Message from the Acting Executive Director

Dale Dally-Watkins, Acting Executive Director

Thanks to everyone for welcoming me back from annual leave and to Karlene Willcocks who acted in the Executive Director role while I was away. It was a busy time for STARS and Karlene did a wonderful job progressing the important work related to the Spinal Impact Analysis and the governance transition of the Oral Health Alliance. I would especially like to thank her for her great support to staff during this period of uncertainty.

I will be continuing to act in the role of Executive Director STARS until August 28. Following on from the recent Expression of Interest for the Director of Nursing (DON) STARS, Ila Stuer has taken over from Ben Hackwood as the Acting DON, until August 28.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ben for covering the DON role and Scott Parkinson for covering the Nursing Director role in GRS for the last 10 weeks and trust you will all extend a warm welcome to Ila.

Staff Shout Out celebrations

Last week we celebrated the first-year anniversary of the Staff Shout Out initiative with a morning tea, featuring balloons, cupcakes and lots of photos. Staff Shout Outs are a wonderful way to recognise the outstanding work done by our fellow colleagues and inspire us to strive for excellence every day.

STARS Urology Team Staff Shout Out celebration

Melissa Rantala from STARS Urology Team

STARS Operations and Support Officer Shout Out celebrations

Glenn McDonald (Manager, STARS Operations), Gary Launt (Patient Support Officer)

STARS Administration and Patient Support Officer Shout Out celebrations

Ben Frost (Administration Officer), Blake Curtis (Patient Support Officer), Molly Vari (Patient Support Officer)

Thank you to everyone who made the event such a memorable one, especially Benjamin Frost, Amanda Ferguson, Glenn McDonald and Allison Welch. Congratulations to Melissa Rantala from STARS Urology Team and the Patient Support Services Team who received multiple Staff Shout Out nominations. I encourage you all to continue nominating exceptional individuals and teams who exemplify our core Values in Action here at STARS.

Institute of Hospitality and Healthcare (IHHC) awards

A big congratulations to the Dietetics and Food Services Team for their recent success at the Institute of Hospitality and Healthcare (IHHC) State awards. Impressively, the team had nominees in every category and even multiple nominees in the Values in Action and Brightest Star categories. The Dietetics and Food Services Team won the Project of the Year Award, Nikole Kypreos took out the Brightest Star Award and Jennifer Ellick received a highly commended in the Leadership Award. Well done to the team for their continued recognition in this area.

Cultural Practice Program

STARS Cultural Capability Officer, Jarrod Parter is running Cultural Practice Program training sessions in the upcoming months for STARS staff. The course will provide practical advice, tools and resources to embed the four guiding principles (respect and recognition, communication, relationships and partnerships and capacity building) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Framework. If you haven’t already participated in this training, I encourage you to do so. Please speak to your line manager about this opportunity. For more information and to register see See TMS for more information and to register.

Spinal Impact Analysis update

The staff engagement work as part of the Spinal Impact Analysis has now been completed. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to contribute, whether it was in the staff engagement sessions or via the staff survey. The project team have compiled a Frequently Asked Question factsheet to answer some of the common questions asked across the staff engagement sessions. Additionally, the vidcast that Jane Hancock and Karlene Willcocks presented on Thursday 6 July is now available as a recording for anyone who didn’t get to see it live. View the vidcast.

The next step is that the project team is working directly with the Department of Health to collate all the information from the impact analysis. The Department of Health team will compile a report for the Director-General, Queensland Health and the Minister for Health by 31 July.

If you need more information or still have questions please email the project team Leah Vegh and Maddison Muir on MNHSpinalImpactAnalysis@health.qld.gov.au or call 0419 316 245.

If staff need support, please reach out to STARS Staff Psychologist, Allison Welch (3647 6942 or Allison.welch@health.qld.gov.au), your line manager, or the Peer Responder Program at STARS. Staff also have access to the Employee Assistance Program, Benestar (1300 360 364).

Kind regards,

Dale.