Dear team,

As I prepared the Community and Oral Healthy papers for the Metro North Board meeting to be hosted at Nundah on the 27 September 2022, I felt immensely proud of each of you and of your achievements across COH services.

I was also extremely grateful for the ready and willing assistance from many of you to ensure that your good work is highlighted.

As a Directorate, COH has improved access to care; increased the opportunity for people to receive care closer to home and increased capacity to support patient flow across Metro North. It is not possible to call out all of your achievements so to highlight a few:

• The Complex Chronic Disease Team (CCDT) partnership with the Australian Catholic University (ACU) continues to enhance the ability to provide cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation service. The three year partnership has significantly increased Metro North Health capacity to delivery rehabilitation services especially in the northern suburbs of the catchment. The supervised student led cardiac and pulmonary programs have expanded to the Burpengary Leisure Centre where clients can now receive their care face-face or via virtually. The increased capacity has resulted in reduced wait times for client to access both cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs.
• Despite the shortage of dental practitioners, Oral Health activity is 4.3 per cent above target year to date and 5 per cent above target this month.
• Since it was established in February 2022, the Enhanced Post-Acute Care Service which now includes review by a geriatrician, has received 363 referrals from Queensland Ambulance Service, General Practitioners, Emergency Departments, and acute inpatient services.
• The Hospital in the Home (HITH) program has expanded and has cared for patients across 328 Diagnoses Related Groups (DRGs), 19 specialities and 124 specialists have managed a patient on HITH.
• Since March 2021, 650 residents across the 85 Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) in the Metro North catchment area, have engaged with the Specialist Palliative Care in Aged Care (SPACE) program. This has reduced the number of transfers from an RACF to an acute service and more importantly, has supported people’s choice to die in their home at the RACF.
• COH has increased capacity:
  • Community Transition Care Program (CTCP) has increased their packages to 88 this financial year.
  • To manage the increased referrals from acute services, the 10 additional beds in Interim Care will increase to 14 additional beds from the 26th September 2022 with four outlier beds in Brighton Brain Injury Service (BBIS).
  • COH has been successful in securing funding of $295, 177 to the end of financial year to employ additional 3.2FTE (five headcount) of allied health staff. This will support transition from rehabilitation to community living for patients with brain or spinal cord injury in BBIS.

Behind each of these statistics is a person who has had access to care because of your efforts. Thank you!

Focusing on professional development and achievement

I have always been one who supports people’s career and professional growth, and despite the challenges setbacks that have occurred as a result of COVID-19 there are still many shining stars out there who are taking important steps in this area.

Hospital in the Home’s Rebecca Tarrant is one of those staff members who is committed to healthcare improvement and professional growth.

The Senior Occupational Therapist was the only COH staff member this round to complete the Metro North Health supported Health Service Innovation Graduate Certificate at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

Congratulations Rebecca, this is a really significant achievement.

If you are interested in learning more about the Health Services Innovation Graduate Certificate, visit this page and sign up for details, or reach out to the Learning Coordinator Louise D’Allura.

Read more about Rebecca’s journey in the next COH Express.

Redcliffe Oral Health Clinic accolades

The accolades continue for many of our Metro North Oral Health Service clinics and staff, and this time it is Dr David Fu and the Redcliffe Oral Health Clinic.

“Just to say in a very competitive harsh world Dr David Fu and his team offer an island of caring and help. I see the many of the elderly and disabled patients Redcliffe team treats.

“We travel six hours from regional Gladstone to see Dr David Fu. No other dentist in Queensland public or private will treat my son except David.

“He is a beacon and shining light of holistic health, preventative dentistry and acceptance of all people from all backgrounds.

“I wish there were more centres and doctors available to us like Dr Fu at the Redcliffe Oral Health Clinic.

“They truly understand the importance of dental health to prevent other issues and the acceptance of all human beings.”

Metro North accreditation 2023

COH is continuing to prepare for our next accreditation assessment with ACHS (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards) in 2023.

Next year, this will be quite unique with Metro North facilities undergoing a process for single membership and accreditation, involving a revised Short Notice Assessment Framework.

Further information will be provided by Jackie Hanson our Chief Executive, and Michele Gardiner Executive Director Metro North Clinical Governance, Safety, Quality and Risk about the framework and next steps.

In the meantime, I have linked you to the latest safety and quality communique for current updates about this accreditation.

And finally

Last Thursday, we had some welcomed visitors at Gannet House to celebrate Steve Irwin Memorial Day. Now snakes, crocodiles and lizards may not be everyone’s favourate animal but it is clear that the residents had a slithering good time.

Glynis Schultz
Executive Director
Community and Oral Health