Dear colleagues,
As well as my Allied Health leadership role, I enjoy looking after a range of staff supports. Having some executive sponsor roles fits perfectly and helps me expand my work motto, “Help those that help patients”. I use the motto both as a motivation and as a filter that I apply to how I prioritise my work, decide what work to do, and what to invest in. In upcoming messages, I will share some of these portfolios with you. Today I’ll share some thoughts on two of them. Firstly, about patient handling, and secondly a Fitness Passport update.
I have always been impressed with the way our staff care for bariatric patients. I have personally been a lot more competent in my care since I attended a bariatric education session with TPCH physio Ross Uhlmann several years ago. Providing safe and dignified care is our core business but can certainly be a challenge when plus size patients enter our doors. Dr Lindo Bacon, author of the book Health at every size, promotes that all bodies deserve respect and care, so I encourage you all to consider the care environment you work in through the eyes of the plus size patient:
- Do you have adequately sized and weight rated seating and toileting facilities?
- Can you weigh your patients whilst maintaining their dignity and privacy?
- Do you have suitable equipment to support safe moving and handling?
Our New Zealand colleagues at Bariatric Management Innovation are producing some exceptional education opportunities and I encourage you to register for this upcoming free webinar on Discrimination – every day life for a larger patient (August 19th) and reflect upon the question: am I a weight inclusive health practitioner?
If you do require support to deliver care to our plus size patients, please reach out to the Patient Handling Coordination Unit who offer consultations for patient handling scenarios causing concern as well as tailored training for work units on topics such as equipment and providing compassionate care to help you to improve safety and enhance the patient experience.
Keep fit for less – Fitness Passport is here!
As part of our suite of staff supports, I am pleased to announce the Metro North Fitness Passport is live – an employee benefit available to Metro North and Queensland Health staff who work on our campuses and their families. This initiative assists with facilitating a healthy lifestyle, providing an opportunity for members to access over 50 local fitness facilities (including pools) for a cost-effective fee.
As part of the recent launch, Fitness Passport offered staff who first joined the program an opportunity to win a FitBitTM. Congratulations to Isabella Gosper. I look forward to presenting Isabella with her prize.
Details about the program including membership fees and participating facilities can be found on the Fitness Passport portal. For more information, see the FAQs, reach out to the Values in Action team, or contact Fitness Passport directly.
Regards,
Mark