Hi there,

Firstly, the CheckUP team and I hope you all fared well during and after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The safety and wellbeing of our staff and partners are of the utmost importance. Below, for your information, we have provided tips on safely cleaning up after flood waters, along with post-natural disaster support service details.

Secondly, thanks to everyone who attended our February networking event at Riverland in Brisbane. A great night was had by all.

Below, you can read about our April QPHCN event in Maroochydore, created in collaboration with Country to Coast PHN, plus the March Cairns GOHealth Expo.

Keep reading to follow the travels of our Workforce team and discover the recently launched NDIS Business Connect website. Also, don't forget to sign up for our Going All OUT for Outreach online micro-credential courses.

We encourage you all to take part in National Close the Gap Day on March 20. This day gives businesses and communities around Australia the opportunity to stand with First Australians in demanding health equity for all.

Above: Ann Maree Liddy, CheckUP CEO

Remember, CheckUP's Organisational Members are eligible to advertise their latest news and upcoming events or training under the Member News section of this eNewsletter.

We look forward to working with you all as we progress through 2025.

Best wishes,
Ann Maree Liddy
Chief Executive Officer
CheckUP

CheckUP's networking event

Thank you to all who joined us in February for our Brisbane Networking event at Riverland.

It was a great opportunity for our Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team to meet with like-minded individuals and discuss how we can work together to deliver quality healthcare and workforce solutions to regional, rural and remote communities in 2025.

CheckUP collaborates with Country to Coast PHN for the upcoming Queensland Primary Health Care Network (QPHCN) event

Join CheckUP and Country to Coast PHN in Maroochydore on 3 April as we discuss Healthcare: Small business matters!

Learn about workforce solutions, funding opportunities, and free workforce support for your small to medium healthcare business. 

Hear from industry experts as they discuss current trends affecting the region, available resources and funding for small to medium businesses, and how CheckUP and Country to Coast PHN are collaborating to support workforce development, education, and training in the region.

#GOHealth Cairns Careers Expo 26 March 2025

The 2025 Cairns #GOHealth Careers Expo is next week! Attend the expo, Wednesday 26 March from 9am-5pm at the Cairns Convention Centre.

The Expo is an immersive industry event that will connect students with industry leaders and open doors to exciting jobs and careers in acute healthcare, wellness health, allied health, and social services.

Boost your small business: make it accessible for people with disability

CheckUP will soon introduce Disability Friendly Business Basics online training that will provide small businesses with the tools and information to meet the needs of people with disability.

The free online Disability Friendly Business Basics training is made up of three components (ABC) that will take 30-60 minutes each to complete. ABC stands for:

A - Appropriate services for people with disability
B - Biases and assumptions
C - Communication and understanding behaviour

Scan the QR code to express your interest in Disability Friendly Business Basics Training!

Stay tuned for more information.

Small business disaster supports and survey      

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s widespread damage has hit Queensland’s small businesses and communities hard. Helping you to get back on your feet is a priority of the Queensland Government.

Find disaster support for your business, including financial, wellbeing, mentoring and outreach services.

If you are a health small business affected by Cyclone Alfred, you can complete the Queensland Government's disaster impact survey. This survey will assist the Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business to determine what is needed most during this challenging time.

Find more information about small business support via www.business.qld.gov.au or contact one of CheckUP’s Industry Workforce Advisors.

Workforce team hosted Mackay NDIS businesses morning tea

CheckUP and the Mackay Regional Council recently hosted a community services and NDIS businesses morning tea in Mackay to discuss the business and workforce planning supports available to small-medium businesses in the region.

During the visit, the team also connected with Greater Whitsundays Communities, an organisation focused on community development and leading the Greater Whitsunday Care Alliance and MADEC, one of CheckUP’s Industry Workforce Advisor community service clients.

Thanks to all who attended the event or made time to catch up with the team! 

The NDIS Business Connect website is here to help you

NDIS Business Connect supports sole traders and small businesses to build their business capability and capacity to navigate the NDIS market to assist in the delivery of quality, sustainable services to people with disability.

To learn how NDIS Business Connect can help you, visit www.checkupconnect.org.au.

FREE online course | Going All OUT for Outreach - Teaching

Going All OUT for Outreach Teaching is a FREE online micro-credential course that provides valuable information for successfully delivering health services in rural and remote areas.

