blah blah blah

Dear colleagues

Looking back at my last column, especially the bit where I remarked on social media feeds filling up with weather experts, it’s remarkable to think how quickly things escalated in only a couple of days. We have had a significant weather event which has affected so many of you in a range of ways. Please continue to look out for yourselves and each other because whether this is your first time dealing with a situation like this or not, it can be quite distressing. If you need support, please follow this link to access some of the great initiatives we have on offer through our Employee Assistance Program.

When I was in Brisbane this week, the Minister met with the Chief Executives and, unprompted, expressed his appreciation for the great work you all did in responding to this event and supporting our community.

Yesterday marked the 13th anniversary of the National Apology delivered by then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. This was an important moment in our nation’s history; I certainly remember where I was when I watched the broadcast. Today in 2025, it remains as crucial as ever that we continue to acknowledge and act on reconciliation and equity for all Australians. I also want to acknowledge the great work that our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff are doing in this space, which is underpinned by the Townsville Hospital and Health Service Health Equity Strategy. As we commemorate the National Apology, it’s a timely reminder that we all have an active role to play, both in our professional and personal lives, to promote a more just and inclusive society.

As some of you may have seen during the week, we have developed a new and easier way for you to access the blah blah blah on your devices. Now, you can read the blah through an icon that permanently lives on your device, similar to an app. This makes it easier to access both current and past editions (it’s so easy even I can do it). For more information, check out the link on QHEPS.

As you’ll see, as you continue reading through this edition of the blah, nominations for the 2025 Staff Excellence Awards are closing soon. This is a great opportunity to recognise the achievements of your colleagues, which is especially timely after the recent response to the severe weather. I strongly encourage you to submit a nomination before the deadline on Friday, 28 February. Nominations can be submitted here.

Another event that’s fast approaching is International Women’s Day. Please mark Monday March 10 (10am to 11am) in your diary for this important celebration at Townsville University Hospital and via Teams if you are located elsewhere in the health service. This year, we’re excited to announce that the guest speaker will be Brigadier Fern Thompson. There will also be a panel discussion and morning tea. All staff are welcome and encouraged to attend.

As I shared with you during this week’s edition of kkTV, the Director-General has been in discussions with the Queensland Health leadership team and health service chief executives about improving patient flow. There is also an increased focus on reducing length of stays in ED that exceed 24 hours. As a health service, we welcome this directive from the DG. While there is no simple solution to this complex challenge, I look forward to working with all the experts in our health service to address the issue as best we can. There are well-documented links between long stays in emergency departments and poorer outcomes for patients, so this is not about another KPI, it’s about patient safety, which is why we are all here.

Finally, I want to once again express my sincere thanks to the BEMS and infrastructure teams who are continuing to work on our midlife upgrade (in amongst responding to the challenges thrown up by flooding rains). Everything is coming together nicely, and your efforts are truly appreciated. Most of these projects tend to happen in hospitals that are not running, so the fact that we’re completing this work inside wards, with patients just down the corridor, is a testament to the skill and coordination of everyone involved.

As always, thank you all for the work that you do. kk

Health Service Chief Executive

Health service staff stellar during extreme weather event

Staff across the Townsville Hospital and Health Service have shown unwavering resilience and dedication to keep facilities open and caring for the community as the region was impacted by a destructive monsoon trough.

The health service moved into preparation mode on Thursday, 30 January following forecasts of severe rainfall across north Queensland.

The THHS Incident Management Team quickly assembled to coordinate the health service response.

In the days that followed, the region experienced unrelenting rainfall, resulting in widespread evacuations and devastating flooding

Chief executive Kieran Keyes said it soon became clear that Ingham was hardest hit.

“Reports were coming in from Ingham of flooding, power outages and water supply issues, which made us turn our focus to the Ingham Health Service as a top priority in our response,” he said.

“I could not be prouder of the way our staff in Ingham remained dedicated to serving the community in the face of adversity.

“I’m also in awe of the amazing work and resilience of our teams in Charters Towers, Ayr, Home Hill and on Palm Island.

“As the monsoon trough persisted, our Building, Engineering and Maintenance Services (BEMS) teams played a crucial role in keeping our facilities open by ensuring generators were working and adequately fuelled.

Scan the QR code to watch a video celebrating our incredible health service heroes.

Some of the team at Ingham Hospital

“BEMS were also rapidly responding to leaks, water ingress and flooding in some carparks.

“Support services staff also worked around the clock, keeping our hospitals clean while meeting the high demand for laundry and sterilisation services, and our kitchen staff rose to the challenge by keeping all our staff and patients fed throughout the event.”

Acting chief operating officer Judy Morton said the extreme weather also led to increased community demand across clinical areas.

“As soon as the rain started to subside, our emergency departments experienced a surge in presentations,” Judy said.

“Our staff did an incredible job, not only treating patients who required medical care, but also looking after vulnerable members of the community who needed power for their life-saving medical equipment, as well as those who had nowhere else to go after being evacuated from their homes.

“With patient-flow challenges arising, our hospital in-patient capacities were certainly tested, but our medical, nursing, allied health, administration, and support staff brilliantly rose to the challenge.

“Despite the strain on resources, our staff continued to provide compassionate care, ensuring that everyone who walked through our doors received the treatment they needed.”

Judy said health service leadership made the decision to scale back elective procedures early in the week to allow staff to manage the influx of patients and mounting pressure on hospital resources.

