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NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT NSLHD
Kinchela boys home survivors visit rnsh
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Ryde Hospital expands medical plastics recycling program Page 5
NBH Medical Centre recognised for safe, high quality care Page 3
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Message from the board chair Professor Mary Chiarella AM
I have been truly touched with the warm welcome I have received from so many people as I step into the role of Acting Chair of the Northern Sydney Local Health District Board. It is a great honour to serve as the Board Chair for NSHD, an organisation to which I am deeply committed and of which I’m incredibly proud. As some of you will be aware, my family has received wonderful care from NSLHD over many years and it is my privilege to be able to give back. I chaired my first meeting on my first day, Tuesday, following the retirement of the wonderful Trevor Danos AM, from the role. I know I have huge shoes to fill, but I am looking forward to contributing to the great work and leadership that the Board has already achieved. For those of you whom I haven’t met yet, healthcare is close to my heart, having been a nurse for more than 40 years, starting my career in the United Kingdom, but moving to Australia in the 1970s. I also hold qualifications in midwifery and nurse education and an Honours degree and a PhD in law. I am Professor Emerita at the Susan Wakil School of Nursing at Sydney University and am currently working on nursing regulation projects with the WHO in the Western Pacific and with the International Council of Nursing. I was therefore delighted to see that we recently had one of our largest intakes of graduate nurses at our local health district. Over the past three weeks the nursing and midwifery workforce team has conducted the 2027 GradStart interviews.
This year’s campaign also attracted a large number of aspiring new graduate applicants whom I am told were of a high calibre. We look forward to welcoming them next year. A powerful and emotionally moving Truth Telling event was held on Friday at the district, with survivors, Elders and descendants from the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation sharing their stories. I was in awe of the courage shown by the survivors who recalled the horrors they endured being kidnapped from their parents and taken to a boys’ home. We have so much to learn from the Stolen Generation and still so much work to heal the wounds and to prevent inter- generational trauma. I want to thank the NSLHD Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service for inviting the survivors and Elders to come and share such personal stories with us. The Board is committed to working together with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues to make our services as culturally safe as possible and to ensure equity and access to health care. Please don’t hesitate to introduce yourself to me and tell me about your work if you see me around the facilities. I am always delighted to meet you.
Warm regards,
Professor Mary Chiarella AM Board Chair Northern Sydney Local Health District
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NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE16 | 28 AUGUST 2026
Staff from the NBH Medical Centre and members of the NBH Executive Unit with the accreditation certficate Northern Beaches Hospital Medical Centre recognised for safe, high-quality care Northern Beaches Hospital Medical Centre patient safety, continuous improvement and accessible care,” she said.
has achieved re-accreditation through Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited, recognising the clinic’s commitment to safe, high-quality care. The accreditation confirms the service meets the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards for General Practices, which cover areas including patient safety, clinical governance, infection prevention and control, information security, medication management, staff training and quality improvement. Located alongside the emergency department at Northern Beaches Hospital, the centre provides urgent care for patients with non-life-threatening conditions that do not require emergency treatment. General practitioner Dr Luke Morphett, who helped guide the centre through the accreditation process, said the achievement was an important milestone for the service. “This accreditation provides independent confirmation that we have the right systems and processes in place to support safe, high- quality healthcare,” he said. “It is also an important opportunity for our team to reflect, learn and continue improving the way we deliver care for our patients.” NBH Medical Centre Head of Department Dr Emily Coxon said the outcome was particularly significant given the process was completed during a period of organisational transition. “The result reflects the dedication of the entire team and their shared commitment to
Northern Beaches Hospital Medical Centre is a bulk-billing urgent care service operating on a walk-in basis, with no appointment required. The clinic treats minor fractures and injuries, sprains and strains, minor cuts, wounds and burns, infections, rashes, bites and stings, eye and sinus issues, wound care and migraine management. Find out more here: https://bit. ly/NBH-Medical-Centre
General practitioner Dr Luke Morphett and NBH Medical Centre Head of Department Dr Emily Coxon
