sisters of Charity Foundation
Ms Peggy Smart
Mrs Betty Smith
Smith & Nephew Pty Ltd
Mr Gene Sparks
Mr Henry L Speagle OAM
St Michael’s Global
Concerns Committee
TB Ex-Service Association
of Victoria
TalkPoint Pty Ltd
Mrs Marie Tatchell
Tecoma Treasure
Opportunity Shop
Mrs Nancy Telford
Dr Mano Thevathasan
Tobin Brothers
Foundation Ltd
Mrs Anne Tregear
Ms Katrina Tull
Mr George Walker
Mr & Mrs Jeff & Val Walter
Mr & Mrs John &
Marie Warnock
Mr & Mrs John &
Patricia Webb
Mr Alfred Wheatland
Joe White Bequest
Estate of Renee Ethel Wilson
Ms Abby Winters
Mrs Shirlie Wolfe
$500 – $999
All Souls Opportunity Shop
Mr & Mrs Max &
Mary Anderson
Mrs Rita Andre
Mrs Jean Armstrong
Miss Margaret Bain
Mrs Vera Bascomb
Henry Berry Estate and Trust
Mr K Bethell
Mr Edgar Blacklow
Botanic Gardens Retirement
Village Resident’s Committee
Mrs Margaret Brabham
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Ms Christine Butcher
Catholic Ladies College
Eltham Student
Representative Council
Mr & Mrs Keith &
Jean Comben
Mrs Helen Connelly
Mr Brian Cox
Mrs E V Crohn
CWA Noble Park
Miss Helen Davies
Mr Alan Day
Mrs Sandra Dennis
Ms Esma Dicker
Mr Don Dyson
Eastern Region Mental
Health Association
Eltham College
Eltham Interact Club
Mr Phillip Evans
Mrs Meredith Evans
Mr R G Feltscheer
Ms Jean Ford
Mr Paul Foster
Dr & Mrs J A & D M Frew
Ms Anne Gaides &
Dr Chris Callahan
Mr Leonard Glass
Mr Adrian Godfrey
Mr Owen Gomez
Mr Bentley Guest
Mr Walter Gunther
Mrs Lynette Hadden
Mr J Arnold Hancock
Mr Val Hannah
Mr & Mrs L J Heale
Mr James Healey
Mrs Hannelore Heitmann
Mrs Helen Hewitt
Miss Dorothy Higgins
Mrs Sue Home
Mrs Robin Hone
Mr John Hopkins
Estate of Elizabeth W Howie
Mr & Mrs C & S Hughes
Mrs M Huybregts
ID-ME Pty Ltd
Mr Frank Imrei
Inner Wheel Club of Prahran
Inc
Ms Nola Jennings
Mr David Johnston
Mr L A F Jones
Mrs Marie Jones
Mr Cyril Kaighin
Mr William Kelly
Mr John Lander
Mrs Honor Lane
Ms Barbara Langley
Mrs Leng Seu Lay
Mr Frank Lendvay
Mr Harris Levi
Ms Helen Lind
Mrs Jean Linton
Lions Club of Box Hill
Mrs Isobel Long
Mr Robert Long
Mr & Mrs A P & L W Manning
Marymede Catholic College
Mr Alan Matheson
Dr Ian McDonald
Mrs J McIntosh
Mr Malcolm McLellan
Mrs Molly McTaggart
Mrs Margaret Michelmore
Mr Samuel Miller
Mr Ron Moebus
Mr Paul Montgomery
Mr David Moore
Mr Arthur Morgan
30
RDNS Annual Report 2008
Donations received

Mr Valentine Morgan
Ms Rose Ngai
Mr Tony Oliver
Mr Frank O’Shea
Miss M O’Sullevan
Mr John Paisley
Mrs Margaret Paull
Mr Thomas Peck
Mrs Anne Pepper
