Tami Photinos, Acting Chief Operating Officer

Thank you to everyone who has warmly welcomed me into the Acting Chief Operating Officer role while Jane Hancock is Acting Chief Executive. It is always a great opportunity to gain a broader view of Metro North’s current operations and I know this knowledge will continue to be beneficial when I return to my Executive Director role at TPCH.

Over the last fortnight I have been getting out and about across Metro North, visiting COH, Caboolture, Redcliffe, RBWH and the Public Health Unit and as part of their performance meetings. I look forward to visiting TPCH and the Mental Health Directorate next week.

Caboolture Satellite Hospital opening

This coming Monday 31 July, Metro North are holding a Community Open Day for the Caboolture Satellite Hospital. The celebration will be on from 10.30am-1.30pm and will include food trucks, roaming entertainment, live music, facility tours and health service information stalls.

The opening of the Caboolture Satellite Hospital is an exciting development for Caboolture, which is one of the fastest growing areas in the State. The Satellite Hospital will include a mixture of new and existing services including the Minor Injury and Illness Clinic, medical imaging, oral health, mental health, sleep services and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Hub.

The Minor Injury and Illness Clinic will provide free walk-in urgent care for illness and injuries, not anticipated to be life-threatening in nature. The types of conditions it will treat will include strains and sprains, broken bones, infections and rashes, toothache, minor head injuries, fever, earache, allergies and minor cuts and burns. The clinic will see adults and children over three months of age.

The Caboolture Satellite Hospital will be open 7 days a week from 8am to 10pm, from Thursday 3 August 2023.

Take a virtual tour of the new Caboolture Satellite Hospital.

The Caboolture Satellite Hospital is the first of three Satellite Hospitals to open, with the Kallangur Satellite Hospital opening later this year and the Bribie Island Hospital due to open early next year. The Satellite Hospitals are part of a Queensland Government investment of $376.9 million.

Spinal Impact Analysis

As some of you will be aware, there is currently a review of the Queensland Spinal Cord Injuries Service (QSCIS) at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, including the possibility of a temporary relocation of the service to STARS. A project team has recently finished an Impact Analysis including a series of staff engagement sessions at STARS and meetings with other key stakeholders across STARS, RBWH and the broader HHS. Thank you to everyone who participated in these sessions. The Department of Health will now compile a report for the Director-General, Queensland Health and the Minister for Health, for the end of July.

“One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others” – Lewis Carroll

Tami.