“While the temporary postponement of some procedures gave us some breathing room as a workforce, we still needed to find a way to support staff coming into work when schools were forced to close,” Judy said.

“I want to thank the allied health teams for running the temporary childcare arrangements at Townsville University Hospital, allowing essential workers to attend their shifts without having to find alternative childcare in the community.”

Even when the worst of the rainfall had passed, the health service was still challenged by the closure of essential roads across the region.

“To deal with road closures, the health service orchestrated helicopter flights to deliver vital medical supplies, and transport relief staff to the worst-affected areas,” Judy said.

“Most of these flights were bound for Ingham, but we also deployed to Charters Towers when the town became isolated by rising floodwaters.

“Patients requiring urgent medical treatment were also airlifted from flood-affected areas, including renal patients and expectant mothers, so our teams could provide the care they needed in Townsville.

“I want to give a special shout out to BEMS, our rural hospitals service group, and particularly our staff in Ingham, for their incredible efforts during this challenging time.”

Keep reading for a photo spread showcasing the incredible efforts across the health service, along with stories from our rural sites, meet the babies born during the floods, hear the remarkable journey of our renal patients who escaped to safety, and learn more about the vital work of our mental health and public health teams during the crisis.

The flooded road in front of Ingham Hospital

At the coalfaceour health service heroes

Acting COO Judy Morton on board the chopper

Karin Lewis

Taking vital supplies into Ingham on a chopper

Tanya Forden, Michelle Butcher, Jennefer Shailer

Jodie Nema

Maria Melvin, Shelley Baker, Maria Carmelito, Elspeth Norton, Erin Mogg

Townsville Hospital and Health Service

Surveying a flooded Ingham

Kate MacNamara-Cridge, Jan Prior, Tanya Godfrey, Cynthia Pryor

Simona Dorante

Dr Gemma Smythe

Tamlyn Shrieber, Dawn Bligh, Nikki Coutts

Dr Joanne Petty, Dr Lindanie Ndebele, Melita Murphy, Karen Thorne, Jaime Fox, Assan Sam

Merlene Roberston

Andrew Murphy

Jordan Hennessy and Jared Townson

Anthony Reitano, John McLean, Bardley Toombes, Roger Moore, Andrew Nerboni, Cameron Gibson

Hamish Glen Golding, Rodney Stewart, and Kevin Pollard

iPhone

Scan QR code with camera

In browser, select install icon

Scroll down and select ‘Add to home screen’

Select ‘Add’

The blah will now be available as an app on your home screen

Android

Scan QR code with camera

Select the three dots icon in top right of screen

Find and select ‘Add to home screen’ Select ‘Create shortcut’

Ingham healthcare heroes stand tall during devastating floods

As Ingham was lashed by torrential rain and devastating floodwaters, a team of dedicated healthcare heroes worked around the clock to care for the community when it needed them most.

Doctors, nurses, administration, and support staff bunkered down at the Ingham Health Service throughout the severe weather event, keeping the power running, the kitchen open, and the hospital operational for sick, injured, and vulnerable locals.

Medical superintendent Dr Selina Porter, like many of her colleagues, didn’t leave the hospital for more than a week.

“It became clear early on that the floods could be as big as 1967, the biggest flood on record, so some of our staff made the commitment to stay at the hospital instead of going home, sleeping on makeshift beds and couches,” Selina said.

“As a health service, we’ve not only cared for those in need of medical treatment, but we have also taken in members of the community who rely on electricity for life-saving equipment; at one point we had around 65 people in a 28-bed hospital.”

Selina said the team had come together in an incredible show of resilience to deal with the ongoing challenges brought on by the flooding.

“We’ve had major plumbing issues, the town’s treatment plant generator failed at one point forcing us to rely on hospital water, and there were also challenges in keeping the hospital generator running,” she said.

Medical superintendent Dr Selina Porter and director of nursing Janine Johnson

Staff were flown into Ingham by chopper

“Throughout this event, we’ve experienced multiple tragedies, including a drowning, we’ve also cared for some very sick people coming into the emergency department, but amid the hardship we’ve seen the joy of new life, with our teams safely delivering two beautiful babies.

“We’ve all lost track of time over the past week, but our team has pulled together and done whatever was required to care for this tightknit community during its time of need.”

When she heard about the impact of the flooding, director of nursing Janine Johnson cut short her long service leave to return to the hospital and support her colleagues.

“We’ve had nurses, doctors and support staff doing double shifts, working tirelessly to keep everything running, not stopping until the job was done,” she said.

“The health service’s Building, Engineering, and Maintenance Service (BEMS) teams have also been instrumental in supporting us, working tirelessly to keep the hospital running despite major infrastructure challenges.

“We also need to give a very special shout out to the people of Ingham for bringing in food when the power went out and for sending lots of messages of support. Our local mayor and council have also been very supportive to the health service during this period.”

With road access to Ingham blocked due to flood damage, Janine said the health service orchestrated daily chopper flights from Townsville to deliver essential medical supplies and transport staff to relieve the exhausted teams on the ground.

“It’s been great that hospital staff from Townsville have volunteered to come up and help on a rolling roster, and we’ve been fortunate enough to bring in staff who have previously worked here so they already know the hospital and the community.”

But some Ingham staff refused to take a day off until the crisis had passed.

Operational services manager Kellie Venables spent a week away from her home and her family so she could help keep the hospital running.

