Dear colleagues,

This week Metro North has stood up an addition COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Doomben Racecourse. A lot of people did an amazing job getting everything organised so quickly including our Assets and Infrastructure team, and the vaccination teams in Community and Oral Health and Metro North Emergency Operations Centre and Digital Metro North,  and all the staff supplying and delivering vaccines and the associated support services. Even our Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alanna Geary rolled up her sleeves to vaccinate people for the opening day. Well done to everyone involved.

This is another example of how Metro North is leading Queensland’s COVID-19 response. Currently around 80% the state’s COVID health response is being managed by Metro North, including our COVID wards, fever clinics, airport screening, hotel quarantine, and vaccination centres. This is on top of an increase in non-COVID activity over the past 12 months.

To support the continued rollout of the COVID vaccines, Louise O’Riordan has been appointed to a dedicated vaccine executive role from 21 June for six months. The role has been established to effectively liaise and collaborate with Metro North’s strategic and operational leadership teams, the Department of Health executive, SHECC, EOC, non-government organisations and the private sector to ensure the safe and effective delivery of vaccinations across our catchment.

Last Friday we passed 5000 fit tests. We are now moving into phase 2 which includes any staff working in quarantine hotels.

The Have Your Say staff survey wrapped up on Monday night with 52 per cent of staff (10,670) providing feedback. Despite not providing home baked treats, I have to congratulate David Rosengren and RBWH staff for achieving 57 per cent participation. Although some of our directorates achieved higher percentages, it’s impressive to reach such a high number of staff at our largest facility. Well done, and thank you to everyone who completed the survey.

We received over 70 nominations for the Metro North Research Excellence Awards which closed on Monday. Judging has started and the finalists will be announced in the next few weeks.

Our Collaborative Research Grants will be opening on Wednesday 23 June. The grants are for $50,000 for each project. The grants are offered in collaboration with The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, and Griffith University.

Regards,

Shaun