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Kinchela boys home survivors visit rnsh For Uncle Willy Nixon #24 Jnr, sharing his harrowing childhood in Kinchela Boys Home - after being stolen from his family - is a way for him to heal from the past, and to teach future generations of the trauma suffered by Aboriginal families and communities. While walking home one day in a small country town near Walgett, he and his brothers were bundled up in the back of a police paddy wagon and taken by train to Sydney, then Kempsey, where they lived for the next 10 years at the Kinchela Boys Home. The five-year-old was not able to see his mum, nor did she know where her children had been taken. No birthdays or Christmases were celebrated and corporal punishment was daily. Uncle Willy, fellow Stolen Generations Survivors Uncle Robert Young #24 Snr and Uncle Terence Grimes #15, Elders and descendants visited Royal North Shore Hospital recently to share their stories and displayed remarkable courage in the hope they can heal from the past, and change the future. “A lot of us fellas don’t like to share our stories, even with our own families because we don’t want them to suffer and have trauma,” Uncle Willy said. Kinchela Boys Home was a ‘home’ run by the NSW Government for almost 50 years from 1924 – 1970 to house Aboriginal boys forcibly removed from their families, communities and countries. Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC) is a not-for-profit Aboriginal community controlled organisation established to help restore and reconstruct the identity, dignity and integrity of Aboriginal men, like Uncle Willy, and to address the intergenerational trauma that adversely impacts on the lives of the men’s families and descendants. For many Aboriginal families and descendants of the Stolen Generations, visiting a hospital or health service is traumatic and can be a reminder of the past. Many fear government services, institutions and being asked deeply private information. To find out more about Kinchela Boys’ Home and hear from Survivors, visit https:// kinchelaboyshome.org.au/ Uncle Willy Nixon #24 Jnr (third from right) and members of the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC)Aboriginal Corporation visited RNSH and provided a powerful truth telling session
SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS Share your news and achievements. Contact the Media and Communications team on 9463 1722 or email NSLHD-media@health.nsw.gov.au to submit your news.
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NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 19| 4 OCTOBER 2024 NSLHD NEWS | ISSUE 16 | 28 AUGUST 2026
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Ryde Hospital expands medical plastics recycling program Across Northern Sydney Local Health
NSLHD Sustainable Procurement Implementation Manager David Russell said strong support from hospital leaders and staff had helped make the program possible. “Working with our suppliers to collect and recycle products after they have been used is an important way we can reduce waste,” David said. “It is great to see ward managers, staff and hospital leaders supporting practical programs like this wherever possible.” The program supports the NSLHD Planetary Health Framework 2024–2027, including its focus on recycling more healthcare waste and participating in supplier take-back programs.
District, almost three tonnes of plastic waste is generated each year from disposable leg compression sleeves, which are used to help prevent blood clots in patients. Around 500 kilograms, or 18 per cent, comes from Ryde Hospital alone. Ryde Hospital is now working to reduce this waste through a new program to recycle used leg compression sleeves. Following the successful introduction of manufacturer Arjo’s ReNu recycling program at Royal North Shore Hospital in 2025, the program will now be expanded to Ryde Hospital’s theatres, selected wards and intensive care unit. More than 3,000 sleeves have already been diverted from landfill at RNSH, representing around 575 kilograms of plastic and an estimated saving of 2.7 tonnes of carbon emissions — equivalent to driving an average Australian car around 14,000 kilometres. Ryde Hospital staff from a range of clinical and non-clinical areas recently worked with Arjo to design a collection process suited to the hospital’s clinical areas, infection prevention requirements, waste operations and ongoing redevelopment works. Used sleeves will be placed in dedicated collection bags before being transported to a central bin for collection and recycling by Arjo.
Staff at Ryde Hospital are utilising the Arjo bins
NSLHD staff step up in 2026 for cerebral palsy Northern Sydney Local Health District is getting ready to take part in STEPtember, Australia’s biggest workplace health and wellbeing challenge.
Staff can register in a team of up to four people or take part individually. Sign up for STEPtember 2026 and get ready to step up for a great cause: https://bit.ly/ STEPTEMBER-2026-NSLHD
Throughout September, staff are encouraged to step, walk, roll or move while raising funds to support early detection and therapy for babies with cerebral palsy. Psychological Wellbeing Manager Michelle Barry has been visiting hospitals and services across the district to help staff prepare for the challenge and encourage more people to get involved. “STEPtember is a wonderful opportunity to get active, connect with colleagues and support an important cause,” Michelle said. “Whether you join a team or take part individually, every step and every contribution can make a difference.” This year, participants will also be invited to join the new STEPtember 2026 Teams community, where staff can share photos and ideas, celebrate their progress and motivate each other throughout the challenge.
