Mary Phillips BDes
Samples of design work – January 2024
Metro North Health events include NextCare, Research Excellence Awards, Staff Excellence Gala Dinner and Awards, Corporate Symposiums and various team events to promote a healthy and fun workplace culture. Design supports every key event, ensuring we maintain a high quality and professional brand for the service. The following image is an example of the design work I completed for the annual Research Excellence Awards.
The COVID-19 pandemic cause major disruption to our hospitals and healthcare facilities within Metro North Health. In an effort to soften visitor restrictions during the most crucial period, I worked with the team on a campaign to promote virtual visiting. This was promoted digitally across various social media platforms, as well as this billboard (pictured) on Bowen Bridge Road. This was very successful.
In addition to my Creative Lead position at Metro North Health, I previously owned and operated a freelancing business. This gave me the opportunity to express my creative energy beyond the familiarity of Queensland Government’s corporate identity. My clients included Worldwide Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF-Australia), OnPoint Commercial Projects, The Steepery and Ignite Yoga. Many of these companies were long-term clients who I had worked with for many years and have established good working relationships with. My design work includes corporate identity and branding, publication design, packaging, website design and social media shares and promotions. The image is a sample of my corporate identity and packaging design for The Steepery.
Metro North Health operates under steady leadership and a strong strategic vision for the future of healthcare. ‘MN32 NextCare’ was developed by Chief Executive, Shaun Drummond in 2018. Shaun and I worked together to bring his MN32 design vision to life – utilising design to communicate how Metro North will future-proof their public healthcare response (based on current data, demands and workforce projections). In it’s simplest form, MN32 is an aspirational linear timeline that tracks strategic projects, projected milestones and goals. Facility and unit roadmaps have been developed, based on this model also.
With the rapid advancements in healthcare delivery, training and education, the Queensland Digital Academy was launched in recent years as a statewide service to meet demands. I led the project for branding and associated applications. Including the fit out of the QDA floor, located at Herston.
Metro North Health’s NextCare Health Conference is one of many events hosted by the service. Each event is managed inhouse by the events management team. As creative lead, I worked closely with the Events Manager to receive thorough briefings to assign tasks and deadlines to the team and associated suppliers involved in the process. Good communication is essential within our team to ensure that design, media/comms and our event staff operate efficiently and effectively together.
Metro North Health led the state’s COVID-19 pandemic response. As creative lead, I worked with the Metro North Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to receive updates, briefings and tasks as events unfold. Some examples include signage and display work for Brisbane’s Domestic Airport. This was achieved through site visits and collaboration with Brisbane Airport Corporate (BAC) staff. Fever clinic signage is created on-demand, along with adhoc requests from operational and executive staff. The response was rapid and challenging, but with efficient task processes and a highly capable team, this was very successful and effective. A sample of some BAC digital collateral is pictured here.
Occupational Violence is a prevalent issue in healthcare across Queensland. Previous campaigns have been developed by other teams – using imagery of people yelling and punching, with bloodied scenes and traumatised staff. Messaging and imagery was shocking, but ineffective. In 2017, I was approached by Queensland’s Occupational Violence Support Service team to create a new approach to tackle this issue. The ‘Respect Our Staff’ campaign was developed, using empathy to replace shock as the emotional trigger. Authentic staff feature on each poster. They are presented vulnerably, humanised in a way that gives an insight into the personal lives of the staff. The posters are used extensively statewide. Queensland Ambulance Service have also adopted this campaign.
In a major pitch to Metro North’s Chief Executive and senior executive team, I was successful in launching the renaming and rebranding of Metro North Health – Queensland's biggest health service. This was very well received, and a phased launch was implemented immediately, following my pitch. In collaboration with other colleagues (such as online, media/comms) I prioritised and delegated tasks for the team to ensure an effective and fast roll-out. The change was celebrated and continues to be widely accepted by patients, staff and industry partners.
In partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander Leadership team, I led creative for the Better Together Health Van program for First Nations Australians within the Metro North catchment area (and beyond). I am pictured opposite with the better together van. Artist credit: Elaine Chambers-Hegarty (2019).