Message FROM the acting Chief executive Dr Tamsin Waterhouse
message FROM the Chief executive Deb Willcox
This month has highlighted the calibre of the staff in NSLHD. We kickstarted the month off with our Exceptional People Awards followed by the NSW Health Awards. Please join me in congratulating Professor Margaret Fry, Director of Research and Practice Development Nursing and Midwifery and Meredith Oatley Oncology Nurse Practitioner, who won the Transforming Patient Experience category with their Oncology Telephone Hotline, and to Dr Eveline Staub, Staff Specialist, Neonatology and her medical and nursing NICU colleagues for their project “Walking the Milky Way”, which won the Patient Safety First category. All of our entrants and certainly our winners rose to the top of almost 200 entries from across NSW Health because the care and complete focus for patients and their wellbeing stood out so strongly. The Oncology Helpline gives patients living with cancer and their families telephone access to expert clinical advice so they can avoid coming to hospital when they are experiencing symptoms from their treatment or condition or simply feeling overwhelmed – overall an 11 per cent reduction in cancer patients having to come into the Emergency Department for treatment. A real patient story was told at the Awards how the oncology helpline had supported the family of one of our dear health colleagues during an incredibly stressful and difficult period.
Eveline and the NICU team have developed an improved feeding regime for our premature babies that means central lines are removed sooner – this has led to zero central line infection rates in the NICU at RNSH. Our two other nominations were equally outstanding. To the Workforce team and Professor Sarah Hilmer, Head of Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Senior Staff Specialist, RNSH, and her colleagues – thank you. At RNSH, we had the opening of the Tom Reeve Academic Surgical Clinic, which was attended by almost 100 people. The clinic honours the inaugural Professor of Surgery at RNSH, Prof Tom Reeve. Under his leadership, Royal North Shore has grown into a centre of surgical, educational and research excellence. This month is Mental Health Month and it is about raising awareness and the importance of working together to reduce the stigma that shadows those in our community living with mental illness. At Macquarie Hospital, the Insideout Gallery is showcasing the work of artists who have a mental health experience. In a wonderful initiative, they have partnered with Ryde Council and some of the artists’ art work will be displayed on flag pole banners around Top Ryde.
Deb Willcox Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
2 NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 19| 28 OCTOBER 2019
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