Adj Assoc Prof Jackie Hanson, Chief Executive, Metro North Health

Dear Colleagues,

This week I was delighted to attend the launch of Metro North’s Newborn Screening Service and online education program. The service has been designed to elevate newborn screening practices across the health service with the aim of achieving clinical excellence in this area. This program has been co-designed with consumers and partners within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Team.

Newborn Screening is a time critical and essential part of healthcare for Metro North’s tiniest patients, allowing clinicians to test for and identify rare and serious medical conditions. Led by RBWH Clinical Nurse Consultant Samantha Pycroft, the team’s commitment to excellence in performance has led to the establishment of a Queensland-wide Newborn Screening Working Group to improve newborn screening for all Queenslanders. Well done to all involved.

Metro North has been successful with a further two Connecting Community Pathways submissions. The Department of Health has agreed to fund Deadly Feet and the IUIH Post Operative Rehabilitation projects. Deadly Feet will provide multidisciplinary outreach services with a focus on early detection, treatment and risk modification for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at risk of developing foot conditions from diabetes, peripheral vascular disease or renal disease.

The Post Operative Rehabilitation initiative will expand the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health allied health consultation to provide post-operative rehabilitation services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

Staff reward and recognition

Our Metro North Staff Excellence Awards nominations close today. After such a busy year, I’m sure there are many staff and teams who deserve recognition for leadership, innovation, education and training, people focus, excellence in performance, and integrated care. We have also added two new categories this year reflecting our commitment to closing the gap and achieving health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The awards gala will be held on Friday 9 December and are open to all staff. Tickets will go on sale in early October for $70 per person.

Metro North Staff Symposium will be held on Wednesday 5 October at the RBWH Education Centre. The event is a networking and development day and includes a session on building a good culture in a hybrid working environment with guest speaker Aaron McEwan, an introduction to our newest executives, and what we’ve learned and done since the Have Your Say staff survey. Places are limited and registration is essential.

Deadly Start

As a large employer Metro North has the opportunity and privilege to help develop healthcare workers of the future through various training and employment programs. We have apprentices, school based trainees, and of course our formal agreements with universities for clinical placements.

One program that has been going from strength to strength is Deadly Start. Tonight the third cohort of students will graduate from the program which is a huge achievement for these young people. Our Board Chair recently announced that Metro North is committed to providing employment opportunities for these graduates and I’m very pleased that the majority of the 21 students finishing this year are choosing to continue with us one day a week for now. Some have chosen to focus on their studies which is also an excellent outcome. We are working closely with all students to understand and support their next steps once they finish school with the majority indicating the experience has confirmed they want to pursue a career in health.

I’d like to thank everyone who has hosted and supported a Deadly Start student, and special thanks to the program coordinators Vivienne Hassed and Natalie Fraser for all their work in recruiting and supporting the students throughout their placements. Congratulations to this year’s Deadly Start graduates!

Face masks

While the face mask public health direction is still in place, due to our recent move to Tier 0 Transition to Recovery, we have decided to relax the requirement in specific non clinical areas including:

• Herston: non clinical floors of Block 7 Herston, Campbell Place (CitiLink Buildings), Level 7 UQ Health Services Building, Lady Ramsay Early Learning and Education Centre
• TPCH: buildings 3, 12, 14, 21, 24, 28, 29, 33, 40 (standalone non clinical buildings)
• Caboolture Hospital: administration building, Riverside Centre
• Redcliffe Hospital: Westblock, Executive, Kitchen, Fincorp
• COH: Aspley, 19th Avenue Brighton

It is important that in these areas you continue to wear your masks in communal areas outside your floor including elevators and elsewhere on our clinical campuses.

I would like to thank those who chose to work yesterday to deliver planned care. We continue to focus on reducing the time to be seen and the time to care as the literature is very clear on the clinical benefits. My sincere thanks to all of you.
Jackie