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30 AUGUST 2024
Beloved icon farewells TUH
He’s been behind the microscope making critical diagnoses at Townsville University Hospital for 30 years but, next month, clinical director of microbiology Dr Robert Norton will retire.
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Dear colleagues,
Two great initiatives this week worthy of special mention. Jersey Day on Thursday was a fun campaign that raises awareness of tissue and organ donation. Healthcare is a team sport and wearing the jersey of your favourite team to support such a great cause is a bit of fun for everyone. It will also be nice to see a bit more variety than the usual collection of Queensland and New South Wales rugby league jerseys (not that there’s anything wrong with that – well, with one of them anyway). Please make sure you talk to your loved ones about donation and please consider registering to be an organ donor.
Hot on the heels of Jersey Day is PJ Day, a great initiative to end PJ paralysis, the term given to our patients, particularly our elderly patients, who decondition rapidly if they spend too long in bed while in hospital. I know whenever I walk around the wards I can see the signs depicting local and regional landmarks that are designed to encourage mobility. Given the leading cause of hospital-acquired complications is VTE this is another great reason to encourage mobility among all our patients. Congrats to our physios for this great campaign.
Last week I had the opportunity to attend the First Nations Youth Roundtable in Townsville. This Roundtable, brought together by the Office of First Nations Engagement and Innovation within the Department of Premier and Cabinet, features leaders from across all government agencies in Townsville, alongside the Townsville First Nations Council members. Chair Dr Chris Sarra put the group through a really uncomfortable exercise where we had to role play as reporters critiquing the Youth Futures Accord, which is being developed by the Roundtable. Repeating through the pretence of journalism the sort of comments and criticisms seen all too frequently online exposed just how quickly racist attitudes are surfaced.
I found the exercise quite discomforting, yet when the exercise was concluded I was able to resume being me, and the angst that surrounds exposure to racism disappeared. That doesn’t happen for many of our staff for whom the reality of exposure to racism endures and this exposure will be occurring inside the workplace as well. The first pillar in our Health Equity Strategy targets the elimination of racism. As I have stated before, a key element to that is being able to provide safety at work to talk about these issues. Then there’s a couple of challenging questions to consider. What is it about the way my unit functions or provides services that might be contributing to institutional racism? Is there anything I do that might be, even subconsciously, contributing to racism at work?
Father’s Day is this Sunday, with still some mixed emotions for me having lost my dad in February 2023. I’m lucky to be spending the day with my family. I enjoyed the photo opportunity for this blah with my eldest, Georgia, who works in our special care nursery as a registered nurse. Being a shift-worker and having her own busy life, it’s not often our schedules line up, so any moment together is special in my books. With Alison and I both studying nursing, it’s not surprising that two of our three children have chosen careers in health. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there.
Father’s Day will kick off a couple of weeks annual leave for me. Alison and I are going to the northern end of the Whitsundays for a few nights. Sadly, it’s blowing a gale so I will leave the boat behind but I’m looking forward to the break in any event. We then have a few days in Adelaide before I then attend a meeting with some of my colleagues from around the country and New Zealand.
Interspersed with these breaks are two solid days of rugby union for the preliminary and grand finals. I’m not so active as a referee anymore so I’m enjoying the change in role to support the development of other referees. While we are away we will be leaving the care of the house and Bentley to our adult children; what could possibly go wrong? My thanks to Stephen Eaton for acting as Chief Executive during this period.
Kieran Keyes Health Service Chief Executive
Microbiology icon farewells TUH
After cutting his teeth in hospitals in Sydney, Adelaide, and as the sole doctor on Groote Eylandt, the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the Northern Territory’s Tiwi Islands, Dr Robert Norton said a microbiologist role at the then Townsville General Hospital called to him.
“Working in the remote Indigenous communities of Groote Eylandt and Tiwi Islands sparked my passion for infectious diseases and Indigenous health,” he said.
“I realised, though, that while that time in my career had taught me great resilience and was exciting, it was not sustainable.
“The clinical microbiologist role in Townsville was the perfect setting to further my interests in Indigenous health and infectious diseases.
“It was not meant to be forever; however, my family loved it here, so we never left and in 2003 I was appointed to the role of clinical director.”
Dr Norton said he had gained a depth of experience in Townsville he could only have wished for.
“Working on the islands you didn’t get a chance to diagnose people; there were no laboratories and if patients were severely unwell, they were sent to major hospitals.
