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THHS Weekly Wrap - 5th of Feb 2026

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Weekly Wrap

Your weekly dose of Heath Service updates!

Submit your updates now:

Where, how and when do I submit my submissions?

Submissions for the Weekly Wrap must be received by 12pm, the Thursday before publication. Submissions should be sent as free text in an email or free text in a word document with title, key summary information, and links to QHEPS, documents, or external websites where appropriate.

Undated submissions will be removed after two editions, unless otherwise requested. You can submit your submission by clicking thr ‘Find out more’ button and contacting the Broadcast Team now!

Latest notices

Health Safety and Wellbeing - January Safety Focus

Attached are the Safety Focus for February 2026.

We are now publishing two editions each month, allowing us to cover all safety classifications in Riskman and introducing new topics for emerging risks, particularly those linked to upcoming construction activities.

The focus topics for this month are:

• Psychosocial Hazards – identifying, acknowledging and reporting

• Biological Exposures – there has been a significant increase in reported incidents during this period.

Please print and display this notice on your safety board.

Stay alert, Stay safe!

The Post Critical Workplace Incident Staff Support procedure describes the process for supporting staff following a critical workplace incident that may occur in any work unit across the Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS).

This training will provide you with an understanding of the Post Critical Workplace Incident Staff Support procedure. On completion of Post Critical Workplace Incident Staff Support course on Learning Online (LOL), line managers will have an:

• Understanding of what a critical incident is

• Understand the escalation process post critical incident

• Understand and identify cultural safety considerations

• Understand the ISTART debriefing framework

• Understand how to follow up and monitor staff wellbeing

To commence the training please click the following link: https://thhslol.nth.health.qld.gov.au/course/ view.php?id=3364

Target audience: Line Managers

Duration: 20-30 minutes

Frequency: Once only

Delivery mode: Online

NEW! Support Indigenous health and education with the new limited-edition medical scrubs, created by the JT Academy and Mediscrubs. Featuring original Indigenous artwork by Wayne Martin, all profits go to the JT Academy and Brighter Lives. Every scrub top and pair of pants sold helps fund education pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and programs improving Indigenous health outcomes across North Queensland.

New Johnathan Thurston scrubs available

Available now for $59.95 per piece through the Brighter Lives gift shop at Townsville University Hospital or online www.brighterlives.org.au/shop

Sample sizes are available to try on at the gift shop.

2026 Wall Planners – now available!

The 2026 wall planners are here! Free – available while stocks last from the gift shop, or phone/email Brighter Lives to have some posted to you.

Hard copy deceased packages to electronic resources from 2 February, 2026.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service will transition from hard copy deceased packages to electronic resources from 2 February, 2026.A dedicated deceased packages page is available now on QHEPS. It is a comprehensive resource for clinicians, providing:

• Descriptions of different types of hospital deaths (reportable and non-reportable).

• Requirements for documentation and processing.

• Direct links to all key documents.

Important note for medical officers

From 2 February 2026, Townsville HHS will move to the next stage of the Electronic Death Certificate roll-out. From this date, medical officers must exclusively complete death certificates electronically. Hard copies will no longer be the standard practice.

Where to find it on QHEPS?

Go to the THHS QHEPS page, move cursor over the “clinicians” tab (located in the top lighter blue ribbon), and click on “deceased packages”.

Nominations for the 2026 Staff Excellence Awards are now open!

Do you know a colleague or team exemplifying the Townsville Hospital and Health Service values, vision, and purpose?

Recognise their contribution to healthcare in our region by nominating them in one of the awards categories of Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Engagement, Vision, Purpose, Excellence in Staff Wellbeing or Rural Health Worker of the Year.

Please submit your nomination by 5pm Friday 27th February 2026.

For more information, please contact Public Affairs at tsv-public-affairs@health.qld.gov.au

Organisational Development

For further information, please contact Organisation Development: THHS-Learning@ health.qld.gov.au

Understanding Intergenerational Teams

In today’s workplace, five generations work side by side - each shaped by different life experiences, values and expectations. At THHS, Gen Z and Millennials make up more than half of our workforce, bringing new perspectives, skills and ways of working.

Program objectives:

• Understand the key traits, values and motivators of different generations, especially Gen Z and Millennials.

• Recognise and challenge assumptions or biases that can impact inter-generational teamwork.

• Apply practical communication and engagement strategies to work more effectively across generations.