Miss Isabella Poloni
Mrs Kate Price
Mrs Ruth Prowse
Miss Margaret Raw
Mr Alan Ray
Mr F Renouf
Mr Graeme Reynolds
Mrs Lorna Robinson
Mr Jack Rogers
Mrs Margaret Ross AM
Rotary Club of Bundoora
Mr Robert Salas
Mrs Kaye Salisbury &
Mr Bart Wissink
Salvation Army –
Adult Services
Mr David Scarr
Mrs Judy Siddins
Mrs Joan Skerman
Mr Keith Smith
St Kilda Crisis Centre
St Marks Dromana &
St Georges Red Hill
St Paul’s Opportunity Shop
St Vincent de Paul Aged Care
& Community Services
Mrs T O Stephens
Mrs Doreen Stevenson
Mr Alexander Stewart
Ms Georgie Stubbs
Mrs Alma Stump
Mr & Mrs D & B Sutherland
Lee E Tan
Mrs Siew Kim Tan
Ms Carolyn Tatchell
Mrs Helen Taylor
Mrs Nancy Telford
Mrs Beryl Thomas
Mr Ian Thomas
Mr Graeme Thomson
Mr Keith Thornton
Mr Ian Tyler
Mr Gerard Veitch
Ms Annette Waight
Mr William Waterfield
Mr Jon Webster
Professor Bruce West
Mrs Nancy White
Mrs Judith Williams
Mr John Winter
Wintringham Hostels
Women of the University
Fund
Mr Stuart Young
Douglas & Phillip Young
Charitable Trust
Corporate
Sponsors
Telstra
Leading Solutions
RACV
In Kind
donations
Caring Friends of
Cystic Fibrosis
City of Yarra
Clarendon Lawyers
Freehills
Sax International Pty Ltd
State Revenue Office
Women of the University Fund
and all of the many volunteers
who have assisted with RDNS
Christmas cards and archives.
Constant
Companions
Mrs Lorraine A’Hearn
Mr Douglas Alkemade
Mr Grahame Anderson
Mr Marlen Anis
Mr Edward Appleyard
Mrs Nola Armstrong
Mrs Doreen Ashley-Brown
Miss Judith Bach
Mr Frank Baines
Mr Peter Ball
Dr William Bamford
Mr Les Banner
Mrs Lorraine Birtwistle
Mr Ross Blair
Mrs Sigrid Bode
Mr Bruce Boell
Mrs Margot Bone
Mrs Sheila Boulton
Mr Reg Brewer
Mrs Hilda Bruce
Mrs Marjorie Bryant
Mr Harry Bugden
Mr Paul Burness
Mrs Mary Cain
Mrs Grace Cairns
Mr John Cairns
Mrs Susan Cannon
Ms Joanna Capozzi
Mr Peter Carpenter
Mr Keith Cathro
Mrs Nora Cayley
Mrs Trix Chambers
Mrs Molly Cheah
Mr Norman Chesterfield
Mrs Margaret Christensen
Mrs Iona Christianson
Mr Leslie Claringbull
Mr Ron Cruickshank
Mr Leslie Culmer
Dr Philippa Currie
Mrs Maire Dale
Mrs Sheila Daniels
Mrs Gwenyth Dargan
Ms Gayle Davey
Mr Lyle Davis
Mrs Elaine Dempsey
Mrs Betty Denton
Mrs Gloria Di Tomasso
Mrs Janet Dickins
Dr Janet Dickson
Mr Blair Dixon
Mrs Sarah Donnan
Ms Helen Donnellan
Mr Richard Dooley
Mrs Diane Dott
Mr Allan Dowel
Ms Carolyn Downes
Ms Mary Duckworth
Ms Anne Duffield
Mr John Dunn
Mrs Tulay Durur
Mr Con Duyvestyn
Miss Nancy Elliott
Mrs Betty Fabry
Mrs Jane Farr
Mrs Ruth Firkin
