Staff News

Co-Chairs of the RBWH Staff Council
Staff Update

Hi everyone,

On behalf of all Council members we would like to thank you for your support throughout 2021. We acknowledge how difficult this year has been and thank you for your dedication and hard work.

Bake Sale

On 24 November, the Shadow Council hosted a Bake Sale raising money for a special initiative. Thank you to everyone that came down and purchased some delicious baked goods! We’ll be able to share where these funds ended up in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.

2021 Achievements

Over the past 12 months the Staff and Shadow Council have helped many staff with their concerns – raising them with executive, Metro North, HR and Occupational Violence Prevention. We’ve completed department visits, raised money, and had a ball sharing your talents!

RBWH Has Got Talent Winners

On 1 December, the winners of RBWH Has Got Talent were announced. Congratulations to The Volatiles ft. Level 5 Perioperative with “We’ll stop the Bleeding”. Watch all the entries and see the top three winners here.

RBWH Has Got Talent Winners

As always, we’d love to hear from you. Check out our webpage here to provide any feedback you have!

Happy New Year, Merry Christmas, and happy holidays. Please look after yourselves over the next month and try to spend some time relaxing with family and friends if you can.

Warm regards,

Liz, Paul, Sarah, Mattea, and Ashan
Staff and Shadow Council Chairs

Hello all,

The RBWH Staff Council has had a busy month with lots of exciting initiatives.

Wellness resources

There is much uncertainty around when COVID-19 will come to Queensland and how we will be impacted at RBWH and in our wider community. Many of us have also been separated from our interstate and international family and friends for quite some time, and although we’ve excited to be reunited with them when borders open, we are also aware of how this may impact our way of life here in Queensland. If you are struggling, there are various mindfulness apps that can be downloaded to your phone such as:
•Smiling Mind
•Calm
•Headspace

Don’t forget that you have the Staff Wellbeing office and Staff Psychologist, as well as Peer Responders available to support you.

RBWH Staff Choir – Pitch Imperfect

It’s happening! We have updated the name with the idea to be more inclusive. It will be similar to a pub choir. In this sense, you don’t have to be able to sing to join – you just need enthusiasm and a fun-loving attitude! We are linking in with the Staff Wellbeing team on this initiative.

RBWH has Talent

Thank you to everyone for voting. Winners will be announced at 8am at the Staff Council Open meeting. See details below.

Open meeting

Every six months we host an open meeting for all Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital staff to attend. Typically held in June and December, out next will be on Wednesday 1 December from 7am – 8:30am. You are encouraged to join the discussion and have your say! To register to attend please contact RBWH-CC-Secretariat@health.qld.gov.au. The meeting will be available in-person and via Teams.

Get in touch

You can check out our webpage and provide feedback here. Our office behind the JP desk on the ground floor of the NHB always welcomes visitors. Darcy our Project Support Officer is now a Peer Responder too, so come down and have a chat!

As always be kind to yourselves and your colleagues.

Regards,
Liz Bennett and Paul Kubler
RBWH Staff Council

Good morning,

We have listened!

The RBWH Staff Council has heard your feedback and are acting on the issues you raised. You told us that pedestrian and cyclist safety, as well as smoking on and around the campus needs attention. We have escalated these issues to the appropriate areas and changes are being made across the hospital.

Staff wellbeing is our highest priority, so if you would like to find out more about how we can help, please visit our website.

New Members

Through our recent EOI process we have been fortunate enough to recruit a handful of brilliant new members for both the Staff Council and the Shadow Council:
◦Geoffrey Binge, Cultural Capability Officer
◦Amy Cameron, Clinical Nurse, ICU
◦Stephanie Hadikusumo, Director of Clinical Training CMORE
◦Susannah Sherlock, SMO, Anaesthetics
◦Alison Alexander, Clinical Nurse, Northlakes Cancer Care
◦Kris Kamusinski, Clinical Photographer, Herston Multimedia Unit
◦Clare Pekin, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Psychology
◦Rajit Gilhotra, Endoscopy Fellow, Gastroenterology and Hepatology
◦Leanne Jones, Bookings Officer, Dermatology and Rheumatology

We are very excited to have our new members on board and to see what fantastic ideas and initiatives they pursue!

If you are interested in joining, please contact RBWH-CC-Secretariate@health.qld.gov.au for more information on when we plan to release our next EOI.

RBWH Has Got Talent

Entries have now closed for RBWH has got Talent. Over the next few weeks, we will be shortlisting the submissions, before you will have the chance to vote for your favourite entries. Watch this space!

Match the Socks with the Executives!

Friday October 8 was Odd Socks Day. For a bit of fun, guess which of our Executive team are wearing what socks! Staff from across RBWH wore their odd socks on the day to help reduce the stigma around mental health issues. Find out more about the initiative here.

