Brisbane Day Surgery, part of Cura Day Hospitals Group, is proud to celebrate World Day for Safety and Health at Work today, Friday 28th April 2023. As a healthcare facility, Brisbane Day Surgery recognizes the importance of promoting and maintaining the health and safety of its patients, their families, employees, visiting medical officers, contractors, and all visitors. The theme for this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work is “a safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right at work.”

World Day for Safety and Health at Work provides an opportunity to promote WHS in the workplace and to reflect on workers around the world who have lost their lives due to work-related incidents. It also serves as a reminder to all employees of the importance of providing a safe and healthy physical and psychosocial environment for workers, considering how the work is performed, workers’ needs and preferences, the physical environment, and the systems and processes in place.

Sarah Johnson has held the position of Workplace Health and Safety Coordinator at Brisbane Day Surgery since November 2022. Ms Johnson is a Registered Nurse with a Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety and is currently studying her Cert IV in Workplace Health and Safety (WHS). She is supported by a team that includes the CEO/ Director of Nursing, management, and health and safety representatives and the team meets quarterly to discuss WHS initiatives at the facility.

Staying up to date with the latest regulations and legislative changes is crucial to ensuring workplace health and safety. Sarah uses various resources including the health and safety handbook, an online subscription to WorkSafe QLD, and reviews codes of conduct when updating policies, procedures, work instructions, and reviewing the WHS Management system.

To ensure continuous health and safety improvements, Brisbane Day Surgery uses a risk management approach using RiskMan, a software program that allows incidents, risks, audits, and quality activities to be entered. Hazard identification, risk assessment, implementation of control measures, and evaluation of the effectiveness of controls are carried out to ensure continuous health and safety improvements. Staff surveys are also evaluated to identify areas that are working well and those that need improvement.

At Brisbane Day Surgery, employees are provided with regular breaks to ensure their well-being. This has many benefits, including better concentration levels, higher engagement, and boosted morale at work. A free Employee Assistance Program called WorkHappy is also available for employees if needed.

Every year, a Well-Being Program is organised in conjunction with the CEO/Director of Nursing, management, health and safety representatives, and all staff. This year, the program focuses on the physical and psychosocial health of staff. Recently, staff completed a Step Challenge, with the winning team walking over 400,000 steps in just five days. The next activity planned is Mindfulness in May, focusing on mental health, with other events taking place in July, September, and November.

Cura Day Hospitals Group also supports ongoing education, and recently all staff received an Ausmed online subscription. Practical sessions on manual handling, laser safety, cytotoxic drugs/related waste, and fire safety are also held. For injured workers, a return-to-work plan is implemented in conjunction with the injured worker’s medical specialist, with the goal of returning to normal duties within the specified time frames with support.

At Cura Day Hospitals Group, safety and health are a top priority, and the company continues to implement measures to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone. World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the efforts of Brisbane Day Surgery, and all Cura hospitals, in ensuring that all employees work in a safe and healthy environment.