Our Giving Update | July 2018

Thank you for making a difference

Everyone who has worked with Prescript this year has positively impacted lives in Australia, but what you may not know is that something great has also been happening overseas too. As of today, we have provided 244 days of a doctor’s salary for a community living in extreme poverty in Western Kenya. But, how?

Here at Prescript Recruitment, we embed giving in what we do to create a habit of giving.

We believe that regional Australian hospitals and practices should be fully staffed with doctors so that communities everywhere have the healthcare they deserve. Everything we do is with that in mind. This motivates me daily, and through our involvement with B1G1, we do this on a global level too.

Each month I collect our data and analyse our business activities. I then update the Prescript team and let everyone know how their work has directly affected a rural community further afield – the Odede community in Western Kenya.

For every locum or permanent position that a doctor accepts through Prescript, we pay towards a doctor’s salary so they can continue to provide crucial healthcare to families living in extreme poverty in Odede.

Another remarkable thing is that we make some further impacts too, this is all as a result of our day-to-day business activities – with you! Once you register with Prescript, or each time you complete a professional reference for a colleague or refer another doctor to us, something great happens in the world.

I am incredibly proud to share that through all your hard work so far, we have created the following impacts:

• Given 104 nourishing meals to HIV-affected children in Kenya
• Provided 98 days of hospital maintenance for better healthcare
• Given 20 days of access to life-saving clean water for hospital patients
• Given 244 days of a doctor's salary so they can provide medical support to families in need

“Our BIG goal is to provide a doctor’s salary for an entire year. As of today, we have provided 244 days! That’s over 8 months of a doctor’s salary paid for. And for that, I say, ‘thank you’.

”

Your ongoing commitment and support is truly appreciated, and I look forward to giving you our next update!

To be a part of this ongoing commitment, contact Prescript to see how you can contribute through one of our many day-to-day business activities.

---

About Stef McLaughlin

Stef is Prescript Recruitment's Credentialing Manager, working with regional hospitals and practices across Australia to ensure that doctors start on time.

Stef is responsible for Prescript’s quality management processes and our giving relationship with the Buy1Give1 programme.

stef@prescript.com.au // 0416 544 577

---

About Prescript Recruitment

For more information, a great place to start is www.prescript.com.au

You'll find information about our locum and permanent recruitment services for doctors, hospitals and practices.  You'll also find links to our blogs, location reports and other resources.

1300 755 498 // contact@prescript.com.au

Sunshine Soup - A Hearty Bowl of Goodness

When winter settles in, we're naturally drawn to foods that are warming, nourishing and bring a cosy feel to our meals - Comfort food. Soup offers infinite possibilities - from the most rustic and hearty, to the ultimate in refined sophistication. They all have their place.

This is a healthy, hearty and nourishing soup that uses orange vegetables for a dose of sunshine coloured goodness. It's delicious, simple to make, easy to reheat, can be frozen and reheated (valuable for an easy meal when time is short).

The proportions can be adjusted to suit - Both for quantity, and for the mix of vegetables selected.

Shades of orange - Simple, healthy ingredients

INGREDIENTS

1 leek

3 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon of ras al hanout (Moroccan spice mix)

50 grams of butter

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

500 grams of pumpkin, peeled and diced

500 grams of orange sweet potato, peeled and diced

250 grams of carrots, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

1/2 an orange

1 1/2 - 2 litres of water, chicken, meat or vegetable stock

ACCOMPANIMENTS

4 tablespoons of caramelised onion

Coriander leaves to sprinkle

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Wash the leek thoroughly and slice finely. Peel and chop the garlic. Melt the butter gently in a large, heavy pan, add 1/2 a teaspoon of salt. Put the leeks and garlic into the pan, cook until soft but not browned. Add the ras al-hanout and stir through. Add the vegetables and bay leaf, stir. Pour over the stock or water, squeeze in the juice of the orange.

Simmer until the vegetables have cooked down to a nice, soft consistency. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly, remove bay leaf before blending to a velvet-smooth puree - Season to taste. Bring back up to heat before serving.

TO SERVE

Ladle hot soup into warmed bowls. Spoon over some warm, caramelised onion, scatter some fresh coriander leaves, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper.

