Tami Photinos, Executive Director
Jana Waldmann, A/Manager, Library Services & Co-Chair, RAP Committee
Reconciliation is about acknowledging and reflecting on our country’s history, listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ stories and experiences, and then coming together as a community to build relationships and work to achieve real change in areas such as health equity.
Rebeckah Mooney A/Cultural Capability Officer, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services
Reconciliation means all Australian’s grounding themselves in truth telling, acknowledging our hurt and pain. Reconciliation is walking alongside us. Listening and learning from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s voices. Celebrating our unwavering connection and belonging to the lands, seas and skies.
Today marks the start of Reconciliation Week National Reconciliation Week, a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The theme for this year’s Week is, Be a Voice for Generations, which encourages us to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives.
For each of us, Reconciliation means something different depending on our background, life experiences and own beliefs. For myself personally, reconciliation represents a vision of treating everyone equally, inspire and enable all of us to come together and reconcile the wrongs from the past.
Here are some thoughts from some of our other colleagues at TPCH around what reconciliation means to them.
TPCH has a number of events planned for Reconciliation Week, which I invite you to participate in, starting at 10am today with a Flag Raising ceremony near the Rode Road entrance.
Friday 26 May (National Sorry Day)
- 10am – Flag Raising Ceremony, TPCH Main Entrance, Rode Road
- 11.30am – 12.30pm – Sorry Day Yarning Circle led by the Reconciliation
Action Plan Working Group, Healing Garden
Monday 29 May – Friday 2June
- Information stall including staff facilitating Reconciliation artwork
11.30am – 1.30pm, Café of the Common Good
Thursday 1 June
- 10am – Virtual Yarning Circle with Co-Chairs of Reconciliation Action Plan
Working Group
Executive Update
Staff appreciation breakfast
Staff appreciation breakfast
On Wednesday, our Executive team hosted a staff appreciation breakfast to thank staff for all of their hard work, especially during the recent weeks. The breakfast was very popular to say the least, and we ran out of food earlier than expected. We know that some staff missed out, so we are hosting a second free staff breakfast on Thursday 8 June, 7am – 8am, in the Common Good Café. We looking forward to seeing you there!
Palliative Care Unit visit
Palliative Care Unit visit
This week, in acknowledgement of it being National Palliative Care Week, Director of Operations EPIC, Karlene Willcocks and I visited the Palliative Care Unit team. This team do excellent work in caring for and supporting people and families living with a life limiting illness, which is highlighted through the many compliments the team receives. It was great to speak with some of the staff, as well as see the new modern environment which patients and families are now welcomed into, following the recent refresh of the unit. Thank you to Susan Prince and the team for taking the time to speak with us.
l to r: Michael Cummins, Emma Rawlings, Perry Judd, Miranda Bartlett, Tami Photinos
Domestic and Family Violence Awareness month
In acknowledgement of May being Queensland’s annual Domestic and Family Violence Prevention month, Director Allied Health Perry Judd joined members of our Social Work team to view the new Red Bench located at the front of the hospital which aims to raise awareness of domestic and family violence in our community. A big thanks to the BEMS team for installing the bench, and especially to Paul Barber for his generous work in preparing and painting the bench.
Have your Say survey
Thank you to those TPCH staff who have already completed the survey. Currently, TPCH is sitting at a 15% response rate, so there’s still a way to go until we reach our previous survey response rate of 45%!
You can check how other Metro North teams are going by viewing the current response rates – Metro North.
Complete the Have your Say survey.
Staff Flu Vaccination Program
To date, 65% of TPCH staff have received their flu vaccination. This is good progress, however there are still a number of staff who are unprotected. To get your vaccination, visit the Infection Control team on Level 3, Clinical Sciences Building, between 7am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. Clinical areas can schedule a mobile trolley by phoning 3139 4894.
Accreditation Update
From July 1, TPCH will begin a new phase of the Accreditation cycle. Accreditation will now be a short notice visit with 24 to 48 hours notice, and surveyors will spend over 80 per cent of their time in clinical areas speaking with staff and patients and observing the care that is delivered.
Over the next month there will be increased messaging about the national standards and what preparations are in place. Please share these message in your workplace and look at your local area to see what can be done to improve your readiness.
Following the peer review earlier this month, TPCH has now received the peer review report which is being worked on by the Standards Committees. The action plan is available on the Safety and Quality SharePoint site.
FAST FACTS
Palliative Care Unit team
Because it’s National Palliative Care Week, we will profile our Palliative Care Unit team.
Did you know?
- The Palliative Care Unit provides specialist care to individuals diagnosed with an active progressive disease, whether malignant or non-malignant, with little or no prospect of cure and for whom the primary goal of care is quality of life.
- The service provides direct care in the 16-bed Palliative Care Unit and consultative and/or direct care of patients in the hospital, outpatient services and outreach specialist palliative care.
- The Palliative care team comprises approximately 35 staff which includes specialist consultants, medical and nurses skilled in providing palliative care, allied health professionals, as well as pastoral care staff.
- Approximately 500 patients are seen by the service each year within the outpatient setting
- The Palliative Care Unit holds an annual Time of Remembering ceremony for the loved ones of patients cared for in unit as a gesture of support and compassion.
- The Unit was refreshed in 2021 to create a more modern, welcoming and compassionate environment for patients and families.
Jeannie Ball
Staff profile
Today we will profile Business Support Officer MECS, Jeannie Ball. As part of the Finance team, Jeannie provides advice and assistance to cost centre managers through the delivery of reports and information to support them in making financial decisions. She uses a number of systems including DSS and S/4 Hana to support her Business Management Team and the clinical programs.
Jeannie enjoys liaising with all levels of staff in her clinical program to assist them with their day-to-day business queries. She is passionate about delivering great service and improving business processes for her program, and values the constant variety and learning her role offers.
Outside of work, Jeannie enjoys spending time with her family, travelling and reading books. She is known among her colleagues as a social butterfly and shopping extraordinaire, and enjoys going out to dinner with friends and family.
Today’s quote
“In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it. – Marianne Williamson
Tami.