🏥Meet Stacey Paton, a Project Officer with Gold Coast Health. Stacey has dedicated the past two years to helping bring the Tugun Satellite Hospital to life. With the doors of its Minor Injury and Illness Clinic now open 8am-10pm, seven days per week, Stacey is enjoying the satisfaction of seeing the project from concept to delivery. As a Coolangatta local, Stacey sees the Tugun Satellite Hospital as more than just a building; it's a vital service for a bustling and growing community.
🌟 Tell us about your career journey…
I’ve been with the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service for more than 10 years now, with the first five years working in an operational division in administrative support. I absolutely loved working in that division among such knowledgeable people, having joined fresh from working in the airline industry. It was in this role I expressed my interest in design and project work and was encouraged and supported to pursue it, which led me to the role I am in now in the Infrastructure Planning team. For the past two years, I have been working on the Tugun Satellite Hospital project, with my focus on Furniture, Fittings, and Equipment (FFE).
🏗️ What excites you about your job?
It’s been a privilege to work with the architects, builders, and internal clinical and non-clinical end-users from the detailed design phase all the way through to go-live. It’s incredibly satisfying to deliver a product our frontline team will now use daily to provide care for our community.
🌊 What do think the Tugun Satellite Hospital will mean to locals?
As a Coolangatta local, I appreciate the value of having access to these services. The Gold Coast is only getting busier, with more people starting to catch on that it's an amazing place to live, so having more services closer to home is fantastic, especially a Minor Injuries and Illness Clinic.
🩺 Have you ever had to go to hospital?
I've had minor surgeries, including microsurgery for a snapped tendon a few years ago, which at the time, meant I had to travel up to Brisbane. This experience underscores the importance of local health care access. Expanding our health service to give our community access to care closer to home is something I’m certainly on board with, and I’m proud to be part of a team that delivers it.
🌅 How do you stay healthy?
My daily routine includes walking, Pilates, and watching the sunrise with a coffee. I believe in starting the day with gratitude and a positive mindset.
