Angie Dobbrick, Executive Director Caboolture, Kilcoy & Woodford Clinical Directorate

Thank you for continuing to provide exceptional care to all of our patients. Your resilience and ability to adapt to the changing COVID landscape is remarkable. Thank you!

• Metro North has moved to Tier 4 Moderate community transmission from today (18/01). The specific details and additional measures for Tier 4 will be shared with staff as soon as available.
• Tier 4 allows us to enact our agreement with Caboolture Private Hospital and transfer x4 patients into their care, which is scheduled for today (18/01).
• Please keep an eye out for information on any changes that impact visitor restrictions.
• A reminder that any staff who can be redeployed due to a reduction of activity, including planned care, should be flagged with the workforce coordinators of each discipline ASAP so that we can cover emergent leave.
• Our preparedness and response to the pandemic is working really well. We got this!

I wanted to share a few thoughts on the importance of good communication with our patients, their families and carers. Open and honest communication is always key, but during a pandemic, patients can become stressed, sensitive and may feel stigmatised. Social distancing, visitor restrictions, single patient rooms and hospital staff wearing full PPE can all have a negative impact on a patient’s hospital experience. This is where patient-centred care and good communication play an important role in helping to reduce emotional distress. Please remember when communicating with patients, their families and carers to provide consistent and specific information, acknowledge emotional responses, maintain eye contact and show compassion. Effective communication between staff is equally as important, especially at shift and clinical handover.

Please also remember the importance of providing culturally safe and appropriate care to our patients. Delivering culturally sensitive care and improving communication are powerful tools for healthcare providers and ultimately help us to deliver a better patient experience.

Today’s important updates and key information for staff is contained in the attached. I have also attached a really useful and easy to follow COVID-19 Testing Guide for Staff created by the RBWH EOC team.

Please remember to print and display this information in areas where staff cannot easily access email.

Angie Dobbrick
Executive Director