Battle of the hospitals heats up before fun run final
TOOWOOMBA’S hospitals are battling it out for the title of healthiest hospital staff.
The Toowoomba Hospital, St Vincent’s and St Andrew’s, along with the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise are fighting for the title as part of the Movesmarter Corporate Challenge, which will conclude during the Peak2Park fun run on Sunday.
The team from St Andrew’s won the Battle of the Hospitals in 2017, and are eager to defend their title this year, with their staff well ahead on points leading up to Sunday’s event.
St Andrew’s CEO Ray Fairweather said the hospital had a team of 30 staff taking part in the challenge.
“This is a fantastic motivation for staff to be more physically active,” he said.
“Not only is the challenge competitive between hospitals, it is also competitive between individual staff members.
“Staff attend a weekly briefing from Vision Health to review aspects of the challenge which includes nutrition, sleeping habits, water intake, relaxation, reducing alcohol intake and exercise.”
Mr Fairweather said hospitals were taking part in the challenge to bring attention to obesity rates in Toowoomba, which is 7.9 per cent above the national average.
The Challenge will be finalised on Sunday at the culmination of the Peak2Park where participants run, walk or jog from Picnic Point to Lake Annand.