Michelle Barry and Ryde Hospital General Manager Jennifer McConnell encourage staff to sign up for STEPtember
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Kinga Szymaniak, Gurubhaskar Shivakumar, Erica Bell, Sue Kurrle, Sarah Hilmer, Lisa Harvey, Vicky Duong and Jillian Eyles
Researchers unveil the key to ageing well Clinical and research experts across the Kolling Institute passionately discussed the potential of their research to provide crucial new knowledge and effective treatments to support healthy ageing during a recent event. Hosted by the NORTH Foundation, more
research. “There is a wealth of expertise across the Kolling and we are delighted to connect members of the community with researchers to help them pursue ideas with the potential to transform lives,” he said. The Kolling’s Academic Director Professor James Elliott said the showcase highlighted the power of collaboration to advance research and improve health outcomes. “We are proud of the strength of our research community and grateful to the NORTH Foundation for its ongoing partnership in helping us turn discovery into impact,” he said. “Together with our community partners and generous donors, we are translating research into real-world benefit and building a healthier future for communities locally, nationally and globally. We are grateful for their crucial backing.” To support our researchers, contact our fundraising partner the NORTH Foundation. https://northfoundation.org.au/facilities/ kolling-institute/
than 150 people came together for the Living Longer, Living Better showcase, including donors, supporters and health professionals. The event explored the latest research into healthy-ageing, dementia prevention, medication management, therapeutic exercise, evidence-based osteoarthritis care, and the relationship between depression and dementia. The presenters focused on maintaining health, strength, mobility and quality of life through evidenced-based approaches. Researchers detailed how their work is being translated into practical ways to help maintain health and independence. NORTH Foundation CEO Gil Lorquet thanked the many people who attended the showcase, saying it is at events like this where we provide an insight into the talented people behind our leading healthcare and valuable
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NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 19| 4 OCTOBER 2024 NSLHD NEWS | ISSUE 16 | 28 AUGUST 2026
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NSLHD’s first Climate Literacy Training class
New staff training builds climate knowledge across NSLHD The district has launched its first Climate
intensive care medicine specialist Dr Fiona Shields usually come up with the themes, with managers and colleagues from across the hospital often invited to take on judging duties. “It’s a great opportunity for the team to come together, have some fun and enjoy a bit of friendly competition,” Rose said. staff survey, which found strong awareness of planetary health but identified opportunities to improve staff knowledge, communication and confidence in leading sustainability projects. The course is accredited by the UK-based Carbon Literacy Project, an internationally recognised climate education initiative, with further sessions due to take place in 2027. NSLHD Climate Adaptation Manager and course co-facilitator Emma Holland said the pilot group had responded positively to the training. “Our first group was incredibly engaged and passionate, and we look forward to supporting them as they develop their own planetary health projects,” Emma said. The course was created following a 2025
Literacy Training program, helping staff build their knowledge and confidence to support more sustainable healthcare. The first session brought together 25 participants from across NSLHD and NSW Health. Developed by NSLHD’s Planetary Health team in partnership with Edith Cowan University, the one-day course covers climate science, emissions, climate-related risks, behaviour change and practical actions staff can take in their workplaces. The training also features examples of projects already underway across NSLHD, showing how health services can reduce their environmental impact while continuing to deliver high-quality patient care.
A sweet tradition for the NBH ICU team What started with one less-than-perfect carrot cake has turned into a much-loved tradition for the Northern Beaches Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Around three years ago, ICU Nurse Manager Rose Farber baked a carrot cake for the team and confidently declared it the “best ever”.
“From that moment, we decided to have a carrot cake bake off and the rest is history,” she said. Since then, the regular bake off has grown in popularity and competitiveness, with staff tackling themes including chocolate, lemon, shortbread, honey, cupcakes, bananas and pears. The bake off brings together ICU nurses, doctors and allied health staff, giving the team an opportunity to have some fun and enjoy something a little different from the usual day-to-day. Rose and anaesthetist and
The most recent bake-off was themed around pears
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People Matter Employee Survey Have your say
17 August to 11 September 2026
The annual People Matter Employee survey is your opportunity to have a say about your organisation, manager, job and team. Please take the time to participate in the survey. Your feedback will be anonymous.
For more information please contact:
NSLHD-ODTeam@health.nsw.gov.au
To participate in the survey, scan the QR code or visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/peoplemattersurvey
The team enriching health in millions of ways every day
July 2026 @ NSW Health. SHPN (SCE) SHPN (SCE) 260562-3.
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