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Department of Health and Aged Care

4.2
  • #9 in Government & public service
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Josephine Tucker

06.45 AM - Wake up

I like to get into work early as my team are all early starters. My day starts at 06.45 am with breakfast for me, my partner and my fur babies. Then I get ready for work and head off with a coffee to go.

at the garden

07.35 AM - Drive to work.

I live about 30 minutes from work (and not close to any colleagues) so I drive myself in and usually take the chance to have a quick phone chat with my mum who lives in regional Queensland.

08.05 AM  - Catch Up

When I first get in to work, I like to say hi to all my lovely colleagues, and have a very quick chat about our evening or weekend.

08.10 AM - Emails

I start each work morning by checking my work email account and reviewing my tasks for that day as I flag them all in my inbox (and I have a hardcopy of my to-do list just in case).

Often, I receive media reports or Bulk Distribution Emails from the department which have really good information on any changes that will affect our aged care providers, clients or the public and the actions of our ministers. This morning I received information on the impact of COVID-19 on aged care workers.

08.20 AM - Managing Team Inbox

Once I’ve looked through my emails I manage my team’s inbox. Whilst this doesn’t sound super exciting, I actually really enjoy it. I get to read all emails that come into my section which gives me a great overview of the work my team and branch is responsible for. Managing the inbox involves forwarding emails to relevant colleagues or sections, chasing up responses and recording action taken on each in an excel tracker. One of my projects was to create the excel document/spreadsheet to keep track of team correspondence to ensure all are responded to promptly. It took me a couple of weeks, lots of consultation, learning and investigation but I am super proud of it and use it daily to track our emails and provide statistical updates to our Assistant Secretary.

I keep my team’s inbox open all day so that all emails, especially the urgent ones, are actioned as soon as possible. This morning there was an urgent request for input from our team into ministerial correspondence regarding security of tenure of residential aged care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the urgency of the request (due by 2pm today), I immediately have a chat to my Executive Level 1 (EL1) supervisor. She asks me to draft our input ASAP and send it to her which I do so promptly.

09.15 AM - Responding to emails

Once I’ve assigned all new emails in the team’s inbox to the relevant person and whilst waiting for clearance from my EL1 regarding the urgent input request, I begin drafting responses for the emails that are assigned to me. This normally takes a while as responding to an enquiry from the public involves a multiple step process. I have currently taken carriage of an enquiry about who is responsible to pay for physiotherapy for a resident in an aged care facility. I begin drafting my response by consulting our ‘bible’ (the team’s standard words) and the guidance on the schedule document my team created. I then draft my response and send it to my supervisor.

at the office

10.00 AM  - Branch/Division Stand-up

Every week there is a stand-up with the branch; division stand-up’s occur on alternating weeks. This week we had a branch stand up via teleconference (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The stand-ups are always really interesting because we get updates on new task forces being developed, and are kept up to date about the work of my division and branch, including any high priority tasks.

11.00 AM  - Team Meeting

A few times a week my team will have a catch-up meeting in the kitchen to discuss everyone’s workload and the status of all projects. This is a really good time for me to ask for additional tasks or assistance if required. It also gives us all a really good chance to remain up to date with what is occurring within our team.

11.30 AM - Project Management

With the team meeting over, I head back to my desk, check the inbox and then begin working on the annual teleconference my team hosts. I’m taking carriage of this project. It’s a great opportunity to develop existing and new skills and demonstrate my ability to manage a complex project with lots of deliverables and deadlines. Some of the tasks involved in this project include contacting providers for information, updating details, arranging guest speakers, organising meeting rooms, developing action items and providing an update on the previous teleconference’s action items. Whilst working on my project tasks I receive a cleared response from my EL2 for the ministerial correspondence. I also get feedback on my email from my supervisor which I review and use to update my response. I then send the response to my EL1 for final feedback or clearance.

1.00 PM  - Lunch

I normally only take a short lunch but I use the opportunity to get some fresh air and stretch my legs.

1.30 PM - Check In

Back in the office I once again check my work and team inboxes. I notice an email regarding transitional care has arrived in my team inbox so I forward it on to the appropriate team in my section.

1.50 PM  - Teleconference

At 1.50 pm my supervisors and I head down the hall to the meeting room and host a teleconference with our state offices. I take minutes and identify action items for my team.

3.00 PM  - Continuing Tasks

Once the teleconference is over, I head back to my desk and notice that I have been assigned a ministerial correspondence to draft on residential aged care clients social leave during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have a chat with my supervisor about how we want to respond and begin gathering information and drafting the response.

4.00 PM  - Finishing Up

During my last few minutes in the office, I update my to-do list for the following day and give my supervisor a quick update on where I am at with my tasks.

4.10 PM - Drive Home

I finish up my work and drive home listening to some good music or a podcast.

4.40 PM - Home Time

Getting home I am instantly swamped with puppy love. I then relax on the couch with my fur babies until my partner gets home. We then enjoy a quick hike with the puppies (before it gets too dark) before I cook dinner and relax by playing computer games or tending my new garden.

11.00 PM - Bedtime

My favourite time of the day, I snuggle up with my family (puppies included obviously) and pass out for hopefully 8 hours before doing it all again.