Louise Oriti, Executive Director, Redcliffe Hospital

A lot has been going on this week, and throughout, we’ve remained focused on the safety of our patients, staff, and community.

This afternoon, Redcliffe Hospital remains on an alert level code brown. This means that we’re prepared and ready should weather conditions change or deteriorate tonight or into the weekend.

Our robust preparations have included:

• Postponing most planned care for today
• Sending patients safe for discharge home
• Arranging medical and surgical coverage for the weekend that would not be impacted by road closures
• Ensuring the kitchen was well-supplied, including with frozen meals for staff
• Checking our linen was in good supply, and conserving use where practical
• Setting up Outpatients and DPU as alternative accommodation for staff who may not have been able to get home.

It’s good that things are looking a lot brighter this afternoon, but we need to remember how easily things can change.

COVID-19 ward update

On Wednesday night, we moved our COVID-19 ward into the far-end of Level 6 East. Our new COVID ward has been dubbed ‘6 East/East’, and it’s a separate 11-bed section of Level 6 East that has been specially prepared to ensure safe COVID-care of patients.

The Rehabilitation Unit was back to caring for its usual patient cohort on Thursday morning, after a deep clean and thorough inspection by our infection control and facility services teams.

My thanks to everyone involved in these changes. It was a credit to our operational, nursing, administrative, and patient services staff and their commitment to patient comfort and safety.

#IamRedcliffe Team of the Month

This week, at our Staff Forum, we presented the #IamRedcliffe Team of the Month for February to Karen Ceccato. Karen was nominated for the way she handles change with grace, with a never-ending smile that shines through her mask.

Congratulations also to our other nominees, Rachael Romano, Nicola Barker-Gregory, and the Theatre Stores Team of Carl van der Smissen, Abigail Tavukuin, and Amanda Neylon.

Lastly this week, a reminder once again about PPE use. We’re still seeing far too many staff not wearing the correct PPE or not wearing their PPE at all. There has been no change or relaxation at Redcliffe Hospital in the requirement for staff to be wearing their fit-tested N95/P2 masks and eyewear.

I do the right thing even when no one is looking. #IamRedcliffe. 

Louise Oriti
Executive Director
Redcliffe Hospital