Message from the Chief Executive Deb Willcox
As a district, we have one of the highest rates of COVID-19 vaccination in the state with more than 90 per cent of staff having received at least their first dose of vaccine. While this is a great result so far, the NSW Ministry of Health has announced that mandatory COVID-19 vaccination will now be required for all NSW Health staff. All healthcare workers from the LGAs of concern must have received their first vaccination by Monday 6 September. All other healthcare workers must have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by 30 September and second dose by 30 November or have an approved medical exemption to be allowed to come to work. I encourage those staff who are yet to receive a vaccination to please do so as soon as possible. If you are having trouble securing a time for your vaccine, you will be prioritised. Please contact NSLHD- COVIDVaccinationEnquiries@health.nsw. gov.au to ensure you receive your first vaccine by the deadline. With the rising rates of COVID-19 transmission in the community, I would like to thank our staff right across the district including our Virtual Care Hospital who have all been busy providing care, support and treatment for an increasing number of COVID-19 positive patients. There is no corner within our health system that isn’t doing something to contribute to the pandemic response. As a district we are caring for an increasing number of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals and treating patients in the community who are very sick with the virus and this can be incredibly challenging for staff. I would like to thank everyone for all you are doing to support these patients and their families. We are truly working as one health system at this time and I thank you all for the camaraderie you are demonstrating.
You have all done a large amount of work to prepare and I am confident you are ready to respond as needed and will you will provide outstanding, safe care to our community. I would like to give a special mention to our staff who are heading to Wilcannia in far-west NSW to assist colleagues and the community. Thank you to our Director of our Aboriginal Health Service Peter Shine and Barbara Triantafilis from our Aboriginal Health Service, and Mikaela Hedge and Emma Cardwell from Royal North Shore Hospital’s ICU team. This is a very difficult time for this community and being able to contribute is a very important and probably life- changing experience. I know you are all extremely busy right now and there is a lot of stress in your personal lives. But now it is more important than ever to know how you are and what we can do to improve the workplace and support you. I encourage you to fill out the Public Service Commission People Matter Employee Survey (PMES) by 17 September. The PMES is rolled out across the state every year and is an important tool to help us understand what works well for you here at Northern Sydney Local Health District and also to find out where we can make things better.
You can access the survey here: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/ peoplemattersurvey
Thank you all for everything you are doing to care for our community. Your wellbeing is so very important at this time so please look out for yourselves, and your colleagues, and please seek help from your manager when it is needed. Deb Willcox Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 16 | 3 SEPTEMBER 2021
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