Adj Assoc Prof Jackie Hanson, Chief Executive
The Chief Health Officer has announced the Queensland Health COVID traffic light system will end today. COVID will now be monitored like other diseases. In Metro North, we will continue to respond to COVID under our Acute Respiratory Illness Response Plan. We are currently on a Tier 1 under the ARI plan. I encourage all staff to ensure your flu and COVID vaccinations are up to date to protect yourself, your loved ones and our patients.
Queensland Health’s new HEALTHQ32 strategy sets the vision for an environmentally sustainable public health system to improve environmental performance and reduce the impacts on the environment from built operations.
We want Metro North Heath to be the sustainability leader of the healthcare industry. The first of its kind across Queensland HHSs, Green Metro North’s Sustainable Design Guidelines were developed to drive design excellence, accountability, and set the benchmark for future healthcare development and embed sustainable development in the planning, design, construction, operations, and maintenance of Metro North facilities, infrastructure, and capital projects. I encourage you to read the Sustainable Design Guidelines.
This week I received a letter from the Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services congratulating Metro North on our significant contribution the Queensland Health COVID-19 response, which was recognised in the Premier’s Awards for Excellence. The Minister also congratulated Metro North on our other finalist programs, the Queensland Health Ambassador Program, which was highly commended, and the Virtual ED. She thanked me and all Metro North staff for our ‘dedication and commitment to delivering high quality public health services to Queenslanders’.
This week Redcliffe Hospital opened a new dedicated paediatric section in its emergency department. The new section has a separate child friendly waiting room, triage area, and treatment bays. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the construction and development of the new space which will provide a more child-oriented service for children who make up around 20 per cent of Redcliffe ED patients. The ED upgrade also includes a mental health lounge for low-acuity mental health patients needing emergency care.
Queensland Ambulance Service has introduced a new service to support inter-facility transfers. The QAS Clinical Hub is based at Kedron Emergency Services Complex and will provide secondary triage to pending Triple Zero calls, including inter-facility road transfers. The clinical hub is staffed by a Senior Medical Clinical Consultant who will assess the risks and clinical requirements of road-based transfers. If you have referred a patient for a road transfer, you may receive a call from the clinical hub doctor for more information and to create the most appropriate plan for the patient.
In last week’s King’s Birthday Honours, Professor Elizabeth Whiting was recognised with the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to healthcare in Queensland, particularly for aged care. Congratulations Liz!
On Monday the next cohort of Deadly Start students will complete their orientation. The program, which Metro North started in 2019, has now expanded statewide with around 140 students and 11 HHSs participating in this cohort.
We are almost at the end of the financial year. Thank you for your efforts in delivering against our clinical and non-clinical targets.
Kind regards,
Jackie.