Be kind to yourself and one another.

Until next time,
Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler

Good morning,

We have listened!

The RBWH Staff Council has heard your feedback and are acting on the issues you raised. You told us that pedestrian and cyclist safety, as well as smoking on and around the campus needs attention. We have escalated these issues to the appropriate areas and changes are being made across the hospital.

Staff wellbeing is our highest priority, so if you would like to find out more about how we can help, please visit our website.

New Members

Through our recent EOI process we have been fortunate enough to recruit a handful of brilliant new members for both the Staff Council and the Shadow Council:
◦Geoffrey Binge, Cultural Capability Officer
◦Amy Cameron, Clinical Nurse, ICU
◦Stephanie Hadikusumo, Director of Clinical Training CMORE
◦Susannah Sherlock, SMO, Anaesthetics
◦Alison Alexander, Clinical Nurse, Northlakes Cancer Care
◦Kris Kamusinski, Clinical Photographer, Herston Multimedia Unit
◦Clare Pekin, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Psychology
◦Rajit Gilhotra, Endoscopy Fellow, Gastroenterology and Hepatology
◦Leanne Jones, Bookings Officer, Dermatology and Rheumatology

We are very excited to have our new members on board and to see what fantastic ideas and initiatives they pursue!

If you are interested in joining, please contact RBWH-CC-Secretariate@health.qld.gov.au for more information on when we plan to release our next EOI.

RBWH Has Got Talent

Entries have now closed for RBWH has got Talent. Over the next few weeks, we will be shortlisting the submissions, before you will have the chance to vote for your favourite entries. Watch this space!

Match the Socks with the Executives!

Friday October 8 was Odd Socks Day. For a bit of fun, guess which of our Executive team are wearing what socks! Staff from across RBWH wore their odd socks on the day to help reduce the stigma around mental health issues. Find out more about the initiative here.

Be kind to yourself and one another.

Until next time,
Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler

Good morning all,

What a busy few weeks it has been. A quick update from your Staff Council.

Brief the Council

Some of our members will be present in the Level 1 Atrium to hear from you and any feedback you’d like to share with us. Here are the upcoming times:
◦Thursday 16 September: 11:30 – 1pm
◦Wednesday 22 September: 11am – 12pm
◦Monday 27 September: 12pm – 1pm

The Long Run

For Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the Prostate Cancer Awareness Foundation has started a fundraising initiative called “The Long Run”. The RBWH Urology Department have joined as a team to help support this wonderful initiative. If you would like to support them and their efforts here is a link to their page: https://www.thelongrun.org.au/fundraisers/rbwhurologyteam

We will definitely be cheering them on!

RBWH has got talent

We are quickly coming up to the submission closing date on 17 September. We have already received a number of entries and we are eager to see the competition ramp up!

RBWH has got talent

RBWH Choir

We have had some feedback from staff members that are keen to restart the RBWH Choir. We are very excited about this idea and can’t wait to see where it goes! Send through an email to RBWH-CC-Secretartiat@health.qld.gov.au if you’re interested in joining. We would love to hear from you and value your ideas! We hope that the new choir can be run both virtually and face-to-face so that if there are lockdowns, we can still meet.

RBWH Staff Council met last week. Here are the minutes so you can catch up on what was discussed.

Don’t forget our new office is located right next to the Chapel. We would love to see you there.

As always, be kind to yourself.

Your Staff Council Chair and Deputy Chair,
Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler

Good morning all,

COVID situation

As the current situation continues and many of our colleagues have been confined to their homes for two weeks quarantine, we’d like to offer our support and send messages of hope. A quote from A.A. Milne:
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you’ll ever know.”

We are very aware of the physical and mental impact this can have on everyone and want you to know that we support you. You are not alone and both Councils appreciate all you do.

There are a myriad of mindfulness apps that can help you during this time.

Other contacts:
•Lifeline – 13-11-14
•Beyond Blue – 1300-22-4636
•MH Call for Crisis Mental Health issues – 1300-642-255
•DV Connect – 1800-811-811
•QLife – 1800-184-527
•and of course, your Line Manager.

You are more than welcome to contact the Staff Council directly to express any concern or guidance at
RBWH-CC-Secretariat@health.qld.gov.au or 3647-0720. We can also supply additional resources.

Help stop the spread!

As you all know, we have a range of defences in place to help reduce the spread, namely wearing your masks, checking in with the QR code, hand hygiene and of course getting the vaccine. It is up to you as staff members to be an example for our patients, visitors, community and each other.

RBWH has got Talent

Due to the escalating situation we have decided to delay the submission closing date to 17 September. Find out more and submit your entry.