• Reflect and commit to one small action that strengthens inter-generational relationships at THHS.

Click to register now

Build Your Leadership Workshop

The Build Your Leadership Workshop provides participants with the next step on from ‘Ignite Your Leadership’ and builds people and team leadership skills.

Program Objectives:

• Examine the mindset shift from Leader of Self to Leader of Others

• Learn and evidence-based framework to develop flexible leadership and when to use each style

• Learn and evidence-based framework to lead a team, create a positive workplace culture and build performance

Click to register now

Essential Communication Skills For the Workplace

This programme is designed to provide staff with tools, strategies and techniques to assist in achieving effective two-way communications and positive relationship development.

It encompasses the following four (4) x 4-hour modules:

• Communication Foundational Skills

• Giving and Receiving Feedback

• Foundational Skills for Negotiating

• Dealing with Difficult Conversations

It is recommended the modules are undertaken in order, with Communication Foundational Skills prerequisite to all other modules.

Click to register now

Positive Performance Management – Developing People Management

Skills

This program will equip line managers with tools, processes and frameworks to demonstrate good, day-to-day people performance management within the requirements of the Public Service Commission Directive 02/24 (Positive Performance Management) and HR Policy G9 to develop a good workplace culture.

Click to register now

Caring Together – Interprofessional Teaming

Focus on the benefit of interprofessional collaboration and the impact effective teaming has on the health outcomes of patients, staff wellbeing, and the sustainability of the health system, Caring Together –Interprofessional Teaming explores the barriers and enablers of effective collaboration and creation of an actionable plan to improve interprofessional collaboration in your workplace.

This 1 day programme enhances participants understanding of what it means to be a part of an interprofessional team and the value of interprofessional collaboration, recognises the importance of teaming in healthcare settings, explores the challenges and barriers to successful collaboration and identifies opportunities for improved interprofessional collaboration.

Click to register now

This programme delivered in collaboration with the Centre for Leadership Excellence, health Workforce.

Centre for Leadership Excellence (CLE) Statewide Capability Development Program

The Centre for Leadership Excellence’s Statewide programs are available to all Hospital and Health Service employees including emerging, aspiring and experienced leaders and managers in Queensland Health. Statewide programs are offered as facilitated programs delivered virtually, offering formalised training opportunities to develop leadership skills, capability and enhance career pathways.

• Business Partnering

• Conversations That Make a Difference

• Effective Writing Skills

• Essential Coaching Skills

• Manage4Improvement

• Maximising Stakeholder Relationships

• Step Up Leadership Program

• Take the Lead

• Wellbeing & Resilience

• Wellbeing Leadership

• Workload, Email and Meeting Management

Click to register now Programs include:

Critical Care Advanced Airway Course

Registration is now open for the CICO Workshop – 20th March 2026

The course is limited to 12 participants: 6 medical and 6 nursing.

Outline:

Using a combination of interactive lectures, skills stations and simulation-based learning, participants will develop and practise the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to recognise and manage a CICO crisis.

Duration: 5 hours (0800 to 1300 hours)

Location: Clinical Simulation Centre, Plant Level Acute Block, TUH.

Registration & enquiries: ICU Secretariat; ICU, North Block, Townsville University Hospital.

Phone: (07) 4433 7997

Email: ICU-ESO@health.qld.gov.au

Formally recognised for CPD by: CICM (SHLR), ANZCA, FACEM

CICM Trainee Course Accreditation – CICO ICU Workshop/Advanced Airway Skills

Disability Awareness Training Webinar Series 2026

The 2026 Disability Awareness Training Webinar Series series aims to build disability awareness and health system workforce confidence, knowledge and capabilities when working with people with disability, their loved ones, and supporters.

Session 1: Partnering with supporters, carers and loves ones

Wed 18 Feb, 12:00 - 13:00 GMT+10

Online via Microsoft Teams

Join us as we reflect on the important role that supporters, carers, and loved ones play in the healthcare journey of people with disability.

How can we learn from the experiences that supporters have when engaging in healthcare and how might we partner better with supporters of people with disability?

ATODS Workshop – Monday 16th and

Tuesday 17th February 2026

The ATODS Workshop is a comprehensive two-day, face-to-face training program designed to enhance clinicians’ understanding of psychoactive substances, their impact on individuals’ health and well-being, and the critical skills healthcare professionals need to provide effective care for individuals navigating substance-related challenges.