This is just one serving suggestion - the options are endless. You could try:

- Crumbled blue cheese and fresh thyme

- Toasted nuts and seeds, scattered with some chopped parsley

- Crisp fried bacon and sage leaves

- Spoonful of yoghurt and sprinkle of dukkah

It's a good time of year to enjoy a bit of hibernation and some soul food - And to get out and embrace the chilly weather, knowing you have a warm soup to come home to - or to enjoy at work for an easy, healthy lunch.

---

Nicola is passionate about good, clean cooking and sharing great food ideas for doctors. Click below to read more from Nicola's series of seasonal food articles:

Jungle or Space Theme? Making MRI Scans Child Friendly

Calming & Friendly - Child-Centric Care

I always remember visits to my childhood doctor because of the large jar of sweets he had on his desk.  I can't remember the reasons for the different visits, but I remember the reward for being 'good' (for good, read compliant!).  

I also had an extended hospital stay on a children's ward when I was young. Even though there were sad times, for the most part I remember the love and care provided by the nurses.  They and the hospital created the best possible environment for recovery - over 30 years later I can still describe to you a lot of the little details that helped.

Making a visit to a dentist, a clinic or a hospital can be bewildering for a child. Finding methods to make their experience calming and friendly is so important.  I loved reading these two separate articles from different parts of the word on how they have tried to make traditional radiology rooms more child-friendly.

'Making Imaging Centers Child Friendly' // Location: USA

"Movie goggles. Basketball stars. Images of fish swimming through the room. Monkeys on the scanner. A room bathed in color. Not only do these distraction techniques in children’s radiology units make kids and parents happier, they’re often decreasing the need for sedation during the studies."- See more at: http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/

'Child-Friendly MRI Suites Reduce Need for Sedation' // Location: Singapore

One MRI scan room has a spaceship theme done up by staff in 2008. The jungle- themed room was set up in 2012 but only decorated last year. A professional artist was commissioned to create the vinyl decals of zebras, pandas and macaws in a bid to make the room more child-friendly.' - See more at https://www.healthxchange.com.sg

What's been your experience?  Does your workplace have an imaging department that is child-friendly?

ROAST ORGANIC CAULIFLOWER, CUMIN & CORIANDER SOUP

HEALTHY

DELICIOUS

FOOD

ENJOY THE COMING WINTER DAYS WITH OUR

ROAST ORGANIC CAULIFLOWER, CUMIN & CORIANDER SOUP

I’ve long said that soup is one of the major benefits of cold, winter weather. This one is a winner and so easy. It’s beautiful as an entree to a winter dinner. Served in a larger bowl, it becomes a hearty lunch, with crusty toast or warm flat bread,

The velvet-smooth roasted cauliflower soup, with the Middle Eastern spices of cumin and coriander is healthy too. Finish it with a sprinkling of za-artar,  a spoonful of fresh, organic yoghurt, fresh thyme and a drizzle of stunning organic Moroccan argan oil from Colour of Maroc, or organic extra virgin olive oil.

---

ROAST ORGANIC CAULIFLOWER, CUMIN & CORIANDER SOUP RECIPE

Ingredients - For 4 servings

1 large organic cauliflower

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely diced

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon of ground coriander

1 teaspoon of cumin powder

2 tablespoons of butter or coconut oil

5 cups of filtered water, or good quality vegetable or chicken stock

50 grams of Parmesan rind (optional)

Sea salt and pepper

To finish the soup:

Organic plain yoghurt

Extra Parmesan to grate or shave over

Za-atar spice mix

Sprigs of fresh thyme

Organic argan oil – or extra virgin olive oil

Turn oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

---

Cut the cauliflower into even sized florets. Toss in olive oil to coat, season with sea salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes or until golden.

In a large, heavy based saucepan, gently cook the onion and garlic in butter or coconut oil until soft. Add the cumin and coriander and allow to toast slightly without burning. Add the water or stock, Parmesan rind and the cauliflower. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Take off the heat, remove the Parmesan rind and blend in batches until velvet smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reheat gently to serve. Ladle into bowls.

