Dear colleagues,
It’s my first week back after leave and I definitely know I’m not on holiday anymore! Thank you all for your work during last week’s lockdown and the increase in activity at our fever clinics.
With last night’s announcement about changes to the rollout of the COVID vaccination program I understand that many of you have a lot of questions. Our vaccination team are working on getting answers today and there will also be a vidcast on Monday afternoon with Incident Controller Dr Liz Rushbrook and Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Alex Chaudhuri to provide an update.
Strategic Priorities
Our MN32 plan is our ambitious – but achievable – roadmap to build a sustainable, proactive and constantly improving healthcare service fit for future demand. This includes innovation and research, workforce planning and development, clinical models, and infrastructure.
To coordinate and drive this work, we are establishing a Strategic Priorities Team who will work closely with our executive team and directorates.
I have asked Sam Betros to head up the team as Executive Director. Sam has been working in Metro North for several years, joining us at the Commercial Director for the Herston Quarter Redevelopment Project and more recently as Project Director for the Caboolture Hospital Redevelopment Project. He brings extensive experience in major projects, both at the HHS level and at the state level, and knowledge of Metro North as a large complex healthcare organisation.
Joining Sam for the first three months will be Patience Kawodza from Queensland Treasury Corporation. Patience has worked with Metro North on many projects over the past few years and will undertake a comprehensive assessment of our current strategic arrangements and partnerships to identify our priority focus areas and project plan.
Fiona Brewin-Brown will be taking over as Project Director for the Caboolture Hospital Redevelopment Project. Fiona is currently the Senior Director, Capital Infrastructure and Delivery Unit in the Department of Health, leading the infrastructure performance, analysis and reporting, capital finance and policy and governance teams.
It was great having a break to recharge even if the last few weeks have been so rainy. Sam has been bitterly complaining about how much it makes the lawn grow as it is his job to mow. Sam did enjoy the opportunity of my leave to make me sit through the 4-hour long version of the Justice League film and I was not able to find an excuse to say no. At the end my observation to him was the film could have been an hour shorter as half of it was in slow motion (grimace).
Unfortunately, my leave has missed the window for a travel bubble with New Zealand and I have not had an opportunity to go back and refresh my accent (I must keep mixing up my i and e).
Regards,
Shaun Drummond
Chief Executive
Metro North Hospital and Health Service