Message from the Executive Director

Tami Photinos, Executive Director

Allied Health staff celebrating RUOK? Day

Yesterday was RUOK? Day, which called on all of us to let the people we care about know we’re here, and really hear them. It was fantastic to see a number of events happening at TPCH as part of the day, including a barbeque lunch in the Allied Health Department, an RUOK? How to Ask session in the Education Centre, an RUOK? station in the Internal Medicine Service and a stand in the Cafe for the Common Good.

I enjoyed attending the special edition RUOK? Day TPCH Grand Rounds, which was presented by Infectious Diseases Staff Specialist Dr Kanthi Vemuri. I even had the opportunity for a game of ping pong with some allied health staff members!

TPCH Staff Excellence Awards

There’s only a few days left to nominate for our TPCH Staff Excellence Awards, with nominations closing 5pm, Monday 18 September 2023. Don’t miss out on telling us who you think deserves recognition for their outstanding work.

Categories are:

• People Focus
• Values in Action
• Innovation
• Excellence in Integrated Care
• Excellence in Performance
• Excellence in Training and Education
• Leadership
• First Nation Staff
• Improving First Nations Health
• Rising Star of Research
• Research Support
• Research Partnership

For more information about the awards, go to TPCH Staff Excellence Awards QHEPS page.

Nominate here 

Executive update

This week, Director of Operations, Surgery and Critical Care, Melanie Dubbelde and I visited Ward 2E. I had the pleasure of meeting patient Aung Lin who had recently undergone successful double bypass surgery led by Dr Livia Williams who was present for the visit. Aung and his two daughters Wai and Ma Nwe Mar (who happens to be a nurse at TPCH), were all very happy with the treatment received on the ward, praising the staff for their wonderful care. Thanks to Acting Nurse Unit Manager Vanessa Rainbow and A/Nursing Director, Surgery and Critical Care, Paula Ve for taking the time to show us around the ward – we appreciate your time. You can read more about Ward 2E in the Fast Facts below.

Have your Say survey 

Another common issue raised by staff through the survey, is working arrangements. Here is some further feedback received in relation to this issue and our response.

Infrastructure update

It’s been a busy month in the infrastructure space at TPCH.

Lighting
We have conducted a campus wide lighting audit to replace, clean and improve lighting. A regular audit schedule has been put in place to maintain our lighting. Staff are encouraged to report any incidences of inadequate lighting via Riskman.

Carpark
You will have seen work has commenced on the multi-storey car park. Unfortunately, it commenced when Brisbane routinely experiences the “Ekka winds”. This resulted in the site being quite dusty. We have been working with Multiplex as they employ best construction industry practices and control measures onsite to minimise the generation of dust. They are regularly monitoring dust and are setting up a monitor in the carpark in the front of the hospital entrance to track dust in the air.

Some staff have expressed concern around the clearing of bushland surrounding the car park site (Beneke’s Bush). The site was selected for a number of reasons, including the fact that it is not a protected area and does not include any protected plants or animals. It was necessary to remove a portion of trees and remnant growth to enable safe construction of the car park. The decision to remove vegetation was made following discussion with Brisbane City Council and considered two environmental audits which were undertaken in April 2017 and May 2023. Once the car park construction is complete, Metro North will revegetate an area greater than what was cleared.

Short Stay Unit
We are excited to see Practical Completion of the new Short Stay Unit in the ED. We anticipate the formalities for building certification will happen shortly so we can commence using this space for patients. I would like to thank everyone involved in creating the short stay unit as well as all the staff for their patience during the build.

Lift refurbishments
Lift refurbishments are continuing in the Administration Building (building 7) and the Clinical Services Building (building 3), with the work tracking well.

Campus safety
I’d like to bring a few safety items to your attention:

• Please be mindful of your speed when driving on the TPCH gazetted roadways. Unless signed, our roadway speed limits are 20km/hr and extra care and attention is required with the construction works onsite at the moment.
• With Spring comes magpie season, which usually lasts for six weeks from August to October. All staff, patients and visitors are reminded to be vigilant of magpies swooping. Here are some tips to protect you while at work:
  • Travel in groups, as swooping magpies usually only target individuals
  • Carry an open umbrella or wear a hat and sunglasses
  • Walk your bike through magpie territory
  • Walk, don’t run
  • Avoid making eye contact with birds
  • Alert your Line Manager if you identify an area with a swooping magpie so notices can be placed to warn others

TPCH Expansion project
The Prince Charles Hospital Expansion project is about to enter the Schematic Design phase and the project team is seeking expressions of interest from TPCH staff to get involved in the design process. Schematic Design is one of the first opportunities for clinical and non-clinical users to contribute to the clinical design process of TPCH Expansion through a series of User Group workshops. I encourage all staff who are interested in getting involved to submit an EOI. Read the EOI for more information and register your interest with the project team by next Friday, 22 September.

TPCH Capital Espansion – EOI (health.qld.gov.au)

FAST FACTS

This week, we’ll profile Ward 2E.

Did you know?

• Ward 2E is 29-bed specialist acute cardiac and transplant surgical ward.
• The ward consists of over 50 nursing staff who work with nine consultant medical teams to support the treatment of surgical patients, where the average length of stay is 7.3 days
• The cardiac surgical service performs approximately 1,100 surgical cases each year, across the full range of procedures including congenital cardiac procedures and the innovative Personalised External Aortic Root Support (PEARS) procedure.
• The ward has 16 telemetry monitoring systems which enable staff to monitor patients in their pre-operative and post-operative hospital journey.
• The department is involved in multiple research projects relating to optimising unwell patients for surgery, infection reduction, blood usage management and best post operative mobility strategies.
• The team prides itself on creating a surgical journey by delivering excellence in cardiac surgical care through engaging patients and family, exceptional communication, teamwork, and evidence-based care.

Staff profile

Today we’ll profile Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Dr Livia Williams. A consultant surgeon for the past seven years, Livia is involved with scheduled and unplanned emergency surgeries. In addition to daily ward rounds which includes ICU, Livia conducts two outpatient clinics each week – one for general Cardiac Surgery and one for Aortic patients – her specialty area of interest. She also consults at the Sunshine Coast University and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospitals, and when on-call, receives referrals for emergency surgery across Queensland.

Completing a Cardiothoracic Fellowship at the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, Livia has had the opportunity to learn from a variety of talented surgeons including Dr George Matalantis and Dr Peter Tesar. Together she and Dr Tesar established Australia’s first formal Personalised External Aortic Root Support (PEARS) program at TPCH in 2019, which has revolutionised the way in which patients with aortic aneurysms are treated surgically, and importantly has given them the freedom to live their lives. As a result of this initiative, Livia has been awarded the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons David Thiele Lecture for 2023.

As Queensland’s only female cardiothoracic surgeon, Livia enjoys the intricacy, delicacy and precision that surgery offers, finding satisfaction in the physical practice of surgery and the flow of operating in a high-pressure environment.  For Livia, the change she sees in her patients post operatively is immensely rewarding and motivating.

In what little spare time she has, Livia enjoys watching arthouse cinema.

Shout out

This week’s shout out goes to our Ventricular Assist Device team, for the following letter of gratitude received from a patient currently awaiting a heart transplant. This letter highlights the wonderful care, support and expertise provided by this dedicated team to patients during what can be a very uncertain and emotional journey. Well done team, with a special mention going to Airlie Hogan who inspired the patient to write to us.

Today’s quote

“Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.” – Orison Swett Marden

Tami.