Jane Hancock, Acting Chief Executive
Dear STARS Staff,
Over the past few weeks, we have been facilitating an impact analysis, focused on identifying the impacts of a temporary relocation of the Queensland Spinal Cord Injuries Service (QSCIS) to STARS. Over 110 staff provided information on the opportunities, issues or concerns about the temporary relocation at nine open engagement sessions and 40 staff responded to the survey. The spinal impact analysis team also had approximately 30 other meetings across STARS, RBWH and the broader HHS.
Despite some reservations about responding to a relocation that is yet to be decided, staff have shown a great willingness to participate in the impact analysis, expressing their views on what the issues and opportunities might be. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the engagement sessions, meetings or submitted a survey.
The project team received many comparable questions across the sessions and have now collected these into a Frequently Asked Question factsheet. I encourage everyone to read the FAQs.
A few weeks ago, we also held a vidcast on the background of the potential temporary relocation of QSCIS, which included a question-and-answer section. View the recording of the vidcast.
The staff engagement for the impact analysis is now complete but if there are any staff that didn’t get to participate in the sessions or staff survey they can still email mnhspinalimpactanalysis@health.qld.gov.au to provide feedback which will be noted and considered if the decision is made to move QSCIS to STARS. In the email, please outline benefits and potential issues and challenges for Metro North staff, patients, QSCIS as well as any other information you would like to provide.
The next step is that the project team is working directly with the Department of Health to collate all the information from the impact analysis. The Department of Health team will compile a report for the Director-General, Queensland Health and the Minister for Health at the end of July. If a decision is made to continue, an implementation planning phase will explore the move to STARS in more detail.
If you need more information or still have questions you can email the project team Leah Vegh and Maddison Muir on MNHSpinalImpactAnalysis@health.qld.gov.au or call 0419 316 245.
If staff need support please reach out to STARS Staff Psychologist, Allison Welch (3647 6942 or Allison.welch@health.qld.gov.au), your line manager, or the Peer Responder Program at STARS. Staff also have access to the Employee Assistance Program, Benestar (1300 360 364).
Finally, Tami Photinos is currently Acting Chief Operating Officer and will be overseeing Metro North’s involvement in the spinal unit impact analysis for the next few weeks, until August 13.
Warm regards,
Jane.