Dale Dally-Watkins, Acting Executive Director
This month we have recognised a number of significant health appreciation days, including World Sepsis Day (13 September) and R U OK? Day (14 September). Thank you to staff at STARS for participating in these events. While awareness days are a great way of highlighting a health concern, it is important to remember these issues are ongoing and we should be mindful of them throughout the year.
If you want more information on sepsis, you can watch this video, contact STARSIMPSCNC@health.qld.gov.au or order a ‘Could it be Sepsis’ shirt to wear.
In addition, if you did have a conversation with someone as part of R U OK? Day, remember to also check-in with them again in the near future.
Repeal of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate update
Following a period of consultation, the Director General has made a decision to repeal HED 12/21 on the requirement for the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination of Queensland Health staff. The Director General’s decision has taken into consideration the advice from ATAGI and the CHO as well the feedback provided by staff and our industrial partners during consultation. Metro North will begin to implement changes to support the repeal of the Directive over coming weeks.
Workforce Reform Roadmap Roadshows
Metro North Health continues to explore how we can address workload demands and the global shortages of healthcare workers.
Metro North’s Workforce Reform Roadmap has been co-designed by our people, external partners and workforce experts. It aims to support our employees by creating new and innovative ways to build and retain talent and innovate new ways to deliver our service. The Roadmap outlines critical programs of work over the next 10 years to drive workforce reform and create a sustainable workforce into the future.
The People and Culture team is hosting 12 Roadmap Roadshows at locations across Metro North, including two dates at STARS.
STARS 16 October 3.00 – 4.00pm, Room 115-101 (joint). STARS 1 November 10.00 – 11.00am, Room 115-101 (joint).
Staff Council update
As you may know, Alana Paviour and Kristiana McFarlane are stepping down as Staff Council Co-Chairs. Alana has recently taken a secondment and Kristiana will be off on maternity leave at the end of November. I would like to thank them for all their hard work in getting the Staff Council established at STARS and providing a voice for staff. Congratulations to Oliver Mason for taking on the role of Chair. Oliver will be Co-Chairing with Kristiana before she goes on her maternity leave.
STEPtember
Staff at STARS have been participating in the inaugural STEPtember challenge, organised by the Staff Council Healthy Body Program. The challenge aims to promote wellness and teamwork within the STARS community through a friendly step-count competition. We have 25 teams participating (150 people) and the competition is fierce! At the half way mark, the Walkaholics team (Jedd Leahy, Kyle Gardner, Lilian Emery, Olivia Leigh, Hannah Kujanpaa and Tess Marshall) are in the lead. The highest stepper so far is Michael Hunter from the Active Ingredients Team. I look forward to bringing you the winners in my next message. Get stepping everyone!
Cupcake Competition and Bake Sale
I am pleased to announce that we are holding our first ever Cupcake Competition and Bake Sale on Wednesday 18 October 2023. There will be two categories you can enter, Best Tasting and Best Decorated cupcake, with the decorating theme being ‘Celestial’. All entrants will need to provide a minimum of six (6) cupcakes. Following judging, the cupcakes will be be sold at our Bake Sale, with all proceeds going to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation. You are also very welcome to donate cupcakes for sale if you don’t wish to enter your cupcakes for judging. Look out for more details in next week’s bulletin, including links to guidelines and the nomination form. Kind regards,
Dale.