Tami Photinos, Executive Director, The Prince Charles Hospital
Thank you to all staff for everything you’ve been doing to keep yourselves as healthy and as safe as possible in the current environment. We have many staff away at present due to illness and being a close contact which is placing additional pressures on our already busy services.
Unfortunately earlier this week, I joined TPCH’s cohort of furloughed staff after testing positive to COVID-19 as a result of transmission from a family member. Although it is regrettable we have so many staff away from the workplace, the upside is that much of the transmission is occurring outside of the hospital, rather than internally from staff member to staff member.
This highlights our diligence as a team to following the guidelines which have been put in place to keep us and our patients safe. So well done everyone and I wish everyone who is currently unwell, a speedy recovery.
From next week, I will be returning to Metro North to undertake the Acting Chief Operating Officer role for a two-week period. During this time, the responsibilities of TPCH Executive Director role will be shared between relevant Executive members, however I will continue to action high level approvals. I look forward to seeing the team on my return to TPCH!
Staff Profile
Dr Paul Lane
This week we will profile Medical Director, Safety Quality and Innovation, Dr Paul Lane. In this role, Paul works closely with TPCH’s Safety and Quality, and Consumer Liaison teams to help with managing clinical incidents and complaints and working out next steps in the process.
Paul bring extensive experience to the role, through his current posting as Clinical Excellence Queensland’s Co-medical lead for the Queensland Sepsis Program, as well as his previous appointment as Director of Medical Services for Rural and Indigenous Health, Townsville Hospital and Health Service. He has also held other clinical roles as an intensivist and general physician.
Paul enjoys working with the teams at TPCH to support system improvements to produce better care outcomes for patients. He values respect and is passionate about patient safety and improving the health care experience for patients, families and carers.
In his spare time, Paul plays golf, keeps fit and also dabbles in some artificial intelligence projects.
Donate Life Week
Donate Life Week runs from this Sunday 24 July until Sunday 31 July. The week plays a vital role in encouraging more Australians to register to become an organ and tissue donor. It is particularly significant for us here at TPCH, with our dedicated heart and lung transplant teams who rely on the generosity of organ donors to be able to give patients a second chance at life through transplantation. The process of transplantation requires immense commitment, skill and coordination from many staff – from the time a patient is listed for a transplant, while they wait and prepare, the transplant surgery itself, and the ongoing care and support needed following. But all of this is only made possible through the gift of organ donation. To find out more about how to register to become an organ donor, go to www.donatelife.gov.au or scan the QR code below.
To launch Donate Life Week, TPCH has a team of six nursing staff competing in the Great Race to Register this Sunday, to help raise awareness of organ and tissue donation. Starting at the Queensland Parliamentary Annexe, this completely outdoor event will see teams undertaking a fun physical and mental obstacle course throughout the CBD (in a socially distanced format) with all activities themed around transplant and organ donation.
We wish our team all the best and thank them for flying the flag for TPCH and organ donation!
Some members of the CAM Unit team during a previous executive walkaround
Shout out
This week’s shout out goes the Cognitive Assessment and Management (CAM) Unit team for their extraordinary efforts over the last nine months in caring for an extremely complex patient who was recently discharged from the unit. Staff showed commitment and persistence in supporting the patient’s unique needs, and always went above and beyond to provide the necessary care and assistance. This has been a huge team effort supported by the entire CAM Unit, Ward 1F, and other staff in the hospital, and your efforts are applauded! Well done!
Today’s quote
“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did” – Newt Gingrich.
Tami Photinos
Executive Director