What a busy few weeks we have had. There is so much going on and I wonder where the weeks are going. It is certainly full on!

The Emergency Department team did a ‘big clean’ last week to prepare for the upcoming move to the Clinical Services Building.

While cleaning certainly isn’t everyone’s favourite activity, the ‘big clean’ is an important activity for move preparation and will assist the team with a smooth transition.

Some of the ED team remarked that it was a very therapeutic process and should be done more often, while others enjoyed reminiscing about old times when they found photos of staff who no longer work at Caboolture Hospital.

Well done to all involved in the ED Big Clean – I look forward to seeing what treasures are found in our other departments.

Acute Respiratory Illness Response Plan

Metro North has moved to Tier 1 of our Acute Respiratory Illness Response Plan.

The move follows a sustained decrease recently in the number of patients presenting to the Emergency Department and being admitted with acute respiratory illnesses, particularly influenza.

Despite this good news, we must remain vigilant with many winter lurgies still around. Please continue to:

• wear masks in clinical areas, in line with PPE guidelines
• ensure your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations and annual fit testing are up to date
• stay home if you’re unwell and let us know if you’re off sick as soon as possible via the Smart Leave form on MyHR

Please also check with your line manager for any other requirements in your local workplace under the CKW Acute Respiratory Illness Response Subplan.

Further details including the Response Plan are available on the Metro North Extranet.

Farewell to a Valued Staff Member

Emergency, Kilcoy and Woodford Nursing Director Nerys Brackman has decided to leave Metro North Health.

Nerys has been a valuable member of CKW nursing management and a much-respected member of Metro North. I would like to thank Nerys for her strong contribution over many years to the health of our community and for her leadership at CKW.

I wish her well in her future endeavours and thank her for many years of work and dedication to the service.

Paul Kemp will continue to act in the Emergency, Kilcoy and Woodford Nursing Director role while a formal recruitment process is undertaken to permanently fill the vacancy.

Welcomes

Welcome to Hayley Renouf, who joined CKW this month as our first female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Senior Health Worker.

Hayley comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge working in Cultural support and advocacy to ensure better access to healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Metro North.

Hayley previously worked in Community and Oral Health. She has great connection with Community and will be an asset to the CKW Directorate.

I would also like to welcome Narika Symes and Maryanne Humphries who have joined the CKW Safety and Quality time in a temporary capacity.

We have much to do to prepare ourselves for our upcoming short notice ACHS accreditation and the expertise that Narika and Maryanne bring will help to support the expertise already in our Safety and Quality team.

Narika and Maryanne – I do hope that you enjoy your time here at CKW and thank you for your assistance.  It is much welcomed.

You may have noticed that Brett Bourke has also come to work at CKW.

Brett has come to work alongside us to assist with the significant work that we have in preparation for our satellite facilities and also the impeding move to the new building.

Brett comes to us with a wealth of experience. Many of you will know him as Metro North’s General Manager Workforce Relations. Brett has also worked in many senior operational roles outside health, which he brings to CKW. This previous experience will assist us as we move forward during this time of great change.

We have much to do over coming months and the expertise and experience of many is required to ensure a smooth transition. I have learnt, over a very long career, that nothing stays the same in health, and our challenges are significant, but it is exciting.

CKW is changing, but we have a wonderful journey and I am so pleased to be here with you during this time. Thank you to our new senior people for joining us but also thank you to everyone.

Whether you have been here for a long time, or are new to CKW, you are part of the team. While we have a big job to do, I know that we have so much knowledge and expertise in this facility and we will do what we need to do together.

In working as a team, the load is lessened and the beneficiaries are not only for us, the staff, but the patients who rely on us every single day to deliver great care.

Congratulations, Connie!

Congratulations to Connie Gray, who has been permanently appointed to the CKW Assistant Nursing Director – Ambulatory Care and Education role.

Connie is already a familiar face around CKW, having led the CKW Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) during the COVID-19 pandemic and times of natural disaster.  She brings an amazing skill set to her new permanent role and I know that she will do a great job.  Please join me in congratulating another great nursing leader.

What a compliment!

Another compliment for the great team at Kilcoy Hospital this week:

“Dr Chong was amazing both in clinical knowledge, bedside manner and upbeat attitude. All nurses involved in my care were just as attentive, humorous and professional.

“I would hope they get this feedback as far too many people are quick to abuse a poorly done job but not take the time to applaud a great job and team.”

I do love hearing compliments like this and it is so wonderful when are patients put their thoughts on paper.  Well done Dr Chong, it is people like you and so many others that make us all realise that the CKW team is wonderful. You are a shining star in a constellation of so many stars.

Finally,

What a great win on Saturday night for the Matildas! I was in the city at Kangaroo Point and the noise from the stadium was deafening.

Thank goodness as my husband was cranky that I had taken him out for dinner and he missed out on the live action. The noise was most welcomed as at least we knew the result! I am looking forward to an exciting game on Wednesday.

So, as we start a new week in a year that is going so fast, please look after yourselves and your loved ones.

Have a great week and if you didn’t work on Monday, I hope took some time out to do something nice.

You might have gone to the EKKA? I am not really an EKKA person but I must admit there is something to be said about a dagwood dog, dripping in tomato sauce and of course who can go past a strawberry ice cream.

Remember, the strawberry ice creams are an initiative of the The Common Good which is, of course, the Foundation which supports CKW, so if you buy one, or two, or several (which is what my husband would do!), you are supporting CKW!

Stay safe,

Alanna.