“Like my team, I’ve been doing a bit of everything; cooking meals, doing laundry, cleaning, even assisting with x-rays,” she said.

“We started our days at 5:30am and sometimes didn’t sit down until 10pm, then we slept on the floor and started all over again.

“Even with major challenges every day, whether it was the generator or the sewage, we still found time to laugh as colleagues.

“Despite everything, babies were born during this event serving as a great reminder of life moving forward in the midst of a natural disaster.

“My colleagues are incredible; many strong friendships have formed through this experience. We knew each other well before, but now we’ll always share these special memories.”

Chief executive Kieran Keyes praised Ingham staff for going above and beyond to care for the community throughout the devastating floods.

“The dedication and resilience shown by our staff during this natural disaster has been incredible,” he said.

“The team put their patients and their community before everything else, even if it meant being away from their own homes and families.”

Operational services manager Kellie Venables

Operational services officer

Suzette Mercer

Crossing the bridge over flood waters for vital midwifery training

As devastating floods ravaged Ingham and with the only bridge south destroyed, determined Ingham midwife Georgina Bosworth did everything in her power to travel to Townsville to complete her neonatal resuscitation training.

Living on a farm six kilometres south of Ingham with the Trebonne Creek and Herbert River on either side, only a small patch around Georgina’s home remained dry as flood levels exceeded the historic 1967 floods.

Despite being without power for eight days, Georgina decided to do everything she could to complete her essential midwifery training, including walking across the Ollera Creek railway bridge following the collapse of the Ollera Creek bridge.

“My husband and I have lived in Ingham for years, so we have learnt the hard lessons and know how to prepare for these sorts of disasters,” Georgina said.

“As crazy as it sounds, I didn’t want to deal with the mental load of waiting months if I rescheduled the training, so walking across the train tracks at Ollera Creek didn’t seem too bad.

“My husband dropped me at the northern end of the creek where I walked across the railway bridge and met my son-in-law on the other side.

“He then drove me to the Townsville University Hospital just in time for my training.”

After completing her training, Georgina was offered a much-needed hot shower at the clinical simulation centre.

“The staff were really caring and made sure I took a shower before heading back home,” Georgina said.

“Denise, who I dubbed the angel from Balgal Beach, then offered to drive me back to Ollera Creek.

“By the afternoon there were a lot of police and SES volunteers at the creek awaiting the temporary bridge components, and one of the officers offered to walk me back across the railway bridge to meet my husband and head back to Ingham.”

Georgina said the great training and the kindness of the staff made the trip well worth it.

“So many of our health service staff have their own memories of the night of Noah, the 2019 floods, and Cyclone Yasi, so they really know how to look after each other.”

Ingham midwife Georgina Bosworth

BEMS on the run, on the roof, and on the road during weather event

While the storm impacted our local communities, the BEMS team was busy maintaining critical infrastructure and responding to leaks, flooding, water supply issues and power outages affecting Ingham, Ayr, Palm Island, Charters Towers.

Chief engineer Mick Ward was thankful none of the THHS facilities were significantly damaged or flooded from the weather event, enabling continuity of care for our community in a time of need.

“Our electrical team has worked tirelessly with facility managers and DONs to ensure generator power was maintained and electrical equipment affected by water were safely tested prior to reenergisation,” Mick said.

“Anthony Reitano and John McLean were flown into Ingham to support the facility response during the height of the flood to inspect, refuel and maintain the emergency generator powering the hospital campus for over four days.

“Andrew Nerboni and Roger Moore were in one of the first vehicles to cross the ADF’s temporary bridge at Ollera Creek and worked with Ergon to restore power to Ingham staff accommodation and local GP clinics as priority sites.”

Mick also praised the plumbing team, who responded to over 100 water leaks, mostly minor in nature, and implemented innovative measures to minimise further damage to facilities and prevent mould growth until permanent roof repairs could be completed.

“One of our team worked quickly with Hinchinbrook council to develop a temporary plan to relieve sewage backup affecting Ingham Hospital,” Mick said.

“We also had Will Van De Mere and two apprentices, Isaac Mayo and Darcy Dugmore, spend a night in Charters Towers with the rural team working to secure a temporary tank system water supply to the hospital to ensure a safe water supply was available for renal patients attending dialysis.”

Works will continue throughout the recovery phase of the weather event, including damage assessment, to prioritise repairs across the health service.

With an increased risk of mould growth throughout the region, please be vigilant and report instances of visible mould growth or water leaks and damage via an S4HANA maintenance request.

Anthony Reitano, John McLean, Bardley Toombes, Roger Moore, Andrew Nerboni, Cameron Gibson

Teamwork keeps Palm Island’s Joyce Palmer Health Service thriving during crisis

Planning, teamwork, and a bit of luck.

Those are the three things Joyce Palmer Health Service director of nursing Alison Gallagher put down as to how the community and the health service survived so well during the recent severe weather event.

Palm Island was one of the regions hit hardest by the event with intense rain and wind hitting the island community leading to a loss of power and interruptions to the water supply.

Facing isolation, power outages, the threat of infrastructure damage, and potentially moving the renal dialysis patients to Townsville University Hospital, Alison said the health service didn’t just survive, it thrived.

“The team pulled together through an extraordinary display of dedication, teamwork, and resilience,” Alison said.

“Our service has been preparing for severe weather since November.