EOI

Please consider the EOI to join the RBWH Staff Council or Shadow Council. Contact us for more information at RBWH-CC-Secretariat@health.qld.gov.au or 3647-0720.

We are so proud to be part of the RBWH community and of the resilience you have all demonstrated during these difficult times.

Be kind to yourself, as you absolutely deserve it, and think of ways you can do this on a daily basis.

Warm regards,

Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler
RBWH Staff Council Co-Chairs

Hi everyone,

It’s been a busy few months for the Staff Council and Shadow Staff Council, so we wanted to take this opportunity to update you on what we’ve been up to and the latest initiatives we are supporting.

Plastic free July

It is Plastic Free July! Take on the challenge to reduce single use plastics in your everyday lives. The Shadow and Staff Council are fully committed to supporting recycling at RBWH. For more info, visit: www.plasticfreejuly.org.

Darcy SaundersNew Staff Council Member

We would like to welcome and introduce a new member to the Staff Council team, Darcy Saunders. Darcy is our new Staff and Shadow Council Project Support. In the coming weeks we will move into a new office on the Ground Floor of the Ned Hanlon Building, just beside the Chapel. Come and introduce yourself to Darcy and have a chat! We see this as an ideal opportunity for you to continue to provide us with your valuable feedback.

Vaccination and Concierge Teams

A huge thank you to both teams! The tremendous work that they are doing to protect our community is simply phenomenal. Keep up the incredible work you are all doing. If you are a nurse and thinking of volunteering to support the Vaccination team contact MNNandMRecruitment@health.qld.gov.au or if you want to support the Concierge contact them here RBWHConcierge@health.qld.gov.au

RBWH has Got Talent

Due to the current COVID situation we have decided to extend the time frame for entrants to submit their nomination. Good luck!

Farewell Shaun

A big thank you to Shaun Drummond for his dedication and leadership over the past seven years. Shaun has been the guiding light through the tough times of the pandemic, leading the way while keeping a focus on the big picture and strategic development of the HHS.

Staff wellbeing

As the struggles of the pandemic continues throughout the world, it is important to remember the wellbeing of yourself and others. Staff wellbeing is a priority for the Staff and Shadow Councils. Visit the Metro North Staff Wellness page for tips and tricks.

Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler
RBWH Staff Council Co-Chairs

Hi all,

Thank you for your ongoing feedback to the Staff Council. It is always appreciated and we continue to advocate on your behalf.

We are aware you’ve had a lot of comms recently so we will keep this short!

The Have Your Say Survey is out. This is your opportunity to inform Metro North about your workplace culture and ideas for improvement. For more information visit https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/extranet/micro-skills/have-your-say.

As you know, the flu vaccination is rolling out at RBWH and is easily accessible (and free!) for staff via the Level 2 Walkway Clinic. Remember that 14 days needs to have lapsed since your COVID vaccine before you can receive your flu jab.

COVID vaccination eligibility at RBWH has been recently expanded to include close contact family members of all staff. Pfizer vaccine is available for anyone aged 16 to 49 while AstraZeneca is available for anyone over 50. Please book an appointment via this link and accompany any family members to the vaccination hub on the ground floor. Bookings are required.

The Peer Responder network is growing and rolling out across the RBWH. Renelle Hardy is the Coordinator and we have invited her to speak at our OPEN All Staff meeting on Wednesday 2nd June.

You are welcome to join us from 7am – 8:30am in Seminar Rooms 1 and 2 of the Education Centre. We encourage all staff to attend if they can.

On the agenda are various items including an update on the Peer Responder network from Renelle Hardy, Col Smyth will discuss public sector reforms and Kate Copeland will discuss pedestrian safety. Debbie McNamara from STARS, Jackie Hanson and Dr Kim Forrester will give updates at the meeting together with our ED David Rosengren and DED Gill Nasato.

These meetings take place bi-annually and we want to meet you and hear what you think. Email RBWH-CC-Secretariat@health.qld.gov.au to receive the agenda and/or the Teams link to join virtually.

Our current AO position has been re-classified and will be a 1.0 FTE. This dedicated role will provide valuable assistance to the Staff Council and Shadow Council’s ever growing needs. The job advertisement is currently available on Smartjobs if you are interested in applying.

Staff wellbeing is paramount to the Council. Look out for each other and remember we are here for you.

Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler
RBWH Staff Council Co-Chairs

Hi all,

RBWH COVID-19 vaccination clinicThese are unusual times yet again. As a Council we recognise the difficulties that you are all facing and want to offer our support. As staff you continue to rise to the occasion and the now all too common lockdowns are managed professionally and with good will.

We have met with the R U OK teams and would encourage you to look at their range of valuable resources. They can come to your workplace to provide information and training programmes. The team are easy to contact, very approachable and have lots of innovative ideas! It is so important that we support each other through the changes that we are constantly being met with and utilise services that are available.

