NSLHD News May 14

Message from the board chair Trevor Danos AM

I am delighted to welcome back Deb Willcox after her two month secondment at the Ministry of Health. A big thank you to Dr Tamsin Waterhouse for so ably deputising for Deb during this period. This week we celebrate the dedication and commitment of our nurses across our district with International Nurses Day held on 12 May. Throughout the pandemic, our nurses have been at the forefront of our response, responding to the pandemic and caring for our patients. We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful team of nurses and midwives at our hospitals and services and on behalf of the district, I would like to say thank you for the work that you do. The Board held its annual strategy day on Saturday 1 May and a major focus was on how the district should continue to engage in partnerships and collaborations to achieve its goals. It was pleasing to have attendees from a number of existing partners including the University of Sydney, Macquarie University, the Sydney North Health Network, HammondCare and NORTH Foundation. The Kolling Institute presented on its three primary research areas, provided by the leads and it is evidenced there has been significant progress and early wins since the recent release of the Kolling’s 2021-2025 Research Strategy. Six of the directors of the district’s Clinical Networks presented on the current achievements, innovations, prospects and challenges of the networks. There was a good discussion on further work that might be done to improve collaboration and strengthen our networks. The Board was impressed by the talent and teamwork in each network. Professor Mick Reid AM presented on his work to date in developing the St Leonards Health Campus Health, Education and

Research Precinct Plan. The Plan will document how the public and private health services, education and research sectors can be harnessed in an integrated fashion within the precinct for both the betterment of health care, knowledge and skills and to provide an exciting environment for future investment and employment. The presentation identified a number of possible clinical opportunities as well as a number of strategic enablers. Further staff, community and Ministry of Health consultation will take place over coming weeks before a final report is presented. An important next step, after the report is considered by the Board, will be the development of a RNSH campus plan. The implications of the report will be wide reaching including in the consideration of the Herbert Street Precinct proposal and as we update the current NSLHD 2017-2022 Strategic Plan. The final session at the strategy day was devoted to planetary health and sustainability. Good work (solar panels, streaming of waste, recycling of plastics local projects, etc) is already being done across the district but there remains the potential to support staff and for the local health district to do a lot more and to make a real difference. The district’s Planetary Health Framework will be released for review by the committee in coming weeks. It is both exciting and ambitious and everyone has a role. Importantly, there will be a mechanism for good ideas from staff to be submitted.

Trevor Danos AM Board Chair Northern Sydney Local Health District

NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 9 | 14 MAY 2021

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