“We knew we had enough stock and supplies, and we knew not only what each of us had to do, but what each other had to do.

“We had each other’s backs during the event and were always able to adapt to situations as they changed.”

Alison said the team did whatever it needed to continue providing healthcare to the community.

“We all pulled together and supported each other wherever we could,” she said.

“Nurses and doctors worked tirelessly, and operational staff took on any role needed.

“At one point I was even behind the wheel of a Queensland Health vehicle to transport patients safely to health service and home again.”

Back: Assan Sam, Michael McElroy, Alison Gallagher, Jason Lindeman, Francis Olopade

Front: Andrea Minney, Sherry Walton, Joanne Petty

Alison said the cooperation, teamwork and the pivotal decisions being made at the right time then actioned between the local disaster management group, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council, led by Mayor Alf Lacey was vital to getting the hospital service through the severe weather event.

“The communication to the hospital and the community was timely, accurate and important to helping us manage the situation,” she said.

“Chief executive Kieran Keyes, executive director nursing and midwifery Judy Morton and the rural health service group director Ann Marie Mallett, nursing director Sari Holland, and nurse manager Chris Harrison provided support and help throughout the event for which we are so grateful.

“I cannot praise the cooperation and professionalism of everyone involved enough. Everything ran like a well-oiled machine which helped us get on with our job of caring for people in the community.”

Townsville HHS chief executive Kieran Keyes said he was proud of the work the Joyce Palmer Health Service had done before, during, and after the weather event.

“Weather events like this are difficult to navigate, and the team at Palm Island did an excellent job of working through the event in some very challenging circumstances,” Kieran said.

“Those factors of being isolated from the mainland, experiencing power outages, and interruptions to the water supply were all problems the team managed as they continued to deliver healthcare to the Palm Island community during a very serious weather event.

“The resilience shown by the Palm Island community and our staff is a testament to their spirit and dedication.

“It’s in these challenging times that the true strength of a community shines through, and Palm Island has certainly demonstrated that.”

Townsville Hospital and Health Service

Lauwana Blakley, Alice Vivio, Sarjo Saju, Nanette Sands

Leslie Delaforce and Maria Seveikau

River deep, mountain high - renal patients defy

nature to attend

dialysis

As the region braced itself last week for the deluge that was to come, there was another thought occupying the minds of staff in renal units across the health service.

‘How will our dialysis patients make their appointments?’

A huge logistical operation was launched to repatriate renal patients including Bevan Gosling, Sophie Pearson and Leslie Cashmere from their flood-affected homes in and around Ingham to the Townsville University (TUH) renal unit.

Bevan Gosling, who lives near Crystal Creek, proved there ain’t no river wide enough to keep him from getting to his dialysis.

Overcoming a severed highway, snakes on a train (line), and the looming depths of a flooded Ollera Creek, Bevan walked across the still-intact railway track, running parallel to the highway, to meet the paramedics anxiously waiting for him on the other side.

“I was wondering how I was going to get to hospital because we got a lot of water,” Bevan said.

“The bridge was all blown out and I had to come across the railway bridge.

“It was drizzling a little, but I had to watch for all the snakes, there’s plenty of them, about five of them on the track as I was coming across.”

“All I was thinking was, I had to get here because I could hardly breathe because of too much fluid in my body.”

Thankfully, Bevan didn’t end up in the drink and paramedics transported him to TUH once he made it across the creek.

Living on a large property near Ingham, Sophie Pearson was lucky to have escaped the worst of the flooding.

However, with most of the town submerged in floodwater, she took matters into her own hands whizzing across town on a jet ski for her dialysis.

“It was one of my dad’s jet skis that we’ve had for a while; we didn’t have a boat to use, so the jet ski it was,” Sophie said.

Renal unit staff: Kara Lawlor, Joleen McArdle, Brett Carruthers and Samantha Orrin

“The hospital is on the opposite side of town, so no one saw me hop off the jet ski and I had to walk for a bit.

“Everyone was a bit surprised; they didn’t really believe me to begin with, but I was like, ‘well, I’m here.’”

Unable to dialyse at Ingham because of the power outage, Sophie was transferred to TUH via helicopter.

Being stranded at Forrest Beach resulted in first-time helicopter ride for dialysis patient Leslie Cashmere.

“The helicopter came to Forrest Beach and picked me up from the school oval,” he said.

“It was my first time in a helicopter; it wasn’t raining too hard at the time, and I didn’t feel too crook.”

Clinical nurse consultant Brett Carruthers said six patients were brought into TUH from Ingham, Mutarnee and Forrest Beach.

“We were grateful for the Queensland Ambulance Service, Retrieval Services Queensland and the Australian Defence Force for their efforts in repatriating our patients,” Brett said.

Renal staff specialist Dr Michelle Harfield said she was ‘hugely relieved’ to see the patients all arrive safely.

“Each of our patients is special to us,” she said.

“Because they have a lifelong condition, we see them regularly and they are like family.

“It was a huge coordination effort from the renal nursing staff and all the satellite units in Ingham, Palm Island, Home Hill and Charters Towers involved to get our patients here.

“We’re very thankful.”

Leslie Cashmere with Loretta Ong and Dolly Omar

Amie Panes with Sophie Pearson

Bevan Gosling and Brett Carruthers blah

Choppers a lifeline for Charters Towers

Nothing could stop the Charters Towers health services as they came together to ensure the community’s needs were met during the recent devastating weather events.