Policies and Procedures

New / updated policies and procedures available on the Townsville Hospital & Health Service, Policy & Procedure Homepage

Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country THHSCOR191361

Replaced: v2

Target Audience: All THHS employees (permanent, temporary and casual) and all organisations and individuals acting as its agents, including Visiting Medical Officers and other Contractors, consultants and volunteers.

Clinical Forms

Are you using the CURRENT version?

All clinical forms used within Townsville HHS can be found on the Clinical Forms webpage

New / Reviewed Clinical Forms

Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) Townsville Home Care Service Plan (00200:0917 v2)

Neonatal Transfer/Escort Care Record (00200:0504 v4)

Nursing Referral to Specialist Palliative Care in Aged Care (SPACE) (00200:1418 v2)

Referral to Prosthetic and Orthotic Services (00200:0508 v4)

It is very important that you are using the current version of a clinical form. To ensure you print the current version, DO NOT save these forms to your local drive or photocopy these forms. If you need to continually refer to a form, you may ‘Add to Favourites’ in your web browser. The ONE STOP location for all things Patient access and flow at THHS New Guideline on the Demand Management and Escalation webpage Guideline 2 -  Demand Response Unit – Flex Beds

New Guideline on the Patient Flow and Support Unit webpage Guideline 8 – Requesting an inpatient bed Kidney Transplant Recipient

Enterprise Risk Management Training

Strengthen Patient Safety & Operational Resilience with Enterprise Risk Management Training

Every one of us contributes to THHS achieving its goals – delivering exceptional care, supporting our teams, and making a real difference in our community.

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) helps us do exactly that by giving us the tools to anticipate what could go wrong before it does, make informed decisions, and stay on track to achieve our objectives. Whether you work in clinical care, administration, facilities, or leadership, this training will help you see the bigger picture of how enterprise risks are identified, managed, and reported across THHS. You’ll learn practical ways to identify and respond to potential risks early, support confident decision-making, and strengthen how we deliver on our shared purpose.

What you’ll gain:

• Confidence to identify and manage enterprise risks in your area

• A clearer understanding of how risk connects to THHS objectives

• Practical tools to support decision-making and problem-solving

• A stronger voice in shaping a safe, resilient organisation

Register now through:

Education and Training | Townsville HHS | Risk Management (health.qld.gov.au)

START HERE:

Course: Risk Management Basics | THHS-LOL (ONLINE MODULE - 30 mins)

This training will provide you with an understanding of the core components of the THHS Enterprise Risk Management Framework.

FACE-TO-FACE & MICROSOFT TEAMS WORKSHOPS:

Register via LOL: Title – Risk Management Essentials (2.5 hours)

This training is to ensure risk owners have the necessary skills to apply all aspects of the THHS Enterprise Risk Management Framework.

Register via LOL: Title – Risk Assessment and Treatment Plan (RATP) Workshop (2 hours)

Course: Risk assessment and treatment plan (RATP) Workshop | THHS-LOL (health.qld.gov.au)

This course is aimed at increasing your confidence and skills in assessing enterprise risk using the THHS Risk Assessment and Treatment Plan (RATP) template.

BUILD ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING:

Course: Strategic Risk Management | THHS-LOL (ONLINE MODULE - 20 mins)

This eLearning module is designed for the THHS senior leadership team, executive and directors, and focuses on shaping a risk intelligent approach to enterprise risk management.

Course: Risk Management Toolkit Sessions | THHS-LOL (8 X ONLINE VIDEOS – 10 mins)

These Toolkit Sessions are designed to provide targeted training in specific processes and functions set out in the THHS Enterprise Risk Management Framework.

For further information, please contact the Enterprise Risk Team at THHS-EnterpriseRisk@health.qld.gov.au

Course: Risk Management Essentials | THHS-LOL (health.qld.gov.au) Townsville

Staff Noticeboard

The TUH shuttle bus is a service operating from 6.30pm with a final run at 9.30pm from the hospital’s front foyer to eastern campus car park 17. he service is a safety measure for all streams and operates Monday to Friday. Please share your feedback to ensure the smooth running of this service.

Check out the most recent newsletter from the Healthcare Standards & Patient Safety Teams. Click the links below to read the newsletters: Healthcare Standards & Patient Safety Newsletter

Issue 5 – July 2025 Parkinson’s Disease Medication

Issue 6 - August 2025 Change in Behaviour - Could it be Delirium?