“I’ve worked collaboratively, researching, and diagnosing the rare bacterial infection melioidosis, which is endemic to north Queensland during the wet season and found in soil.
“One of the first cases I ever saw was a six-year-old boy who died which imprinted on me the devastation of this disease.”
This prompted nearly 30 years of research and collaboration on melioidosis by Dr Norton.
“We’ve been able to break ground in the identification of the illness, better understand the susceptibility of certain people, and publish research on how to minimise the risk of lab transmission of melioidosis,” he said.
“The Townsville pathology laboratory is also a reference laboratory that provides clinical advice on the disease internationally.”
Dr Norton said of all his diagnoses, the diagnosis of an extremely rare infection in a one-year-old boy from a rural property in northwest Queensland in 2015 would stay with him forever.
“The infection was Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by an amoeba called Naegleria fowleri which is active in warm, untreated water,” he said.
“It enters through the nose and causes severe inflammation and brain destruction, and due to an under-developed sliver of bone in the nose of children, separating the outside from the brain’s surface and allowing the naegleria to pass though, children are more susceptible.
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Dr Joshua Sia, Jenny Margus, Dr Robert Norton, Matt Glover, Buenafe Adams, Mark Metherall, Georgia Mataira, and Chinchu Jose
“At the time there had been only 300 cases of PAM worldwide and three of those were in children within a 100-kilometre radius of this case.
“The child died; it was very tragic, and the family was devastated.
“The diagnosis prompted an education campaign to the properties surrounding the family’s to ensure they had the correct water filters to prevent Naegleria fowleri passing through.
“We also raised awareness nationally on the ABC’s Australian Story.
“It is very emotional when children die so I will never forget the boy and his family.”
Dr Norton said his career at Townsville University Hospital also enabled him to continue his interest in rheumatic fever.
“Rheumatic fever is a fundamental problem in Indigenous communities, and I brought that interest with me from my time on the islands where I gained an appreciation for how difficult it is to deliver, what we take for granted in places like Townsville, in very remote communities,” he said.
“Rheumatic fever is complex and is tied to social factors such as housing, and I’ve enjoyed working with teams in our health service on caring for people diagnosed with rheumatic fever.”
Reflecting on his career, Dr Norton credits his patients with supporting his growth as a doctor.
“It’s the patients who have kept me here; I have learnt a lot of medicine from patients,” he said.
“They’ve taught me every step of the way.
“They’ve allowed me to keep learning, and that is the beauty of medicine.”
Dr Norton said the real magic of microbiology happened behind the scenes in the laboratory.
“We have extraordinarily talented and diligent laboratory staff, who are passionate about the work they do,” he said.
“They always go the extra mile for patient care and without them, the diagnosis would remain unclear; they are the real heroes.”
Dr Norton, who will retire officially on September 25, said it was flattering and humbling to farewell his patients and colleagues.
“I’ve had the privilege of working alongside colleagues like Drs Harry Stalewski, Eric Guazzo and Yong Mong Tan for the better part of my career,” he said.
“I’ll miss the friendships and patients I’ve known for many years, but I know it’s time to go.”
Dr Norton didn’t hesitate when asked his reason for retirement.
“Grandchildren,” he said. “I have five grandchildren aged between three and nine years old,” he said.
“You only have them at an age where they think you are the most wonderful person ever for a short period.
“I enjoy the fact that they don’t want to go home and are happy to stay with Grandma and Grandad.”
Dr Norton said he and his wife planned to spend more time in Adelaide in retirement.
“We have a house there and I hope to do more travelling and reading and also spend some time simply doing nothing,” he said.
“I’ll also welcome my grandchildren to visit Adelaide as often as they like.”
Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes congratulated Dr Norton on his retirement.
“Dr Norton has had an exemplary career and made a remarkable impact on so many of his patients and colleagues over 30 years,” Kieran said.
“We’ve been incredibly privileged to have a clinician of Dr Norton’s calibre with our health service, a sentiment I know is shared by many of his peers.
“While I’m sad to farewell him, I’m delighted to wish him luck in his retirement.”
Health service chief executive a father first
Fathers, grandfathers, and father figures including health service chief executive and father-of-three Kieran Keyes will celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday.
Kieran’s eldest daughter and neonatal registered nurse Georgia Keyes said Father’s Day was an opportunity to recognise the time, effort, and love fathers showed their children.