With the Macrossan Bridge submerged intermittently for 12 days, cutting the town off, staff found creative solutions to keep vital services at the Charters Towers Hospital, Eventide Residential Aged Care Facility and Charters Towers Rehabilitation running.

Director of nursing at Charters Towers Health Service Katrina Ford said despite the many challenges, the staff had gone above and beyond.

“We were on tight water supply restrictions and the team worked closely with the Local Disaster Management Group and council to limit hospital water usage,” Katrina said.

“The BEMS team set up onsite water tanks, which ensured renal and ward services could continue.”

Katrina said with the bridge under water, the team relied on other ways to get essential people and supplies into town.

“Thanks to support from Townsville Helicopters, we were able to continue dialysis for local patients,” Katrina said.

“The helicopters brought in renal supplies plus a nurse for the renal satellite unit, as well as a nurse for Eventide and a junior medical officer for the hospital.

“The helicopter was full to the brim.

“Two senior medical officers Dr Nicolene Botha and Dr Manoj Patil also organised to be flown across the Burdekin at the crossover of their rosters, with essential blood and supplies from Townsville and took vital pathology to TUH.

“It was the second time that Dr Manoj Patil has been flown over the river to get to work at Charters Towers since he began working with us.”

Katrina said Townsville Helicopters continued to transport urgent medications and staff while the bridge remained flooded.

“It has been a huge community effort all round to keep services running smoothly,” Katrina said.

“From helicopter flights to urgent supplies and the flexibility of the wonderful staff, it has been wonderful to see the dedication of our teams.”

Katrina Ford DON Charters Towers Hospital and Renee Dixon, DON Eventide Residential Aged Care Facility

Collaboration keeps health supplies moving

Strong storm season preparedness and close collaboration with customers has helped Supply Chain Branch’s North Queensland Distribution Centre (NQDC) support northern hospital and health services (HHSs) during recent severe flooding events through the supply of vital medical consumables.

NQDC Manager Troy Robson said throughout the severe weather event, the team was represented at Townsville HHS Incident Management Team (IMT) meetings to receive updates on the health service’s status and assist where required with the supply of medical consumables.

‘‘The primary supply issue for many northern and western health facilities is road access during a severe and prolonged event,’’ Troy said.

‘‘The NQDC minimised impacts by prioritising the picking, packing and staging of orders for sites at risk of being cut off so their orders can be sent the moment a road opens because often our logistics team has a window of hours before river levels rise back above bridges.’’

Troy said weather events created a long list of challenges in healthcare and each year the NQDC team worked with HHSs ahead of every storm season to prepare for these events.

“In northern Queensland we’re well versed in severe weather which is why each year we undertake pre-season preparedness with our HHS customers, where we pick additional orders for a range of their hospital storage locations for events just like this,” Troy said.

“We were isolated from Mackay for a period of time recently and they’ve had to access and utilise stock from those additional wet season pallets they had prepared.

“We work with the Mackay team to pick additional orders after an event to replace the stock they’ve used so they are ready for the next weather event.’’

Troy said it was essential the NQDC team remained agile and adaptable because a monsoon was unpredictable.

‘‘During this most recent event our primary access gate was quite literally blown off its rails in gale force winds and unable to be used,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s been quite the start to 2025 for the north, it’s blown all of us, and our gate, away!’’

Recent severe weather blew the NQDC main entrance gate off its rails.

Twin towns working together across the divide

Collaboration was key in the Burdekin as Ayr and Home Hill Health Services were challenged by the severe weather.

Ayr Health Service director of nursing and facility manager Tracey Gabiola said swollen creeks prevented many staff who live rurally from accessing town.

“The road between Ayr and Home Hill was closed and Ayr staff who live in Home Hill were stranded and vice versa,” Tracey said.

“In conjunction with Home Hill acting director of nursing Joanne McBow, we contacted relevant staff and arranged change of shifts and secondment to work in other facilities where they live.

“We’ve also been supported to engage Townsville Helicopters to fly stranded staff at Jarvisfield into town and Q Rail have transferred staff between Ayr and Home Hill.”

Tracey praised staff and was grateful to everyone who had been flexible and accommodating during the severe weather event.

“I have again been amazed at the willingness of staff across all disciplines who have reached out and gratefully work additional hours, swapped shifts and moved out of their homes to ensure continuity of service,” she said.

“I must also admit that we are all ‘a bit over it’ and really looking forward to BAU!”

Debra Magatelli, Tracey Gabiola and Sue-Ann Wilkie

Double delight in the eye of the storm

They don’t know it yet, but identical twin girls

Ayla and Harper Rafter were born at the height of an historic monsoon that lashed Townsville in the early hours of February 1.

While the city was battening down as record rain fell, Chloe and Jordan Rafter were welcoming their babies, almost six weeks early, in Townsville University Hospital’s birth suite.

The Hughenden couple was staying with family in Cranbrook when Chloe’s membranes ruptured around 2.30am.

“It certainly wasn’t something I was expecting,” she said.

“Jordan had come in from Hughenden on Friday after work which was really lucky.

“We got to the hospital around 3.15am; Ayla was born at 4.10am and Harper at 4.22am.”

Director of maternal fetal medicine Dr David Watson said the heavy rain possibly contributed to Chloe’s early labour.