Mrs Norma Firth
Mr & Mrs H & P Ford
Mr Garth Foster
Mrs Frankie Frees
Ms Anne Gaides &
Dr Chris Callahan
Mrs Joan Gale
Mr Brian Garde
Mr William Gates
Mrs Lore Germain
Rev Joan Gilchrist
Mrs Joyce Gillespie
Mr Kim Gladigau
Mr Adrian Godfrey
Mrs Marjorie Gough
Mrs Sandra Gough
Miss Yvonne Gray
Mr Fred Greenslade
Mr Geoffrey Griffiths
Mr Donald Grove
Mrs Rae Hamilton
Ms Peg Hampton
Mrs Joan Hare
Mr Tom Harle
Mrs Barbara Harradine
Mrs Serena Harrison
Mr Daryll Hart
Mrs Dorothy Hart
Mrs Dorothy Hibbs
Mrs Joan Holley
Ms Patricia Holmes
Mrs Claire Holt
Mr Harry Holt
Ms Alex Home
Mrs Ruth Hopkins
Mrs Jennifer Hornidge
Mr Donald Hosking
Mrs Noelle Howell
Miss Karen Hoyle
Mrs Patricia Hoyle
Mr Robert Hudson
Mrs Della Hutchinson
Mrs Jean Jackson
Mrs Margaret Jacobs
Mrs Diane Jenkins
Mrs Marjorie Job
Mrs Marjorie Johnson
Miss Lorraine Jones
Mrs Margot Jones
Mr Arthur Joslyn
Mr Ronald Jukes
Ms Margaret Jungwirth
Mrs Anneli Kaendler
Ms Ann Kang
Mrs Marjorie Kean
Mrs Elaine Keenan
Mrs Peggy Kemp
Ms Susan Kemp
Mr & Mrs Alan & Charon Khor
Mrs Irene Kowala
Mr John Lander
Mrs Joan Langford
Mr & Mrs Robert &
Alma Laycock
Mrs Jean Lee
Mrs Madge Leigh
Mrs Hilde Lesheim
Mr Donald Linden
Mr William Linton
Mr Thomas Logan
Mr John Love
Mr Tony Love
Dr Zena Lowe
Mrs Ailsa Luke
Ms Pauline Lynch
Mrs Pat Mahoney
Mrs Claire Major
Mr Brian Mander
Mr Reginald Mannix
Mr Alan Matheson
Mr Alwyn Mathews
Mr Denis McCormack
Ms Joanne McCoy
Mr J D McCredie
Mrs Mary McGowan
Mr Keith McK Lowe
Mr James McKenzie
Mr & Mrs David McLiesh
Mr Noel McMinn
Ms Inge Meldgaard
Mrs Joanna Middows
Mrs Margot Minogue
Mr William Moloney
Mr Maurice Monigatti
Mr A L Moore
Miss Margaret Morrissey
Ms Lorraine Murphy
Mrs Lorna Nazier
Mr Peter Newton
Miss Ruth Nicholls
Mr Geoff O’Callaghan
Ms Anne O’Connor
Ms Lesley Ogden
Mr Edward Oldham
Mr Norman O’Leary
Ms Janine O’Neill
Mrs Nance O’Ryan
Mrs Sylvia Packer
Ms P Panth
Mr Alexander Parker
Mrs Joan Parrett
Mrs Janet Paterson
Mr Peter Pearse
Mr Don Peckham
Mrs Joyce Penman
Mrs Patricia Petch
Mr Vincent T Powell
Mr Maurice Pritchard
Mr Thomas Pritchard
Mr Emmanuel Psaila
Mr John Radford
Mr Candyah Ramadasan
Mrs Carol Ramsbotham
Mrs Sheila Randell
Mrs Joyce Raverty
Mrs Diane Redman-Heath
Ms Judith Rees
Ms Yvonne Renard
Mrs Pamela Richardson
Mrs Lorna Robinson
Mr Chris Rogers
Mr Dan Romanis
Mrs Alys Ross
Mrs Kathleen Rouse
Mr Alister Rowe
Mr John Rowe
Mrs Kathleen Rushby
Mrs Betty Ryle
Mrs Rose Sadler
Mr Bernie Sagebrecht
Mr Edwin Salisbury
Dr Robert Salter
