Happy new year

In writing this short note for the first edition of Scope for 2007, I feel somewhat melancholy to know that we won't continue to celebrate our centenary in the fashion to which I had become accustomed throughout 2006. Did you know that during Mater's centenary celebrations we hosted in excess of 7500 people at Mater events? Many of you were among those who attended and on behalf of Mater I would like to thank you all for the part you have played—not only in the celebrations—but in establishing a strong foundation upon which to build an exceptional future.

And what a future it will be. In 2007, Mater Private Hospital Brisbane will introduce a new clinical services profile, new patient services and a variety of initiatives to increase efficiency and quality of care across the board. We will improve our relationships with the broader medical community and, having achieved a degree of pay parity, will continue to improve our commitment to attracting and developing exceptional people.

Mater Private Hospital Redland will excel in patient satisfaction ratings again and we look forward to enhancing our service through tighter links with our collocated colleagues at Redland Public. In fact, as 2007 develops, I envisage that Redland will significantly enhance its prominence within the community and that its service profile will reflect a changing approach to locally based health care provision.

There will plenty going on in the absence of centenary celebrations but I would encourage you all to take at least a few moments during 2007 to stop and think that Mater is now steaming into its second century of exceptional care.