Glynis Schultz, A/Executive Director, Community and Oral Health
I always enjoy sharing some of the positive stories and innovations being delivered by our great teams and staff.
Broader response
A big thank you to our Hotel Quarantine team who officially hung up their boots last Friday after two highly successful years of caring for returning travelers. New processes have now been put place to manage overseas arrivals.
At the same time, our work in community vaccinations is drawing to close as we expect to scale back our vaccination effort by mid-April.
Again, thank you to everyone who has been involved, it has been a massive commitment by you all.
Oral health collaboration
A new research project will kick off mid-year to discover how intensive care patient health outcomes can be improved through improved oral hygiene.
This collaboration will be delivered as part of a partnership between Metro North Oral Health Services, the School of Dentistry – University of Queensland and the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
By improving oral hygiene in vulnerable Intensive Care Unit patients and improving staff skills it is expected that the rate of respiratory infections will be reduced in this patient cohort.
Pulmonary and cardiac success
We have been working with the Australian Catholic University to increase cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs in Metro North.
Now, through the great work of our Complex Chronic Disease Team we are seeing a significant reduction in wait times and better access to these programs.
Well done team and please look out for the April COH Express for more detail about this wonderful development.
Who doesn’t like an ice-cream?
Our Interim Care crew are always thinking of ways to make their patient’s stay more enjoyable.
Recently, they started up an ice-cream cart on a Friday delivering a waffle cone/ice cream to patient’s rooms. It has become a great discussion piece with the patients deciding which flavour ice cream we will try each week.
So far, the firm favourite has been boysenberry swirl followed closely by old fashioned rum and raison.
Beth (pictured) was very keen to have her photo taken because her favourite food is ice-cream.
And finally
If you haven’t had your booster shot I would strongly encourage you to do so as evidence shows how effective it is against the current strain of COVID-19.
Quote to ponder
Socrates said: “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
Glynis Schultz
A/Executive Director
Community and Oral Health