With Ann Maree on long service leave, members of CheckUP's management team will provide the monthly introduction to CheckIN. This month, it's Elise Gorman, General Manager - Health Services.

Hi all,

I’d like to begin by thanking everyone who joined us in Toowoomba last week to celebrate 25 years of CheckUP. It was a wonderful evening to come together and celebrate our collective achievements. Our work would not be possible without the continued support and collaboration from our partners.

Not only have we been celebrating 25 years of CheckUP, we are also thrilled to have been officially recognised as an Inclusive Employer by the Diversity Council of Australia earlier this month. This is the only award of its kind in Australia, recognising inclusion across a range of diversity areas.

Over the next month we have a few key events taking place. Our last QPHCN event for 2023 is taking place on 30 November. Being held during Disability Action Week, our high calibre and diverse line-up of speakers will be exploring this year’s Disability Action Week theme, ‘Access ignites: it’s good business’.

We are also collaborating with the Australian Government Department of Finance to deliver an informative webinar session: Introduction to Australian Government procurement for suppliers, covering everything you need to know about selling to the Australian Government.

Finally, I would also like to take this opportunity to give a warm welcome to Nyaree Mewett, our new General Manager for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. 

Nyaree brings a wealth of experience in delivering exceptional outcomes across primary health care, community-controlled organisations, and various healthcare sectors. 

With a strong background in strategy, operational practices, business sustainability, community and economic development, she possesses a comprehensive skill set that drives success. Nyaree's expertise lies in developing innovative strategies, fostering collaboration, and ensuring stakeholder engagement.

Cheers,
Elise Gorman
General Manager - Health Services
CheckUP

CheckUP recognised as an Inclusive Employer

We are thrilled to announce CheckUP have officially been recognised as an Inclusive Employer! 

We are proud to have achieved Inclusive Employer status with the Diversity Council of Australia. This is the only award of its kind in Australia. It recognises inclusion across a range of diversity areas.

The Inclusive Employer Index is an insightful survey that takes place each year to measure employee diversity and inclusion experiences in the workplace. Participating organisations administer the survey with their workforce which provides valuable D&I metrics and diversity demographics. This enables organisations to evaluate the current state of inclusion in their workforce and compare it to the Australian workforce benchmark and the DCA member benchmark.

Following the survey, DCA assesses participating organisations and announces the list of Inclusive Employers who exceeded the National Index Benchmark in at least five out of the six areas: awareness, engagement, inclusive organisational climate, inclusive leadership, inclusive team, and exclusion. These organisations have shown that they are actively committed to inclusion, and DCA celebrates this achievement through a range of different media promotions.

HWQ Health Workforce Needs
Assessment Annual Survey Competition

Every year, Health Workforce Queensland undertakes a state-wide assessment of the remote and rural primary health care workforce. Continuing to take the leading role in the identification of and response to short, medium, and long-term issues facing health practitioners in remote, rural and regional Queensland. The surveys are one way of gathering the data directly from the source.

This is your chance to supply valuable, on-the-ground information about what’s happening in your area. Complete the survey by 30 November 2023, and go into the draw to win an Apple iPad! 

Terms and conditions apply.

CYO Health Career

Funded by Queensland Health, and coordinated by CheckUP, Choose Your Own Health Career, was developed by a range of experts from within the health and community sectors in Queensland, identifying the jobs which are currently in high demand, where skill shortages exist, and the jobs where strong growth is predicted in the next 5-10 years.

The CYO Health Career website promotes the priority jobs identified by these stakeholders through the use of job profiles, case studies and career pathways.

The website will be promoted in Queensland Health's $1 million campaign #GoHealth, designed to encourage more young Queenslanders to take up a career in the public health sector.

Launching in November, the campaign is designed to build the pipeline of talent coming through Queensland’s health system in the years to come.

Are you of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin?

We need to ask everyone this question to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders.

The under-identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in health services and national health data sets is a fundamental barrier to achieving health equality for all Australians.

Therefore, it is essential to collect the correct data, to better ensure the best support and services are offered to all patients.

CheckUP have developed some "asking the question" printable resources, to assist clinics in illustrating the importance of capturing this data.

