Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service

Introducing our new neonatal retrieval units, designed by the Children's Health Queensland Retrieval Service team in partnership with aeromedical engineers from HeliMods! 👋 The one-size-fits-all units are the first of their kind to be compatible with all current Queensland retrieval assets including road ambulances, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Fitted with an incubator that is transparent on all sides, these units offer improved visibility and ensures parents and carers can see the baby throughout the entire retrieval journey. The units are also customisable and equipped with adaptable spaces that can accommodate future advancements in medical and retrieval technologies. Thank you to CHQ staff for embracing innovation and ‘dreaming big’ to transform the care we provide, making a meaningful and lasting impact for Queensland children and their families. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eDpaKiYX HeliMods

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families will be better supported on the journey towards health equity, thanks to a new transport service launched at the Queensland Children’s Hospital today. In partnership with the Children's Hospital Foundation, we launched Transport to Treatment, a free service designed to improve access to health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. The service offers a holistic solution to access challenges by removing common barriers, such as transport and parking costs, and, for families from regional, rural and remote areas, the navigation of unfamiliar urban environments. Children’s Health Queensland Executive Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Angela Young said the Transport to Treatment service would enhance continuity of care and improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. “A lack of easily accessible transport or failed travel arrangements, and the uncertainty of travelling to Brisbane from regional and remote areas can lead to missed or delayed appointments, surgeries, and other treatments, which can worsen existing health conditions. “By offering transportation that acknowledges and respects cultural needs, the Transport to Treatment service will make it easier and more comfortable for families to access the care they need,” Ms Young said. The Children’s Hospital Foundation raised $200,000 to purchase three 12-seater minibuses for the service.  The service will commence in April 2025, with airport transfers for visiting families to and from appointments and admissions at the Queensland Children’s Hospital. A further two buses will be launched in regional locations in the coming months to help local families access care closer to Country. 

Sending out a big Doctor's Day shout to the more than 900 doctors working across Children's Health Queensland. Every day our doctors play a vital role in the healthcare journeys of hunreds of children and young people in the Queensland Children's Hospital, in our community-based clinics, and our statewide services. Thank you all for providing the best care to Queensland children and young people.

This week, we bid farewell to Edwina McKenzie, Manager of the Administration Relief Pool, who is retiring after an incredible 10 years of service with Children's Health Queensland (CHQ). Edwina’s dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark on CHQ. Her innovative approach to managing resources has guided CHQ through pandemics, floods, seasonal demands, and even a cyclone. Edwina's valuable contributions were recognised when she received the CHQ Board Chair's Living the Values Award. While Edwina will be missed, we are excited for her to embrace the next chapter in her life and wish her all the very best in her well-deserved retirement! 💙 #Farewell #Retirement #ThankYou #Leadership

Today, we officially kicked off Dream Big Week at CHQ! This flagship staff event focuses on the value of Imagination, with the theme, Celebrating our People, Igniting Connection, and Innovating with Heart. The opening day set the tone with a Welcome to Country, an address by our Chief Executive, Frank Tracey, and an interactive drop-in booth hosted by the Digital Health Services team to explore ideas for digital training and education. We also heard invaluable insights during a panel discussion with colleagues sharing their perspectives on navigating the challenges of healthcare, accessing wellbeing supports, and balancing work and personal life. The highlight of the day? A staff BBQ hosted by the Executive Leadership Team — as a heartfelt thank you for the hard work and resilience of CHQ staff, especially during Tropical Cyclone Alfred. This is just the start of an exciting week, with plenty more activities lined up across the organisation to celebrate our amazing people, foster connections, and inspire innovation. 🌟 #DreamBigWeek #CHQCommunity #InnovationWithHeart

