NSLHD’s Safety and Quality Newsletter provides information on new and upcoming activities, programs and initiatives within the district that aim to improve the safety of our patients and the quality of our care.
November 2025
Tinsel Trophy Triumph! Ryde Hospital is delighted to congratulate the winners of 2026 Tinsel Trophy. Our wards and departments brought extraordinary creativity, teamwork and festive spirit to the hospital, making this one of our most joyful and colourful years yet. A heartfelt thank you to every team who participated, your efforts brought warmth and cheer to patients, families and colleagues across our site.
🥇 Best Overall Display – Integrated Booking Unit (IBU)
IBU delivered a standout display that combined storytelling, visual impact and exceptional teamwork. Their decorations captivated staff and visitors alike, creating a true “wow moment” that showcased the spirit of Ryde Hospital. 🎁 Mini Christmas Award (Teams <12 Staff) – Health Information Services (HIS)
HIS demonstrated that small teams can deliver BIG creativity. Their clever use of space, festive atmosphere and attention to detail impressed the judges and brought joy to everyone who visited their display. 🌿 Sustainable Christmas Award – Operating Theatres
Operating Theatres led the way in environmentally conscious creativity, using recycled and repurposed materials to produce a thoughtful, visually appealing and sustainability-focused display. A brilliant example of festive innovation with minimal waste. 👨👩� � Patient & Family Involvement Award – Occupational Therapy (Graythwaite) Occupational Therapy Graythwaite created a truly inclusive
display that celebrated patient contribution and family engagement. Their decorations reflected meaningful collaboration and added a warm personal touch that resonated deeply with the Ryde community. ❤️ Thank You to Everyone Who Participated
A/General Manager’s Message
As the year draws to a close, I would like to thank each of you for your dedication in caring for our patients in 2025. In a year of great change for Ryde Hospital, you have sustained a high level of empathy, kindness and clinical excellence. This year Ryde has cared for 25,505 people through our ED, has looked after 11,537 inpatients and undertaken 4,016 surgical procedures. We have seen 24,707 outpatients and this reflects the hard work and dedication on our staff. I would like to acknowledge the devastating events that took place over the weekend in Bondi and recognise the significant impact this may have had on our people, their families and loved ones. The response by NSW Health reflects the incredible people working in our health system and their commitment to caring for all who need us. I extend my thanks to those who are working over the holiday period and are sacrificing time with their loved ones. I hope that you have a restful Christmas, with time with those who mean the most to you.
Contents Tinsel Trophy Triumph
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Better Together – People and Culture
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A/General Manager’s Message
2 Hands that Help
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Welcome to Ryde
3 Patient Experience / Staff Compliments
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Heroes in Hairnet – Perioperative Nurses Week 4 Library
Ryde Redevelopment
5 Just For Fun 7 Noticeboard
Straight from the Nursing Station
Allied Health All Stars
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Newsletter is for Ryde Hospital Staff by Ryde Hospital Staff. Please email items of interest to: sarah.ryrie@health.nsw.gov.au
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Welcome to Ryde
Ryde Hospital welcomed the following new staff joining our wonderful teams making a difference in our patient care every single day.
Raja Rama Krishnan Selvaraj is our new casual wards person. He has worked at St George Hospital for many years and brings excellent experience and skills to our team. Please join us in welcoming Raja to Ryde.
Luca Mullane is our new casual wards person. “I grew up on the Northern Beaches and enjoy fitness. I have always been interested in working in healthcare. I studied nursing after finishing High School. I hope to become a registered Paramedic one day in the future. Please join us in welcoming Luca to Ryde.
Damian brings over 11 years of experience across NSW Health, spanning emergency departments, patient services and senior administrative management roles. He has worked across major facilities including Ryde, Mona Vale, Westmead, John Hunter and Royal North Shore hospitals, with extensive experience in patient services leadership, workforce management, recruitment, budgeting and change management. Damian has supported hospital and site executives, improved patient access, managed complex classification cases and strengthened operational processes, bringing a collaborative, solutions-focused approach to delivering high-quality patient care. Please join us in welcoming Damian to Ryde.
