With less than four weeks to go, I think we can safely say the countdown to Christmas has officially started!

Entries in the popular annual CKW Christmas decorations competition are now open, so dust off those baubles and start decorating! This year’s theme is a Very Community Christmas.

Prizes will be on offer for best clinical area, best non-clinical area, best community inclusion and overall best area. Judges will also be on the lookout for winners for fun awards including the most festive scrubs, best Christmas accessory, musical prowess and great Christmas spirit!

This year’s event is sponsored by The Commonwealth Bank with local Home Lending Executive Sean Aylett to be available in the Caboolture Hospital main corridor (near the central courtyard) on Wednesday 7 December from 11am to 3pm.

Further competition details and the entry form are available on QHEPS here. Nominations close on Monday 19 December with judging on the morning of Wednesday 21 December and winners announced that afternoon.

CKW RAP officially launched

Caboolture Hospital, Kilcoy Hospital and Woodford Corrections Health (CKW) journey towards health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people took a large step forward recently.

We launched our first-ever Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), the culmination of many years of hard work from a variety of teams and individuals, alongside many external stakeholders.

The RAP guides CKW’s journey to reconciliation, monitoring the success of initiatives and identifying where improvements should be made.

More than 50 people attended the official launch at Caboolture Hub. The event included a welcome to the land of the Kabi Kabi / Gubbi Gubbi people by Aboriginal Elder and Traditional Owner, Uncle Mick Douglas. Later in the day, guests were treated to a traditional song and dance performance by the Jinibara Dancers.

I am committed to walking together on a shared journey with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues and community members.

We must create culturally inclusive and safe spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to do this, I know it’s important that we understand our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community’s spiritual, social, and cultural connections to the land where our services are delivered.

Emergency Department research leads to Metro North Fellowship

Congratulations to Dr Elizabeth ‘EJ’ Marsden who has been granted a Metro North Clinician Research Fellowship for 2023. Dr Marsden is on the RADAR Rapid Response team at Caboolture Hospital.

Her Emergency Falls and Orthopaedic Residential Model (REFORM) – a program of research – addresses the need for innovations in health care of older adults in residential aged care facilities.

She led the formation and delivery of a novel patient-centred model of care (MOC) that utilises a multidisciplinary outreach team of nurse practitioners, geriatricians, ED physicians and pharmacists, to diagnose and manage falls and upper limb fractures in older adults in their own place of residence rather that in the ED.

The vision for the RADAR emergency falls and fracture orthopaedic residential model (REFORM) and Elizabeth’s fellowship is to provide value-based pragmatic ED substitution service enabling timely access to specialist care for older adults in residential aged care facilities.

CKW Research Symposium presentation winners

Speaking of research, thank you to everyone who attended and presented at the 2022 CKW Research Symposium. The event featured 16 study presentations and a keynote presentation by RBWH Nursing and Midwifery Director Professor Nicole Marsh.

The symposium was made possible by support from Metro North Health Executive Director Research Professor Dan Chambers and event sponsor The Common Good. I am proud to announce this year’s CKW Research Symposium presentation winners:

QI/Research study in progress presentation – Joint winners:

Winner: Dr Nina Meloncelli – Changing the guy microbiota during pregnancy: a novel, co-designed dietary intervention to prevent gestational diabetes for high-risk women.

Winner: A/Prof Dylan Flaws – Early Psychiatric Assessment, Referral, and Intervention Study (EPARIS) for intensive care patients.

QI/Research results presentation:

Winner: Benita Suckling – Trends in opioid dispensing 2008-2018: A Queensland perspective

Highly commended: Dr Karen Furlong – D.dimer adjusted to low clinical probability in the diagnosis of suspected pulmonary embolism – is it safe in the urban emergency department?

Novice researcher:

Winner: Zoe Robinson – Investigating pharmacy staff awareness of interpreters, Indigenous Hospital Liaison Officers and medication-related resources in hospitals.

What a compliment!

Here’s a great compliment for Caboolture Hospital Ward 3A received recently:

“There is not enough good things can say about Ward 3A.

“They are exceptionally caring and respectful people. The hospital is lucky to have them all. I was so pleasantly surprised by all the care and genuine concern.

“Special mention to Russell, V, Julie, Kieran, Dr Donaldson, the twin doctors Christian and Julius, Dr Thaddeus, the amazing ACU intern Chyanne and Sharon my wonderful cleaning services lady!”

Finally,

The Common Good would like to thank staff, volunteers and the community for taking part in the first annual Giving Day at Caboolture Hospital on Wednesday.

It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying the sausage sizzle, afternoon tea and other festivities as part of the fundraising celebration to raise money for vital projects.

Thanks to the money raised, The Common Good will be able to fund some meaningful projects at the hospital for our elderly patients.

They couldn’t have done it without you, so thanks again!

Take Care,

Angie.