Thank you to everyone who has participated in the Living our Values staff consultation sessions so far.

It’s exciting to see our Draft Values Charter beginning to take shape and particularly inspiring to hear the stories you have shared about what makes CKW a great place to work.

It’s through sharing these stories and developing our Values Charter together that we can continue to strengthen our great culture and ensure that CKW is an amazing place to work for every staff member now and in the future.

I want everyone at CKW to have an opportunity to provide feedback but it’s always difficult to leave the floor for two hours to attend an in-person session.

If this is you, please use the digital feedback form which gives everyone across CKW a chance to provide input to the Draft CKW Values Charter at any time. There will also be posters across facilities with a QR code which goes directly to the survey.

The form should take approximately 5-8 minutes to complete and is being administered externally by the Strategic Momentum Group (SMG).

This survey is available until Friday 24 November. Your feedback is anonymous, so please share your thoughts.

The Draft Values Charter is being continuously refined with the feedback received at the end of each week. This ensures that whenever you provide your feedback, you can be assured that the version you are reviewing has already incorporated feedback from those who have provided their input before you.

We have a few in-person consultation sessions for CKW staff over the next few weeks. Everyone is welcome.

The next session will be held on Wednesday (15 November) at the Caboolture Hospital Education Centre from 12pm – 2pm. A drop-in session will be held beforehand from 7.30am to 11.30am.

New Executive Director appointed

Chief Operating Officer Jane Hancock recently announced that Karlene Willcocks has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Caboolture, Kilcoy, Woodford – and soon Bribie Island – Clinical Directorate.

Karlene has been the Director of Operations, Emergency, Paediatrics, Internal Medicine Services, Clinical Support at The Prince Charles Hospital since August 2022. Prior to coming to Metro North, Karlene held executive roles at Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service and BreastScreen Victoria.

She brings extensive experience in leadership, strategic and operational management, clinical and corporate governance, as well as cultural, structural and operational change, having successfully led clinical and operational teams at several high performing large metropolitan hospitals.

Welcome, Karlene! She will start with CKW in mid-December and I look forward to introducing her to as many people as possible.

I am so very excited for CKW and for Karlene. She will certainly lead you into the next phase and I look forward to seeing great things for CKW in the future.

Remember, I will still be with Metro North Health in my substantive role as Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer (CNMO) and I will try to visit regularly.

What I am most excited about is seeing your amazing journey unfold with Karlene at the helm and exceptional clinical and non-clinical staff. Such a great time for this amazing directorate.

Patient Handling Audit

The Metro North Patient Handling Coordination Unit leads implementation of best practice interdisciplinary patient handling to provide high quality care to patients and promote staff wellbeing through reducing injuries.

The Unit will audit patient handling between December 2023 and February 2024 using a modified version of the Think Smart patient handling work practice audit tool. They involve short notice audits (observation sessions) of patient handling work practices.

Constructive feedback will be provided to workers, line managers and Directorate Patient Handling Leads. Targeted support will be offered for any work areas identified as requiring improvement.

For more details, send an email to metronorthpatienthandling@health.qld.gov.au

Metro North Staff Excellence Awards nominations close Wednesday!

Please take some time over the next few days to nominate your CKW colleagues and teams for the Metro North Staff Excellence Awards.

Let’s showcase CKW excellence in integrated care, performance, training and education, innovation, leadership, people focus, values in action, improving First Nations health and First Nations staff.

Click here to submit your nominations before 4pm Wednesday (15 November).

Congratulations to our Staff Shout Out recipients!

Congratulations to our Staff Shout Out recipients for October! Here are the individual recipients:

• Kirby Harwood – Service Line Support Officer
• Phillip Diggelman – Fire Safety Coordinator
• Brianna Woodward – Ward 2A
• Alanna Fellingham – Ward 2A
• Pauline Whish – Ward 2A
• Linda Wilson – Ward 3B
• Mary Lou Piamonte – Ward 3B
• Michelle Wright – Ward 3B
• Chris Bell – Ward 2A
• Emma Mayne – Ward 2A
• Natasha Piamonte – Ward 4A
• Rose Peters – Ward 4A
• Selina Tyzack – Ward 4A
• Hardeep Kaur – Ward 4A
• Sibil Matthew – Ward 4A
• Emily Daff – Ward 4A
• Emily McGrath-Chasser – Ward 4A
• Rebecca Bowmen – Ward 4A
• Rebecca Hinton – Ward 4A
• Rebecca Vincent – Ward 4A
• Rebecca Baberowski – Ward 4A
• Caboolture Emergency Department Logistics Nursing Team
• Shauna Hughes – Emergency Department
• Kieran Brennan – Emergency Department
• Belinda Gritsch – Social Work
• Mottu James – Transit Lounge
• Shannon Newton – Maternity Lounge
• Jarrod Clarke – Operational Services
• Dr Liz Rushbrook – Chief Medical Officer
• Belinda Kaiser – Patient Support Services
• Greg Norman – Operational Services
• Elaine Scott – Day Procedure Unit
• Nicole Evans – Day Procedure Unit
• Aine Coutinho – Operating Theatre Anaesthetics
• Dezlee Masters – PACU

Here are the team recipients:

• Heart Failure Service – Caboolture Hospital
• Woodford Corrections Health team
• Medical Workforce and Medical Education teams

CKW Christmas Appeal

The CKW Staff Council is supporting the St Vinnie’s Christmas Appeal this year.

Every work unit within CKW will be invited to voluntarily participate by providing non-perishable food items and gifts for a family in need in our region.

Families will be identified by our local St Vinnie’s contacts – what a difference we could make to these and other families in our community!

In readiness, please discuss with your work unit, elect a contact person and identify who wants to participate. No need to provide information just yet – there is more to come soon.

For more details, contact CKW Librarian jane.orbell-smith@health.qld.gov.au

Finally,

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I have a 60th birthday celebration to attend this weekend for a very dear friend.

Unfortunately, for me, he has chosen to camp at Double Island Point to celebrate his milestone birthday.  Including his wife and family, there are about 80 people ‘roughing’ it on the beach.

I have to be honest, I am not a camper and I think pulling my fingernails out with a pair of pliers maybe less painful but, as my son said to me this morning, it is his birthday…his choice.

So, if I look frazzled on Monday morning, please excuse me. I think camping under 4 or 5 stars is more my cup of tea, rather than millions!

Stay safe,

Alanna.