The Metro North Fitness Passport is now here, which is another great way to look after your physical and mental health. Click here to sign up for your discounted Fitness Passport membership now!

As you know, the COVID-19 vaccination clinics are up and running and the Council has been receiving their vaccines. I was lucky enough to receive mine from David.

The clinic that I attended was run so smoothly and had such a positive atmosphere. The staff involved deserve a huge congratulations. Personally I had a number of pre-existing health issues and wanted medical advice to ensure the vaccine was right for me. The information and support I received was thorough and concise and I thank the whole team who supported me in making an informed decision. If you are unsure, reach out to the team first to talk about your options.

Staff wellbeing

As we outlined in our previous communications, staff wellbeing is the absolute priority of the Staff Council. We are keen to engage with all RBWH staff and recognise that many of you are off-site and in satellite areas. We are planning visits to all of our off-site locations, so stay tuned!.

As the Staff Council, we have visited many areas of the hospital to gain your feedback and certainly received plenty of it. Big thanks to those who contributed to this process. We are currently collating all feedback and will approach the appropriate channels to make ensure your voices are heard. We want to keep hearing from you and you are welcome to email us on RBWH-CC-secretariat@health.qld.gov.au. If you want individual feedback, please let us know.

Some issues raised were:
•Staff parking
•Consideration of solar energy
•Use of some outside areas for to create break out spaces and chill out areas for staff
•Not enough computers for computer access
•Staff felt they did not know enough about the Staff Council (this is the link to the intranet if you want to see our purpose: https://qheps.health.qld.gov.au/rbwh/clinical-council This link will take you to our page to see previous minutes and all Council members
•Changes in staffing and groups with the move to STARS
•The fatigue of the continual code yellows and staff tiredness
•Clinical facilitators needing to work in wards due to staff shortages
•Uncertainty due to restructuring and ward realignments
•The increase on complexity of treatments and safety on the wards
•Staff feel they wanted to highlight the importance of the Ambassadors on the wards and how supported it made them feel. They wanted to ensure these positions are maintained in the future
•When do we get ieMR?

We are committed to providing the information you gave us to the appropriate parties and we are meeting with the ED, Executive, DON and other key leaders.

Shadow Council

The Shadow Council are finalising their recruitment drive and will send out some communications to outline their projects for the next year. Watch out for the Humans of Herston, which is a great new initiative.

Accessing Staff Council members

Remember that the next Open meeting is on 2 June and you can access our minutes and other information via our intranet page. We will update the intranet in the near future so keep an eye out.

We can’t stress enough how important it is for you to provide your thoughts and ideas to us, so please don’t hesitate! We are all members in a voluntary capacity. We belong to the Councils because we are committed to you and the RBWH and we are made up of many disciplines and health areas. Thank you to all members of the Staff and Shadow Council for your commitment and hard work. We are aware of your very busy workloads and thank you for the extra that you give to the Councils.

We are sad to say goodbye to Rachel Mullan who finishes up her term with the Staff and Shadow Councils as our Project Officer. Rachel has been the driving and dynamic force behind so many of our initiatives. She will be missed and we wish her the absolute best in the future. Thank you never seems enough – we truly appreciate all you have done Rachel.

With many thanks to you all,

Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler
RBWH Staff Council Co-Chairs

Hi all,

We are six weeks into 2021 and RBWH is buzzing with activity. With the opening of STARS, COVID-19 vaccinations commencing, Public Sector reform and more, this year is shaping up to be a big one.

Staff wellbeing

The Staff Council met recently to look at our priorities for the next year and we want you to know that we are committed to assisting with staff wellbeing. Please, come and talk to us about how we can make RBWH a better place to work. We can’t help unless we know there’s a problem! We also want to hear the good news stories and about what is working well, so we can try to do more of it. We will provide you with updates on our staff wellbeing initiatives throughout the year.

Metro North is implementing the Fitness Passport program for RBWH staff, supported by the Staff Council. Please complete the Fitness passport survey before 22 February to vote for your favourite fitness facilities!

We are also working hard to commence free fitness classes for you to enjoy on campus. Please email your interests and ideas to RBWH-CC-secretariat@health.qld.gov.au. Staff feedback to date has been around various mindfulness activities such as yoga and meditation.

Shadow Council

The Shadow Council are finalising their recruitment drive and will keep you informed on the outcome.

Staff Council Social

We want to hear from you, so the Staff Council is bringing morning tea to you! Over the next few months we will be holding morning teas across RBWH, including offsite services. It’s an opportunity for you to connect with Council members, tell us how we can support you better and discuss your ideas for the hospital. The first morning tea will be held on level 1 in the coming weeks. Keep your eyes peeled!

