Jane Hancock, Acting Chief Executive, Metro North Health

What a week we’ve had! We have continued to see high demand coupled with high staff sick leave. Unfortunately, it looks like the current situation will continue for a few more weeks. Thank you all for your work. The executive team is looking at ways to provide additional support and acknowledgment for your efforts.

Earlier this week was the Board meeting and today was the Parliamentary Estimates hearing for the Health and Environment Committee. I hope I have acquitted myself well on your behalf as acting CE. I am privileged as I said in Estimates today to work with such talented inspiring people who have achieved so much despite the challenges.

I was pleased for the opportunity today to talk about how well Metro North staff are responding to the COVID surge, in particular how our Virtual Ward works. The Minister mentioned that she regularly receives feedback from community members about the excellent care they’ve received in the Virtual Ward.

I know that every day we want to learn and do better for the patient. We are often challenged in this environment to deliver safe and quality care and sometimes we don’t achieve want we aspire to – however we should not shy away from learning from situations when care is not as good as it ought to be. Patients trust us with their most valuable possession — their lives — and all of you recognise the immense responsibility that comes with that trust. You have bought into multiple efforts to strengthen our culture of safety, huddles to hand-washing initiatives to checklists, to implementing the recommendations of reviews including the Caboolture Surgical Services Review Recommendations – for this, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Next week we will begin our vidcast series on infrastructure updates. Executive Director Strategy, Planning, Assets, Infrastructure and Strategic Developments Kate Copeland and I will hold the first one on Tuesday, providing an overview of upcoming projects. There will be a weekly vidcast over the next month on each of our major campus developments including The Prince Charles Hospital, Caboolture Hospital, Herston Health Precinct, and Redcliffe Hospital.

I’m looking forward to our new Chief People and Culture Officer Kristal Lowe starting in the position from Monday, and, on that note, I would like to acknowledge the work that Alister Whitta has done holding much of this portfolio along with with his other responsibilities.

Take care, have a good weekend, and take the opportunity to practice some self care.

Warm regards,

Jane