Tami Photinos, Executive Director, The Prince Charles Hospital
We’ve reached the end of another week and I would like to thank everyone for their great work.
Doing great work in the current environment is no easy task, as each day we are presented with new challenges to respond to, to ensure we can continue caring for our patients safely. I think I speak for many of us when I say that working in health care, particularly at this time, tests us – it requires endurance, commitment, and compassion – not only for our patients, but for our colleagues and ourselves. It is easy to forget to look after ourselves, when we are so focused on looking after others.
In saying this, I would like to commend everyone on continuing to support our local COVID-19 response. I appreciate the extraordinary efforts staff have invested at all levels, and understand the professional and personal resilience it takes to continue working in this current environment. So well done to the whole TPCH team!
Next week in my updates, we hope to showcase some TPCH services that are not COVID-19 related, so if have a great story or photo, please let us know.
Today’s spotlight
Fever Clinic Team
TPCH established its Fever Clinic at the beginning of the pandemic in April 2020. Since this time, the Fever Clinic team has completed over 82,000 PCR tests for the general public and staff.
The Clinic’s activity has increased considerably this year with the rise in community transmissions, with the Clinic seeing 14,341 people in the first 34 days of 2022. This alone equates to 35% of the total number of people seen in 2021!
In response to an increasing number of positive cases among our workforce, TPCH established a dedicated Staff Testing Clinic in January in Outpatients B to accompany the Public Fever Clinic at the Chermside Community Health Centre. This has allowed TPCH to provide a more timely testing service to our staff and community, and support staff in their return to work.
The Fever Clinic team has displayed commitment and resilience throughout the Clinic’s operation, standing on the frontline to support our community through this pandemic. We applaud them for their outstanding efforts!
Members of TPCH Fever Clinic team
Change to Staff Testing Clinic Hours
From Monday 7 February, TPCH Staff Testing Clinic hours will change. New hours will be 8am to 12 noon, 7 days a week.
Note: Staff Testing Clinic hours will be the same for this weekend (5 and 6 February) – 7am to 2pm.
Public Fever Clinic hours will remain the same – 8.30am to 4pm, 7 days.
Heart and Lung Clinic recognised
Some great news! TPCH’s Heart and Lung Clinic has been ranked by Newsweek, as number 43 for the World Best Specialised Hospitals 2022 for Cardiology, and notably, number 1 for Australia. This is a fantastic accolade and demonstrates how accomplished and talented our cardiology and thoracic teams are. It shows that patients who come to TPCH’s Heart and Lung Clinic can be assured of receiving world class care. Well done!
Final reminder – Vaccination Clinic relocating from Monday
From this Monday 7 February, TPCH COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic will relocate to the Infection Control Unit on Level 3, Clinical Sciences Building.
TPCH Pfizer Vaccine Clinic will operate from 1pm – 4pm, Mondays and Thursdays. This Clinic is for TPCH staff only and will require an appointment. To book an appointment, please contact Infection Management on 3139 4894 and provide your name, mobile phone number and preferred appointment date and time. A vaccination nurse will contact you to confirm your appointment details.
Extended Café Operating Hours
A reminder that The Café for The Common Good has extended its trading hours for the main café. Until the end of February, the café will be open until 8.00pm, Monday to Friday.
Small act of kindness
To end this week’s message, I would like to share an experience of a TPCH staff member which shows that a little kindness between colleagues can go a long way.
Michelle Pieper from our Indigenous Hospital Liaison Service had been working on the concierge at the Administration Building and arrived at work one morning to find a small gift of goodies waiting for her. The gift was from a co-worker, Patsi Mawn who thought it would be nice way to show her support and give her colleague a morale boost. Well it worked, with Michelle being overwhelmed by the gesture. It certainly made her day!
L to r: Patsi Mawn (Indigenous Outreach Respiratory Clinic) and Michelle Pieper
(Indigenous Hospital Liaison Service)
This story shows us that even a small act of kindness, can have a big impact on a colleague, so we should all take the time to find small ways in our day to support and appreciate each other. It could be as simple as a kind word or text message, or just checking in with someone, to make sure they’re okay. It all makes a difference.
My quote for today
“A simple smile, or good morning, could change someone else’s entire mood today. Practice being pleasant” – Mama Zara
Tami Photinos
Executive Director