Issue 7 - September 2025 World Patient Safety Day 2025

Issue 8 - October 2025 Communicating for Safety

Read the latest Patient Safety Newsletter “Safety Matters” by clicking the ‘find out more’ button.

Townsville HHS Medication Newsletter

The most recent editions of the Townsville HHS Medication newsletter are out now. Click the links to read them:

Feb Medication newsletter | February 2025 | Townsville HHS | Newsletter

March Medication newsletter | March 2025 | Townsville HHS | Newsletter

May Medication newsletter | May 2025 | Townsville HHS | Newsletter

July Medication newsletter | July 2025 | Townsville HHS | Newsletter

Car Park Shuttle Service

The Queensland Occupational Violence Strategy Unit have recently collaborated with Strategic Communications to develop an Occupational Violence Prevention Signature block. The signature block reinforces messaging that occupational violence is not part of the job. The signature block generator can be found Signature Generator under the campaign banner “respect our staff”.

S/4Hana Update

The Food Service has updated several material numbers to streamline our processes and improve efficiency. These updates are designed to enhance our service delivery and ensure that we continue to meet the highest standards. Stay up to date by utlising the link below for ordering food services for your teams. Stay up to date by utilising the link below for ordering food services for your teams.

Please see below updated information:

• Address number list for catering consumables.

• s4hana order catering consumables Mar 24.

Reminder: Update Your S/4HANA Substitutions Before Leave

As you prepare for upcoming leave, please take a moment to review and update your S/4HANA substitutions. Doing so ensures that approvals and workflows continue seamlessly while you are away, with delegated tasks handled smoothly by your nominated colleague. Keeping these settings current helps avoid delays, supports business continuity, and makes it easier for the team to manage responsibilities in your absence. Thank you for taking the time to complete this important step before starting your break.

For any assistance, please contact your local Finance Team or Management Accounting.

Denomination Emergency Contact List

Sr Hera Oktadiana

Suggestions:

1. When you require a Pastoral Care person – Ring Twice – the person may have missed the first call.

2. Leave a Message so the person can respond – Note: the Hospital phone system doesn’t leave a number so the priest can not return the call if no message is left.

3. If you are not able to get someone, ring the Pastoral care Coordinator on 0447 880 993 (no text messages please) and someone else will be assigned.

Community Noticeboard

If you’re thinking about what you’ll do once you retire, you’re not alone. Retirement planning doesn’t have to be hard. These 5 simple steps can help you take charge of your retirement journey.

Click the ‘Find out more’ button to learn more.

This is general information only. It’s not based on your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. So, think about those things and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination at art.com.au/pds before you make any decision about our products. And if you’re still not sure, talk with a financial adviser. We issue this information and all Australian Retirement Trust products. When we say ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘the Trustee’, we mean Australian Retirement Trust Pty Ltd (ABN 88 010 720 840, AFSL 228975), trustee of Australian Retirement Trust (ABN 60 905 115 063) (‘the Fund’ or ‘ART’). 262613. 02/26.

Smart Leasing

Do you have type 1 diabetes?

This could be your chance to:

• Take a more active role in managing your diabetes

• Get regular expert medical care

• Help others by contributing to medical research

Have you considered participating in a clinical study?

You could be part of a clinical study programme that helps get more information on how a weekly insulin, insulin icodec, helps in reducing the blood sugar compared with insulins taken once daily.

The GeTS service in Pathology Queensland is available to support QH clinicians with ordering genetic testing. GeTS can help with what forms to complete and where to find them, testing options and advice on consenting your patient for genetic testing.

Subject Queensland Technology Future Fund - R1 FY - Closing 6 March 2026

TWe are pleased to announce that the Queensland Technology Future Fund (QTFF) is open for expressions of interest for Round 1 FY 2026-27 from 27 January 2026.

The QTFF is a funding program which supports the introduction of medical and digital technology solutions into Queensland Health. It provides funding for pilot implementation projects of proven novel and innovative Health Technologies that demonstrate positive impacts for our patients. For full information about the program, as well as links to the application process, please visit Queensland Technology Future Fund (QTFF).

Expressions of interest will be open until 6 March 2026. For any enquiries, please contact the QTFF team at QTFF@health.qld.gov.au.

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