Children’s Health Queensland’s (CHQ) Connecting2u program is expanding to provide expectant parents with inclusive information and advice at their fingertips during pregnancy. Connecting2u is a free text messaging service for Queensland parents and carers providing timely, evidence-based information on topics like nutrition, emotional and physical wellbeing, health checks, and scan reminders to help expecting mums, dads, and carers navigate pregnancy with confidence. The messages are also culturally tailored to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Since 2014, CHQ's Connecting2u program has supported more than 15,000 Queensland parents and carers of children aged 0 to five years. Now, Connecting2u is supporting expectant Queensland parents with a new antenatal messaging service. For more information on Connecting2u or to sign up, visit https://bit.ly/41Ikbrg.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Children’s Health Queensland Medal of Distinction. A prestigious award celebrating individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to paediatric healthcare in Queensland. This year, we’re thrilled to introduce two distinct categories: 🏅 Clinical Excellence: Honouring outstanding achievements in paediatric healthcare and/or research. 🏅 Community Impact: Recognising extraordinary contributions to broader social domains, such as education, community support, engagement, or advocacy. If you know someone whose work goes above and beyond, embodying our core values of respect, integrity, care, and imagination, we encourage you to nominate them for this prestigious award. 🗓️ Nominations close 27 April 2025, and recipients will be celebrated at the Children’s Health Queensland Excellence Awards in Brisbane in August. For more information, visit the CHQ Medal of Distinction website → https://lnkd.in/gARJ9JGP Let’s shine a light on those who truly make a difference! 🌟 #CHQExcellence #PediatricHealthcare #MakingADifference

Health equity matters to us at Children’s Health Queensland and our ongoing commitment to closing the gap in healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people continues to deliver meaningful change in the ways we provide care. Most recently, we piloted a new Open Doors ‘super clinic’ at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in partnership with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH). The clinic delivered by the Division of Medicine, saw 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in one day access specialist outpatient care across our dermatology, endocrinology, respiratory, allergy and immunology, and general paediatric services. This ‘one-stop shop’ approach enabled families to attend multiple appointments with different specialities in a single visit. A further 40 children received vital hearing tests, airway examinations and other assessments at our now regular Open Doors ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinic the following day. We launched the first Open Doors clinic in 2021 to improve access to care, create culturally safe elective surgery pathways and contribute to better long-term health and social outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. We’re proud to report that in the four years since, these dedicated clinics have helped more than 320 children and young people. Our Executive Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Angela Young said the Open Doors partnership with IUIH was about working together as one health system to better coordinate care. “These dedicated clinics and elective surgery lists support our ongoing commitment to providing the right care, at the right time, in the right way. This is about culturally safe and supported care that prioritises those with the highest need and delivers care pathways that respond directly to that need.” Close the Gap Day reminds us all of the importance of these ongoing efforts to foster equity in healthcare and deliver meaningful change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, their families and communities. Read the full story at https://bit.ly/4bFFfTO #ClosingTheGap #CloseTheGapDay2025 #HealthEquity

This week, we bid farewell to an extraordinary CHQ leader, Dr Jan Connors, as she retires after 45 years of outstanding service in medicine. Jan’s remarkable career has spanned multiple specialties in paediatrics, including General Paediatrics, Child Development and Behavioural Paediatrics, and Forensic Paediatrics. She has been a champion for child protection, serving as Director of the Child Protection Unit at Mater Children's Hospital before transitioning to CHQ as Director of Child Protection Forensic Medicine Service (CPFMS). Ten years ago, Jan played a pivotal role in the transition from Mater Children's to Queensland Children's Hospital, showcasing her unwavering leadership. Over the past decade, she has served as Divisional Director of the Division of Medicine and Chief of Medicine—critical roles that underscore her dedication and expertise. Beyond her clinical work, Jan’s advocacy for child protection practice has been trailblazing. As Inaugural Chair of the Statewide Child Protection Clinical Partnership and a Foundation Board Member of the Child Protection Paediatric Society of Australasia, she has made an indelible mark on the field. Dr Connors passion, leadership, and lifelong commitment to safeguarding children have left a legacy that will inspire generations to come. 💙

It's World Social Work Day, so we're celebrating the invaluable contribution of the more than 140 social workers at Children's Health Queensland who support children, young people and their families in times of need. Whether based in the Queensland Children’s Hospital or across our community-based services, social workers are a vital part of our broader care team, providing holistic, psychosocial support that helps families navigate their healthcare journeys and strengthens outcomes. 🙏 Thank you to all our social workers for the care, compassion and comfort you provide to families - each and every day. #WSWD2025 Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) International Federation of Social Workers