Redcliffe Hospital has launched its Reconciliation Action Plan with a celebration of community, stories, and dance that acknowledged the past, celebrated the present, and inspired the future.

Our journey to a Reconciliation Action Plan began in 2017. It’s been a journey that has seen us engage like never before with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Walking with us on that journey have been our cultural capability officers, Mellissa Malley and Elwyn Henaway and members of our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this week’s launch and to those who came along to share in our celebrations – including Metro North Chief Executive Jackie Hanson, Chief Operating Officer Jane Hancock, and members of the Metro North Senior Executive Team.

Have Your Say results

Earlier today, People and Culture held the first of four sessions to present and share the hospital’s Have Your Say Staff Survey results.

Discussions at these sessions will also contribute to an upcoming refresh of our #IamRedcliffe Agreed Behaviours.

The next face-to-face session will be held next Wednesday in the Education Centre from 9am. If you can’t make that session, there are two more on Teams in the coming weeks. These sessions should be in your Outlook calendar.

Our volunteer chaplains

On Tuesday, we said thank you to our team of volunteer chaplains with a special morning tea for Pastoral Care Week.

Over the past year, our small team of volunteer chaplains have had more than 1,000 engagements with hospital patients and consumers. Listening to their stories at the morning tea, it’s clear that our chaplains also do great work supporting hospital staff and our QAS paramedics.

The chaplaincy service at Redcliffe Hospital is available on request by calling 3883 7878.

Free Whooping Cough boosters

Metro North’s Public Health Unit has reported an increase in cases of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) in our community. Pertussis is one of the mandatory vaccinations for staff and requires a booster every ten years.

Infection Prevention and Control at Redcliffe Hospital is offering free boosters to hospital staff who may need them. The vaccination booster provided will incorporate boosters for both Diphtheria and Tetanus.

To arrange your free vaccination booster, please click here. For more information or to learn more about Redcliffe’s regular staff vaccination clinics, call 3883 7546.

Smoking on campus

Facility Services sent out a reminder to everyone this week about something for which no reminder should be needed – smoking is prohibited everywhere at Redcliffe Hospital.

It is against the law to smoke on hospital grounds or within five (5) metres of the hospital boundaries. The law applies at all times and to everyone. The prohibition includes e-cigarettes and vapes.

We’re seeing a disappointing number of cigarette butts in gardens and on the footpath areas around hospital entrances. Even more concerning, in the hot and dry weather, fires are being started in gardens from careless disposal of cigarettes.

If you see anyone (including staff) smoking on hospital grounds – notify security on 7010.

Christmas is just around the corner

With the end of the year quickly approaching, we’ll soon be kicking off our Christmas calendar of events. I’m pleased to say that the Christmas Decoration Competition will be back again this year, starting on Monday 4 December. We’ll be announcing the theme of this year’s competition very soon.

To help everyone plan for the public holidays, the Christmas/New Year planner is now available, with details of which services will be operating and what will be at reduced capacity over the break.

If you have yet to speak to your manager or team leader about when you’ll be taking leave – please make sure you have that conversation, too.

Lastly this week, another reminder about the Metro North Occupational Violence Prevention Forum next Thursday.

A good number of Redcliffe staff have already put their hands up to join, but we want as wide a variety of professions and perspectives as possible to help inform our new approach to preventing occupational violence. Please consider taking part and completing a nomination form.

Louise.