Ms Elizabeth Sevior
Mr John M Shaw
Mrs Mary Shelton
Mr Khik H Sie
Mr Herbert Simpson
Mr Robert Simpson
Mr Rodney Simpson
Mr Howard Skitt
Mr Mohammad Slamet
Mr Dennis Smith
Mrs Doreen Smith
Mrs Esna Smith
Mrs Janette Smith
Mr Keith Smith
Mrs Valda Smith
Mrs & Mr Wendy & Ian Smith
Mrs Margaret Smith
Mr William Smith
Ms June Speed
Mrs Shirley Stanley
Mrs Helen Steiner
Mr Henry Stevens
Ms Kiera Stevens
Mr Alexander Stewart
Mrs Benita Stribley
Mr Rudi Stryk
Ms Georgie Stubbs
Mrs Hilma Suren
Miss Phyllis Tanti
Ms Carolyn Tatchell
Mrs Judy Tham-Gazzard
Miss Ruby Thomson
Mr Thomas Tillig
Mrs Esther Tims
Mr Don Treble
Mr Graeme Tregaskis
Mrs Judith Tuck
Mr & Mrs Can & Sema Tuncer
Mr Henry Turnbull
Miss Jean Urie
Mr Carl Van Eck
Mr Gerard Veitch
Mr Michael Vermeulen
Mrs May Vernon
Mrs Joy Vincent
Mr Ronald Wadey
Ms Sarah Walker
Mr Gary Wallin
Ms Jacqueline Walling
Mr Ian Weaver
Mr Ronald White
Mrs Judith Wight
Mr Norris Williams
Mr & Mrs J D E & M N Wischer
Ms Valentina Wolzak
Lifetime
Companions
Mr Grahame Anderson
Miss Judith Bach
Mrs Irene Berry
Miss Beatrice Annie
Boardman
Mr Rodney Bright
Mrs Barbara Burrows
Ms Elaine Cox
Miss Ruth Doig
Mr & Mrs Dykstra
Mr Stephen Earp
Mrs Catherine Erdos
Mr William Finighan
Ms Anne Gaides &
Dr Chris Callahan
Miss Heidi Gasser
Miss Gwendoline Gillard
Miss Beatrice Glascodine
Mrs Gillian Hannan
Mrs Helen Harbeck
Mr Raymond Harbert
Dr Margaret Henderson
Mrs Patricia Holdenson
Mr Les Hudson
Mr & Mrs Terence &
Janet Keefe
Miss Betsy King
Mrs Judith Knight
Mr John Lander
Mrs Patricia Lawson
Mr Donald Linden
Mr Brian Lowe
Miss Nannette Lowth
Mr Anthony Lux
Mrs Pat Mahoney
Mrs Ruby Marshall
Mr & Mrs W & T Matthews
Mr Phillip Mayers
Mrs Inge Meldgaard
Mrs Edna Olson
Mr Emmanuel Psaila
Ms Pamela Purton
Mrs Priscilla Randall
Mr Brian Smith
Mrs Audrey Smith
Mr & Mrs Henry L Speagle
OAM
Mr Harold Swanton
Mr Ferdinand Ten-Tye
Mr Ian A Walker
Mr Ian Walker
Mrs Kathleen Welch
Mrs Dorothy Witchell
In Memory
Donations of $1,000 or more
were made to honour the
following:
Mr Neale Burgess
Mrs Mavis Camm
Dr John Connelly
Mrs Christina Karamoshos
Miss Leane Walter
Donations received RDNS Annual Report 2008
31

how can
you help
(see overleaf for details)

You can help
We need your help to care for the sick and elderly in our community.
Being a charity, RDNS relies on the gifts of supporters to help meet
the ever-increasing demand for our services.
If you can help, simply fill out this form and send it, along with your
donation, to the address below.
