Helen Boocock, Executive Director, STARS

Farewell to Kellie Stockton

Last Friday we farewelled STARS’ Director of Allied Health, Kellie Stockton. Kellie has been an integral part of STARS, from our commissioning and then our opening. She has provided great leadership and stability through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kellie empowered her team through a culture of trust, respect, collaboration, and morning yoga!

As the executive lead for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health at STARS, Kellie also supported the growth of the Indigenous Health Service within STARS and our great work with the Deadly Start trainee program, and the development of the STARS Reflect RAP.

I would like to thank Kellie for her contribution to STARS and wish her the very best on behalf of all of us in her new role of Executive Director Allied Health, Metro South Health.  A thank you to Jennifer Ellick who has taken on the role of Acting Director of Allied Health for the next month.

ANZAC Day

This coming Tuesday we will pause to remember our ANZACS and honour all those who have served and sacrificed. An announcement will be made over the PA system at 8am. If you would like to purchase an ANZAC Day Appeal badge, RSL volunteers will be selling merchandise today and next Monday 24 April on the Ground Floor Atrium of the RBWH. All funds raised are used by the RSL to assist veterans, young and old, who may need help and assistance.

Emergency power test

On Tuesday morning STARS underwent a test of the emergency power supply. As you can imagine the logistics involved in carrying this out were extensive and required input from staff across STARS as well as outside suppliers, stakeholders, and our consumer group. I am pleased to say due to all the excellent prior planning the test was carried out successfully with minimal disruption. Thank you to all involved, in particular the Facility Services team and everyone who was onsite or dialled in for the very early start time. If you have any feedback on the emergency power test and you have not already done so, please fill out the feedback survey.

Rehabilitation Engineering Centre on the ABC

Our wonderful Rehabilitation Engineering Centre was recently featured on ABC Radio Brisbane. Oli was interviewed about the Centre’s work and some of the interesting projects the team have worked on to change the lives of people living with a disability. It was great to see the amazing work of the Centre being highlighted. Listen to the full interview.

QARC team win NHMRC Consumer Engagement Award

A sincere congratulations to Prof Dave Copland and the Queensland Aphasia Research Centre (QARC) team for being awarded the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Consumer Engagement Award. The award recognises the long-term contribution to consumer and community involvement in health and medical research. QARC’s Consumer Advisory Group provide lived experience to many of QARC’s research projects, and it is wonderful to have this co-designed approach recognised nationally.

Flu vaccination

All staff at STARS, including our partners UQ, CSIRO, Cushman and Wakefield and Pathology Queensland, are eligible for a flu vaccination. No bookings are required, you just need to show your Medicare card. I would encourage all staff to take advantage of this service and protect themselves, their family and our patients from the flu, this flu season. See below for dates, times, and location.

STARS Celebration Day

Plans for the STARS Celebration Day on Friday 19 May are in full swing. There will be several events throughout the day, so we hope staff can join us at the time most convenient to them to celebrate all that STARS has achieved over the last two years. There will be a free staff breakfast, an official morning tea and a STARS quiz, so start brushing up on your knowledge about STARS and the broader Herston Quarter! Look out for more information in the weekly STARS bulletin.

Take care,

Helen.