My message comes a day early this week so that I can inform you of a very sad passing and arrangements.

Before I do, I would like to acknowledge our fellow front line colleagues in the police force who have had a tragic week. My thoughts go to all who serve, especially those who were directly impacted by the events this week.

My thoughts and condolences to the families of those who were devastatingly lost, including those of the neighbour. I have no doubt these events have raised emotions for all who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. Such a tragedy.

Thank you Gemma

Many of you will remember long-standing former Caboolture Hospital Chaplain Gemma Hockey. I know many of you have kept in touch with Gemma since her retirement a few years ago.

Gemma (pictured on the right with former chaplaincy colleague Jo Camilleri) provided countless hours of support and comfort for families, loved ones and staff, at any time of day or night. The services she delivered for our staff and patients really touched people’s lives.

In her final year at Caboolture Hospital in 2016, Gemma was a popular winner of the QSuper Caring Together Individual Excellence Award Winner. She also received an honorary Length of Service certificate in 2018.

Unfortunately, Gemma passed away at a Brisbane hospital last weekend and her funeral is being held tomorrow at St Peter’s Catholic Church in Caboolture. The hospital will be officially represented with many other hospital staff attending as well.

If you would like to view the funeral service, it will be available in the Caboolture Hospital Lecture Theatre from 11.30am. For more information, phone 5316 5789.

Arrangements are underway for a morning tea in the Caboolture Hospital Chapel in January for staff to celebrate Gemma’s life. More information to come from my office on that next year.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Gemma’s family as we reflect on the wonderful service she gave so freely to our patient, staff and the community over many years.

Implementing ieMR at CKW

Implementing electronic medical records system ieMR will be a big change for Caboolture and Kilcoy Hospitals.  We will transition from using paper records and join our colleagues across Queensland Health in using a digital health record.

For your interest, an overview of ieMR’s functional components is available here.

Caboolture Satellite Hospital will be the first facility to go live as part of the Metro North ieMR Program in July 2023. Bribie Island Satellite Hospital will go live in September 2024.

Enterprise Scheduling Management (ESM), the outpatient scheduling module of ieMR, will go live at Caboolture and Kilcoy Hospitals in October 2023. ESM will replace the appointment scheduling functions of HBCIS.

Finally, ieMR will go live at Caboolture and Kilcoy Hospitals in April 2025.

While understanding the challenges of this significant change, I would encourage everyone to embrace the opportunity ieMR presents.

Implementing ieMR will allow us to capture and analyse patient data in real-time, integrate medical devices into digital workflows, and improve service delivery. This will ensure we continue providing the best possible standard of healthcare to our community.

If you have questions about the ieMR rollout, email: ieMRProject-MetroNorth@health.qld.gov.au

I look forward to updating you with further information about the ieMR rollout as it flows through from the project team.

PPE requirements for CHRP site visits

As we get closer to the opening of the new Clinical Services Building next year, there will be more and more opportunity for us to participate in site visits.

As the Clinical Services Building is a Lendlease construction site, it has specific work health and safety requirements. Just like when we come to work in the hospital, there are PPE requirements that must be adhered to when on site.

All staff participating in site tours are required to wear the following PPE: hard hat, safety glasses, steel capped boots, thick socks, long trousers, long-sleeved shirt and a high-vis vest.

The CHRP team will provide you with the hard hat, safety glasses, high-vis vest and steel capped boots. If you have been invited on a site tour, please ensure you provide the CHRP team with your shoe size so they can ensure the appropriate boots are available for you. You are welcome to wear your own steel capped boots should they meet the appropriate requirements.

If you are unable to meet the PPE requirements, you will not be able to complete the site tour. Your safety is our number one priority, so we cannot make any exceptions to this.

Volunteers close-down arrangements

Caboolture Hospital volunteers will take a much-deserved break from today and will return on Tuesday 3 January 2023.  A big thank you to Karen and team from The Common Good for your hard work to strengthen our volunteer team this year.

Finally,

Nominations for the popular annual CKW Christmas Decorations competition close at 5pm on Monday (19 December).

Judging will take place on Wednesday morning with the winners announced during a special event in the Caboolture Hospital Central Courtyard from 2pm.

If you haven’t already done so, put your entry in now!

Take Care,
Angie.