STARS

The Staff Council would like to personally thank everyone who has contributed to the opening of the new STARS facility. To those that have moved to STARS, thank you for your commitment to providing world-class patient-centred care. The success of the facility opening is a true testament to the high performance and commitment of each and everyone of you. We know this hasn’t been easy and at times has caused significant challenges, but you have faced them head on with a positive attitude.

Accessing Staff Council members

We are excited to announce that we will have our own office soon so that you can easily access us face-to-face . More details as this progresses.

Remember that the next open meeting is on June 2nd and you can access our minutes and other information via our intranet page. We will update the intranet in the new future so keep an eye out.

We can’t stress enough how important it is for you to provide your thoughts and ideas to us, so please don’t hesitate!

Until next time,

Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler
RBWH Staff Council Co-Chairs

Dear Colleagues,

As we approach the end of 2020 we reflect on the past year. What challenges have been faced, the successful outcomes and what we could do differently next year.

With that said, the Staff Council have been through a few changes and we have said goodbye to old members and welcomed new members.

The Staff Council is here to advocate for you, to promote a culture where you, our committed health care workers, are valued and supported.

In the last few months we have seen COVID-19 restrictions relax and with that, extra stresses within the workplace have reduced. We acknowledge our colleagues on Wattlebrae and other front-line services are still working with positive patients and remain highly vigilant, and for this we sincerely thank them.

With 2020 nearly behind us, the Staff Council will be focusing its efforts next year on wellbeing. We are currently working on a number of new initiatives that we hope to kick off in the first half of the year. We will also be working closely with the Shadow Council to continue to bring you new and exciting initiatives like RBWH Has Got Talent and Pay It Forward.

We love hearing from you, so please feel free to email your suggestions and thoughts for what you would like the Staff Council to focus on in 2021 to RBWH-CC-secretariat@health.qld.gov.au. We will provide you with feedback with regards to your suggestions and questions and escalate as required.

Remember to keep your eyes peeled for the coffee cart in the evenings. Xpresso Coffee is outside the front of the main entrance for you between 8pm – 11pm. They are keen to make this a permanent set up but this is only possible if you pay them a visit. They even take phone orders – just text 0431 333 126.

Until next year, the Staff Council would like to wish you a…

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We acknowledge that Christmas isn’t all about presents, or all about food, and we recognise that this can be a very lonely time especially for those with families overseas or who may not have close relationships with theirs. Please remember there is support available if you feel you need it. You can call Benestar on 1300 360 364, 24 hours a day for free counselling and support. We also recognise that you may choose not to celebrate Christmas but hope that if you have time off it is enjoyable .

We would like to thank each and every one of you for your dedication, hard work and ability to adapt to many challenging and unfamiliar environments during this very unusual year!

To those who are working over the holiday period we thank you for your service.

Until next year, stay safe.

Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Kubler
RBWH Staff Council Co-Chairs

Dear Colleagues,

What a busy few months we have all had that has brought a vast amount of change for all, including the Staff Council.

As we say farewell to a number of council members, we are very pleased to announce and welcome the successful applicants of the EOI:
•Lee Minuzzo, Senior Consultant Obstetrician
•Andy Hale, Assistant Director of Clinical Services
•Joel Thomas, Anaesthetics Provisional Fellow
•Carla Scudder, Pharmacist
•Emma Raymond, Business Manager
•Amber Jones, Occupational Therapy Team Leader
•Danielle Johanson, Nurse Unit Manager
•Simon Chou, Nurse Unit Manager
•Shonika Scortechini, Nuclear Medicine Technologist

We are confident that we have a council rich in knowledge and drive to advocate for you.

On Wednesday, 2 December at 7:30am the Staff Council are holding an OPEN meeting which all staff are welcome to attend. The meeting will run for one hour.

Due to COVID, our numbers are restricted to 24 in-person attendees. You are encouraged to tune in and participate in the meeting via Teams (please remember to remain on mute throughout).

Join on your computer or mobile app:

Click here to join the meeting

As we step into the festive season don’t forget that the council are still running the “Pay it forward” initiative. If you would like to be in with a chance to receive a kind gesture from a council member, please send your name to RBWH-CC-secretariat@health.qld.gov.au.

