Louise Oriti, Executive Director, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Yesterday was Close the Gap Day, an important day for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Close the Gap is about ensuring life opportunities and outcomes for First Nations people in Australia to become equal to non-Indigenous Australians. This includes closing the gap in life expectancy and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, which I’m pleased to see RBWH is committed to through our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and a range of other healthcare innovations.
I recently found out about an initiative being run by the team in Ward 9BS called ‘Move for March’, which has been designed to promote and encourage the benefits of patients getting up and moving during their hospital stay. The team have set up a range of exercise stations throughout the ward, including a pedal station, and are also running walking groups and seated Zumba. Through increasing patient mobility, the risk of falls has decreased in the ward and the patients are also having a great time! It’s great to hear about the different ways teams are improving the care we provide to patients and I’m looking forward to finding out about other initiatives as I continue to make my way around RBWH.
As we all know, there are so many different teams and professions that are essential for RBWH to function. One of these important teams is Switchboard Services, who work on the frontline of our hospital 24/7 to answer calls and assist patients, families, staff and other organisations connect to the right teams. The hospital recently received some glowing feedback for a Switchboard Services staff member:
“I work for a medical company that interacts with the hospital on a day-to-day basis and I just wanted to let you know that the switch staff member by the name of Shelley is an amazing asset to your facility, consistently going above and beyond to assist myself and my colleagues. Great customer service, wonderful attitude and so very helpful. I thought your team ought to be aware of the amazing job she is doing.”
Thank you to the entire Switchboard team for the vital role you play.
Throughout the month of April, the RBWH Foundation is running their inaugural Flex for Lex campaign. To take part, all you need to do is choose an arm exercise such as curls, bench presses or push-ups and pledge how many you will complete throughout the month, all while raising money for the WeCU program to support families with loved ones in the RBWH ICU. To find out more, visit the RBWH Foundation website.
On a personal note, I have now been working at RBWH for 18 days. I am pleased to have met staff from across a range of services. Today, I had the opportunity to go on a tour around the campus including the helipad, Security Services and the loading dock. I’ve also received an insightful overview of the history and works of the Medical Staff Association from Dr Cameron Bennett. This group clearly demonstrates a proud tradition of RBWH whilst reflecting a vision for the future.
Over the coming months, I will be working with staff and senior managers from the kitchen on some areas for improvement. It is clear to me how much care the kitchen staff put into their work and how much the patients appreciate the effort they make in preparing and delivering their food. I was impressed by the diligence required to make great porridge for such a large number of people!
Kind regards,
Louise.