It’s a pleasure to be acting as Executive Director of Redcliffe Hospital while Louise is in at Metro North. For those of you who don’t know me, I have been at the hospital for the last two years as the Medical Director, Critical Care Women’s and Children’s Service Line. I also work in the Redcliffe Emergency Department and Metro North’s Virtual ED.  I’m excited to be able to contribute the great work we do for our Redcliffe community.

Medical Interns

Welcome to our new medical interns for 2024! Thank you for choosing Redcliffe Hospital for your intern program, we are delighted to have you.

This year Redcliffe Hospital welcomes 28 medical interns to begin their career here with us.

Louise O’Riordan met them for lunch and spoke to them about what they were most excited about as their career begins right here.

Infrastructure Update

Internal works are progressing across the hospital with several projects underway.

Duct Cleaning: 

• Cleaning works have commenced on Air Handling Units Ducting systems
• The duct cleaning program will be conducted throughout multiple departments within the Redcliffe Campus
• Works have been completed in the Rehabilitation Ward, and will commence as evening works in the Day Procedure Unit from tonight, 19 January 2024
• Preliminary preparative inspections have been undertaken in CSSD and are currently underway in the Operating Theatre Department, in order to inform and best manage the coordination of access and the methodology for the NIA to follow.
• Construction is currently programmed for completion in October 2024.

Nurse Call System Upgrade:

• The current Nurse Call system at Redcliffe Hospital is made up of a variety of different systems. The intent of the Nurse Call Project is to install one system across the campus to elevate any on going issues with older technologies and introduce new technologies.
• Alder has been appointed as the Principal Contractor with early ICT design works commencing 17 January 2024
• Backbone cabling will commence within the main building in the next 2-3 months followed by the installation of annunciators and call buttons.
• Construction duration is expected to be between 13-15 months.

Level 6 East HVAC Upgrade: 

• Upgrade works commenced to the existing air handling systems specific to the Level 6 East Ward late in 2023 following a conclusion of a preliminary design stage.
• The enhancements to the existing systems will replace the temporary pandemic response ventilation systems and will promote and support a Negative flow environment for a specific 11 bed ward area as well as 5 x 1-bed wards.
• Works are currently well advanced in the level 6 and 7 plant rooms, and works are scheduled to commence in the ward area 30 January.
• Construction is currently programmed for completion in April 2024

Upcoming Car Park Closures and Relocation of Fleet Vehicles

From next Monday (22/01), the Fleet Car Park (P3) and North Block Car Park (P4) will permanently close in preparation for construction activity on the Redcliffe Hospital Expansion project to commence. All fleet vehicles will relocate to the Multi-Storey Car Park from Monday, and the EV charging stations will be reinstalled in the coming weeks in the Sheehan Street Car Park (P5), at which time all fleet vehicles will permanently relocate to P5. Please read your fleet booking materials to ensure you know where to collect and return your fleet vehicle. There will also be a footpath ramp closure and pedestrian diversion on Tuesday (23/01), located at the end of the covered walkway, near the ED drop-off zone. A spotter will be in place to ensure the ramp is made safe and accessible for pedestrians with mobility impairments and to redirect all other pedestrians to follow an alternate route. Finally, I understand that staff working near the construction zones are experiencing noise and vibration impacts. Multiplex has controls in place to monitor and minimise noise and vibrations and ensure all activity is within acceptable levels. However if you have any concerns, please raise these with your Team Leader.

Queensland Health IT systems

Thanks all for your patience and perseverance this week with the state-wide intermittent IT issues experienced by Queensland Health. I understand this was frustrating and caused some unavoidable disruption so, thank you, for ensuring it did not impact our delivery of exceptional patient care.

Dr Kim Hansen
A/Executive Director, Redcliffe Hospital