Message from the board chair Trevor Danos AM
Welcome to the first edition of NSLHD News for 2025. As we begin another exciting year, I would like to extend my best wishes to everyone for a happy and successful year. I would also like to thank our dedicated staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly over the festive season to deliver high-quality health care to our community. I was delighted to see district staff members receiving recognition in the Australia Day Honours. Congratulations to NSLHD Board Member Adam Johnston, Professor Marg Fry, Professor Paul Glare and Dr Cameron Bell who were all awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). I would like to acknowledge the late Dr Richard Norman Porter who was also awarded an AM and extend my best regards to Dr Norman’s family. Congratulations also go to Ellen Davies who was awarded the Ambulance Service Medal. Ellen works closely with the district and is from the Central Coast North Sydney sector of the NSW Ambulance Service. As a fellow board member I would like to give a special mention to Adam Johnston. Since joining the district’s board in 2021, Adam has been a tireless, selfless and insightful contributor to the success and the reputation of NSLHD. Adam’s efforts, energy and determination never fail to impress whoever he works with and he has always focused on the wellbeing of patients and carers. An Australia Day Honour is a well-deserved recognition of hard work, dedication, and exceptional contributions that create a meaningful impact and strengthen our community. Congratulations once again to all recipients. As we look ahead to 2025, there are many exciting initiatives underway across the district. One area of particular significance is our continued progress in planetary health. In 2021, the board set an ambitious target of reaching net zero by 2035 for emissions the district can control. Since then, great progress has been made across the district in a short period of time. Last year the district launched the Planetary Health Framework 2024-2027 at our inaugural Planetary Health Showcase, where our staff presented on projects that are taking place across the district related to models of care,
procurement, waste, energy and active travel.
The new framework provides a blueprint for the next stage of our journey to net zero which is very exciting. There were some notable planetary health milestones last year, including the introduction of 15 electric vehicles into our fleet at Macquarie Hospital. Our use of solar technology was expanded with an installation at Dalwood Community Health Centre, NatureFix Wellness Zones were established at five of our sites and our Planetary Health team was awarded the NSW Health Environmental Sustainability Award for their carbon footprint and pathway to net zero project. Many more planetary health projects are progressing including the launch of a carbon dashboard to provide transparency and track the district’s greenhouse gas emissions annually. We will continue the rollout of food organics across our sites, continuing to electrify our gas assets, and formalising the district’s first ever sustainable procurement policy, to name just a few. The construction of our Ryde Hospital redevelopment also continues, which is set to be the first ‘net zero ready’ public hospital in NSW. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank all of our staff members who have engaged so enthusiastically with our planetary health work, and we look forward to following the progress the district continues to make on the journey to net zero. Nominations are now open for this year’s Exceptional People Awards, which is an event that I always look forward to each year. These awards are a fantastic opportunity for staff and volunteers to come together and recognise each other’s efforts. Nominations can be submitted by staff, volunteers, consumer advocates, as well as by our patients and consumers. The nominations will close at 5 pm, 7 March 2025. Information about the categories and nominations can be found here https://bit.ly/ NSLHD-EPA. Trevor Danos AM Board Chair Northern Sydney Local Health District
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 1| 3 FEBRUARY 2025
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