Until next time,

Liz Bennett
RBWH Staff Council Chair

Dear colleagues,

Last month we asked for your feedback and what you wanted from your staff council. As promised, we have listened, and we have implemented a number of changes in response. Here are some of the things we learnt:
•You had concerns about PPE stock levels. A lot of work has been done across Metro North to ensure that we have sufficient PPE supplies for you and our patients. Your safety is our number one priority! If you have questions about what PPE should be used and when, you can find tips and useful information at PPE Resources.
•Some of you wanted to know what services the new STARS facility will offer and what job vacancies are available. You can find everything you need to know at STARS – Ready Set Go. Whilst STARS is an incredible opportunity, if does mean that RBWH will lose some of our invaluable long-standing colleagues. We’re grateful to those people for their commitment to RBWH over the years and look forward to working with them in their new roles at STARS.
•Values in Action – three small words that have a huge impact both in and outside of the workplace. We as a workforce work within the values of Integrity, Team work, Compassion, Respect and High Performance. While we all strive to live and breathe these values, we know that life isn’t always perfect. You are not alone if you have struggled with work pressures, mental health, relationship or financial pressures this year. Please remember to reach out and ask for help if you need it. A great place to start is the Metro North Staff Wellbeing page.

We have received multiple EOIs of a very high calibre in response to our vacant Staff Council positions and would like to sincerely thank all the staff who have applied. We will be in contact with all applicants to advise of the progress of their EOI in the coming weeks. Watch this space…

The Staff Council has been hard at work thinking of new ways we can we can engage with you. We know email traffic is at an all-time high (and yes, we acknowledge this is yet another email!), so we are going to hold monthly “speak-easy” sessions. I guess you could say it’s a little like Brief the Boss, but with a Staff Council member. Not guaranteed, but I have it on good authority that there may be baked goods if you get there early enough

On a final note, the Staff Council will be holding an initiative called “Pay it Forward” for the next six weeks. This means that each week for the next six weeks, a member of the Staff Council will give back to a staff member. This could be in the shape of buying you a coffee a day for the week, or maybe you will be given a parking space in the Metro Carpark for a week. This is just a little something from the Staff Council to you on a personal level.

“But how do I enter?”, you ask? Submit your name to RBWH-CC-Secretriat@health.qld.gov.au by close of business Friday and you name will be placed in a hat and winner will be drawn out. Each donation will be announced in the weekly newsletter with some information about the Staff Council member that is “paying it forward”. Liz has offered to kick-off this initiative with seven coffee vouchers.

The beauty of “paying in forward” is you are doing something good for another human, by choice and because you can. If you want to participate in this initiative please let us know.

Until next time, be kind, be gracious and be understanding.

Kind regards,

Liz and Andrew

Liz Bennett – Acting Chair
Dr Andrew Mallett – Co-Chair

Dear Colleagues,

It is always sad saying goodbye, but unfortunately, we have a few in the not too distant future.

Firstly, goodbye to Staff Council Co-Chairs Jennifer Ellick and Andrew Mallett. Jen will finish in two weeks as she moves to STARS and Andrew will be finishing with Council in November. We would like to thank Jen and Andrew for their contributions and leadership as Co-Chairs and wish them all the best in the future.

Not only are we saying goodbye to the Co-Chairs, we will also be saying farewell to a number of members whose terms have come to an end. A very sincere thank you to Mark Appleyard and Ian Coombes for many years of involvement on Council. We cannot thank them enough for their invaluable support and guidance throughout their time with the Council and we wish them well.

When one door closes another one opens. It is my pleasure to announce that we now have vacancies on the RBWH Staff Council and would like to officially open the Expression of Interest (EOI) for membership. The purpose of the RBWH Staff Council is to provide strategic leadership and advocacy on behalf of staff to deliver excellence in patient care at RBWH.

Whether you are medical, nursing, allied health, operational, administrative or any other role, you are eligible to support and advocate for all RBWH staff as a Staff Council member.

We are seeking staff members who are passionate about patient centred care, training, education, research, innovation and will advocate for the safety and health and wellbeing of all staff. There are up to six vacancies to be filled with new members offered up to a three-year term. You can view the EOI and Terms of Reference here for further details.

On a side note, there’s two more weeks before the Staff Council Survey closes for you to provide your feedback and tell the Staff Council what you want the members to focus on over the next 12 months. We are here to advocate for you! Provide your feedback online

Feedback cards are also available from the following locations:
◦Staff entrance, Ground Floor, Ned Hanlon
◦Level 6, Ned Hanlon (near the coffee shop)
◦Walkway, Level 2, James Mayne
◦Entrance, Level 4, Joyce Tweddell

We look forward to hearing your feedback and are already excited to be announcing our new Staff Council members in coming months.

Kind regards,

Andrew, Jen and Liz

Staff Council Co-Chairs and Deputy Co-Chair
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Dr Andrew Mallett – Co-Chair
Jennifer Ellick – Co-Chair
Liz Bennett – Deputy Co-Chair

Dear Colleagues,

It is always sad saying goodbye, but unfortunately, we have a few in the not too distant future.

