Helen Boocock, Executive Director, STARS
Christmas staff breakfast
It was so wonderful to see you all at our STARS Staff Christmas breakfast on Tuesday morning. The early time slot was designed to suit those on night shift as well as those beginning their work day. We hope you enjoyed the delicious muffins, croissants and Christmas music. Thank you to everyone who made the morning such a success.
Snack box for staff working Christmas Day
Keeping with the Christmas theme, to show our appreciation to those who are working Christmas Day, we will be providing a snack box with some traditional Christmas favourites. The snack box will include:
- Cold ham and turkey with cranberry sauce
- Garden and pasta salad
- Dinner roll and butter
- Candy cane, bonbon, Christmas napkin and cutlery.
Look out for more details on where you can collect your Christmas snack box closer to the date.
Voluntary Assisted Dying
Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) will be available for eligible Queenslanders from 1 January 2023. In preparation for this date, I would encourage STARS staff to complete the VAD ilearn education module. The module takes approximately 45 minutes and is a valuable tool to learn and understand about Queensland’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021, and our roles and obligations in enabling patient choice to access information about VAD.
To find out more information on VAD you can also attend the vidcast next Thursday at 11.00am to hear from Metro North’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Elizabeth Rushbrook, Executive Director Medicine Stream, Dr Jeffrey Rowland and Program Manager, Medicine Stream, Leah Thompson who will provide updates on VAD legislation. Watch the live stream here.
There is also the opportunity for Senior Medical Officers to become Authorised VAD Practitioners. If you are interested, please submit an application via the portal.
Managing healthcare workers exposed to or with COVID-19
COVID-19 seems to still be very much with us and so a reminder of the return-to-work pathways for a healthcare worker following COVID-19 exposure is timely. The pathways are summarised below:
- A close contact of a positive COVID-19 case may attend the workplace provided they display no symptoms, test for COVID-19 at least every second day and wear a face mask
- An employee who has been positively diagnosed with COVID-19 may return to the workplace provided there has been at least seven days since a positive COVID-19 test, acute respiratory symptoms and fever have resolved, and they are able to comply with any additional infection control measures required
- An employee who has been positively diagnosed with COVID-19 may work from home if they are well enough to do so and the nature of their work supports this.
With Christmas festivities in full swing please remember, where possible, to maintain social distancing and good hand and respiratory hygiene to reduce the chances of COVID-19 transmission.
Dietetics and Food Services team take home the trophies
Lastly, our amazing Dietetics and Food Services team at STARS took out a number of gongs at the recent Institute of Hospitality in HealthCare (IHHC) national awards. A big congratulations to Russell Cooper for winning the Brightest Star award and the STARS team for winning Project of the Year and a Highly Commended in the Rosemary Pirie Award. In addition, our very own STARS Chefs, Rajesh Pundir and Wade Shaw, were awarded Runners Up in the finals of Inaugural Culinary Competition. The judging panel included celebrity chef Luke Mangan and the competition was fierce! Well done to everyone in the Dietetics and Food Services team – to be recognised nationally for your innovation and dedication is a wonderful achievement and testament to all your hard work.
Sincere thanks
For those of you taking a break soon for the Christmas, New Year period a very big thank you from me and the STARS leadership teams for the compassion, diligence and kindness you show every day to our patients and their families and your teams.
Best wishes
Helen