Message from the chief executive A/Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM
This week NSW Health facilities moved from yellow alert to foundational level – the base level required to continue to protect patients, staff and visitors. The key changes are around mask wearing with staff no longer required to universally wear masks in all clinical and patient facing areas. However, staff will still be required to wear masks when providing care to patients who present to hospital with acute respiratory infections, including COVID-19. Patients will no longer need to universally wear masks, however patients with acute respiratory infections, including COVID-19, are asked to wear a surgical mask on presentation and during transit (if they are able). Patients who have been risk-assessed as vulnerable may also be asked to wear a mask when outside their hospital room. This marks a significant change to the way we have had to carry out work over the past three and a half years while we responded to COVID-19. I would like to thank everyone for continuing to remain vigilant. More information about the foundational level guidelines is available here: https://bit. ly/3L2lXMf I would like to honour Tom Reeve AC CBE, a brilliant surgeon who recently passed away aged 99. He was an eminent medical figure in this country and made many important contributions to cancer control. Professor Reeve was the inaugural Professor of Surgery at Royal North Shore Hospital and had a long career in oncology practice and research. In 2019, the hospital opened the Tom Reeve Academic Surgical Clinic in his honour and only recently, he was awarded our first-ever alumni medal. I send my condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time. He will be remembered for all the work he did for
RNSH and the broader community, as well as his incredible energy. I had the pleasure of meeting some of our speech pathologists at RNSH this week to recognise this year’s Speech Pathology Week. The theme of this year’s week was ‘Communicating for life,’ which aims to highlight the role speech pathologists play in helping people throughout their lives. It was great to meet with staff and hear about the interesting and important work they are doing and their achievements. Speaking of our allied health workforce, it gives me great pleasure to announce our Allied Health Recognition Awards are now open. In the last couple of months, I have been able to meet many of our allied health staff working across the district. These clinicians make a huge impact providing the highest quality care and support to our patients and consumers in partnership with their families and carers. The awards acknowledge individuals and teams who have made an extraordinary achievement in allied health practice in the last year. The winners of this year’s awards will progress to the NSW Health Excellence in Allied Health Awards I encourage you to please take a moment to nominate an outstanding allied health clinician or team you work alongside. Nominations can be submitted by all NSLHD staff via MS Forms link - https://bit. ly/44B0oth - and close on 24 September 2023.
Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
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NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 16| 4 SEPTEMBER 2023
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