Message from the Acting Executive Director

Medical Leadership Intensive Program

This recently launched program aims to develop the leadership skills of senior medical staff across Metro North. The program helps medical leaders to navigate the challenges of the complex and changing healthcare environment, as well as influence positive change. It is available to Metro North Clinical Directors and Medical Directors. It is delivered in three individual sessions over a 12-week period (one full day and two half days).

To find out more, please email MedicalLeadershipIP_MN@health.qld.gov.au.

Have Your Say survey results

Recently our Executive Leadership Team received feedback from the Metro North Have Your Say staff survey. Our overall response rate was the highest of all Metro North facilities, with a 68% response rate. This is also over a 13% increase from the last survey, so thank you to everyone who participated in the survey. Seventy-seven percent of staff surveyed said that STARS is a truly great place to work which is a wonderful result.

Here is a small selection of STARS results:

Positive areas

• Staff commitment to patient safety
• A safe working environment
• Reliability and perseverance

Areas needing attention

• Meeting staff’s most important expectations
• Fair and equitable workloads
• Access to alternative work arrangements to accommodate work/life balance

Full survey results will be available next month, and these will be rolled out to program areas.

Working for Queensland Survey

The Working for Queensland survey is now open until 17 September 2023. This annual engagement survey explores Queensland Government employees’ day-to-day experiences of work, including things like support within your workgroup and from leaders within your organisation.

To find out more, visit the QHEPS website.

CALD Assist™ app

To commemorate Multicultural Queensland Month and to celebrate Queensland’s cultural diversity, Metro North are launching the use of CALD Assist™. CALD Assist™ is a free app developed by the CSIRO in conjunction with health professionals, interpreters and patients. CALD Assist™ supports staff to ask patients with limited English language proficiency simple questions in low-risk clinical situations. The app is not designed to replace the use of an interpreter. The app features over 250 phrases commonly used during basic care interactions translated and recorded in 10 common languages (Arabic, Cantonese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Mandarin, Serbian, Spanish, Vietnamese and English).

For more information on CALD Assist™ go to QHEPS website.

STARS STEPtember

The Staff Council Healthy Body program are running the inaugural STARS Steptember challenge from 1-30 September. This initiative aims to promote wellness and teamwork within the STARS community through a friendly step count competition. Get a team of 6 together with a bonus 100,000 steps for teams that include 3 distinct roles. There will be a prize for the highest step count and for the most creative team name. For general guidelines and to register your team go online. Get ready to step into a healthier you while having fun and building connections with your fellow STARS colleagues!

Pay it Forward gesture

Last week Glen Sanderson was the recipient of a ‘Pay it Forward’ gesture, a free coffee, as a thank you to STARS staff from a visitor. Pay it forward is an expression for when the recipient of an act of kindness does something kind for someone else, rather than simply accepting or repaying the original good deed.

I encourage everyone to think of a ‘Pay it Forward’ gesture that they could make. It could be paying for someone’s coffee or letting someone in front of you in the queue. Additionally, if you would like to give a shout out to the good work of a colleague, you can do so via the Metro North Staff Shout Outs.

Dancing with the STARS

Over the past two weeks, the Queensland Ballet provided a hands-on demonstration of the therapeutic benefits of dance in the Level 4 ability centre. Staff practiced their pliés and relevés and other ballet moves used in the Queensland Ballet’s community Dance Health programs. Thank you to Zara and Lily from Queensland Ballet for the chance to learn more about your community dance programs and for Haylee Kajewski for organising this great opportunity for staff. We look forward to exploring how Queensland Ballet can partner with STARS in the future.

Kind regards,

Dale.