“What I really admire about Dad is his incredible work ethic and the way he puts everyone else first,” Georgia said.
“My day could be stressful due to something small like a text message, but he’d always prioritise my problem.”
Georgia said Kieran had taught her many important lessons in life, but to never give up was one that meant a lot to her.
“When we walked the Hinchinbrook Thorsborne Trail for the first time when I was 12, I complained most of the time,” she said.
“Dad would always manage to make it fun and encourage me to persevere and that is something I apply to all challenges in life.”
Kieran said he remembered completing the Thorsborne Trail with Georgia differently.
“My memory of that trip is how Georgia embraced the adventure; she just got on with it,” he said.
Georgia started her nursing career as a student in nursing in the special care nursery, did a grad year in cardiac, and now works in the neonatal unit.
“Cardiac is where Dad started his nursing career, so I had people mentoring me who had worked with him,” she said.
Georgia said working in the neonatal unit had impressed upon her the beauty of the role fathers played in the lives of children.
“It’s beautiful to see the how fathers really want to be part of their child’s journey,” she said.
“Some of them have to return to work after their baby is born but will come to the unit to do midnight or 2am feeds just to spend that time with them which is so special.”
Georgia said this Father’s Day she and her siblings, Hannah and Howard, would share in one of Kieran’s favourite hobbies.
“Dad’s a home brewer and enjoys making beer so he’s taking us to his favourite home brew place,” she said.
Kieran wished all fathers, grandfathers and father figures a very special Father’s Day on Sunday.
“I hope it serves as an opportunity to take some time out with your loved ones; I just hope Georgia doesn’t mind the family photo I’ve shared of her in the blah,” he said.
Goergia and her dad Kieran Keyes
Community event shines light on care for HeartKids
In a celebration of children with heart conditions and the health professionals that care for them, more than 150 patients, their families, community members, and clinicians joined at Townsville University Hospital for a HeartKids community evening.
Townsville Hospital and Health Service paediatric cardiology service lead Dr Rosh Samuel said the team wanted to thank the community for its ongoing support since the service commenced.
“Our service was established in 2022 and since then, we’ve provided care to well over a thousand children and their families,” he said.
“Many of these children were previously travelling to Brisbane or on long outreach service waitlists.
“Our team has found the work both immensely meaningful and rewarding and we’ve cherished building relationships with children and their families.”
Rosh said the event was also an opportunity to thank the health service and the other teams the service works with to look after children and families affected by childhood-onset heart disease.
“We were able to showcase how young people with heart disease can now be cared for closer to home,” he said.
“We were lucky to have colleagues join us from services such as Indigenous health, maternal fetal medicine, intensive care, anaesthesia, nursing, allied health, and adult congenital cardiology.
“We demonstrated how we can now provide the entire spectrum of cardiac care from babies in the womb through to childhood and into adulthood, all right here in Townsville.”
Rosh said the team was honoured to be joined by paediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons from across Queensland and New South Wales.
“Paediatric and fetal cardiologist Dr Alex Gooi, who provided outreach services to Townsville for well over a decade, joined us from Sydney while Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) director of cardiothoracic surgery Dr Nelson Alphonso, along with QCH cardiology and cardiac surgery nursing staff, also attended the event,” he said.
“These clinicians are part of our story and provided wonderful care to our patients before our service was established so we are incredibly grateful to host them.”
Lana Rugg, whose son Chevy was diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries while she was 20 weeks pregnant, said she was delighted to attend the event with her family.
“Chevy is six now and going to school, playing soccer and doing so well,” she said.
“It was amazing to be there and share with other families that there is hope for their children.
“It was also great to see Dr Gooi as well as Dr Rosh and Dr Nelson who all cared for Chevy; they are all amazing.”
HeartKids chief support, services, and impact Tania Potts said it was heartwarming to see so many people come together in honour of paediatric cardiology.
“The families impacted by congenital heart diseases have their lives turned upside down when they receive their diagnosis,” she said.
“There are so many elements to their care including hospital care, primary care, and access to support networks like HeartKids and it was fantastic to see this showcased at the event.
“The event did a fantastic job of bringing together all the supporting services as well as highlighting the important care provided by the TUH paediatric cardiology service since its inception.”
Dr Rosh Samuel, Kim Edwards, Christie Whatley, Dr William Sanders, Esther Macknamara, and Dr Manesha Jadhav
Shakira nets call up for national tournament
The road to representative netball has not been straightforward for Townsville Hospital and Health Service patients services officer Shakira Koskela.