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Heroes in Hairnets: Perioperative Nurses Week
Honouring our STARS of the Perioperative Team We proudly celebrated Perioperative Nurses Week (9–15 November), a dedicated time to recognise the incredible contribution of our highly skilled perioperative workforce. This year’s theme, STARS, highlighted the essential roles that shine every day within our
Perioperative Services. Each letter in STARS acknowledged a key pillar of the perioperative community, and each day we celebrated with food generously donated by the Anaesthetic Department and Gastroenterology Department. Food brings people together, and it was the perfect way to honour the teamwork, professionalism, and commitment that underpin safe, high-quality surgical care at our hospital. ⭐ S – Scrub/Scout Nurses We kicked off the week by recognising our exceptional Scrub and Scout Nurses, whose expertise ensures every procedure runs safely and smoothly. Celebration: Afternoon tea and a celebration cake generously supplied by the Gastroenterology Department. ⭐ T – Technicians Our Perioperative Technicians are the backbone of the theatre environment, keeping equipment functioning and ensuring workflow efficiency. Celebration: A sweet spread of cupcakes, rocky road, and caramel fudge to treat the team. ⭐ A – Anaesthetic Nurses Midweek, we acknowledged our skilled and compassionate Anaesthetic Nurses, who play a critical role in patient safety and comfort. Celebration: A delicious chicken and salad lunch provided for all staff by the Anaesthetic Department. ⭐ R – Recovery Nurses Our dedicated Recovery Nurses guide patients safely through the postoperative period with expertise, vigilance, and kindness. Celebration: A department-wide pizza lunch, supplied by the Anaesthetic Department, enjoyed by all. ⭐ S – Support Staff We closed the week by recognising our invaluable Support Staff, who keep our perioperative environment running smoothly day after day. Celebration: Coffee and morning tea kindly donated by the Gastroenterology Department.
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Ryde Redevelopment Helping hands at the local childcare centre The hospital’s construction efforts expanded to the nearby Clovel Childcare and Early Learning Centre recently, as part of our building contractor A W Edward’s (AWE) annual ‘Community Day’.
The day represented an ongoing commitment to community engagement and featured members of the Ryde Hospital Redevelopment team, which consists of NSLHD, Health Infrastructure, TSA and AWE staff members. As part of the works, the volunteers reinstated a vegetable garden to grow produce such as tomatoes and cucumbers.
Other maintenance activities included repairing decking and drains, adding to the landscaping, rebuilding seating areas, and removing sharp edges to create a safer and more welcoming environment. Acting General Manager Jennifer McConnell said the event was a meaningful chance for staff involved in the project to come together in support of the community. “What is fantastic about this initiative is that it directly benefits some of the most important members of our community, our staff and their children,” she said. “It has really made a difference to the daily lives of staff associated with the facility.” Ryde Redevelopment: Furniture, Fittings and Equipment (FFE) selection begins Work is progressing behind the scenes on the Ryde Hospital Redevelopment, with the procurement of FFE now well underway. FFE selection committees began meeting on 10 November 2025, marking the start of a detailed process that will continue over the next six months. These committees play an important role in ensuring the new hospital is equipped with safe, functional and high-quality items that are fit-for-purpose, enhance safety for patients, visitors and staff, and help to enable efficient day to day operations. Over the coming months, user group meetings will be held to carefully select and endorse FFE items for procurement for the new facility. With more than 700 items on the list, these sessions will draw on the expertise of staff across clinical and operational areas to help shape the look, feel and function of each space. HealthShare NSW is leading the user group meetings and managing the overall procurement process. All communication with vendors is coordinated through HealthShare NSW. If vendors contact staff directly, they are asked to notify Divya Elango (Divya.Elango@health.nsw.gov.au.) A significant milestone in bringing the new Ryde Hospital to life. “The insights and contributions of staff across the district will ensure the final selections create a welcoming, efficient and contemporary environment that supports high quality care for years to come,” Ryde A/General Manager Jennifer McConnell said early this month.
