Step 3 | Prepare your move and join TCHHS
Congratulations!
You've received an offer of employment, now it's time to prepare the move and commence your orientation.
Travel arrangements and queries for your relocation need to be discussed with your line manager.
- Moving assistance and travel costs
- Travelling to the communities
- Have you checked your mobile phone coverage?
- Orientation resources
- Support to staff for emotional health and wellbeing
Moving assistance and travel costs
Current Torres and Cape HHS employees are eligible for the benefits provided in:
- Relocation, transfer and appointment expenses procedure-PRO-0061 (PDF 133 kB), and
- Directive 11/11 – Transfer and appointment expenses.
Generally the following entitlements apply:
- Flights for the employee and their partner (if applicable);
- Flights for children;
- Mileage allowance where relevant;
- Relocation of personal belongings, including one vehicle, up to the value of $5,000.00.
Relocation options
Referring to Section 3.4.3. Relocation Options (PDF 133 kB), you have two options with organising the relocation of your personal belongings.
- Source three quotes yourself from removalists and give them to your hiring manager, who will confirm which supplier to proceed with; then you are responsible for paying for the relocation costs up front and you may claim for reimbursement.
- Use Toll Transitions who will source quotes from a number of suppliers, give them to your hiring manager, who will confirm which supplier to proceed with and Toll Transitions will invoice TCHHS directly.
Arrangements for relocation can only be made after appropriate approval has been received and a signed relocation agreement has been completed.
PLEASE NOTE: employees who cease to be employed within a certain period of time will be responsible for reimbursement of those expenses to TCHHS.
Travelling to the communities
With the starting point as Cairns, the following table provides transport organisation links for your community.
Location | Transport |
Cooktown (surrounding communities) | Hinterland Aviation, Skytrans, RACQ trip planner |
Horn Island | QANTAS, Skytrans |
Northern Peninsula Area | Rex, Peddells Ferry, RACQ trip planner |
Thursday Island (via Horn) | McDonald Charter, Rebel Marine |
Torres Strait outer islands | Skytrans |
Weipa (surrounding communities) | QANTAS, Skytrans, RACQ trip planner |
Have you checked your mobile phone coverage?
Parts of our region have limited, or no mobile phone voice and data reception, please check with your current provider about coverage before arriving.
Orientation resources
The following training is available to help prepare before your first day on the job.
- Pathways to access Rural and Remote Orientation and Training (PaRROT)
- access to learner centred programs on primary health care, rural and remote health service provisions and chronic disease care. - ilearn@QHealth
- online learning platform for the Department of Health, Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) and Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS).
Payroll, salary packaging and superannuation
- Streamline - log on - online access to your pay slips, payment summaries and payroll enquiries. You are paid on a fortnightly cycle (10 days after end of fortnight).
- Salary packing providers are Remuneration Services (Qld) Pty Ltd (RemServ) and SmartSalary Pty Ltd
- The default superannuation provider is QSuper, however you are able to choose your own superannuation provider.
Uniforms
- Discuss the uniform/dress code for your work area with your line manager before you commence.
- Friday is referred to "Floral Friday", commonly it is a tradition in a lot of the communities to wear floral clothes.
Resources and education
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health resources for health professionals
- links to patient care guidelines, other guidelines on specific health topics, sad news and sorry business and more. - Communicating effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (PDF 341 kB)
- this information sheet provides a general guide for communicating effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. - Rural and remote training and development options
- programs for health professionals available through registered training organisations, national programs and external or professional bodies. - Rural and Remote Clinical Support Unit (RRCSU)
- access resources to support safe and quality care, such as the Primary Clinical Care Manual, and Chronic Conditions Manual. - YouTube Cultural capability video link
- watch interviews with TCHHS Health workers about working in their communities.
Support to staff for emotional health and wellbeing
- Employee Assistance Service (Livewell Optum)
- confidential and free service available to you and your family. - CRANAplus Bush Support Services
- access to self-help online therapies and free telephone counselling and support service available for rural and remote health workers/service providers and families.