“There is published research that shows a strong correlation between a drop in barometric pressure and spontaneous rupture of membranes, and subsequent labour,” he said.

“We’ve had Chloe here in Townsville for scans and monitoring for a few weeks and the whole team is delighted with the safe delivery of the babies,” he said.

Chloe and Jordan, who are also parents to threeyear-old Addalyn, said the twin pregnancy was a complete surprise.

“Even though I’m a twin and Jordan has twins on his side of the family, we got a big shock when the sonographer told us there were two heartbeats,” Chloe said.

Jordan said having three children aged three and under was still sinking in.

“When one was out and they said we’re going for the second’, I thought ‘that’s right, there’s another one’,” he said.

Staff specialist neonatologist Dr Natalee Williamson said Ayla and Harper were ‘progressing beautifully’ in the special care nursery.

“Given they’ve been born a little ahead of schedule, we would expect them to remain in our care for the next couple of weeks,” she said.

There were 26 babies born at TUH, one in Ingham, and three in Ayr between 12.01am on 31 January and midnight on 3 February, including two sets of twins.

The Rafter family: Chloe, Jordan and Addalyn with newborn twins, Ayla and Harper. Pic: Shae Beplate

Ingham mum-to-be choppered out of flood zone

After devastating floods swept through her home, Ingham local Madison Wright was airlifted to Townsville University Hospital at 38-weeks pregnant to prepare to welcome her first baby.

Madison’s home was submerged as floodwaters in Ingham began to rise early Sunday morning, leaving Madison and her partner struggling to save their belongings and remain safe.

Having only recently moved to Ingham, Madison said this was the first time she had experienced such a catastrophic flooding event.

“It was very scary,” Madison said.

“I didn’t know what to do, I was just pushing furniture out of the way with the water up to my knees.”

Madison managed to save her overnight hospital bag weighing 15 kilograms by carrying it over her head as she waded through floodwaters.

“The hospital bag was the only thing I could grab, and it was the most important thing in that moment,” she said.

With the water rising, the couple made their way to a friend’s house by boat, where they were able to stay safe.

After several days with no power and a flat mobile phone, Madison managed to contact her midwife who recommended she be evacuated due to her fullterm pregnancy.

Madison was quickly airlifted to Townsville in preparation for the birth of her baby boy.

Madison said although the situation had been incredibly stressful, the support of her family and the hospital staff in Ingham and Townsville gave her a sense of comfort.

“I was just glad to be in a safe space, especially being so far along in my pregnancy,” she said.

Madison said her partner had been able to return to their home to begin cleaning up, but the loss of tools, furniture, and baby supplies has been a huge blow.

“My partner lost all his tools and most of the baby stuff was washed away; it’s a lot to deal with,” Madison said.

“I’m just glad to be here, welcome my baby very soon, and get back to normal life!”

Midwife Stephanie Ralph with Madison Wright

Supporting your mental health after a natural disaster

Townsville University Hospital psychologists are encouraging north Queenslanders to prioritise their mental health in the aftermath of the severe weather and flooding across the region.

Psychologist Monique Du’cane said it was normal to have emotional or physical reactions after experiencing a natural disaster.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s the first or tenth time encountering such a situation, your mind and body can react strongly when it feels there is a threat to you or your family’s safety,” Monique said.

“Stress can initially motivate us to take action to protect ourselves and the ones we love, but if we experience distress for too long it can impact our well-being and coping abilities.

“For people who experienced flooding in 2019, this time could be particularly difficult as they’re reminded of the devastation that occurred in the community.”

Monique said comfort and connection were great initial steps to take to help ease the burden on the mind.

“As humans, we need comfort and consistency,” she said.

“Do things that have worked well for you in the past such as getting enough sleep, exercise, journalling, or even binge watching your favourite shows.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help and reach out to your friends or family if you’re having a hard time.”

When it came to supporting children and their mental health, Monique said reassurance and routine would help put them at ease.

“Children need reassurance they are safe, as they can start to question the safety of the world around them,” she said.

“Quickly establish a routine which can create a world that feels predictable and safe.”

Talking about the traumatic event with your child might feel daunting, but Monique said being honest and simple was best.

“Use age-appropriate language they can understand and avoid unnecessary detail that may increase distress,” she said.

“You could say something like, ‘the floodwater has entered our house and there are things that need to be fixed or replaced, but we are safe and have a plan to keep us that way’.”

If you or your child continues to experience ongoing distress, Monique suggested seeking additional support as the best option.

“Your GP can assist you with a Mental Health Care Plan to access professional support,” she said.

“There is also over-the-phone crisis support lines like Lifeline and Kids Helpline.

“North Queenslanders are a resilient bunch but it’s important that you stay connected, be kind to yourself and reach out for support when you need it.”

Psychologist Monique Du’cane

Protect yourself from infections after storms

In the immediate aftermath of the severe weather, the Townsville Public Health Unit (TPHU) issued some key messages for the community to keep themselves and their families safe.

Food safety was one of the biggest concerns during and immediately after the initial storm as communities faced lengthy power outages.

Director of public health Dr Steven Donohue said consumption of food that was unrefrigerated for an extended period could lead to food poisoning.

As the focus shifts to the clean-up, public health physician Dr Kate Murton says it was important people took the correct measures to protect themselves when cleaning up debris.

“Flood waters and mud left behind from the heavy rain contain dirt and bacteria which have the potential to make you very unwell,” Kate said.