Yes! I would like to help
Name
Address
Postcode
Telephone (H)
(W)
Email
Enclosed is my donation of:
$25 $50 $75 $100 Other $
Enclosed is my cheque/money order payable to
Royal District Nursing Service
Or please charge my:
Visa Bankcard Mastercard Amex Diners
Card No.
Name on card
Signature
Expiry date
You can make a credit card donation over the phone by
calling (03) 9536 5222 or securely on-line at www.rdns.com.au
All donations of $2 or more to RDNS are tax deductable.
Please send me further information on how to include RDNS in my Will
I would like information on making a regular monthly donation to RDNS
Return your completed form to:
Royal District Nursing Service
31 Alma Rd, St Kilda, Victoria, 3182
Telephone (03) 9536 5222
Facsimile (03) 9536 5333
Email fundraising@rdns.com.au
www.rdns.com.au

Top ten ICD-9-CM* classification of diseases and injuries:
number of occurrences and percentage 2007 / 2008
Classification of diseases and injuries
within ICD-9-CM (Primary Diagnosis) Conditions at RDNS within the Main ICD-9-CM categories Occurrences %
Post-operative care 5,577 15
Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue Leg ulcers and cellulitis (11%) ** 5,474 15
Symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions Urinary incontinence (6%) ** 5,556 14
Injury and poisoning Wounds (6%) ** 3,643 10
Neoplasms Malignant neoplasm (7%) ** 3,248 8
Mental disorders Dementia (3%) ** 3,053 8
Endocrine, nutritional, metabolic diseases
and immunity disorders Diabetes (7%) ** 2,871 7
Diseases of the circulatory system Venous ulcers (1%) ** 2,081 5
Diseases of the nervous system and sense organs Multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s diseases (3%) ** 1,819 5
Genitourinary system Urinary retention (1%) 1,000 3
Other 3,757 10
TOTAL 38,079 100
* International Classification of Diseases (9 th Revision) Clinical Modification.
** Each ICD-9-CM classification consists of a number of conditions.
This figure represents the frequency of the conditions’ occurrence within the ICD-9-CM classification.
Visit hours by care t ype 2007 / 2008
Support and
maintenance
Acute /
Post acute Palliative Other TOTAL
Visit at home 408,958 38,926 25,865 42,553 516,302
Visit at school / work 3,116 203 113 8,564 11,996
Visit to hospital (liaison) 1,243 3,933 140 9,837 15,153
Visit to hospital (not liaison) 498 19 31 1,151 1,699
Client attended centre 1,632 138 6 7,121 8,897
Bereavement visit 102 3 337 58 500
Other 234 4 1 3,860 4,099
TOTAL 415,783 43,226 26,493 73,144 558,646
NB: Visit hours exclude client-related contact hours.
34
RDNS Annual Report 2008 Facts & figures 2008

Cultur al diversit y of client popul ation 2007 / 2008 :
% of clients born in non-English speaking countries
REGIONS
Western
44 56
Southern
28 73
Northern
44 56
Eastern
29 71
%
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Non-English speaking countries
English speaking countries
Additional Information about
Cultural Diversity of Client Population
RDNS clients originate from 147 countries
RDNS clients speak 103 languages
32.5% of total RDNS clients are born in non-English speaking countries
0.8% of total RDNS clients are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
11% increase in the use of on-site interpreters
13% increase in the use of telephone interpreters (includes RDNS Language Line)
Facts & figures 2008 RDNS Annual Report 2008 35

Noel Armstrong
our directors
Noel Armstrong
FPRIA
67, RDNS Director since 2006
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Audit and Risk
Noel’s expertise in strategic communication
is supported by over 35 years experience
in the industry. Prior to moving into
corporate and public affairs in 1972, Noel
had worked for newspapers and radio;
and produced television news and current
affairs programs.
In 1978, Noel established a Victorian-based
strategic communications consultancy
which he sold to Hill and Knowlton in 1989.
He continued to work as General Manager,
Victoria, before becoming Chief Executive
of the company’s Australian operations.
