Message from the Chief Executive Deb Willcox
The community response to getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is really encouraging. To have reached 80 per cent of eligible people having their first dose in NSW is a really promising milestone. However just over 43 per cent of NSW have received both doses so we have still some way to go to reach the first milestone of 70 per cent. Our district thankfully has a community with some of the highest vaccination rates in NSW and our staff are also the most vaccinated of any other local health district. Vaccination is playing such an important role in trying to control the COVID-19 case numbers and we need to achieve the highest rates possible. As healthcare workers you have an opportunity to encourage the community, your friends and family, to get vaccinated. Healthcare workers are seen by many in the community as a trusted source of information on COVID-19 vaccines and for those people who are vaccine hesitant your advice and encouragement will be particularly important. Some of our clinical staff may be approached by patients who have concerns about the vaccine and may seek guidance. The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIR) provides some useful resources and information on COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare professionals to help them encourage their patients to get immunised which can be found on their website www.ncirs.org.au. As this year continues to throw challenges at our community, it is important we continue to look after our physical and mental wellbeing. It is the most important thing we can do, not just for ourselves, but for our loved
ones, colleagues, and importantly, our patients. A new wellbeing platform, called Moments that Matter, is now available to each of you to provide additional support. It has helpful tools on mindfulness, diet and nutrition, exercise planners, as well as relevant resources for mental health, tips on how to work remotely, budgeting, a dedicated podcast channel and many other wonderful resources to support you. You can sign up at the following web address: https://balance2life.com.au/Join/ NSLHD and register using your email and the four digit company code 0721. If you have any questions or need help accessing the wellbeing platform please email Hayley.Johnson1@health.nsw.gov.au The stabilisation of COVID-19 cases in recent days is really encouraging and is providing us with some cautious optimism. While the rates of community COVID-19 transmission in our own district remain relatively low we continue to assist the health system as a whole and in other local health districts. While we now have the roadmap unveiled by the NSW Government last week to the easing of some restrictions, we must stay the course, remain vigilant, get vaccinated and look after each other. I thank you all for your ongoing commitment and hard work as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deb Willcox Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 17 | 16 SEPTEMBER 2021
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