Webinar: Introduction to Australian Government procurement for suppliers

Join us for an informative webinar session delivered by the Australian Government Department of Finance, in collaboration with CheckUP. 

Date: Friday 1 December 
Time: 9:00am - 10:30am (AEST)

The session will cover:

• Why sell to the Australian Government
• What the Australian Government buys and how
• Procurement methods and industry engagement
• How to start the process to sell
• Responding to an Approach to Market
• What to expect if you win / don’t win a contract.

If you would like to know more about how to supply to the Australian Government please visit the Selling to Government website.

CheckUP is the Industry Workforce Advisory organisation for the health and First Nations health care and social assistance industries. The Industry Workforce Advisor program is funded by the Queensland Government as part of the Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022–2032. Find out more here.

Body Science Principles for Burnout Prevention with Dr Kellie Rose

During CheckUP's Staff Development Day, the CheckUP team were lucky to have Dr Kellie Rose come in and give a fantastic and engaging presentation on burnout prevention.

Dr Kellie Rose talked the team through identifying the signs of burnout and gave invaluable tips on how to incorporate simple behaviours into our everyday routines to help prevent burnout.

Guide Dogs Graduation 2023

Last month, Kerry, CheckUP’s Indigenous Eye Health Manager, attended the annual Guide Dogs Graduation. Clients, puppy raisers, volunteers, staff, supporters and other special guests came together to celebrate.

Client guest speaker, Rhett Bryant, described his loss of vision and the emotional difficulties which accompanied his loss, a heartfelt and genuine speech which was deeply moving. 

Guide Dogs Queensland provide supportive pathways for vision loss for adults and children through mobility camps, Orientation and Mobility, Assistive Technology and Guide Dog Mobility. 

iCOPE implementation communication

Queensland Health has committed to strengthen existing approaches to universal mental health screening throughout the perinatal period, and have commenced implementing iCOPE into public maternity and family care settings.

iCOPE has been developed by The Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) and is a secure web-based screening platform that uses the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Antenatal Risk Questionnaire to screen for symptoms of depression and anxiety, which is imperative in the perinatal period.

iCOPE generates clinical reports which will be integrated with The Viewer and Integrated electronic medical records (iEMR) for remote viewing.

For further information, please contact Principal Project Officer, Jennifer Goodwin Jennifer.goodwin2@health.qld.gov.au

IAHA National Conference

The 2023 IAHA National Conference will be held from 27–29 November 2023 at the Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort.

The conference theme, Our Knowledges, Voices and Practices, recognises the contribution that members, communities and organisations have made to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Conference attendees will gain opportunities to learn, grow, heal, network and celebrate excellence in the Indigenous allied health sector. There will be a range of well-regarded speakers including Johnathan Thurston.

International Day of People with Disability

International Day of People with Disability is a United Nations observed day held on 3 December each year to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability.

It is a day to raise community awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the 4.4 million people with disability in Australia.

We all have a role to play in ensuring people with disability have the opportunity to reach their full potential and participate in all aspects of community life.

One of the ways you can be a part of creating an inclusive and diverse community is by completing CheckUP's free access for All course.

Access for All aims to improve disability awareness among health providers and increase understanding about the barriers people with disability experience when accessing health care. 

Shingles vaccine now free for nearly five million Australians

From 1 November, older Australians will have free access to the best protection against shingles through one of the most comprehensive and widely available vaccination programs in the world.

Launch of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Plan

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Plan provides a long-term approach that supports community responses to deliver positive outcomes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Shape the future of health at Clinical Societies this November and December!

CCQ's next clinical society topic is Foundations for future mental wealth. Join your clinical peers to share your experience and reflect on the challenges and opportunities to shift from mental health to mental wealth in your community.

Topics will include local mental health needs, considering how to improve clinical practice, and exploring innovative models of delivery. 

CCQ education events are tailored to expand your knowledge, foster collaboration, and connect you with a dynamic healthcare community of clinicians. 

Have your next event or training featured 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, which is sent to all of our current members and a wide range of stakeholders. You can send us items by email, via comms@checkup.org.au.