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Staff invited to help shape models of care for the new Ryde Hospital With construction for the Ryde Hospital Redevelopment well underway, attention has turned to the models of care that will shape how services are delivered and how patients experience care in the new hospital. Expressions of interest (EOIs) are now open for staff who would like to join a model of care/service working group, for tranche two. These groups will help define how care and services will be delivered in both clinical and non-clinical areas within the new hospital. The tranche 2 models of care and service is now open for participation and includes: • Palliative Care • Pathology • Aged Care/Dementia/Delirium • Pharmacy • Gastroenterology • Endocrinology Working group members will take part in meetings, either in person or online, to review, refine and endorse each model of care. Members will also act as representatives for their teams by gathering feedback, ideas and suggestions, and ensuring staff voices are heard throughout the process. All staff are encouraged to apply and should discuss their intention with their manager before submitting an EOI. Applicants can nominate the models of care they are most interested in contributing to through the online form and successful applicants will be notified by email. EOIs will be considered based on participant numbers and relevant experience to ensure balanced representation across all groups. Staff who are not selected will still have the opportunity to express interest in their department's operational user group. For questions about the EOI process, please contact Ryde Hospital Redevelopment Manager Sarah Sullivan at Sarah.Sullivan@health.nsw.gov.au. For more information and to submit your EOI, visit: Model of Care Expression of Interest –Collaboration
Naming of the Crane We asked, you answered, and the creativity lifted off ! After many clever submissions, we’re excited to reveal the top names for our towering teammates:
🥇 ICU Up There — a witty favourite that had the whole site smiling. 🥈 Blue Gum Giant — a strong, grounded name acknowledging to our local landscape. Thank you to everyone who took part, your ideas were sky-high! The winning names are now proudly displayed on the cranes.
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Straight from the Nursing Station Springboard to Succes–Growing Future Leaders
The Springboard to Success program is a transformative leadership initiative designed to empower staff with the skills and confidence to lead, champion person-centred care, and foster a positive and inclusive workplace culture. Congratulations to the following staff for successfully completing the program and demonstrating a strong commitment to leadership growth and excellence in care:
• Jenny Gao (Emergency Department)
Arrah Manubay (Ward 7)
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Rhiannon Bazley (Ward 8)
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Michelle Manso (Ward 5)
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Shreya Rai (Ward 5)
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Ramina Amatya (ICU)
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• Jenny Ting Liu (ICU) We thank you for your dedication to personal development and for the positive impact you continue to make for patients, families and colleagues across the hospital.
Delivering Smiles This Festive Season
A heartfelt thank you to Rachel Anderson for organising Ryde Hospital’s Christmas hamper delivery, and to all the wonderful helpers who supported the initiative.
A special thank you to the team from Kingdom City Church, whose generosity and kindness brought smiles to many patients across the hospital. Your efforts truly made a difference and helped spread joy, warmth and festive cheer to those in our care.
Thank you to everyone involved for making this such a meaningful moment for our patients.
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Click, Escalate, Respond: Rapid Response Now in eMR
As the rollout of the Single Digital Patient Record (SDPR) draws closer, Ryde Hospital is proactively preparing for a smoother, safer and more efficient transition. One key area of early improvement is the way we escalate patient deterioration and document Rapid Response events within the electronic medical record (eMR). Did you know you can now activate a Rapid Response directly through the eMR? This enhancement means staff can initiate escalation quickly and consistently, using a standardised digital process. The Rapid Response order can be found in the eMR, allowing for clearer communication, immediate visibility, and reduced delays in mobilising the appropriate clinical team.
Our Ward 5 nursing team has been instrumental in leading this change. Their enthusiasm, readiness to adapt, and willingness to trial the new workflow has set a positive benchmark for the rest of the hospital. To acknowledge their efforts, the team enjoyed a well-deserved sweet treat as a small thank-you for their leadership and early adoption.
Introducing the eMR Rapid Response PowerForm The second part of the improvement is the introduction of the Rapid Response PowerForm. This digital documentation tool follows a consistent, structured template that makes it easier to: • Record assessment findings • Document interventions • Capture key clinical information • Outline management goals arising from the Rapid Response
The Rapid Response Team will complete this PowerForm as part of the event workflow, ensuring accurate, timely and standardised documentation that supports clinical continuity and improves patient safety. Supporting a Safer, More Efficient Future These early enhancements align with our broader district transition to SDPR and support a more integrated approach to managing patient deterioration. Thank you to all teams involved, especially Ward 5, for embracing the changes and helping us create a more streamlined digital future for Ryde Hospital. Use eMR for urgent but stable deterioration, and call 2222 immediately for any life-threatening emergency.