The 22-year-old is one of two Townsville players representing Queensland at Netball Australia’s inaugural First Nations Tournament next month.
The wing attack said being named in the team was still a bit surreal, especially considering she only started playing outdoor netball a couple of years ago.
“I only started playing outdoor netball to stay active and I thought I had missed my opportunity to play representative sport,” Shakira said.
“I had played indoor netball from a young age and anyone who has played the two will tell you they are very different.
“My mum got sick when I was a young teen and while I was still able to play a lot of netball, I also had to help my family.
“While it was a stressful time, my parents still supported me to play sport and I will always be thankful to them for that.”
Shakira said during the Covid-19 pandemic she started to fall out of love with the game.
“All sport was cancelled, and I didn’t get the opportunity to play,” she said.
“I tried getting back into the sport once restrictions had eased and it wasn’t until I connected with former Diamonds player Sharon Finnan-White in 2022 and made the move to outdoor netball that I started to enjoy playing again.
“It wasn’t long until my love for the game came back, and I am grateful my hard work and passion allowed me to get a call up to represent Queensland.”
The First Nations Tournament is an under-23s event with a representative team made up of First Nations players from each of the states and territories.
Teams will split into two pools, with the winners of both pools competing against each other to be named the tournament winner for 2024.
Shakira said she was looking forward to getting on the court with her teammates and representing her state.
“Most of the team is in south-east Queensland, which makes practising and being able to come together as a team difficult,” she said.
“I never thought I would be in the position to represent my state and I am very excited to get to Melbourne and play alongside some of the best netball players in Queensland, while taking on some of the best players from across the country.
“My goal is to prove myself at the tournament and to get the attention of someone at the Black Swans, the national First Nations netball side, for a trial.
“I hope my story is also one which can help to inspire First Nations kids to chase their dreams and to not give up.”
The First Nations Tournament starts on 13 September in Melbourne.
Shakira Koselka has been named in the Queensland side for Netball Australia’s First Nations Tournament
Staff get sporty for organ donations
Townsville Hospital and Health Service staff showed their team spirit in a big way for Jersey Day 2024, by pulling on their favourite sports jerseys to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation.
Donation specialist nurse coordinator Mark Singzon said the event was a tremendous success, with staff enthusiastically participating for the crucial cause.
“The day really served as a fantastic conversation starter among colleagues, staff, and patients about what can often be a challenging topic to discuss,” he said.
“Of course everyone enjoys the chance to wear something different to work, but the message of raising awareness was also really clear.”
National Jersey Day is a legacy of teenager Nathan Gremmo who donated his organs and tissues in 2015 at the age of just 13, saving the lives of six people.
Mark said the national organ donation goal has a 50 per cent registration rate by 2027, with events like Jersey Day playing a vital role in boosting both public and health staff awareness.
“One organ donor can save the lives of up to seven people and change the lives of many more through eye and tissue donation,”
he said.
“Registering as an organ donor is easy, it only takes one minute of your time, and your Medicare card at donatelife.gov. au or three taps on your MyGov app.”
Health service chief executive Kieran Keyes said the day acted as an excellent way to promote an important cause.
“Healthcare’s a team sport,” he said.
“Being able to wear a jersey to support your favourite team while advocating for organ donation is a winning quinella.
“Our staff always get around causes like this, and seeing all manner of different jerseys representing all different codes is special.”
For more information about Donate Life, please contact Mark Singzon mark.singzon@health.qld.gov.au
The allied health unit put on their team colours for Jersey Day
Clinicians from across Australia tune in for ARF/RHD education day
Clinicians from across Australia have come together for a Townsville Hospital and Health Service-led event to discuss a serious issue disproportionately affecting First Nations Australians.
More than 120 doctors, nurses, support staff, and allied health workers attended the Healthy Hearts in North Queensland Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) Education Day in Townsville.
The event was organised by RHD paediatric services clinical nurse consultant Felicity Dennis and RHD adult cardiology services clinical nurse consultant Jessica Goodridge and brought together health experts to network and share knowledge about ARF and RHD.
Felicity said it was encouraging to have so many people in the room, either physically or virtually, to discuss such an important issue.
“When caring for children and young people diagnosed with this disease, healthcare clinicians face many challenges,” she said.
