Angie Dobbrick, Executive Director, Caboolture, Kilcoy & Woodford Clinical Directorate

The community continues to have confidence in surgical services available at Caboolture Hospital.

It was just over 12 months ago that Metro North Board Chair Jim McGowan AM requested an independent external review of surgical services at Caboolture Hospital by eminent South Australian surgeon Dr Jim Sweeney, in response to concerns raised in media reporting at the time.

Dr Sweeney produced a report with 19 recommendations. Metro North added a further five actions. There were no major failings as the media had suggested, but there was room for improvement.

I’m pleased to say that Caboolture Hospital has implemented all the recommendations and actions.

Dr Sweeney will return to Caboolture Hospital later this month to evaluate our implementation of his recommendations from the report. I am confident we have done the work required and I look forward to his feedback.

While this report was focused on our surgical colleagues, Caboolture Hospital can take the lessons learnt from this review and apply them to the care we provide across the hospital. Keeping patients and their families informed about their care must always be a key priority for everyone.

We also need to continue focusing on improving flow, so we’re ready to expand and grow in line with our community.  We can’t just take what we’ve always done and think it will work in the new building.

I’m looking forward to re-starting our Trailblazer network. We have cancelled several of these meetings recently during our Tier 3 COVID-19 and influenza response. It has become a real priority to ensure we’re ready to start the exciting next chapter in the history of Caboolture Hospital.

We have many reasons to be proud of our achievements and I am always happy to talk about the excellent care we provide to the community.

This edition of the Caring Together newsletter is a great way to look back of what we have achieved recently, despite all the challenges thrown our way during the pandemic and patient presentations that continue to trend strongly upwards.

It’s sure to be another very busy 12 months ahead.

If you have any story ideas, please send them to executive_director_cab-kilcoy@health.qld.gov.au

Take care,

Angie.