DESIGN IN HEALTH
Two hearts, one soul: merging two hospitals into one
Laini Bennett
What happens when you merge two hospitals into one, bringing two passionate teams, two cultures and two different ways of working together? This is what took place when the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital opened in Brisbane. It wasn’t easy, but their new chief executive officer was up for the challenge. Fionnagh Dougan talks to AHHB about managing change, and lessons learned.
V
isitors to the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in South Brisbane feel a positive energy as they walk through its expansive atriums and colourful floors. “It’s a very vibrant organisation,” said Children’s Health Queensland (CHQ) CEO Fionnagh Dougan. “People remark on it when I talk to them.”
CHQ’s vision: Leading life-changing care for children and young people — for a healthier tomorrow.
CHQ’s values:
hhRespect ‘We listen to others’ hhIntegrity ‘We do the right thing’ hhCare ‘We look after each other’ hhImagination ‘We dream big’
Originally trained as a nurse in Scotland, Dougan said it is a privilege to see clinical services in action. She spends a lot of her time speaking to young patients, their parents, volunteers and staff, making a point of visiting all 12 floors of the hospital as often as possible. “One of my biggest pleasures every day is to see people, and to talk to them,” she said. It’s how Dougan stays on top of what’s happening at CHQ. And it is how, when she started, she came to grips with challenges the new hospital was facing. CHQ is a specialist statewide hospital and health service for children and young people from across Queensland and northern New
hospitalhealth.com.au
SPRING 2017
South Wales, including the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, the Child and Youth Community Health Service, and the Child and Youth Mental Health Service. Working with partner hospital, health services and nongovernment organisations, CHQ delivers an integrated network of paediatric healthcare services and support across the state.
The birth of a new hospital
The $1.5 billion hospital was built to replace the Royal Children’s and Mater Children’s Hospitals in Brisbane. But the launch in November 2014 was challenging, with the media reporting that the hospital wasn’t ready; that the opening was rushed. “It was reported in the media that the hospital had opened too soon and possibly was unsafe. That was not correct,” she said. “A review was undertaken that found the transfer of patients was a safe process, and patient services were being delivered safely. There were no instances of unsafe care or failure to deliver care.”
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