 |
14 March
The Speech Pathology Department within Gold Coast Health will be offering a new intensive stuttering group program at Robina Hospital between Monday 15 April and Friday 19 April 2013.
We are seeking adults (18 or over) who have a chronic childhood stutter and have not previously undergone Smooth Speech treatment as an adult.
There is no cost associated with attending the group. The group will be run by Speech Pathologists within Gold Coast Health and experts from Griffith University.
If you are an adult who stutters and would like to undertake fluency therapy but are unable to attend the intensive group or the group program is not suitable for you, you can discuss other options for fluency treatment with the speech pathologists.
Please contact the Speech Pathology Department at Robina Hospital between 8:00am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday for further information on (07) 5668 5962.
Gold Coast Health Chief Executive Ron Calvert today confirmed plans to responsibly deliver a $9.2 million budget reduction that was imposed late last week.
“We have devised a plan which includes a voluntary redundancy program,” Mr Calvert said.
“Permanent staff have been invited to express interest in a voluntary redundancy package, however we are guided by a commitment to minimise the impact on patient care,” he said.
“We will take this opportunity to redesign and rationalise service delivery for the benefit of the local community.
“If this approach still doesn't address the revised budget figure then we may have to look at other options such as involuntary redundancies and outsourcing.
“We are talking to our staff to make certain they have the information they need available and we will continue to keep them informed throughout the process.”
The call to staff for their interest in voluntary redundancy packages will be the first initiative of many to deliver on a commitment to prioritise patient care and improve service delivery whilst providing value for money within a budget.
Staff and patients at Gold Coast Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) celebrated the Miracle Babies Foundation's 'Thank U NICU' day on 15 November 2012.
The day is dedicated to thanking the devoted staff who work in the hospital's NICU and support families during a critical time in their babies' life.
Gold Coast Hospital currently operates two NICU and 20 special care (SCN) cots, expanding to eight NICU cots when Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) opens later next year.
Neonatal specialist Dr Peter Schmidt said the Newborn Care Unit at GCUH will limit the need for families to take the long drive to Brisbane to visit their newborn.
"This is great news for Gold Coast families as they won't need to travel as far to receive the best care for their babies," Dr Schmidt said.
"We look after about 15 tiny bubs a month in our two NICU cots, some as young as 29 weeks that weigh just 1,000 grams," he said. "This will only increase at GCUH where we will be able to provide care for babies born at 23 or 24 weeks who can be as small as 400 grams at birth."
CEO and founder of Miracle Babies, Melinda Cruz said the day was special to all miracle families a great way of saying thankyou to staff. "Having a baby born too early or critically ill is devastating and the medical team not only care for our babies clinically but are also there for us as parents," Ms Cruz said. "Families of these precious babies are so thankful to the amazing units that care for them through this critical time and we would like to acknowledge and showcase their efforts on 'Thank U NICU Day'."
The GCUH Newborn Care Unit will feature 32 single rooms and six twin rooms and will over time increase capacity to 44 cots including 16 intensive care and 28 special care cots.
Caption: Staff and patients joined in on the 'Thank U NICU Day' celebrations at the neonatal care unit at Gold Coast Hospital.
A team of dedicated staff from Gold Coast Health's Emergency Department (ED) are busy preparing for the annual schoolies festivities in Surfers Paradise.
Thirty five staff, including doctors and nurses will join Queensland Ambulance Service set up operations in the schoolies precinct on Friday to provide on the ground medical care and advice to the young revellers.
Last year hospital staff treated 775 schoolies through the field tent and 141 in the emergency department over an eight day period. Clinical Nurse Consultant, Disaster and Emergency response, Tonya Donnelly said the tent provides on the ground emergency care and support .
"By providing our service in the precinct we reduce the number of schoolies presenting at Robina and Southport emergency departments and also minimise the impact on the greater Gold Coast community," Tonya explained.
"We want the kids to have a good time and enjoy themselves, but know that we are here to help to keep them safe."
Gold Coast Health has been providing medical support at schoolies since 2004.
Caption: Dr Michael O'Reilly and Liz Green check their list of supplies in preparation for schoolies.
Children in the Paediatric Ward at the Gold Coast Hospital were treated to a visit by the Queensland Rail Bulls Masters on Saturday 26 October 2012. Complex trauma is one of five new services planned for the Gold Coast, and a helicopter landing site on the roof of Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) provides a direct link to acute services such as operating theatres and ICU.
The other new services - neo-natal intensive care, high-level neurosciences, cardiac surgery, and cancer radiotherapy - will reduce the need for patients to travel to Brisbane for treatment.
While acute neurology and neurosurgery are currently provided, there will be a stronger focus on neurosciences with the introduction of Queensland's first and only public intra-operative MRI.
Planning is already underway to introduce cardiac surgery and cancer radiotherapy at GCUH.
The Intensive care units have received a "Best of the Best' award in an international nutrition survey of adult ICU units announced at the annual American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) meeting in Florida.
The team came second out of 183 participating units based on five criteria including provision of adequate energy, use of enteral nutrition (EN), early initiation of EN, use of feed tubes and adequate glycemic control.
Clinical research coordinator, Mandy Tallot said the results were recognition of the work being done by the whole team.
Dr Jon Field said early nutrition has been shown to improve survival of critically ill patients.
"Our multidisciplinary team of surgeons, intensivists, nurses and dieticians are pleased to have achieved our early feeding targets," Dr Field said.
The Gold Coast Hospital Foundation invites you to their annual black tie gala event at Bond University on Friday 25 May 2012.
The theme of this year's event is "masquerade" and to add to the fun there will be prize draws for best masks, random door prizes and an auction of memorabilia and items to support children's facilities within the District.
Guests will be entertained by Somerville College's senior stringed quartet and Brisbane band "Kickstart".
Tickets are $170 and are limited to 320 guests so get in early to avoid disappointment. Separate arrangements will cater for corporate sponsors.
For more information, or contact Mark Hindle on 5571 2150.
New parents on the Gold Coast will continue to benefit from an award winning newsletter aimed at building their confidence, skills and knowledge.
small talk is a monthly hard copy newsletter providing age-paced parenting information to families from pre-birth (36 weeks) to 12 months of age. Helen Clifford, Acting Manager Health Promotion Gold Coast Public Health Unit said the value of small talk has been recognised by the community and the Commonwealth with funding now secure until 2014.
small talk meets parents' need for information as their baby develops and questions start to emerge. They can read it whenever they get a chance and later refer back to it or share it with others," she said.
All babies born at Gold Coast Hospital are now automatically enrolled in the program with more than 1500 families receiving the newsletter over the last six months. Logan hospital families will also benefit from the program in coming months.
New mother, Megan Hull said the newsletters were invaluable. "I look forward to receiving them as the information is so useful. For example, what to eat while I was breast feeding and when to start my baby on solid food," she said.
The Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) was thrilled to be presented with a plaque for the Rotary Pride of Workmanship Project recently.
The award, one of Rotary's most important annual projects, recognises a high work ethic and professional behaviour in the workplace.
The MAU was singled out for recognition after a Rotary member was exceptionally impressed with the care he received upon being admitted to the MAU. He suggested a nomination from the ward. The plaque was awarded to Nurse Unit Manager, Jo Little at a Rotary presentation dinner in public recognition of the team's achievements.
Secretary of Rotary Palm Beach Denis Hawksley said he was delighted to present the plaque. "It's wonderful to have the opportunity to recognise each and every member of staff at Medical Assessment Unit who go the extra yard every day to achieve excellence and provide outstanding care to the community," said Denis.
