Vocal Chords end
year on a high note
By GP Liaison Alison James.
It’s been a busy year for our DHB choir, Vocal
Chords, finishing with the traditional Christmas
Carols concert in Tauranga Hospital last week.
Highlights have been performing at the National GP Conference in
Rotorua to a huge audience of more than 1000 delegates.
In November we teamed up with performers from the Kapa Haka
group, DHB musical A Matter of Taste and the Brainwave Singers
for a one-off free concert.
If you would like to join contact [email protected] or check
out our Facebook page.
The choir brings together people working in many different roles
within the DHB including administration staff, nurses, community
workers and doctors. No auditions are required just a love of singing!
Mobile sterilising
unit on show
‘Down Under’
By Team Leader, Central Sterilising Unit, Jenny Carston.
In October myself and team member Sarah
Matthews attended the World Sterilisation
Congress in Brisbane, Australia. This was a
great opportunity as it’s not usually held on this
side of the world. In fact, it’s only the second
time the WFHS has crossed the Equator.
It was a great opportunity to meet people from the southern
hemisphere and hear from experts speaking on topics that
pertained to our field of expertise. It was also a good time to
network with our colleagues from overseas to see what challenges
we all have to endure in our day to day jobs, plus check out what
new equipment there is available for our department.
One particular innovation that caught my eye was the first
Jenny and Sarah enjoying some down time in Brisbane.
Mobile Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD), outside of
to power and running water. It was like a mini CSSD. This was
Europe, provided by Miele. Most people will be familiar with this
mainly used if you were setting up a new CSSD department and
company producing ovens, stoves and dishwashers. But they also
are required to keep going. And for going into areas that have
make washers, sterilisers, work benches and other products for
been devastated by a natural disaster. Maybe something to think
Sterilising Departments throughout the world.
about for New Zealand in the wake of the Earthquakes.
On show at the conference was the mobile prefab, able to be
I want to thank Tauranga Hospital, my manager and staff for
put together and ready for use anywhere where there is access
supporting me to attend this conference.
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