Louise Oriti, Executive Director, Redcliffe Hospital
With COVID-19 now widespread throughout our community, it should not surprise anyone that we continue to see positive cases among our patients and staff.
Our infectious diseases and infection control teams are working well responding to outbreaks and clusters among inpatients, and staff have been very supportive of those efforts too – especially those on 4 East.
We’ve moved ahead this week with our longer-term plans around where we will care for our COVID-positive patients. Those plans are currently focused on how we could further adapt ward 6 East in ways that would allow us to flex up and scale down depending on changing clinical demand.
Among staff, we continue to have well over 100 staff unavailable for duty each day because they are COVID-positive or close contacts. We should expect this to be an ongoing issue for our hospital workforce. To focus our resources where they are most needed, we are postponing all but urgent planned care.
Our clinical leaders are working with eligible staff who want to access the critical essential worker exemption too. This has allowed a handful of staff to return to work under strict conditions. If you are a close contact, you might like to talk to your line manager about whether that exemption could apply to your situation.
Our infection prevention team have been working in wards and clinical areas this week, conducting spot audits of how well staff are using their PPE. The results show that there is room for improvement. Redcliffe Hospital remains on High-Risk PPE, which calls for P2/N95 masks and eye protection whenever staff are in clinical areas or the main building.
To help everyone wear their PPE properly, we have some useful resources, including around skin care while wearing masks, and advice from our Speech Pathology team on how we can all communicate better with patients while wearing our masks and PPE.
Team of the Month for March
Our #IamRedcliffe Team of the Month is an important part of how we celebrate and reward those among us who are living and demonstrating our #IamRedcliffe Agreed Values. Those values have been part of our hospital now since 2019. Our Agreed Values reflect the kind of hospital we want to be for our patients and the kind of workplace we want for each other.
Last week, we presented the March Team of the Month award at our staff forum. Congratulations again to Rachel Romano, who received the award for being a team leader who gives 150% to her work and team. Congratulations also to our other nominees, including the contact tracing team, Clinical Measurements, Daniela Ramirez, Oncology Administration, and our EOC’s Planning and Logistics cells.
Lastly this week, we have the good news that the REDDY Fun Run/Walk will be back again this year. Thanks to our Redcliffe Hospital Auxiliary, the event will be happening on Sunday, 19 June, with all money raised going to support hospital patients. The event promises to be a lot of fun for everyone, in support of a very worthy cause.
We are stronger when we work together. #IamRedcliffe.
Louise Oriti
Executive Director
Redcliffe Hospital