Tami Photinos, Executive Director
Tami participated in the Tour De Brisbane cycle along with Director of Allied Health, Perry Judd
This week I’d like to talk about the importance of coming together to achieve positive outcomes.
I was reminded about this last weekend when I participated in the Tour De Brisbane cycle along with Director of Allied Health, Perry Judd. Close to 6,000 people from across Australia and beyond came together to ride their bikes in support of lifesaving research at TPCH. Whether they rode with the intent to ride the furthest, the hardest, or just to enjoy a leisurely Sunday cycle, we all joined together for the common good of research and raised just over $68,000! A great effort! And hopefully they had fun doing it!
Working in health care is no different. We come together every day with the shared purpose of providing excellent patient care. We each have different skills and qualities that support the successful running of our hospital. In the undertaking of our technical tasks, we also develop personal connections with colleagues that can help make the challenges of our work more manageable.
Just think, many of us spend as much or more time with our colleagues, than we do with our loved ones! That’s why it’s important to create a positive, compassionate and respectful environment where we work together for our patients and support each other in the process. I talk about this because when we are busy and feeling pressure like we are right now, we can overlook these personal connections because they take time and energy. Making a small effort to connect and care can make a big difference to how we perform at work, which translates
into better patient care and a more uplifting environment for everyone.
Executive update
Executive walkarounds
Last Friday, Sue Bullock, Cherie Franks and I visited the QuEST (Quality Effectiveness Support Team) service to speak with staff about their current activities and challenges. QuEST is responsible for managing and providing equipment to clinical areas at TPCH, and supports 135 different types of equipment. Thanks to the QuEST team for taking the time to speak to us and for coordinating the annual April No Falls month ward decoration competition. Members of our Executive team were pleased to join QuEST on the judging panel and view the creative work of our wards in promoting falls prevention. Congratulations to the CAM Unit who won the competition and thanks to all wards that participated.
Director of Operations Surgery and Critical Care, Melanie Dubbelde and I took our newest Executive member, Director of Operations Heart and Lung, Drew Kear on a tour of the ICU as part his general introduction to TPCH. We were grateful to Dr Jayshree Lavana, Dr Dinesh Palmar and Vanessa Rainbow for taking the time to show us around, especially during this peak period.
TPCH’s Emergency Codes and Preparedness Expo held last Friday was a chance for staff to learn about emergency codes, readiness and the roles that support emergency responses across TPCH. It was great to see so many staff in attendance, and I even took the opportunity to revise my first response evacuation instructions with the assistance of TPCH’s Fire Advisor, Danny MacGregor. I big thanks to Tenille King, Manager of Emergency Preparedness for her efforts in coordinating this important event.
The Expo was a good reminder for staff to keep up to date with their mandatory training. Did you know that you can complete your mandatory training on your personal device by downloading the Cornerstone SBX app? Accessing TMS via this app allows greater flexibility in completing mandatories as you don’t need to be at a computer. Instructions on how to download the SBX app are here.
QuEST visit
CAM Unit – April No Falls
ICU visit
Emergency Codes and Preparedness Expo
Health Equity
In July 2022, Metro North Health reaffirmed its commitment towards achieving health parity by 2033 and committed to prioritising actions to achieving equity in healthcare and service delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Our Journey Towards Health Equity, Metro North Health Equity Strategy 2022-2025 provides the pathway for cultural change and consists of five priority areas for inclusion in our local strategy:
1. Actively eliminate racial discrimination and institutional racism within the service.
2. Increasing access to healthcare services.
3. Delivering sustainable, culturally safe and responsive healthcare services.
4. Influencing the social, cultural and economic determinants of health.
5. Working with First Nations peoples, communities and organisations to design, deliver, monitor and review health services.
Journey to Equity Community Event
This week, Kieran Costigan, Manager Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services TPCH, some of his key staff and I attended Metro North Health’s Journey to Equity Community Event. This event provided the opportunity to continue to learn about how we can create real changes in our health services to make them more culturally safe and responsive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members. It was also a chance for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members to meet the new members of the Metro North Board and the Metro North Executive team. The session highlighted that while there is much work to be done in our health equity journey, we are making positive progress through having open and transparent discussions.
Further to this, the Chief Executive has committed an annual allocation of funding to strengthen our efforts towards Our Journey Towards Health Equity. All services are encouraged to put forward a funding application that align to priority principles of eliminate institutional barriers, re-shape the system, transform care and strengthen the workforce.
You can find information on how to apply and the criteria online or contact the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Team.