“After heavy rains, there is an increased risk of contracting gastro or rarer diseases including melioidosis and leptospirosis.”

Thankfully, there are easy ways to protect yourself from diseases and viruses.

“The best way to stay healthy and avoid infection is to avoid contact with flood waters and mud when cleaning,” Kate said.

“Wear protective clothing and footwear, wear a facemask when hosing down mud, and cover cuts and sores with waterproof dressings.

“If you do get a wound or cut, make sure you wash it thoroughly and use antiseptic before applying a clean dressing.”

Steven also said general hygiene was essential to prevent people getting sick.

“Wash your hands before touching food, after going to the toilet and really trying to be scrupulous with hygiene is incredibly important during this time,” he said.

After a flooding event, where lots of pools of water are around there is also concern for mosquito-borne diseases.

“Mosquito numbers also tend to increase with lots of puddles and buckets of water still around, which increases the potential of mosquito-borne diseases to occur,” Kate said.

“Wearing loose, light-colours clothing and mosquito repellent and coils to prevent mozzie bites and empty buckets, containers and anything else where water has pooled to stop mozzies from breeding.”

With north Queensland only part way through the storm season, and large rain events or cyclones still possible, Steven stressed that the advice would remain relevant for the entire season.

“It is important to be prepared for future disasters,” he said.

“Have a plan about what you and your families will do in a disaster.”

Public health director Dr Steven Donohue and public health physician Dr Kate Murton

After my recent diagnosis, the support from the breast care nurses has been phenomenal. There has been so much information I could not cope. One piece of material provided to me has been my lifeline with remembering things and that is Journal. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

BreastScreen Domain

Thank you Sally, Nurse Navigator, you were just fantastic. Everything went just fine. My care by all involved, by all in the ward and cancer section. Thank you so much you are all sincere and caring. To everyone at TUH, take care, take it easy and thanks again. Dr Ed Morrison and staff, thank you.

Nurse Navigators –Chronic Disease

I was extremely anxious about about my procedure and all of the nurses were so lovely and friendly and they made me feel so much better about my procedure. The nurse practitioner Grace Magnani who performed my procedure was so kind and reassuring and she made me feel so safe and looked after. I really appreciate all the wonderful staff on the Endoscopy unit.

Endoscopy

TELUS Health natural disaster support

If you’ve been impacted by the severe weather and flooding and were unable to attend work and perform your duties, you may be eligible for special leave.

Here are a few FAQs regarding Special Leave entitlements.

I received an Emergency Warning text message or phone call in relation to my residence, and I did not feel it was safe to attend or remain at work; am I entitled to special leave?

Yes, you are eligible to apply for a maximum of up to five (5) working days special leave.

I cannot safely attend my workplace as all access via road is flooded, and cannot safely attend for duty to another government office, am I entitled to special leave?

Yes, you are eligible to apply for a maximum of up to five (5) working days special leave.

I am able to safely attend work but local state schools, non-government schools and early childhood education and care services are closed due to flooding or a cyclone disturbance, and I do not have access to other care arrangements for my child/children; am I entitled to special leave?

Yes, you are eligible to apply for a maximum of up to five (5) working days special leave when you are required, out of necessity, to remain home to safeguard your family or property.

I am able to safely attend work but need to remain at home to have temporary repairs, effected, restore belongings clean up etc on my cyclonic and/or flood damaged property, am I entitled to special leave?

Yes, you are eligible to apply for a maximum of up to five (5) working days special leave.

What if I am on annual/recreational leave, RDO/ADO or other types of approved leave, and my home is affected by flood or cyclonic disturbance, can I convert this leave to special leave?

No, if you are on approved leave during the floods or a cyclonic disturbance, then you would not be eligible for paid special leave. You are only eligible for paid special leave if, at the conclusion of their approved leave, they are unable to return to work and it is not practicable to attend duty at another Government Office to attend their rostered shift.

For more information on your entitlements and how to apply for Special Leave, please contact the HR Service Centre on 07 4433 1710 or email tsv-hr-enquiry@health.qld.gov.au.

If you are a Nurse Unit Manager and require further information about IWFM rostering, please contact the Roster Support Office on 07 4433 1710 or email thhs_nwhhs_roster_support@health.qld.gov.au.

New laser helps kids like Pearl

Thanks to generous donations to Brighter Lives, a Cuter V+ laser was funded for Townsville University Hospital last year.

The laser will benefit over 200 local children annually, providing cutting-edge treatment for conditions such as burns, scars, and vascular issues such as port wine stains and hemangiomas.

It allows families to access care locally in Townsville, keeping care close to home here in north Queensland.

This state-of-the-art laser was made possible from donations from across the local community, including a generous $35,000 donation from Glencore’s Queensland Metals Community Assistance Program.

The new laser will help children like Pearl. Twelve-year-old Innisfail girl, Pearl CashmanCataldo, has Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, a rare condition involving abnormal blood vessels in her right leg and pelvis.

While deeper blood vessels in her body require invasive treatments, Pearl’s primary concern involves smaller vessels breaking through the skin of her leg, leading to constant bleeding.

Pearl’s doctor, director of paediatric surgery Dr Harry Stalewski, said the smaller vessels were ideal candidates for treatment with the new laser which coagulated blood vessels to stop bleeding.

“The results with this sort of laser have been excellent,” Harry said.

