Staff News
Mental Health
Staff Update
Staff News
Mental Health
Staff Update
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
- 25 October 2024|My favourite part of backfilling Dr Turner’s role is not the endless stream of meetings. I do however enjoy the opportunity to meet different teams and learn more about the challenges and opportunities you face each day.
September 2024
- 12 September 2024 |The 2024 R U OK? Day theme is – “Ask R U OK Any Day” encouraging us to have authentic, supportive conversations every day of the year.
August 2024
- 30 August 2024|It is with great pleasure that I announce Penny Dale as Metro North Mental Health’s (MNMH) inauguralDirector of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
- 16 August 2024|It is timely, given challenging incidents across our service in recent times, that we launch our PostCritical Incident Staff Support Guideline below.
July 2024
June 2024
- 28 June 2024|I would firstly like to thank you everyone who has been working to accommodate the extra demands thatare being placed on our services. Please take care of yourselves during this time.
- 21 June 2024|Our wonderful Mental Health Peer Responder Program continues to expand, with nine new PeerResponders recently joining including: Zjana Panebianco, Kaliopeta Tupou, Nhi Lam, Michelle Lingard,Jannette Newell, Janelle Fuiava, Jillian Johnson, Rhonda Bryan and Amaya Skelton.
- 7 June 2024|Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me into the Acting Executive Director role for the next fewweeks, until Dr Kathryn Turner’s return on Wednesday 3 July 2024.
May 2024
- 17 May 2024|As you may have seen in recent media coverage, Metro North Health Chief Executive Jackie Hansonhas commissioned a review into the TPCH adult mental health inpatient unit to look at possible improvements to the way we provide care to vulnerable patients.
April 2024
- 18 April 2024|It is an exciting month for the RBWH Community Mental Health Services as we prepare to move to our newpremises at 121 Wharf St, Spring Hill. The Spring Hill Community Mental Health Centre (SHCMHS) willbring together our multidisciplinary team of 180 staff to provide our consumers with mental health care froma modern environment, in one space.
March 2024
- 28 March 2024|We have a lot of interesting activities to share across the service in this week’s update that celebrates oursupport networks and diverse cultures. We also highlight some important work happening to support thecare of people with depression.
- 15 March 2024|This week’s message puts a spotlight on the very important topic of domestic and family violence (DFV)and the role that we can play here at Metro North Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Service. Wealso farewell one of our long-standing staff members.
- 8 March 2024|Six months to go! Works are on track to complete our new Crisis Stabilisation Facility (CSF) at TPCH by theend of August 2024.
February 2024
- 21 February 2024|Six months to go!Works are on track to comlete our new Crisis Stabilisation Facility at TPCH
- 14 February 2024|Many staff have been busy embedding improvements across our service in preparation for twoAccreditation assessors returning this week. It has been great to hear the positive feedback fromconsumers regarding the processes around consumer engagement in handover on our wards. Deliriumand infection control have also been important areas of focus, amongst other issues.
January 2024
- 30 January 2024|It has been a busy start to the year in many ways. In addition to continuing to provide clinical activity wecontinue to build our service to respond to increased needs. Work continues on embedding our newRapid Response and Intervention CNCs in three of our Emergency Departments and increasing staffingin the Psychiatric Emergency Centre and working with the team to develop an updated model of service.
- 16 January 2024|Happy New Year to everyone. I hope that many of you have had the opportunity to refresh over thefestive season or have plans for that soon. This year promises many positive developments that will support consumers, carers and staff in care experiences and outcomes.
December 2023
- 22 December 2023|As the year draws to a close it is a good opportunity to reflect on some wonderful achievements acrossthe year in terms of improving clinical services and outcomes for our mental health and drug and alcoholservices, research, our lived experience workforce and the development of our commitment to buildingstronger connections with community through our Indigenous Mental Health Workforce.
- 11 December 2023|Our work in the Mental Health directorate can be challenging and at times confronting. The wellbeing ofour staff is a priority. There are a range of support services available to Metro North staff. In the firstinstance, staff can contact a Peer Responder. Peer Responders are trained in Psychological First Aid andprovide support while facilitating links to additional resources, if required. Staff can choose to talk to aPeer Responder in their area or from another facility. Click here for more information .
- 1 December 2023|In October 2023, the MNMH Executive Team hosted the inauguralmiddle leader’s forum with over 80 leaders from across Metro North Mental Health coming together toconnect, collaborate and plan for 2024 and beyond.
November 2023
- 9 November 2023|During Mental Health Week (7-15 October 2023), Metro North Health launched a campaign aimed at reducing stigma connected to mental illness and harm from drug and alcohol use.