He was later appointed Executive
Chairman of Hill and Knowlton Australia
and New Zealand and Executive Vice
President of the company in the Asia
Pacific Region.
In 1996, Noel become the Director of
Corporate Affairs at Epworth Hospital and
worked there until his retirement in May
2006. During that time, Noel worked on
the integration of the Freemasons business
with the Epworth Group and was partly
responsible for the overall administration
of the three hospital campuses at
Richmond, Box Hill and Brighton.
36 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Our Directors
Whilst working at Epworth, Noel
successfully established a company
to assess and analyse the customer
performance of call centres of major
corporations throughout Australia.
Apart from his responsibilities at
RDNS, Noel is also a member of the
Board of Management of Alexandra
District Hospital.

Jan Begg Desmond Benjamin Christopher Carlile Pamela Burgess
Jan Begg
BSc (Hons), MBA
51, RDNS Director since 2004
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Finance and Investments
Jan has extensive experience at senior
executive level in the areas of strategic
consulting, project management, sales
and marketing, change management,
software development and business
unit management.
As an experienced consultant, Company
Director and Executive Manager, Jan brings
a sound understanding of organisational
change initiatives to RDNS – from strategic
planning to harvesting benefits from
successful implementation.
Jan’s recent experience includes corporate
governance of major projects at ANZ
Banking Group, project setup and business
case development for the Victorian Public
Service and pharmaceutical research and
development project management.
She has also consulted to major
government and corporate business within
Australia, New Zealand, UK and USA and is
active in developing scholarship funding
for the Melbourne Business School.
Apart from her role at RDNS, Jan is also
Managing Director of Azulin Pty Ltd and
a Member of the Australian Institute of
Company Directors.
Desmond Benjamin
FGAA FAICD
66, RDNS Director since 2001
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Audit and Risk
Desmond has had extensive experience as
a Director, Chief Executive, Non-Executive
Director, Chairman and Board consultant
across a broad spectrum of both public
and private companies.
His honorary work has included past
President of the Company Directors
Association, Save the Children, Toorak
and South Yarra Rotary Clubs and
Life Education.
Desmond was also a past Zone Chairman
of the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal
and a past Treasurer of the Toorak Red Cross.
Apart from his responsibilities at RDNS,
Desmond is currently a shareholder and
Director of a privately owned home
garden and agricultural chemical supplier
and a Non-Executive Director of a
privately owned retail lifestyle chain
and consultancy.
Christopher Carlile
B Comm, CPA, FAICD
60, RDNS Director since 2001
Member of RDNS Board Committees:
Finance and Investments (Chair);
Remuneration and Nominations
Christopher brings to RDNS over 30 years
experience in corporate management
with a particular emphasis on financial
management, investments, acquisitions,
strategic planning, marketing and
organisational change. He was former
Finance Director - PA Consulting Group
and Commercial Director - Blake Dawson
Waldron Lawyers.
Apart from his role at RDNS, Christopher
is currently a Fellow of the Australian
Institute of Company Directors and holds
a number of Non-Executive Board
positions in private companies.
Pamela Burgess
BEc, DipEd, MBA (Melbourne)
57, RDNS Director since 2003
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Finance and Investments
Pamela brings to RDNS experience
gained from the finance sector in roles
associated with economics, stock broking
and corporate finance. She has also been
involved in the commercial and retail
property market.
Pamela worked as an economist for the
International Wool Secretariat in London
and for the Committee for Economic
Development of Australia.
At the University of Melbourne, she
worked as an Econometrician for the
Institute of Applied Economic & Social
Research. She was also an Investment
Manager for CL-May Mellor Laing &
Cruickshank Ltd and Corporate Finance
Advisor, Equities, for ANZ Investment Bank.
Pamela has also worked in an honorary
capacity for St Vincent’s Institute of
Medical Research (SVIMR) and the
SVIMR Foundation.
Apart from her roles at RDNS, Pamela is a
Non-Executive Director of Merost Pty Ltd.