It will support your team in building their professional skills in supervision and coaching, and address workforce shortages.

Safety and support after
ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred

During clean-up after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, it's important to consider your health and safety.

Contaminated floodwater and mud can carry an increased risk of bacterial infections like leptospirosis. When cleaning up, remember to:

• wear sturdy closed shoes (not thongs)
• cover cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressings
• avoid contact with floodwater
• throw out food or medication that may be contaminated 
• thoroughly clean or sanitise household items that may be contaminated.

For wellbeing support, please contact:

• Lifeline on 13 11 14
• Community Recovery Lifeline Hotline 1800 116 671
• Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
• Kids Helpline (ages 5-25) on 1800 55 1800 
• 1300 MH CALL (1300 64 22 55) for a mental health triage phone service.

Free flu vaccine in 2025

All Queenslanders over the age of 6 months can access the influenza vaccine for free in 2025.

The 2025 Free Flu Vaccination Program will commence from 1 March 2025 as vaccine stock becomes available and concludes on 30 September 2025. Please note, while some influenza vaccines may be available at the commencement of this program, the full supply is not expected until April 2025.

Queenslanders urged to be alert against mosquito bites

Queensland Health recently distributed a media release urging Brisbane residents to take measures to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes amid detections of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and Ross River virus across the state.

The most effective way to prevent mosquito-borne diseases is to avoid mosquito bites.

The Building Blocks of Safeguarding Culture

BBSafe is running a free safeguarding webinar on 20 March at 12.30pm.

There is sometimes a misconception that criminal history and working with children checks are all that is required to recruit safe staff. But there is more to safe recruitment practices for people who will be working with children or vulnerable adults. This webinar will showcase simple and robust techniques for undertaking safe recruitment practices in your organisation. The session is relevant across all jurisdictions and sectors.

Harmony Week | 17 - 23 March 2025

Harmony Week recognises Australia’s cultural diversity and the benefits it brings to the Australian community. This includes the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) on Friday, 21 March.

Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect, and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by core Australian values.

NQPHN announces service provider for new Cairns Medicare Mental Health Centre

NQPHN, in partnership with Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, has announced that Mind Australia (Mind) will establish the Cairns Medicare Mental Health Centre.

The new mental health centre in Cairns will help people experiencing situational distress, difficult circumstances, and “wobbly life moments”. 

A location is yet to be determined, but service delivery is due to begin by June 2025. 

NQPHN CEO Ben Tooth said the announcement of Mind Australia as the service provider for the Medicare Mental Health Centre was positive news for the Cairns region.

Webinar: A Radical Innovation for Regional, Rural and Remote Medicine

Join our webinar on Wednesday 9 April, to hear  Dr Norman Swan, Professor Jenny May, and Dr Angus Baumann share insights into the Australian Teletrial Program’s (ATP) mission to tackle geographical health inequity. 

For the first time rural patients can access potentially life-changing new modalities via clinical trials - without having to travel.

Note: the webinar has CPD accreditation with the RACGP and ACRRM. 

Community Mental Health Service Provider Survey

Service providers in the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Sector are invited to complete a survey and provide input into two key areas of the Workforce Strategy Implementation Project.  

The survey focuses on the development of a Core Competency Framework for non-clinical workers in the sector, and the development and uptake of traineeships in the Certificate IV in Mental Health. These fall under our Pillar 1 priorities in the Community Mental Health Wellbeing Strategy 2024-2029 and play key parts in sector sustainability. 

The survey takes 15-20 minutes and closes on Friday 4 April.

Micah Projects appreciates community support

Micah Projects appreciates community support during the lead-up to recent weather events.

Contributions to Micah Projects directly benefit people and families who need it most - those without a home, isolated, experiencing violence, and facing complex health issues and cycles of disadvantage.

Community members are welcome to donate Non-Perishable (in date) food and unopened pantry goods, such as, UHT milk, noodle cups, soup or fruit cups.

Donations can be delivered to Micah Projects at 162 Boundary Street, West End.

Feature your next event or training in CheckIN

CheckUP Organisational Members are eligible to advertise their latest news and upcoming events or training under the Member News section of this eNewsletter. It is sent to our current members and a wide range of stakeholders in the third week of each month. You can send us items via comms@checkup.org.au.