While Support Services is often referred to as the “silent services”, for Support Services Manager Lyndsey Bowdler, the impact it has on a health service is anything but.
“Patient experience is important to us and the support services teams play an important role in the healthcare setting by supporting our clinical teams as they provide the highest possible standard of healthcare,” she said.
“Ensuring our hospital environment is cleaned to the highest standard, safely transporting our patients through the facility and providing great food that meets the patient’s needs, all add to the patient’s journey through our hospital.”
Most recently holding the position of Support Services Manager at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Lyndsey has since started a new position as a Support Services Manager at the new Victorian Heart Hospital (VHH) – but it’s not the first time she’s worked within Monash Health.
“Before moving to Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, I was the Support Services Manager at Dandenong Hospital, and I am excited to return to Monash Health,” she said.
“I still have a lot of those pre-existing relationships and I think this will be helpful in my new role at the VHH as it enables me to reach out to those colleagues for support.”
As well as her existing experience at an alternate Monash Health site, Lyndsey believes her time at a specialist hospital for cancer will also be invaluable when navigating her new role in a specialist hospital for hearts.
“I understand the challenges a hospital designed for specialist services can face and how to resolve them,” she said.
As a Support Services Manager at the VHH, Lyndsey will be responsible for the service delivery of Patient Services Assistants, Environmental Services Assistants and Food Services Assistants.
“This means we ensure our patients receive food services that meet their nutritional, hydration, and dietary requirements, and make sure the hospital is clean and safe for employees, visitors, and patients,” she said.
“Support services also provide linen and waste services to all departments, ensuring this is delivered and removed in a timely manner and disposed of correctly.”
Lyndsey said she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work in a first-of-its-kind hospital where she’d be able to support her Food Services & General Services Managers build their own team of employees from day one.
“Our team will know what’s expected of them and that is to have a ‘patient first’ approach when performing their role,” she said.
“We’re hoping to recruit a combination of existing and new employees who will help us identify any areas or procedures we can improve to best support the service – they will be invaluable and involved in helping us build what support services at the VHH will look like.”
Having worked in the sector for nearly 17 years, Lyndsey said one of the best parts of working in Support Services is knowing our team plays an important part of a patient’s experience.
“Patients have a lot of interaction with our team during their stay, and it is important that we have a team who understand that together, we are the patient experience, and how a smile or good morning can be all the difference to our patients, carers, visitors and employees,” she said.
Lyndsey is still on the lookout for some wonderful new additions to her team and said she’d encourage anyone interested to just go ahead and apply.
“It’s an opportunity to work at a wonderful new facility and be part of a collaborative and patient-focused team,” she said.
Roles at the Victorian Heart Hospital are closing soon. To grow your career at Australia’s first dedicated cardiac hospital and have the chance to be a part of Valerie’s team, visit our careers website and apply today!