Message from the Executive Director

We received notification yesterday morning that Short Notice Assessment for TPCH will commence on Monday 13 November and continue for a total of five days, concluding Friday 17 November.  The visit from the ACHS team will include eight assessors who will assess our facility against the eight National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and one assessor will be focussed on the Clinical Trials Governance Framework.

More details on the assessment team are expected shortly and a timetable for their visits throughout the facility is being drafted and will be distributed as a priority.

In a change from previous accreditation visits, surveyors will spend 75-80% of their time in clinical areas. They will be following patient journeys and observing interactions between staff and patients. This is an opportunity to demonstrate how patients are integral to the planning and delivery of their care.

The Executive team acknowledges that preparation for accreditation has been extensive and we have confidence in our staff for this upcoming visit.

Please remember that while Accreditation is an assessment of our performance as a health care organisation, it is also an opportunity to showcase the great work we do in caring for our patients. If you have the chance to speak to members of the assessment team, talk openly and use the interaction to explain and highlight the positive aspects of your unit’s work.

It is also important to be aware that during accreditation, staff may be asked to provide additional information by the assessment team at short notice. If this occurs or any other issues arise during a visit from the assessment team, please contact the Safety and Quality team for advice and support.

For any queries or assistance please contact the Safety and Quality team.

Power outage

Most staff would be aware that this week, TPCH had an unplanned power outage which impacted services within Building 15 including the Operating Theatres and Central Sterilising Department. While there was minimal interruption to our services, extensive work was done behind the scenes by our clinical and operational teams to ensure the safe continuity of services to patients. Managing this issue required a whole-of-hospital effort, highlighting our preparedness, responsiveness and collaboration as a team. A big thanks to our Building Engineering and Maintenance Services team for their outstanding work in rectifying the issue with little impact to patients and staff. Well done everyone!

Executive update

Walkarounds

This week Director of Operations, Emergency, Paediatrics, Internal Medicine Services, Clinical Support (EPIC) Karlene Willcocks and I visited the newly opened Charlies Village in the Cognitive and Assessment Management (CAM) Unit. Charlies Village, which is an initiative of The Common Good, is a village-like community area that includes custom-built familiar facades such as a hair salon, bakery and café, general store and post office. The revamp of the Unit’s outdoor areas was thoughtfully designed in collaboration with frontline clinicians and geriatricians to create environments for patients in the ward to visit, helping them feel stimulated, confident and connected, and allowing them to maintain some independence and mobility.

What an excellent initiative for some of our most vulnerable patients. Thanks to Nurse Unit Manager, Vijay Pillay for taking time to show us around this wonderful space.

Following my visit to the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre last week, I was also invited to the attend the Centre’s annual planning workshop. It was a good opportunity to hear about the service’s five-year plan to develop the service and maintain its reputation as a centre of excellence for adult cystic fibrosis care.  Thanks to the team for having me at their session.

Executive team movements

We have a number of changes happening within our Executive team.

Last week it was announced that Karlene Willcocks, Director of Operations EPIC has been appointed as Executive Director of Caboolture and Kilcoy Hospitals and Woodford Corrections Health Service (CKW).

Karlene has been the Director of Operations EPIC since August 2022 and has provided outstanding leadership to our teams during this period through her astute and capable approach. While Karlene’s departure from TPCH is a loss for us, we wish her the very best with her new leadership position. CKW will certainly be in good hands!

Karlene will commence in her new role in December, after overseeing the clinical commencement of services at Kallangur Satellite Hospital. A formal recruitment process for the Director of Operations EPIC position is currently underway.

FAST FACTS

Today we will profile our Nuclear Medicine Service in light of it being National Radiographer Week.

Did you know?

• Nuclear Medicine is a specialised area of medical imaging that uses very small amounts of radiopharmaceuticals specialising in examining organ function.  The radiopharmaceutical is administered to patients and images are then taken of the organ this collects in.
• Nuclear Medicine is a speciality separate to other areas of medical imaging and consists of Nuclear Medicine Technologists and Nuclear Medicine Physicians.
• The service at TPCH includes two Gamma Cameras and a Bone Density machine employing three specialised Nuclear Medicine Consultants and six Nuclear Medicine Technologists who work alongside administration staff, nurses, medical radiation physicists, and the Cardiac Investigations Unit to deliver a safe and efficient patient centred service.
• Each week a radiation generator is flown from Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor in Sydney to TPCH to enable the Nuclear Medicine service to our patients.
• The average radiation dose a patient receives from a Nuclear Medicine test is equivalent to that of a chest CT.
• The Nuclear Medicine service is working towards having a PET/CT scanner at TPCH. PET is an integral diagnostic tool for the management and treatment of cancer and many non-cancer conditions.

Staff Profile

Today, we will profile recent TPCH staff excellence award recipient, Kea Hill-Johnson who received a Values in Action Award.

In her role as Allied Health Administration Officer, Kea works alongside Allied Health professionals to provide quality care to patients. She enjoys the challenges of the role and the opportunity to work alongside an amazing team, while improving her skills on a daily basis.

Kea values the care provided by the Allied Health team to patients, and is especially passionate about improving procedures that support better patient care.

Outside of work, Kea is interested in health and wellness and spends her spare time lifting weights or going outside to run around in the sun. She also enjoys watching fun dog videos on the internet.

Shout out

This week’s shout out goes to TPCH carpenters, Paul Barber and Paul Keegan who recently built three paediatric chairs for the new satellite hospital sites, and upgraded the current paediatric chair in the emergency department.

This talented trade duo spent countless hours making and perfecting these vital pieces of equipment that are used to image paediatric patients. They will certainly make x-raying our smallest patients much easier. Awesome job!

Today’s quote

“Have a vision. Be demanding.” Colin Powell 

Tami.