Dear colleagues,

Our slowing numbers of COVID-19 cases show that our efforts are helping to flatten the curve.

While we can feel encouraged by this, we need to remain vigilant and continue to practice the techniques that have led us here. That means staying home as much as possible, keeping our 1.5m distance from others, practicing good hand hygiene and covering our coughs and sneezes.  While I know you are all well aware of these requirements, it is important that we regularly remind ourselves, our colleagues, friends, family and loved ones.

We must not let our guard down. We are doing such a fabulous job and we must keep going.

I have a few updates and reminders for you today:

• PPE Clinical Advisory Group update
• Metro North COVID-19 vidcasts
• Spreading real news

PPE Clinical Advisory Group update

Metro North’s PPE Clinical Advisory Group (CAG) met today to discuss and refine our PPE procedure. Senior Clinicians from all facilities and across major specialties reaffirmed the importance of equity of PPE for all staff engaging in similar activity. Minor updates to the procedure will be circulated tomorrow.

The CAG will continue to meet every Tuesday to review the procedure and ensure it remains up to date.

Metro North COVID-19 vidcasts

Our Metro North vidcasts continue to be a reliable source of information for our staff and are consistently well attended. Today, the stars of the show were two of our wonderful Clinical Nurse Consultants of Infection Monitoring and Prevention Services (IMPS) from RBWH Trish Hurst and Michelle Doidge. The questions asked were highly relevant and I trust that those who asked them are feeling more knowledgeable than you were before.

The 2pm vidcast with Chief Executive Shaun Drummond and Executive Director of Operations Jackie Hanson was another informative session. Thank you to all who attended and provided their expertise. If you were unable to tune in today, you can catch up a later date. All vidcasts are uploaded here on the COVID-19 extranet.

Assisting in the messaging of real news

As healthcare leaders, we all have a role to play in ensuring we are sharing the correct information with our community. With so much information out there about COVID-19 (some not always truthful), I understand it’s not an easy task. So, I ask that you trust the sources we are guided by as a hospital and health service and promote these with your family and friends. Our go-to sources include:

• QLD Government website
• Federal Government website
• WHO website
• Our public facing Metro North websiteand Facebook page.

Because spreading cheer is so important at the moment, I’ll leave you with something that made my day. Check out this video on the Metro North Facebook page featuring some of our RBWH nurses boogying down with my favourite Kath and Kim character, Sharon Strzelecki. What a great opportunity to share what we do as frontline workers with our interstate colleagues at the Victorian Ambulance Service, all while having a bit of fun.

Well done to everybody in MHHHS.  You are doing an amazing job in not only ensuring the care we provide is second to none but that the messages we deliver to each other and our community are factual and consistent.

I truly believe that we work in the best hospital and health service in the state, so while it may be a challenging time remember “life is short, work somewhere awesome.” (And, you do!)

Regards,

Adjunct Professor Alanna Geary

Metro North Health Incident Controller

Metro North HHS – Overview of Cases*

*With effect 1000 14 April 2020
**Metro North has two recorded deaths