“As Pearl grows, new vessels will appear, and she will require ongoing therapy, but this laser offers a safer and more effective solution for her condition.”

Darren Nyen, acting manager Townsville Copper Refinery emphasised the organisation’s commitment to the community.

“Glencore is proud to support this initiative, introducing vital technology to Townsville and ensuring North Queensland’s youngest patients receive world-class care close to home,” he said.

“The laser is a major step forward for the region, offering innovative treatment options and hope for children and families dealing with challenging conditions.”

Dr Harry Stalewski, Dr Brendan O’Connor, Taleta Hasted, Ben Cashman, Darren Nyen, Matthew Bryant, Stephanie Naunton with Pearl Cashman-Cataldo

Capital works update

Works currently underway

Project: Removal and replacement of TUH MRI

Work location/s: medical imaging and emergency departments

Project: Ward Midlife Renewal - Stage Aadditional beds -$2.1 million

Works on the way

Project: The 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 locations: TUH Acute building Level 1 former Endoscopy Services / Medilink building Level 2 current NQPPMS suite

Project: Kirwan Health Community Campus expansion - $40 million

Have any questions?

Work location: ground floor medical ward 4

Project: eHealth Infrastructure Maintenance Program

Work location/s: Various locations in TUH

Work location: Kirwan Health Community expansion – carpark

Project: Charters Towers Health Service – CT Scanner and Xray building - $4.4 million

Work location: At the front of the hospital, adjacent the Emergency Department

Project: TUH Central Equipment Loans Service (CELS) - $2.35 million

Work Location: TUH Level 2, CSSB

Project: TUH Stage 1 expansion project - $530 million

Work locations: 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 teams who will be impacted by works undertaken at TUH.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss any proposed changes, please email THHSInfrastructureOffice@health.qld.gov.au.

Recipe of the week

Laugh of the blah

Peanut and sesame tofu noodle salad

Supplied by TUH dietitians

Ingredients

• 600g medium tofu (about 2 packets)

• 150g dried rice vermicelli noodles

• ½ cup (70g) roasted salted peanuts

• 1 sheet nori, chopped coarsely

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

• 2 egg whites, beaten lightly

• vegetable oil

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

• 1 tsp cornflour

• 1/3 cup soy sauce

• 1/3 cup vegetarian oyster sauce

• 2 tablespoons mirin

• Your choice of greens (bok choy, snow peas etc)

Method

1. Place tofu on a large plate lined with paper towel; top with another piece of paper towel and another plate. Stand, tilted, for 10 minutes to drain. Cut tofu into 2cm thick pieces; pat dry with paper towel.

2. Place noodles in a heatproof bowl; cover with boiling water. Stand for 2 minutes; drain. Rinse under cold running water; drain.

3. Pulse peanuts and nori in a small food processor until a semi-coarse crumble forms. Stir in sesame seeds. Lightly coat tofu in egg white, then coat in the peanut mixture. Heat 1.5cm oil in a heavy-based non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Shallow-fry tofu, in batches, for 2 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

4. Heat extra oil in a wok over high heat; stir-fry garlic and ginger for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add combined cornflour, soy sauce, oyster sauce and mirin to wok with remaining ingredients; stir-fry until sauce boils and thickens slightly, and vegetables are tender but still crisp. Remove from heat. Stir in noodles.

5.Top stir-fried vegetable and noodle mixture with tofu; sprinkle with extra sesame seeds, if you like. Serve straight away.

Classifieds

FOR SALE

Puppies - German Shepherd. 5 male 1 Female. Born 2nd December 2024. Ready week of 20th January. Wormed, micro chipped and 1st vaccination has been done. Breeder number BIN0015993022070. $2000. Contact 0417 252 772 for details. (31/1)

Amarok Dual Cab Ute TDI420 with aluminium lockable canopy, 170xxx KMs, great uteonly selling due to upgrading. Service just completed, service history available and road worthy included. Includes snorkel, UHF, lift kift & more. Located in Annandale. Contact 0414599049 for photos and all details. (14/2)

Puppies – Labradoodle. 5 of 11 still available. Multi-generational, non-shedding fleece and non-allergenic coated dogs. Medium sized, 17-20kgs fully grown. Wormed fortnightly and now ready to go, 8 weeks as of 7th Feb. Final vet check, first vax and microchipped. $2,900. BIN0001101777456, Responsible Breeders Association Australia Membership 11415. Text or call Kirsten 0418 389 831. (14/2)

House for sale - 4 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, 2 Carspace and pool. Large front and backyard, land Size 648 m2. 5 minutes’ drive to hospital and JCU. Easy access to playground, soccer & tennis fields, fish&flip swim school and dog park. $775,000, Tim 0451394728. 34, Honeyeater Circuit, Douglas, QLD 4814 (14/2)

FOR RENT

Mature couple from the UK are looking for a housesit on Magnetic Island from 09/09/25 to 09/11/25. They are regular visitors as they have a daughter living here. They will look after your house as if their own. Please email helen. griffiths2@health.qld.gov.au if you have a house/unit available. (14/2)

2-Bedroom Unit in Cranbrook, $360/Week. Fully air-conditioned unit near major shopping, JCU, and hospital. Features a small kitchen with appliances, washing machine, and security screens. Off-street parking (not undercover), yard maintenance included. Electricity metered separately. Quiet location near Ross River. Contact Leigh (0401 279 911) to view/apply. (14/2)

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.