Our Directors RDNS Annual Report 2008
37

Marion Lau Philip Mayers Paul Montgomery Dr Michael Murray
Marion Lau OAM JP
RN Div 1; RM; Certificate in Gynaecology, Diploma in
Nursing Administration; Bachelor in Health Services
Administration (BHA)
65, RDNS Director since 1996
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Clinical Governance
Marion has excelled as an aged care
consultant, registered nurse and midwife
and is also a mentor and business coach
for the industry and small business.
Her vast experience includes Matron/
Manager – Avenue Hospital, Windsor,
Administrator and Advisor for the
Commonwealth Department of Health
& Aged Care; Justice of the Peace;
Director – Management Consultants and
Technology Services; Member – Ministerial
Small Business Advisory Council; President –
Chinese Health Foundation; President –
Chinese Community Society of Victoria
and Past Chair – Ethnic Communities’
Council of Victoria.
Marion was the first woman to be elected
as Chair of the Ethnic Communities Council
of Victoria – the Victorian Peak Body for
Ethnic Specific Organisations, as well as
the first woman President of the Chinese
Community Society of Victoria.
She was awarded an Order of Australia in
1996 for her services to older Australians,
as well as to the Chinese community. In
recent years, she received the Centenary
Medal for her services to multiculturalism
and for her work as Chair of the Victorian
Ethnic Communities Council.
Apart from her roles at RDNS, Marion has
been Past Chair and is current Executive
member – Ethnic Communities’ Council
of Victoria (ECCV); President Elect
2009/2010 – Rotary Club of Elsternwick;
President – Chinese Health Foundation
of Australia; Director – Doutta Galla Aged
Services; Member – Ministerial Small
Business Advisory Council; Committee of
Management – Small Business Mentoring
Service; Member – Communications
Alliance Consumer Council and Charter
Member – Rotary Club of Elsternwick.
Philip Mayers
BA, LLB, CAHRI
61, RDNS Director since 1995
Member of RDNS Board Committees:
Finance and Investments; Remuneration
and Nominations
Philip has extensive experience in
human resources, governance, legal
and fundraising in the health, aged care
and not-for-profit sectors.
His past roles include Chief Executive –
Jewish Care (Montefiore Homes), Chairman –
Victorian Union for Progressive Judaism;
Chairman - London Business School
Alumni (Melbourne) and Chairman –
Witwatersrand University Alumni
(Melbourne).
Apart from his roles at RDNS, Philip is
also a Director – Silverman Dakin Human
Resources Consulting and Executive
Recruitment, Director – Rotary Club of
Melbourne and Chairman – Make-a-Wish
Foundation of Australia. From time to
time, Philip also guest lectures in Human
Resources at Victoria University.
Paul Montgomery
BA, LLB (ANU)
59, RDNS Director since 2005; Deputy
Chairman since 2007
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Remuneration and Nominations
With a track record as one of Australia’s
most respected law firm leaders, Paul
specialises in strategy and leadership
development and recognises the
importance of its implementation from
a client perspective.
Paul was a Partner of Freehills Melbourne
for 28 years and Managing Partner for
12 years. Since leaving Freehills, Paul
has consulted widely to professional
service firms and regularly facilitates
retreats and conferences.
Apart from his responsibilities at RDNS,
Paul is also Director – Mental Illness
Fellowship, Victoria.
Dr Michael Murray
MBBS, FRACP, MPH
48, RDNS Director since 2004
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Clinical Governance (Chair)
Michael brings a broad range of
management, clinical and clinical
teaching experience to RDNS.
He has extensive professional networks
in aged care including National Evaluation
of the Innovative Care (Rehabilitation)
Services Steering Committee; Continence
Management Advisory Committee; Care of
Older Australians clinical reference group
Australian Centre for Evidence Based
Aged Care (La Trobe University);
38
RDNS Annual Report 2008
Our Directors

Jillian Pappas Professor Leon Piterman Michael Roberts
Australian Association of Gerontology
(Vic Branch); Continence Foundation
of Australia (National); Lynden Aged
Care Association Board of Governance;
Australian Society for Geriatric Medicine
and the International Continence Society.
