Dale Dally-Watkins, Acting Executive Director
Changes to isolation periods for COVID-19 infection
As you are aware, workers in Queensland Health healthcare facilities have been required to not attend work for a minimum of seven days after testing positive for COVID-19. The Communicable Disease Network Australia has been reviewing the COVID-19 Series of National Guidelines to provide updated guidance on isolation periods for workers in high-risk settings such as healthcare settings.
From Friday 1 September 2023, all Queensland Health facilities implemented the following guidelines for exclusion of staff in high-risk settings:
- Staff should not attend work for a minimum of five days following either the onset of symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test, whichever is earlier.
- Staff should only return to work when they are well.
Have Your Say Staff Survey
The results of the Have your Say Staff Survey will be disseminated throughout September across all areas. Executive members will meet with teams in the future to discuss their results and next steps.
A toolkit has been designed to assist in effectively utilising results of the survey and taking meaningful action within teams, empowering staff to make informed decisions and facilitating positive change. Manager’s toolkit.
As part of the survey, participants could send the Executive Director a “message in a bottle”. I would like to share two of the messages that the STARS Executive Director position received.
Please continue to support us employees in our needs and our own health while we work. We appreciate all the hard work that you do for us, it never goes unnoticed. Thank you!
Thank you for all you do! Greatly appreciate your effort to make people’s life good.
Recruitment for Allied Health Director role
I am very pleased to announce that applications for the Allied Health Director role closed recently and the recruitment process is underway. Thank you to Margie Butnoris who is continuing to act in the Allied Health Director role.
RU OK? Day
Next Thursday, 14 September is RU OK? Day, a national day of action dedicated to reminding everyone that any day is the day to ask, ‘are you OK?’ and support those struggling with life.
Metro North’s RU OK? extranet page provides a range of helpful resources that can assist people to ask the question, deal with responses and take the next steps. Resources include those in other languages and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
You will also find a wonderful interview with Jo Hassan, RU OK? Ambassador and our very own Allison Welch, STARS Staff Psychologist.
You can also attend an online or face-to-face session about how to ask the people you care about the question, R U OK?
- Monday 11 September 12.00pm-1.00pm online session for all staff. Register on TMS.
- Monday 11 September 2.30-3.30pm, RBWH Education Centre, Herston.
Kind regards,
Dale.