October 2023
- 5 October 2023|All services across Metro North are participating in an ongoing Shatter the Stigma campaign that will belaunched service-wide during Mental Health Week, 7 – 15th October 2023 .
September 2023
- 22 September 2023|We have recently learnt more about the research initiatives and innovative enhancements to theconsumer experience occurring within The Prince Charles, Metro North Mental Health facility which Iwould like to share with you.
- 15 September 2023|International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose,remember without stigma those who have died from overdose, and acknowledge the grief of the familyand friends left behind. Overdose affects everyone. From grieving families to spontaneous firstresponders, the impacts of overdose are far-reaching and fall indiscriminately.
- 12 September 2023|“Creating hope through action” is the call to action for World Suicide Day, 10 September 2023. Suicide isa global health problem with an average 65,000 attempts per year in Australia. By joining together, wecan start conversations, encourage understanding and change the narrative around suicide through thepromotion of compassion, awareness and lived experience.
August 2023
- 25 August 2023|Recently the Queensland Eating Disorder Service (QuEDS) shared a good new story on how the teamare working closely with consumer groups to overcome barriers around adequate dietary intake whichdemonstrates the values of compassion and innovation.
- 11 August 2023|Recently the Mental Health Executive Leads were afforded the opportunity to visit the leadership team atRedCab. This visit aligned with the monthly performance meeting, and it was wonderful to hear of theachievements of our team members. Some of the highlights are below.
- 7 August 2023|Our vision for Metro North Mental Health and our Alcohol and Other Drug Services is the promotion of continuous service improvement and the development and translation of innovation andbest practice. Research, evaluation, and quality improvement activities are central to this vision.
July 2023
- 12 July 2023|July provides us all with the opportunity to pause for a moment, refocus, and consider our priorities forthe second half of the year. A challenge staff frequently describe is the constant influx of emails whichcan hinder our productivity, take time away from clinical care and cause unnecessary stress.
- 7 July 2023|It is with great pleasure that I announce Penny Dale as Metro North Mental Health’s (MNMH) inauguralDirector of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
June 2023
- 6 June 2023|Monday 5 June was the ‘Go Live’ date for the ASPIRES Pathway for Prevention of Suicide, Self-Harmand Overdose.
May 2023
April 2023
- 14 April 2023|It has been wonderful to continue to see all of the innovations and excellent work occurring across ourservice. At the most recent MNMH Staff Forum we heard about the important work of Safewards occurring across all of our service (MNMH-Red-Cab; TPCH, RBWH).
March 2023
- 22 March 2023|We know that when people hold prejudiced beliefs about those who experience mental health andalcohol and other drug issues, it leads to unconscious bias and subtle discriminatory behaviours whichcan cause unintended harm in healthcare.
February 2023
- 23 February 2023|Recently the Mental Health Peer Responders came together for a professional development andplanning day, and I had the pleasure of meeting with them in the afternoon.
January 2023
December 2022
Message from the Executive Director
13 December 2022As 2022 draws to a close we reflect on what has been a busy and, at times, very challenging year, but with some great achievements along the way. We started the ...Read more >
November 2022
October 2022
Message from the Executive Director
5 October 2022This Bulletin once again features some of the important work that has been happening across the Directorate. It also highlights some important upcoming events, particularly as we head into Mental ...Read more >
September 2022
Message from the Executive Director
1 September 2022It’s been another challenging month, responding to the COVID surge on top of a number of other illnesses affecting staff and impacting on demand across the HHS.Read more >
August 2022
July 2022
Message from the Executive Director
15 July 2022The past few months have continued to be very eventful. We have had the Parliamentary Mental Health Select Committee deliver their report; the budget announcement and subsequent funding for the ...Read more >
June 2022
Update from Executive Director
21 June 2022Where to start….the past few weeks have been challenging in many ways, and in all areas of the health system. I am sure you have heard that Metro North ...Read more >
May 2022
Update from Executive Director
21 May 2022It is a very busy time in all areas which I am seeing and hearing first hand as I am making visits to our different sites and participating in staff ...Read more >
April 2023
March 2022
Message from the Executive Director – Mental Health
15 March 2022Welcome to the first MNMH Bulletin of 2022. It has been a challenging start to the year, and I would like to thank you all for your hard work during ...Read more >
February 2022
Message from the Executive Director – Mental Health
28 February 2022Thank you for your commitment to caring for our consumers and clients across the weekend and today amidst widespread flooding in Brisbane and surrounds.Read more >