Message from the Executive Director

I’m back on deck this week after spending a week in Wellington, New Zealand. It was a good chance to recharge and enjoy a change of scenery. As many of you would know, I’ve taken intermittent leave over the last few months for family reasons including organising the placement of my elderly father into a nursing home. I’m now ready to focus on the busy year ahead at TPCH, with this most recent period of leave being my last for awhile.

Today is International Women’s Day when we celebrate the many achievements of women and girls across the world. This day reminds us that women are breaking barriers and achieving great things every day across all parts of our society – health, economics, politics, culture, education, science, military – the list goes on!

We just need to look around at the many talented and dedicated women across TPCH who contribute to the delivery of high quality and innovative health care services to our patients.

In my role as Executive Director, I am fortunate to work alongside numerous women who bring many different strengths, skills and qualities to the table, which make them a great asset to TPCH and our patients. Happy International Women’s Day!

Executive update

This week, I attended a mid-year review meeting hosted by MN Chief Operating Officer (COO), Jane Hancock and attended by other Executive Directors (EDs) from across the health service. While EDs meet on a weekly basis with the COO, this was the first time coming together as a group to discuss our facility performances on a broader scale. The meeting provided the opportunity to share our facility successes and challenges as well as lessons learned based on our performances over the last six months. We also had the chance to talk about how we as EDs, can collaborate with other facilities to improve specific outcomes.

This morning Acting Director of Operations EPIC Geoff Grima and I visited the Medical Imaging Department where we had the chance to chat with staff.

We said hello to the administration staff and also spoke with some of radiographers about the current high demands on the service and future modelling with the planned hospital expansion This busy department images and treats over 120,000 patients each year and also hosts imaging services for the Kallangur and Caboolture Satellite Hospitals, with Bribie Island Satellite Hospital coming on board this year. Thank you to the team for your time today.

Infrastructure update

Yesterday we hosted a staff information session about TPCH Expansion Project and other key infrastructure projects underway on our campus including the new multi-storey car park and the Mental Health Crisis Stabilisation Unit.

As these projects progress, we will host more regular forums and updates to keep staff well informed about various changes and impacts.

For more information about these projects visit: Infrastructure Planning Activities | The Prince Charles Hospital (health.qld.gov.au)

FAST FACTS

This week we’ll profile TPCH Lung Screening team.

Did you know?

• 

  Lung Screening team

  The Lung Screening team is responsible for coordinating national and international trials that look at the early detection of lung cancer, Australia’s leading cause of cancer deaths.

• Screening for lung cancer has been shown both nationally and internationally to improve early diagnosis and outcomes for patients receiving early treatment.
• Lung screening trials undertaken at TPCH have informed Cancer Australia and the National Lung Screening Program which will be implemented in 2025.
• The team includes two Thoracic physicians, five Lung Cancer Research Nurses and members of the University of Queensland Thoracic Research Centre at TPCH.
• Thoracic Physicians, Professor Kwun Fong and Associate Professor Henry Marshall have been responsible for leading the Queensland Lung Screening Trial (2007-2015) and the International Lung Screen Trial (2016 – current).
• Professor Kwun Fong is the principal investigator on the Australian Lung Screen Trial which is investigating lung cancer screening in three different populations. – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; Never or Light Smokers; and People at risk of developing lung cancer from a range of geographic and socioeconomic communities.
• Associate Professor Henry Marshall is the principal investigator on the Screen to Quit and MaxUp trials investigating lung screening with smoking cessation.

Staff profile

This week we’ll profile Operational Support Officer, John Godfrey. Having worked in TPCH’s Adult Intensive Care Unit for the past 14 years, John is responsible for providing non-clinical support to clinicians in relation to patient handling and transportation, waste and linen removal, and cleaning.

John enjoys the variety of his role and is passionate about helping others, especially in the ICU environment where patients are critically unwell and often at a low point in their lives. He values respect, accountability, compassion and empathy towards patients and their families, always appreciating the gift of good health.

Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with family as well running, photography, reading, music and travel.

Shout out

This week’s shout out goes to Patient Support Officer, Alvin Bernabe who recently received the following compliment from a patient.

“Alvin the cleaner took so much pride in his ward cleaning, making sure it sparked.”

Alvin, who has worked at TPCH since 2019, is currently a ward cleaning reliever and is also trained as a Theatre Support Officer. He is a well-respected member of the Patient Support Services team, and is passionate about his responsibility and achieving the best outcomes for patients and staff. He is considered an asset to TPCH by his peers. Well done Alvin!

This week’s other shout out goes to volunteer Don Murchie who finishes up today after 12 years of generous service to TPCH. Don, who is also a member of the hospital’s Consumer Engagement Network has volunteered across a number of services including Mental Health, Charlies Angels and the Heart Patients Support Association. He has also participated in consumer activities such as the annual Christmas decoration competition, Outpatients Committee and various consumer workshops.

Don, who is known for his sharp wit and sense of humour, has a personal connection with TPCH through his and his family’s experiences of receiving care at TPCH. He has greatly valued the opportunity to make a difference to the patient experience though his ideas and experiences.

TPCH and The Common Good thank Don for his dedicated service to the hospital and we wish him all the best.

Today’s quote
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” – Muhammad Ali

Tami.