Apart from his roles at RDNS, Michael
is also Director of Geriatric Medicine –
St Vincent’s; Fellow – Australian Association
of Gerontology (FAAG) and Adjunct
Associate Professor - Australian Centre
for Evidence Based Aged Care (ACEBAC).
Jillian Pappas
BEc (Monash)
60, RDNS Director since 2000; Chairman
since 2005
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Remuneration and Nominations (Chair)
Jillian has experience in research and
analysis in economics, copywriting
accountancy and fundraising.
In addition to her responsibilities at RDNS,
Jillian is also a Company Director, President
of Merton Hall Foundation and a member
of Council of Melbourne Girls Grammar.
Professor Leon Piterman AM
MBBS, MMed, MEdSt, MRCP (UK), FRCP (Edin) FRACGP
60, RDNS Director since 2006
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Clinical Governance
Leon has extensive expertise in
medical education, medical research
and clinical audit.
He has published widely on clinical
and educational issues related to
general practice and was awarded the
F.H. Faulding Prize for research in General
Practice in 1987, the Silver Jubilee Teaching
Prize in 1992 and the Hong Kong College
of General Practitioners Award for best
research project in 1994. He has over
90 publications in refereed journals
and co-authored the text “General
Practice Psychiatry”.
In June 2006, he was made a Member
of the Order of Australia (AM) for service
to family medicine through distance
education for doctors in remote areas,
to research and student training, and to
international education.
Apart from his roles at RDNS, Leon is also
Professor of General Practice – Monash
University; Head of School – Primary
Health Care and Deputy Dean - Faculty of
Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences. He
is also a member of the Board of Examiners
of the Australian Medical Council and sits
on numerous university, professional and
government expert committees.
Michael Roberts
Registered Nurse, Grad Dip Bus Admin
52, RDNS Director since 2005
Member of RDNS Board Committee:
Audit and Risk (Chair)
Michael has more than 27 years experience
in healthcare as a nurse, clinical service
manager, and consultant. He worked in
senior management and clinical roles at
St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and
other hospitals.
Apart from his roles at RDNS, Michael is
also a Director of Iridium Consulting –
a Melbourne based healthcare
consultancy. He specialises in problem
solving, change management, service
redesign and planning. Iridium’s clients
include health departments, professional
bodies, hospitals, community services,
aged care services and mental health
services. He is also active in several
community service activities.
Our Directors RDNS Annual Report 2008 39

Corporate
governance
statement
On 31 March 2003 the Australian Stock Exchange released the ASX Corporate
Governance Council’s Principles of Good Governance and Best Practice
Recommendations (‘ASX Principles’). Those ASX Principles require major publicly
listed companies to disclose in their annual reports whether their corporate
governance practices follow the ASX Principles on an ‘if not, why not’ basis.
RDNS is not a publicly listed company and is not subject to the ASX Principles –
indeed some of them are not applicable to the not-for-profit sector. For over
ten years the Board of Directors of Royal District Nursing Service has worked,
as a key priority, on the development and adoption of processes and practices
which are aimed at achieving best practice in good governance in the not-for-profit
sector. So, whilst not technically required to comply with the ASX Principles, RDNS
Directors have determined to use them as the basis for continuing to revise and
update their own practices.
The RDNS Board Charter, originally developed in 1996 / 97, sets out the basis by which
the RDNS Board fulfils its role and the Charter Statement (1999) provides further
guidance on the way by which the Board/management/staff interface operates.
In summary, the Board is a strong advocate of good corporate governance and seeks
to ensure that all officers and employees of the company fulfil their obligations and
their responsibilities to all stakeholders.
40 RDNS Annual Report 2008 Corporate governance statement

ERC 080786
Cover image: sincere thanks to Rob Rabba at Eureka Skydeck

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