Hospital Expansion Executive Group (HEEG)
The first meeting of the Hospital Expansion Executive Group (HEEG) was held earlier this week. The HEEG includes representatives from TPCH Executive and is a regular governance meeting with TPCH Expansion Project team about upcoming milestones and project activities. A key focus of the HEEG is to provide clinical and non-clinical advice and guidance to the project team across a range of topics and process steps, throughout the life of TPCH Expansion project. The HEEG will support the project team to manage risks and realise opportunities associated with the new design phase, early works and construction works, as well as change requests and activities to progress Service Readiness and Operational Commissioning. I have been nominated as Chair of the HEEG and am confident this group will ensure the expansion project meets the needs of our patients, visitors and staff.
Senior Nurses Planning Day
Also this week, I attended TPCH’s Senior Nurses Planning Day. The day was an excellent opportunity for nurse leaders to come together and learn about the achievements, initiatives and challenges of nursing services across TPCH, as well as discuss key issues including workforce planning, clinical supervision and leadership communication. A very interesting and constructive session.
A reminder that nominations for TPCH’s annual nursing excellence awards are currently open and close on Friday 26 April. Nominate here.
TPCH Administrative Professionals Excellence Awards
Nominations are now open for TPCH’s annual Administrative Professionals Excellence Awards 2024. These awards recognise those administrative staff who make a significant contribution to TPCH and who demonstrate a strong commitment to our organisational values.
Award categories are:
- Values in Action – Respect
- Values in Action – Integrity
- Values in Action – Compassion
- Values in Action – High Performance
- Values in Action – Teamwork.
Awards will be presented as part of Administrative Professionals Day on 3 May, starting at 9am outside TPCH Administration Hub. Nominations are now open and close on Friday 26 April. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday 1 May. Nominate here.
Staff influenza vaccination program
With winter on the way, staff are reminded to protect themselves early by accessing the Staff Influenza Vaccination program which has now commenced. Staff can obtain their free vaccination by visiting the Infection Control Unit Monday to Friday, 7am to 4pm on Level 3, Clinical Sciences Building. Areas can also book the flu trolley by contacting Infection Control on phone 3139 4894 or email: TPCHInfectionManagementService@health.qld.gov.au Separate vaccinations are available for over 65s and under 65s.
Car parking update
New temporary staff-only car park
As staff are aware, parking constraints are being felt by our patients and visitors, as well as our staff. We are exploring a number of strategies to relieve parking pressures, including a new temporary staff-only car park (car park 67) that will be located on the grassed area near the Helipad.
Preliminary works, including relocation of a small number of trees, is due to commence in the coming months. When constructed, car park 67 will be a great choice for our day shift staff (Monday to Friday) as it will help to free up parking closer to the hospital for our afternoon and evening shift staff, who finish work at night and walk to their cars in the dark. Works are due to commence in the coming weeks. The new car park will include 63 new parking bays and a range of security measures, including swipe-card boom-gate access and lighting. Car park 67 is due for completion in the coming months.
I will continue to provide updates on the construction of this new car park and will share the completion date once confirmed.
Westfield Chermside
Staff have until COB today to express their interest in taking up an offsite parking opportunity at Westfield Chermside. TPCH has organised access to 150 designated roof top car parks between Monday and Friday to a nominated group of TPCH staff.
Car parking would be guaranteed and provided at no cost to staff. A free shuttle bus would be available to take staff to and from Westfield to TPCH from 6.00am to 9:00am and again from 2:30pm to 5:30pm weekdays, running every 20 minutes.
Access to the car park would be through the Westfield app where staff would need to register their vehicle. This opportunity is best suited to day workers commencing their shift between 6:30am and 9:30am weekdays.
Staff can express their interest in taking up this opportunity by emailing: TPCH_CorporateServices@health.qld.gov.au by COB today, Friday 19 April.
Staff profile
Today we will profile Clinical Nurse Infection Management Service, Emily Golder. Emily is responsible for isolating patients with Multi-Resistant Organisms (MROs), respiratory and diarrheal illnesses. She delivers education to staff about the isolation and PPE requirements while caring for these patients, and is also currently assisting her colleagues with the annual influenza vaccination trolley.
Having worked at TPCH for the last six years including in the hospital’s Infectious Diseases Ward, Emily is passionate about vaccination awareness and educating staff and patients about the importance of infection prevention and control. She values being part of a fantastic team which contributes to the safety and protection of staff at TPCH, and particularly likes the team’s new fun “bug” scrub tops.
Outside of work Emily enjoys spending time with her family and friends and completing home renovations with her partner.
Closing thought
In the spirit of teamwork and connection, I’d like to share this photo which was taken during a staff lunch within the Nursing Workforce and Education team. While I genuinely didn’t intend to gate crash the event and just happened to be passing by at the time, it was wonderful to see staff coming together, appreciating each other and sharing some joy (not to mention some yummy food!).
“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” – Dr Brenė Brown
“Gratitude is an antidote to negative emotions, a neutralizer of envy, hostility, worry and irritation. It is savouring; it is not taking things for granted; it is present-oriented.” – Sonja Lynbomirsky
Tami.