“This event provided a platform to network and look for shared solutions and approaches in delivering care to children, adolescents and young adults, or adults facing or living with an ARF or RHD diagnosis.
“ARF and RHD are complex and avoidable diseases, with Indigenous children in Queensland 75 times more likely to be diagnosed with RHD than a non-Indigenous child.
“It disproportionately impacts First Nations Australians in regional, rural, and remote areas, with the First Nations people of Australia now considered to be the most at-risk group, globally.
“Townsville HHS is one of the only HHSs in northern Queensland that provides dedicated resourcing in nursing, medicine, and First Nations workforce in both paediatric and adult services, including the development of RHD clinics that are designed to be culturally appropriate, supportive, and understanding of the complexity of this chronic disease.”
Jessica said the education day also focused on improving collaboration between different clinicians.
“We had everyone from school nurses through to specialist doctors in the room,” Jessica said.
“Engagement in healthcare is vital, and it is important to work collaboratively with primary healthcare providers to identify any barriers to providing care and finding solutions to overcome them.
“The education day also allowed participants to discuss how everyone could work together more efficiently to provide holistic care for children and adults to reduce the occurrence of ARF and RHD.
“The event was well received, and we have had some positive feedback from clinicians who found it helpful.
“We hope to be able to facilitate more opportunities for clinicians to come together and continue the discussion about this serious issue.”
Clinical director for cardiology services Dr Soniah Moloi said it was great to see so many passionate people turn out for the event.
“The education day was a milestone to bring all experts together to tackle an ongoing issue that requires a multifaceted approach,” he said.
“It has highlighted how important it is that, as clinicians, we all work together to improve the outcomes for patients with ARF and RHD, particularly in First Nations communities.”
Clinical nurse consultants Felicity Dennis and Jessica Goodridge
No rest for physio team during Active August
Inspired by the 2024 Paris games, the Townsville Hospital and Health Service’s physiotherapy team have put on their own closing ceremony to mark the end of Active August.
Dressed in their most comfortable sleepwear, the team had a morning tea to mark the end of their campaign to encourage patients to get out of bed and be as active as possible to aid their recovery.
Senior physiotherapist Eve Miller said throughout August they did several activities to make getting active as fun and engaging as possible.
“We helped patients dress in their own clothes, assisted patients to get out of bed to have lunches, ran group exercises on the wards, and created games for the patients to play,” Eve said.
“All of this was aimed at increasing in-patient engagement and reducing hospital-associated deconditioning and other complications.
“It was great to be able to work closely with other allied health teams and nurses to make the campaign fun and get patients involved with it.
“An example is medical ward 2 where the team went the extra mile to implement daily group exercises classes, patient mobility trackers with Olympic-style medal tallies, and work proactively with patients to get them out of bed, dressed, and mobile.”
Medical ward 2 nurse unit manager Maria Higgs said they planned to continue carrying on the group classes that were started during Active August.
“We have found the classes have helped with patients’ strength and recovery which has resulted in them being more active on the ward,” Maria said.
“Seeing the enjoyment and the benefits associated with the group class solidifies why we do what we do as nurses.”
Eve said the buy-in from staff and patients had been very positive.
“At the morning tea we presented prizes to medical ward 2 and surgical ward 1 for best team involvement and best dressed ward,” she said.
“Patients have also become very involved in the activities and told us it made them more active while they were in hospital,” she said.
“One patient also said she was scared coming to hospital, but the daily group classes made her experience much more enjoyable.
“The physiotherapy team hopes the efforts through August will help to raise awareness of the importance for patients to continue to stay active.”
Allied health teams and nurses came together for a morning tea to celebrate the end of Active August
Colina Grant, Imagion Carlyle-Brauer, Nathan Peacock, Eve Miller, William Morrissey and Aaron Young
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Nurses rush to Charters Towers for golden opportunity
The shift from busy city life to laid-back country living was easier than expected for Charters Towers Health Service registered nurses (RN) Nathan Granger and Miguel San Pedro.
The partners recently packed their bags and moved themselves and their dogs from Canberra to the gold city.
Nathan said it didn’t take them long to adapt to living in a small country town.
“Everything is a bit less chaotic and easygoing in Charters Towers,” Nathan said.
“From the minute we stepped into the hospital everyone has been so welcoming and nice.
“We had both been working in Canberra for a little bit and we were looking for something a bit different.
“I had grown up in a rural area and I had suggested to Miguel we move rurally and were looking around for a bit.