Firstly, goodbye to Staff Council Co-Chairs Jennifer Ellick and Andrew Mallett. Jen will finish in two weeks as she moves to STARS and Andrew will be finishing with Council in November. We would like to thank Jen and Andrew for their contributions and leadership as Co-Chairs and wish them all the best in the future.

Not only are we saying goodbye to the Co-Chairs, we will also be saying farewell to a number of members whose terms have come to an end. A very sincere thank you to Mark Appleyard and Ian Coombes for many years of involvement on Council. We cannot thank them enough for their invaluable support and guidance throughout their time with the Council and we wish them well.

When one door closes another one opens. It is my pleasure to announce that we now have vacancies on the RBWH Staff Council and would like to officially open the Expression of Interest (EOI) for membership. The purpose of the RBWH Staff Council is to provide strategic leadership and advocacy on behalf of staff to deliver excellence in patient care at RBWH.

Whether you are medical, nursing, allied health, operational, administrative or any other role, you are eligible to support and advocate for all RBWH staff as a Staff Council member.

We are seeking staff members who are passionate about patient centred care, training, education, research, innovation and will advocate for the safety and health and wellbeing of all staff. There are up to six vacancies to be filled with new members offered up to a three-year term. You can view the EOI and Terms of Reference here for further details.

On a side note, there’s two more weeks before the Staff Council Survey closes for you to provide your feedback and tell the Staff Council what you want the members to focus on over the next 12 months. We are here to advocate for you! Provide your feedback online

Feedback cards are also available from the following locations:
◦Staff entrance, Ground Floor, Ned Hanlon
◦Level 6, Ned Hanlon (near the coffee shop)
◦Walkway, Level 2, James Mayne
◦Entrance, Level 4, Joyce Tweddell

We look forward to hearing your feedback and are already excited to be announcing our new Staff Council members in coming months.

Kind regards,

Andrew, Jen and Liz

Staff Council Co-Chairs and Deputy Co-Chair
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Dr Andrew Mallett – Co-Chair
Jennifer Ellick – Co-Chair
Liz Bennett – Deputy Co-Chair

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you to all RBWH staff for your dedication to providing patient-centred care throughout the first half of 2020.

Not only have we shown resilience in our response to COVID-19, but we have demonstrated the amazing, supportive workplace that is RBWH. When our colleagues from Surgical and Perioperative services needed our support, we stepped up and provided it. We have been touched by stories of our ETC team baking and delivering food to our colleagues from Surgical and Perioperative services, and other staff delivering flowers and performing kind gestures.

We’d like to share some updates with you:
•We are the RBWH Staff Council: That’s right, we’ve rebranded, and we are now the RBWH Staff Council. This change reflects the true function of the Council to give every staff member a voice, no matter the role you perform in supporting our patients. As the RBWH Staff Council, we will continue to work across disciplines to provide advice, leadership and advocacy on behalf of all staff at RBWH.
•Parking: A number of changes have been implemented to parking across RBWH. Those directly impacted by these changes have been informed, but we’d like to highlight some of the alternative arrangements available to all staff. See the options and prices here.

Don’t forget our initiative for evening, night shift and weekend staff which provides discounted parking for $3.10. This rate is for entry to Point Parking on Butterfield Street from 3pm and exit before 9am the next day and also applies to staff working on weekends and public holidays (enter and exit anytime). Please be advised, the discounted parking rate for Cornerstone Parking will no longer be available as of 1 August.
•RBWH has got talent: The Shadow Council are proud to announce their fabulous new initiative – RBWH has got talent! We know how talented you are in the workplace, but now is your chance to unveil you hidden talents and represent your department. To obtain an entry form, contact RBWH-CC-secretariat@health.qld.gov.au and submit your audio/video entry no later than 28 August 2020. Once shortlisted, staff will have the chance to vote for their favourite entries. We can’t wait to see your talents!

Until next time. Take care and stay safe.

Kind regards,

Andrew, Jen and Liz
Clinical Council Co-Chairs and Deputy Co-Chair
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Dr Andrew Mallett – Co-Chair
Jennifer Ellick – Co-Chair
Liz Bennett – Deputy Chair

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you to all RBWH staff for everything you are doing throughout this challenging time. The RBWH Clinical Council and Shadow Council continue to work with partners to deliver tangible supports for staff.

