{"id":18737,"date":"2024-01-05T14:57:09","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T04:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/extranet\/?p=18737"},"modified":"2024-02-15T10:04:56","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T00:04:56","slug":"ed-stars-20240105","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/extranet\/facility-messages\/ed-stars-20240105","title":{"rendered":"Message from the Executive Director"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Dale

Dale Dally-Watkins, Executive Director<\/p><\/div>\n

Happy New Year<\/h2>\n

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season and managed to find some time to recharge. For those who worked over the Christmas and New Year period, thank you so much for caring for our patients and permitting colleagues time away to spend with their family and friends \u2013 it is very much appreciated.<\/p>\n

A big thank you also to the Dietetics and Food Services team for providing patients with a memorable Christmas meal, complete with festive touches such as bonbons and Christmas napkins\/cutlery. Even those patients requiring texture modified food did not miss out, with great care and attention taken to plan an appropriate menu, in conjunction with the Speech Pathology Team.<\/p>\n

One of my resolutions for 2024, and I imagine one popular with others, is to achieve a better work\/life balance. I plan to walk early each morning and soak in the quiet sounds of nature as well as plan a couple of holidays over the year to spend travelling (my great love) and routine catch ups with my family and friends. If you are not one for New Year\u2019s resolutions as such, the start of a new year is still a great time to reflect on what you did last year that was enjoyable and how to schedule more of those activities in 2024. It might be travel, pursuing a particular hobby or catching up more with friends or relatives.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"STARS

STARS texture modified Christmas menu including moulded puree roast turkey, pureed\/minced potato, broccoli, beans and gravy followed by pureed plum pudding and custard.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Safe removal of Christmas decorations<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve noticed we still have a few Christmas decorations up around STARS. Just a friendly reminder to be very careful when taking down Christmas decorations from walls, timber panelling, ceiling tiles, etc., to limit any potential damage to the building. Staff are reminded that the use of sticky tape and blu-tack on any surface other than glass or laminate is not permitted at STARS. Any damage to the building will result in a rectification cost to STARS as tenants of the building.<\/p>\n

\"STARSPatient Ben home for Christmas<\/h3>\n

It is always wonderful to see our long-term patients leave for home and this was the case with Ben, one of our BIRU patients. Ben suffered a traumatic brain injury on his cattle property near Barcaldine and after initially spending time at the Royal, came over to STARS to begin his extensive rehabilitation. Thanks to our wonderful STARS team, Ben\u2019s hard work and determination and his supportive family and community, Ben was able to return home to Barcaldine to spend Christmas. A particular thank you to Bette-Anne who escorted Ben on his trip home to ensure his ongoing care at Barcaldine Hospital. Ben\u2019s story was recently featured in Queensland Country Life<\/a> and on Metro North\u2019s Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and LinkedIn<\/a> accounts. Well done to everyone involved in caring for Ben during his time at STARS.<\/p>\n

Severe weather events<\/h3>\n

Queensland continued to experience severe weather events over the Christmas and New Year period with heatwaves, storms, heavy rainfall, and flooding. If you or your family were affected by these events, please know that you can reach out for assistance from Metro North\u2019s wellbeing support services.<\/a><\/p>\n

There will no doubt be more weather events during January. If you need to access updates on heatwaves, storms, and flooding in your area, download the BOM alerts app on your phone and turn on the warning notifications.<\/p>\n

For general information about preparing your home and family for extreme weather and natural disaster events, visit Get Ready Queensland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Metro North Health has created an extranet site to keep staff across our emergency and disaster response activities<\/a>. The site also includes links to useful resources.<\/p>\n

COVID-19\/Acute respiratory illness<\/h3>\n

STARS currently have a number of patients and staff off with COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. We are monitoring the situation closely but please stay vigilant with environmental cleaning, good hand hygiene, and wearing PPE.<\/p>\n

Just a reminder to:<\/p>\n