“Charters Towers was never on the radar because we didn’t even know it was a place.
“We saw the ad looking for a RN, we got to talking with some of the people at the health service and after some emails they were able to offer two positions and that’s when we decided to move to north Queensland.”
Miguel said they had both worked as nurses in Canberra, and they had already learnt more in their short time in Charters Towers then they did during their years in the nation’s capital.
“We’ve only been in Charters Towers for a couple of months but have already been given opportunities that would take years in a place like Canberra,” Miguel said.
“We have been given advanced training opportunities and the support from the team has been helpful in letting us gain some valuable experience.
“We have got to do a bit of everything, and we have got to do it in a really friendly and supportive environment.”
Registered nurses Miguel San Pedro and Nathan Granger
Summer’s pawsitively big impact on patients and staff
At Townsville University Hospital, Summer is more than just a support dog — she’s a cherished member of the team.
From lending a paw when we need it most to offering a further dose of joy, Summer truly makes a big difference to the days of patients and staff alike.
North Queensland persistent pain management service clinical nurse consultant Fiona Whaley said Summer made a huge impact during her daughter Jess’s hospital stay.
“Jess spent a lot of time in the paediatric ward last year and she and Summer formed a close connection,” Fiona said.
“Summer spent countless hours by Jess’s bedside, providing companionship and comfort.”
Fiona said Summer’s presence truly made her daughter’s hospital experience more bearable.
“The healing effects of animals are often underestimated, but they are so significant.”
Summer’s owner TUH biomedical technician Thomas O’Flaherty said that while Summer had been an immense source of support for patients, her presence was equally valued by staff.
“It’s common for staff to face really challenging and emotionally taxing days, so the feedback is that Summer’s visits offer a much-needed chance to unwind,” Thomas said.
Summer is now seven years old now and spends most of her day napping, but the joy she brings to staff and patients remains vibrant as ever.
International Dog Day is celebrated annually on 26 August as a time to showcase our wonderful four-legged friends.
Thomas O’Flaherty, Summer, and Fiona Whaley
Compassion sets foundation for cultural capability roll out at distribution centre
Townsville Hospital and Health Service has played a key role in delivering the first faceto-face cultural capability training sessions for the Department of Health’s supply chain branch.
A series of pilot sessions were rolled out at the North Queensland Distribution Centre (NQDC) by proud Birri Gubba man and Townsville Hospital and Health Service Indigenous health service division cultural practice program coordinator Trevor Prior.
‘‘The sessions aim to foster culturally appropriate behaviour at work through an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ history and culture,’’ Trevor said.
“My training program is not about blaming anyone for the past; it’s about teaching an important part of history and culture that isn’t taught in schools.
‘‘The objective of this course is to aid staff in developing knowledge and skills that will allow them to best contribute to improving the health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
‘‘And I believe this journey starts with understanding and compassion for one another.
“By improving our staff’s cultural understanding, they become more empathetic to our First Nations people which helps provide a better service for patients and in our workplace.”
Supply chain branch cultural capability champion and business analytics and reporting manager Ruth Farrell said cultural competency training played a crucial role in fostering understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
‘‘The supply chain branch is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace for our staff, and providing culturally safe interactions with our customers in the hospital and health service, and Queensland Ambulance Service,” Ruth said.
‘‘Where possible, the branch will work with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health teams at hospital and health services across the state to deliver tailored training to each facility to ensure local people are delivering local information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and customs.’’
Acting NQDC Manager Joshua Van Reyk said the team warmly welcomed Trevor to their new distribution centre.
‘‘Our team was engaged with the training session which not only equips staff with the skills they need to create a culturally safe workplace, but also gives them the privilege of learning from Trevor and his family’s stories,’’ Josh said.
‘‘Trevor is able to capture the attention of staff from the moment he begins training right to the very end by making the content relatable, local and personal.’’
Ruth Farrell, Trevor Prior, Joshua Van Reyk
Interpreting services bridging language gap for patients from diverse backgrounds
Being admitted to hospital is difficult enough without the added challenges of a language barrier, which is why the vital work of our interpreting services has been praised this Multicultural Queensland Month.
Townsville University Hospital switchboard team leader and interpreting services coordinator Nakoma Coutts said making a difference for non-English speaking patients was one of the most rewarding parts of her job.