A large focus for us has been on improving access to parking for staff. We wanted to share an update with you on the parking offers available to help you get to and from work safely:

Point Parking (Metro Parking on Butterfield St)
◦Have released 200 temporary staff passes to the existing waiting list
◦Now additionally offering Temporary Parking Passes Monthly passes at $200.00
5 Day non-consecutive passes over 3 months at $105.00.
NB. These passes are only available during the current period of uncertainty

RNA Showgrounds Parking
◦Reduced parking rate at $8/day making a monthly pass $160 for
4 weeks of unreserved parking
◦Access the RNA deal via: https://ticket-sales.rna.org.au/Ticket/carparking

Cornerstone Parking
◦Staff debit cards being issued, according to waitlist
◦Existing parking accounts (monthly/fortnightly) cost reduced to pre-Nov 2019 rates until at least 31 July 2020
◦Staff Daytime Parking Rate, reduced to $10/day
◦Staff Evening (>2pm)/Weekend Rate, reduced to $5/day

Victoria Park
◦FREE Staff Parking is available now at Victoria Park in their top two carparks off the main entrance off Herston Road, Herston. Signs are there to guide you and details are on this map.

Brisbane City Council
◦BCC has made temporary changes to parking: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/community-and-safety/community-safety/disasters-and-emergencies/coronavirus-council-updates-and-impacts/temporary-changes-to-parking
◦Support is available should you require assistance getting home. Please reach out to your manager or the afterhours Nurse Managers.

Cycle Centre shower facilities

We have also been working hard to ensure the Cycle Centre shower facilities are available to all staff free of charge, 24/7. To sign up for this opportunity, please follow this link, download and complete the form with your details and email the form to RBWH-Cycle-Centre@health.qld.gov.au or bring your completed form to Michelle at the Cycle Centre between 7-11am, Mon-Fri. Access to the Cycle Centre facilities will be granted via your current swipe card for four months. Staff are to provide their own toiletries as required.

Wellbeing for staff

We know that COVID-19 has changed many aspects of our lives and Metro North is here to support you. For wellbeing tools, tips and professional support assistance including R U OK? training, please visit the MNHHS COVID-19 Staff Wellbeing Strategy and website.

We have been incredibly grateful for your suggestions for other initiatives to support staff. Whilst we are continuing to work through those suggestions, we encourage you to share your ideas about anything that would help. You can reach us at RBWH-CC-Secretariat@health.qld.gov.au

Look after yourselves and each other. We look forward to coming back to you soon with more initiatives!

Andrew, Jen and Liz
Clinical Council Co-Chairs and Deputy Co-Chair
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Dr Andrew Mallett – Co-Chair
Jennifer Ellick – Co-Chair
Liz Bennett – Deputy Chair

Dear Colleagues,

As we respond to the current COVID-19 situation, it’s never been more important to look after ourselves and each other. That’s why our Clinical Council, Team Royal and RBWH Foundation partners have put together a range of initiatives to support all staff at RBWH.

We are proud to announce the following parking initiatives to help staff get to and from work safely:
•Point Parking have released 200 temporary staff passes to the existing waiting list
•RNA Showgrounds have reduced their parking rate to $8 per day, making a monthly pass $160 for
4 weeks of unreserved parking (that’s a saving of $130) ◦Access the RNA deal through this link: https://ticket-sales.rna.org.au/Ticket/carparking

•Cornerstone Parking have also come on board with: ◦Additional parking accounts (monthly/fortnightly) being issued, according to existing waitlist;
◦Existing parking accounts (monthly/fortnightly) cost reduced to pre-Nov 2019 rates until at least 31 July 2020
◦Staff daytime parking rate reduced to $10 per day
◦Staff evening (>2pm) / weekend rate reduced to $5 per day

•FREE staff parking is available now at Victoria Park in the top two carparks off the main entrance on Herston Road, Herston. Signs are there to guide you. Find the map attached for further information.
•Support is available should you require assistance getting home. Please reach out to your line manager or the afterhours nurse managers.

Often, it’s the little things that help pick up our spirits when we need it most. Check out the following wellness initiatives available to staff:
•FREE coffee is here! The RBWH Foundation, with the support of RBWH Retail Services, have started coffee outlet (run entirely on donations from the community). The Handlebar Café is located at the Bicycle Centre – open from 7am-7pm! We encourage all staff to go and enjoy a free coffee. Find out more about the program here: http://everydayhero.com.au/event/buyacoffee
•Baker’s Delight will be donating bread and packets of rolls to RBWH staff from 3:30pm tomorrow afternoon. While adhering to social distancing requirements, please come to the stall on the ground floor, next to the Florist.
•Donations of food, drink and meals to support staff at work are being centrally received and distributed. We are all working to ensure that all areas receive donations.
•Social connection is critical at the moment. The Shadow Council are looking into ways to connect the RBWH community in cyberspace and supporting social and mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak and into the future.

If you have an idea for a helpful initiative, please send the Clinical Council an email at: RBWH-CC-Secretariat@health.qld.gov.au

Finally, thank you for doing what you are doing in these extraordinary times.

Cheers,

Andrew, Jen and Liz

Dr Andrew Mallett – Co-Chair
Jennifer Ellick – Co-Chair
Liz Bennett – Deputy Chair