This week, we have seen changes to our local pandemic response with the transition to Tier 3, as well as broader changes with the further easing of restrictions with regard to quarantine requirements. Please refer to yesterday’s message from the Metro North Incident Controller for details on this.

Please note that Metro North facilities are still considered vulnerable, and therefore will continue to work through the Critically Essential Worker requirements for returning close contact staff to work. Please contact your line manager if you are a close contact, asymptomatic and can return to work.

Please continue to be diligent with social distancing, hand hygiene, PPE, and staying home if unwell. Face masks must be worn as part of Tier 3 requiring all staff involved in direct clinical care to wear P2/N95 masks and goggles, and all other staff to wear a surgical mask. Face-to-face training can resume where essential with a focus on virtual training where possible.

Thank you everyone for your ongoing cooperation with these requirements.

Executive Walkarounds (including a Shout out!)

This week, Director of Allied Health Ewan Kinnear and I took the opportunity to visit Admissions, Switchboard and the Transit Lounge. These busy services are often the first or final point of contact for patients and visitors with our hospital, so play an important role in influencing people’s opinions about our facility. I commend staff in these areas for the wonderful job they do in making sure our patients and visitors have a professional, caring and positive experience of TPCH. A special shout out to the Admissions staff for their extra work in fielding additional front-of-house inquiries from patients and visitors in the absence of our Charlies Angels volunteers due to COVID-19 restrictions. Well done! 

Staff Flu Vaccination Program

A reminder that our 2022 Health Care Worker Influenza Vaccination Program has started.

To get your vaccination:

• Visit the Infection Management Service office on Level 3, Clinical Sciences Building, Monday to Friday, 7am – 4pm
  OR
• Access the mobile trolley going out to clinical areas.  If you wish to book the mobile trolley for a specific date and time, phone 3139 4894.

Note: over 65 vaccinations will not be available from mobile trolley, only the Infection Control Office.

Tips – getting ready to be vaccinated:

1. Bring your Medicare Card
2. Wear short sleeve shirt/clothing
3. Make sure you have had something to eat and drink recently
4. You are feeling well.

Next Tuesday, members of the Executive Leadership Team will be rolling up their sleeves to get their flu vaccination. We’ll be having the mobile trolley come to our fortnightly meeting in the Executive Meeting Room. A big thanks to Janice Geary and other members of the Infection Management Service for their great flexibility and support with this process.

Staff Profile – Paula Mogg

This week, we will profile Rehabilitation and Return To Work Coordinator, Paula Mogg.

Paula’s role is to assist staff to return to work in a safe and sustainable way, following injury or illness. This involves supporting staff and managers through the Workcover claims process, coordinating return to suitable duties or graduated return to work programs, and providing advice on support options.

Having worked in the role for 10 years, Paula values being able to help and support a fellow colleague at their most vulnerable time and on their journey back to full health. Her passion for staff safety has been developed over many years through previous similar roles in the casino and hotel industry, as well as several years in the Navy, where she was involved with electronic warfare and firefighting.

She believes it is important to love the work you do, and do it safely so you can enjoy life outside of work. When not at work, Paula enjoys being outdoors and listening to live music, something she is glad to see the return of after the last couple of years of restrictions.

COVID-19 staff debriefing process

Last week, Metro North launched the next part of its debriefing process around its response COVID-19 response. Staff have the opportunity to provide feedback via a variety of methods including a debrief survey and frontline staff debrief sessions. Details are below:

Survey

The COVID-19 staff debrief survey is a short questionnaire that asks for your reflections, feedback, and ideas about what we have learnt from the pandemic. The survey only takes about four minutes and your input will play a critical part in the development of our Transition to Recovery Plan. The survey will be open for the next two weeks. If you can, please take the survey today.

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Frontline staff debrief sessions

In addition to the debrief survey, frontline staff are invited to attend professional group sessions via Teams.

If you have provided feedback through the debrief survey or your workgroup session, you do not need to attend these sessions unless you would like to provide further feedback.

Click the link to join your session.

Allied Health Staff

• Join on Teams Wednesday 4 May – Midday

Administration, Patient Support Services, Food Services, BEMS, and Facility Services Staff 

• Join on Teams Wednesday 4 May – 2.30 pm

Booster upload reminder

A reminder to record your booster evidence, if you haven’t already done so.
It is likely that many staff have had their booster but have just not had the time, or have simply forgotten to upload the relevant documentation.

You can upload your booster evidence here

Today’s quote

‘As much as talent counts, effort counts twice’ – Angela Duckworth

Tami Photinos
Executive Director