Message from the chief executive Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM
Dear colleagues, There has been much to celebrate recently with our people at Northern Sydney Local Health District being recognised for their achievements that go beyond the delivery of high-quality care. In this year’s King’s Birthday Honours, we had four clinicians who received accolades for their expertise and leadership in their chosen fields of medicine and research. Professor Margaret Schnitzler was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her service to general surgery. Many of you would know Margaret who has been considered a trail-blazer throughout her 40-year career. Margaret’s surgical career has been marked by a series of milestones. After becoming a surgical trainee in 1987, she became the first female general surgeon appointed in the district and the first female colorectal surgeon in Australia. I wish to extend my congratulations to Professor Suran Fernando, head of the clinical immunology department at RNSH who received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). Also receiving an OAM was RNSH’s haematologist Dr Luke Coyle, who works in the Northern Sydney Cancer Centre, and Dr Ross Macpherson, former anaesthetist at RNSH. I had the pleasure of attending the NSLHD’s Quality and Improvement Awards, where, once again I was impressed by the achievements of our staff. The awards put a spotlight on the hard work and delivery of programs which have made a real difference to the patients and families we care for. Congratulations to all the winners who can
be found here on our website: https://bit. ly/4wgPjfd A personal highlight for me was having the pleasure of meeting Macquarie Hospital’s gardener Seamus McMahon whose kindness extends to patients, families and his colleagues. I awarded Seamus with a NSW Health Emblem of Kindness, one of five I can present to staff this year, for the care and compassion he shows everyone who crosses his path. Seamus is a well-known friendly face at Macquarie Hospital and is adored by those who meet him, for his willingness to share his knowledge, lend a friendly ear or shout someone a coffee. It is the small acts of kindness that can make such a difference to someone’s day. In an exciting development, the Single Digital Patient Record (SDPR) continues to build momentum as work progresses across workforce readiness, service engagement and preparation for go-live. Staff are being supported through a growing range of resources designed to make preparation simpler and more accessible, including SOURCE, a central hub bringing together practical guidance, tips and support materials, as well as SDPR Bites available on SharePoint to keep teams informed with short, easy updates. They can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/4vLFcyC Warm regards,
Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM
Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
NSLHD NEWS | ISSUE 11| 19 JUNE 2026
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