Message from the chief executive Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM
Dear colleagues, It was wonderful to be at Northern Beaches Hospital’s recent Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony event which marked the hospital’s transition to the district. A big thank you to Uncle Michael from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council and Raph from Dinawan Yarn who led the proceedings. The ceremony, together with the presentation of artwork by Jasmin Sarin, reflected respect, connection to Country and the beginning of a new chapter for the hospital. Northern Beaches Hospital staff were also thanked for their involvement in the transition with an all-staff BBQ attended by NSW Health leadership and district executives, acknowledging their hard work, flexibility and commitment to patient care. I would like to warmly congratulate Royal North Shore Hospital manager, Alison Zecchin on her new appointment as Chief Executive of Western Sydney Local Health District. This is a well-deserved appointment and I would like to acknowledge Alison’s outstanding leadership, experience and commitment to NSLHD. Alison has made a significant contribution during her time with us, and I sincerely thank her for her service. I wish her every success as she takes up her new role. Morgan O’Leary will serve as Acting General Manager of Royal North Shore Hospital while recruitment for the permanent position is undertaken. We have seen encouraging progress in staff influenza vaccination rates, with 40 per cent of staff currently vaccinated. If you are eligible, I encourage you to come forward to protect yourselves, your colleagues and our patients. This month we marked World Hand Hygiene Day. It’s a timely reminder that good
hand hygiene remains essential, alongside vaccination, in preventing the spread of infection. We recently celebrated International Nurses Day, recognising the vital role our nurses play across every service, every day. I extend my sincere thanks to all nursing staff for your expertise, compassion and dedication. I was delighted to celebrate the launch of the Northern Sydney Local Health District Research Strategy to 2030, which sets a clear direction to strengthen research capability, expand clinical trials and embed innovation across our clinical services. I am also pleased to announce the launch of the NSLHD People Plan 2026–2028. This plan has been shaped directly by our workforce, drawing on insights from the 2025 People Matter Employee Survey. It sets a clear direction for how we strengthen our culture, support our staff and continue improving the way we work together to deliver care. Looking ahead, preparation for the Single Digital Patient Record continues across NSLHD. Digital Health Services teams are working with staff throughout May to finalise remaining current state workflows. Staff are encouraged to access SOURCE, the central SDPR learning hub, for training materials, workflow walkthroughs and ongoing support as we prepare for go-live and daily use of the system. Further information is available on SDPR here: https://bit.ly/3RzAkh6
Warm regards,
Anthony Schembri Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
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NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 9| 22 MAY 2026
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