“Having interpreting services means so much for patients from non-English speaking countries, especially for those who come from traumatic backgrounds,” she said.
“I always think ‘how would I feel if I was in hospital in a foreign country and I had no idea what was going on; how scared would I be?
“That’s why it’s so important that we provide patients with access to a professional who speaks the same language so we can bridge the language gap, which is particularly important in a healthcare environment.”
Nakoma said the demand for interpreting services had been on the rise in recent years.
“As a humanitarian settlement town, Townsville has a large settlement of refugees, and this is only going to keep growing, so it’s really important that we continue to evolve in the interpreting services we provide.
“In my role, I’m always looking for feedback from patients and staff so we can make changes where needed to constantly improve our service to make a difference for those who need it most.”
While Nakoma played a key role in coordinating interpreting services and connecting them with staff and patients, she was quick to praise the efforts of frontline clinicians.
“The refugee health nurses at the hospital, in particular, are amazing; it’s been so great to connect with them and work together to constantly improve our interpreting services by identifying gaps and making the necessary improvements.”
Check out our upcoming editions of the blah to meet some of the amazing refugee health nurses who’re making a difference at Townsville University Hospital.
Nakoma Coutts
THANK YOU
Join us to celebrate Townsville Hospital and Health Service’s outstanding performance in the 2023-2024 financial year.
North Ward Health Campus | 18 September | 12noon
Cleveland Youth Detention Centre | 20 September | 12noon
Kirwan Health Campus | 24 September | 12.30pm
Public Health Unit | 26 September | 12noon
Ayr Health Service | 27 September | 12noon
Home Hill Health Service | 27 September | 2.30pm
Magnetic Island Health Service | 27 September | 3.00pm
Charters Towers Health Service | 11 October | 12noon
Parklands Aged Care Facility | 16 October | 10.30am
Vincent Cambridge Health Campus | 16 October | 12noon
Vincent Palmerston Health Campus | 16 October | 12noon
Townsville Correctional Centre | 18 October | 11.30am
Ingham Health Service | 22 October | 12noon
Hughenden Health Service | 23 October | 10.00am
Richmond Health Service | 23 October | 12noon
Joyce Palmer Health Service | 4 November| 11.00am
Eventide Aged Care Facility | 6 November | 1.00pm
“Thank you to the health professionals who came to my home to provide assistance and assessment for a family member. You were very calm, compassionate and caring in your attitude and made the process for getting help much less stressful.”
ACUTE CARE TEAM
“Delicious and beautifully presented food. If my wife could cook like this, I would go home!”
TUH
FOOD SERVICES
“Thank you for the treatment of my son recently. You were all very professional, kind and empathetic towards him and my family. The communication was really good and you kept us informed of the plan and progress.”
TUH EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
A Brighter Note...
Bookworms with big hearts: Townsville Book Fair raises more than $14k
On 17-18 August, Willows Shopping Centre hosted the Brighter Lives Townsville Book Fair.
The event has become a staple in the calendars of local book lovers and raised an amazing $14,858.55
With prices starting from only 50c, the annual book fair was again an extremely popular annual event for book worms.
From timeless classics and contemporary fiction to cookbooks and children’s books, the book fair had something for everyone.
Brighter Lives CEO Stephanie Naunton said the turnout was truly heartwarming.
“It’s amazing to see so many people come together, not just to find great books but to support a local charity in north Queensland,” she said.
Behind the scenes of the book fair are two hardworking volunteers, Robyn Frew and Fred Sacroug, who worked tirelessly sorting and pricing the book donations.
Robyn said the success of the Townsville Book Fair would not have been possible without the generous contributions of those who donated books and the shoppers who attended the event.
“Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart,” Robyn said.
“We are so grateful for the support of local businesses that help with the book fair, particularly Willows Shopping Centre who generously provided the venue.
“We would also like to thank Carmichael Ford for providing a drop-off point for book donations with space for sorting and pricing the books.”
Other local businesses that contributed to the event’s success include Grace Australia, Explore Property Townsville, Avanti Health Centre Townsville, Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre, Garry Thyer’s Betta Townsville, Triple T 103.9, Community Information Centre Townsville, Ryan Catholic College, Townsville Bulletin, and ABC North Queensland.
“We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the book fair,” Stephanie said.
“This event is a testament to our amazing north Queensland community coming together and we are so grateful for everyone’s support. Thank you.”
The funds raised go back to Townsville Hospital and Health Service to help fund state-of-the-art equipment, research, and projects.