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Allied Health All-Stars Spotlight on Orthotics: Enhancing Mobility, Safety & Recovery
Ryde Hospital’s Orthotics team plays a vital role in supporting patient mobility, comfort and rehabilitation across our inpatient and outpatient services. From trauma and neurological conditions to post-surgical recovery and chronic health needs, Orthotics provides customised solutions that help patients move safely, maintain function, and achieve their rehabilitation goals. Highly skilled in assessment, fabrication and fitting, the team works closely with Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing and Medical teams to ensure each patient receives the right device at the right time, tailored
specifically to their clinical needs. What Orthotics Can Assist With
Orthotics is an integral part of patient care at Ryde, offering evidence-based, customisable solutions that support mobility, healing and independence. The team provides a wide range of devices to enhance posture, movement and recovery, including upper and lower limb orthoses, cervical and high-level supports, and other tailored options across acute care, rehabilitation and long-term management. If
you're unsure whether a patient may benefit from an orthotic intervention, reach out early—the team is always happy to help, and the right support can make a bigger difference than you realise. When to Refer to Orthotics • Not sure if Orthotics should be involved? Ask early! The team is more than happy to provide advice or point you in the right direction.
Contact: 946 2 303 Monday–Friday, 07:30–16:00
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Referrals: • Inpatients: via PowerChart • Outpatients: email NSLHD-RNS-Orthotics@health.nsw.gov.au
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COMING SOON–Improving Cervical Collar Care Ryde Physiotherapy and Orthotics are working on a handy new bedside poster to support patients who use cervical collars. The poster will feature:
A simple daily care checklist
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• Step-by-step photos for correct donning and fitting This resource aims to reduce pressure injury risk, promote consistent, confident collar care, and help staff deliver safe, high-quality spinal management every time.
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Better Together–People & Culture
People Matters Employee Survey (PMES) 2025 On 3 December 2025, Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri, NSLHD Chief Executive and Ms Kerrie- Ann Pryke, Executive Director People and Culture, attended Ryde Hospital to deliver the 2025 PMES roadshow on Ryde Hospital results.
This year, there will be a District-wide plan to address the survey results as there was similar feedback from the varying sites and services that encompass NSLHD. As we await further details of this plan, Ryde Managers and Executive will start to deep dive into their results to understand practical changes that can be made at a site level. Again, we thank you for your completion of the survey. This feedback is useful and significant in planning and shaping the future of Ryde Hospital.
Below are the completion rates for Ryde Hospital. We’re excited to share that Ryde reached our target with a fantastic result of 45.18% completion rate! –this is an increase of 8% from last year! A special shout-out to our top performing Wards and departments: 1 st place: Ward 8 with an outstanding 95.83% 2 nd place: Day Surgery with 95% 3 rd place: Ward 7 with 87.10% Boost your knowledge: Upcoming courses @ My Health Learning Psychosocial Risk Management training All managers are encouraged to attend the Psychosocial Risk Management training (course code 541048223). The objectives of the training are to: • Understand the relevant regulatory requirements, duties and frameworks related to psychosocial hazards in the workplace • Identify psychosocial hazards in the workplace • Assess the risks associated with psychosocial hazards • Evaluate a range of control strategies, such as work redesign, to minimise or eliminate the risks • Consider risk management strategies for your team Respecting the Difference: Be the Difference -face-to-face training This training enhances our organisation’s capacity to provide respectful, responsive and culturally safe services. The mandatory Respecting the Difference learning pathway (course code 428003510) builds upon existing knowledge gained in the eLearning and skills of staff. The face-to-face session is presented in a safe and responsive environment, with interactive workshops and scenarios on conscious and unconscious bias, Aboriginal English, Aboriginal health, social and emotional well-being and healing.