Top with a spoonful of yoghurt, a sprinkle of za-artar, some thyme leaves and a good drizzle of argan or extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle over the Parmesan if using for a more cheese-rich soup.

We hope you enjoy the warming recipe for this soup. Coming up over winter, we’ll share other recipes and would love to hear your favourites too.

Thank you,

Nicola

Could Healthcare Costs Be Clearer?

WHO

PAYS

FOR WHAT?

I have a confession. I have been living in Australia for a decade and worked within medical recruitment for eight years, but I still am confused about who pays for what with healthcare provision.

I remember visiting the GP for the first time and was told the appointment would be bulk-billed. I had no idea what that meant. To me, bulk billing sounded expensive and it was only later I found out that there was no charge. I’ve also seen a private GP and the cost varied wildly depending on what I was seeing them for.

I remember trips to the dentist and being totally confused about what dent in my wallet I could expect. Sometimes my private health insurance would cover the bill completely, sometimes partially and sometimes the receptionist would try her luck and swipe the insurance card to see.

What part should transparency play in the provision of healthcare? I’ve been lucky to not have to worry about paying medical bills, but wind back to my early 20s and it would have been a different story. Then I might have been reluctant to visit the dentist or reluctant to seek specialist treatment if I did not have certainty upfront with costs.

Private health insurance choices are also completely confusing. I know I won’t need a new hip (just yet), but it seems to tempt fate to not get coverage for everything else. I almost want to sit with my GP and go through a checklist to choose the appropriate coverage! I won’t even start to mention levies, surcharges or rebates.

Wouldn’t a clearer system where costs are more transparent be of benefit to everyone? What do you think? Do you have any ideas on how the system could be better?

James.

Green Goodness Smoothie Recipe

WELLBEING

HEALTH

HAPPINESS

Green Smoothie... Mmmmm the Goodness!

GREEN GOODNESS SMOOTHIE

The energising boost of a green smoothie is great for breakfast, a mid morning or afternoon snack. Beware however of some commercially produced smoothies or home recipes that are loaded so heavily with fruits and other forms of sugar that they become less than healthy after all!

Choices for healthy green smoothies are really unlimited. The easiest and best is to choose what is local, seasonal and fresh right now and chances are, it will cater for your needs since your body is naturally in tune with the seasons.

There are countless choices for additions to your smoothies as well. It’s good to mix it up, learn what benefits there are of different ingredients – and most importantly, find out what you really enjoy the taste of.

It’s easy to get a balance that tastes good without putting too much sweetness. Bananas and other fruit are very high in fructose so just be aware and load up on vegetables instead. "Superfoods" such as green algae – spirulina & chlorella are great. Avocado adds essential, healthy fats and a lovely creaminess. Energy boosters like macca give a great taste, and flavours from fresh herbs lift the drinks, as does a good dash of fresh lemon or lime juice.

Health benefits of a good green smoothie include an Alkalising effect on the body and cleansing.

It’s a good idea to give the body a break from coffee and alcohol or cut down at least and upping the greens supports you even more.

Here is one smoothie recipe to try:

GREEN GOODNESS SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

• BIG HANDFUL OF ORGANIC KALE AND SILVERBEET, CHOPPED OR TORN INTO SMALLER BITS
• PARSLEY, CORIANDER AND MINT – I USE LOTS – A BIG HANDFUL ROUGHLY TORN OR CHOPPED
• 1 ORGANIC KIWIFRUIT, SKIN ON – REMOVE THE HARD BUTTON FROM THE STALK END
• JUICE OF 1 LEMON FOR FRESHNESS
• 1/2 AN AVOCADO – FOR CREAMINESS AND GOOD FATS
• 1 1/2 CUPS OF FILTERED WATER OR COCONUT WATER
• 1 TEASPOON OF SPIRULINA or CHLORELLA POWDER – (OPTIONAL)

Blend greens and herbs until fine, add rest of ingredients and blend until really smooth. A high speed blender is the best but others are fine as well – it just may not be quite as smooth.

Pour into a glass and enjoy the clean, green feeling!

Serves 1.

Fresh, seasonal ingredients are the key

Fresh coriander, mint and parsley - Great taste, fantastic health benefits