Volunteers Fred Sacroug and Robyn Frew with Kylie Newman (Wilmar Sugar)
Capital works update
Works currently underway
Project: North Queensland Kidney Transplant Service
Work location: South Block Level 3 Cold Shell
Project: eHealth Infrastructure Maintenance Program Work location: Various locations in TUH
Project: Hybrid theatre - $17 million
Work location: TUH Acute building Level 2 Operating Theatres Complex
Project: Outpatients department expansion - $6.1 million
Work location: Clinical Services Support Building Level 1
Project: North Queensland Persistent Pain Management Service (NQPPMS) upgrade - $4 million
Work location: TUH Acute building Level 1 former Endoscopy Services / Medilink building Level 2 current NQPPMS suite
Project: Kirwan Health Community Campus expansion - $40 million
Work location: Kirwan Health Campus
Works on the way
Project: Ingham CT Scanner
Work location: Ingham Health Service
Got questions?
Project: TUH Stage 1 expansion project - $530 million
Work location: helipad and surrounding areas including eastern campus for temporary helipad location
Plans are currently underway to support staff through the changes that will occur in the coming months.
To accommodate so much growth at TUH, some staff will be required to relocate to new office spaces and to support this, we have commenced a Business Case for Significant Change with those te ams who will be impacted by works undertaken at TUH.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss any proposed changes, please contact chief operating officer Stephen Eaton via email or THHS-InfrastructureOffice@health.qld.gov.au.
Capital works update
Additional pedestrian pathway closures and temporary carpark closures
Please be reminded that there have been some additional pedestrian pathway closures and temporary carpark closures at Townsville University Hospital this week as part of early works associated with the $530 million construction of a 143bed clinical building.
These include:
• Pedestrian pathway at the side of the emergency department and opposite the helipad has closed
• The emergency department drop-off car parks at the side of the ED and opposite the helipad have temporarily closed
• Pedestrian pathway on the perimeter of the helipad has closed
• Pedestrian pathway on Angus Smith Drive has been diverted
Entry into ED remains the same and the helipad remains operational.
Medilink is accessible through the main hospital and additional signage is in place to guide pedestrians.
Please follow all signage and traffic directions in these areas as you move through the campus.
Please refer to the attached map which references these locations and other existing pedestrian pathway closures and road diversions.
If you have any questions regarding closure of pedestrian paths or traffic diversions, please contact thhsinfrastructureredevelopment@health.qld.gov.au
Recipe of the blah
Bircher Muesli supplied by TUH dietitians
Laugh of the blah
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
• 1 cup rolled oats – soaked in 1 cup water (2hrs or overnight)
• ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
• Addition seasonal fruit (e.g. banana, kiwi, plums)
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder.
Method:
1. Place the oat mixture in a bowl/container and add yoghurt and fruit
2. Serve with almonds and cinnamon.
Hot tips:
• Great for a grab and go breakfast or snack
• Can change fruit to your liking
• Can use honey, maple syrup or other flavours as alternatives to cinnamon.
Classifieds
FOR SALE
Brand new colourful print and cartoon scrub hats $5 each. Lightweight, tie back one size made by SKKRUBZ.Text Kathy 0431310231 (15/8)
Brand new Xmas scrub tops made by SKKRUBZ $25 each. Text Kathy 0431310231 for availability and sizes (15/8)
Dogue De Bordeaux puppies for sale, 5 Girls and 4 boys. Wormed, microchipped and vaccinated according to their age. $3000, taking $500 deposits now, pups will be ready for pick up from the 18/9/24. Contact Georgie 0400255668 or Jason 0403031522. BIN0015279463471. (26/8)
Adam’s Tight Lies Women Right handed Golf club set inc. cart bag. Very good condition. Graphite shaft. $400. Call or text Renae 0404462069 (26/8)
Brand new Dickies EDS Cargo scrub sets Unisex Size 2XL. $40 per set. 4 available. Call or text Renae 0404462069 (26/8)
Email classifieds to tsv-public-affairs@health.qld.gov.au with subject ‘Classifieds’. Do not send classifieds as attachments.
Photos will not be included. Submissions for classifieds should be no longer than 50 word in a plain-text email. Classifieds longer than this will not be included.
Classifieds will stay current for two issues of the blah. If you would like your ad to be continued after this time please resend the ad. We do not advertise services in the blah.