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The following sessions have been organised for 2026:
Thursday 5 March Wednesday 8 April
8am to 12pm
ELCA ELCA ELCA ELCA ELCA ELCA ELCA ELCA
12:00pm – 4:00pm 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Friday 5 June
Thursday 16 July Tuesday 18 August Monday 14 September Wednesday 14 October Thursday 12 November
8am to 12pm
12:00pm – 4:00pm
8am to 12pm
12:00pm – 4:00pm
8am to 12pm
Fire training –practical
Every 12 months, it is a requirement that each employee re-attends a practical fire training session. Please check your current status and if you have an expired record, please book into the next session.
Hands that Help–Volunteers Update Thank you so much to everyone who attended the Ryde Hospital Volunteers' End of Year morning tea, which was held on Monday, December 1 st . It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and thank our Volunteers for their contribution to the hospital over the past year. From supporting patients, to wayfinding, fundraising and providing valuable input on committees, we are so grateful for they many ways they give their time and support to the Ryde Hospital community. The end of year celebration is always a great way for the whole team to get together as we enter the festive season, and we wish everyone a wonderful holiday period and a happy and safe new year. We look forward to working with the volunteer team into 2026 and beyond.
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Patient Experience / Staff Compliments The people at Ryde Hospital are wonderful. They are always polite, respectful, helpful, patient, caring, professional, and friendly. ICU
They did a very good job patching me up. GR4
Health Staff is committed to providing quality care and services. W8
The service provided by the staff was amazing they went out of their way for myself and the other patients to see that their needs were met whilst understaffed, working double shifts and having very demanding patients I can speak highly enough of them. W7 Not only was I content with the quality of service and the understanding of the workers be it a nurse, doctor, wardsperson etc. I even commented to one of them that seemed to get along well working in a team together and I liked to see that especially when they are caring for others because when you are in a good mood it shows in your work. Obviously, most people in a hospital aren't in a good way for some reason so it is lovely to have a happy person who is constantly giving the community a hand up when they need it!. One of the gentlemen in my ward no.7 even commented on the outfit that one of the ladies was wearing it had dinosaurs, butterflies etc... and obviously he noticed it! Thank you to all and everyone connected to any hospital or institution. You all do a marvellous job and God bless you all! W7
ED were extremely busy however once they were able to attend to you you felt you were the only person.
The wonderful staff! Made me feel very comfortable and helped every way they could. W6
I was treated with care, concern and with explanation always, Nurses and Drs were informative. I felt I was in very good hands. W5 Very supportive and efficient…very happy with doctors and nurses!! We are lucky to have doctors and nurse like in this country!! W5 The hospital is staffed by qualified professionals. They are very caring, competent, compassionate and knowledgeable professional people. Despite facing difficult challenges posed by the enormous workload, their services were second to none. As regards the quality of the food, I confess that it was excellent and catered to all patients, dietary requirements, their cultures and preferences. My special thanks are to all the doctors, specialists, nurses and other staff who provided me care, support and comfort in my difficult time. W8 All staff were friendly, calm, professional and reassuring from the moment I stepped into the emergency department to the moment I walked out at discharge time. The team in emergency were fantastic and the team in ward 6 were the best care team I could have asked for when admitted. The surgical team were so knowledgeable, kind and caring. It felt like for my entire experience that all staff were going above and beyond to ensure I was comfortable and cared for. Even the kitchen staff were so excited when I got the clear to head home and the tea man did a little dance. These little moments and gestures really makes the experience positive when visiting hospital. Thank you to the staff at Ryde Hospital for all your passionate care.
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Library
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Just for Fun
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Noticeboard
Wellbeing Support is Always Available At Ryde, we recognise that our people are our greatest strength. To continue providing the best care to
others, it’s important to look after ourselves too. That’s why all staff have access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), delivered by PeopleSense.
The EAP is a free, completely confidential service that offers: • Counselling and coaching to support your mental health and wellbeing • Guidance for work-related challenges such as stress, workload, or conflict • Support with personal matters, including relationships, financial pressures, grief, or lifestyle changes • Practical strategies to build resilience and manage life’s ups and downs You don’t need to wait until things feel overwhelming. The EAP is a safe, supportive space whenever you need.
📞 For confidential support, call 1300 307 912 at any time. Your wellbeing matters. Reaching out for support is a strength, not a weakness.
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