message FROM the Chief executive Deb Willcox
This week NSW Health’s COVID-19 Infection Protection and Control response moved from alert level amber to green following no recent locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the state over 12 consecutive days. The move to green means most staff no longer need to wear a surgical mask when within 1.5 metres of a patient. However mask wearing is still required for staff working in emergency departments and for all staff when attending to patients who have an acute respiratory infection. The move to green also means our much- valued volunteers can return to our hospitals and services providing the support and warmth to our patients that has been so greatly missed. Volunteers are not required to wear a mask unless they belong to the category of ‘vulnerable’, or are located in the emergency department or healthcare setting. We very much look forward to welcoming our volunteers back to our hospitals. Thank you to everyone for remaining vigilant and following all the restrictions and measures in place. You have all made a significant contribution to NSW being green. On Wednesday 18 November we held our second Innovation Awards Pitch for the year. It is an event I always look forward to and the five groups of clinicians who presented did not disappoint. Choosing a winner is always a difficult task, but two projects stood out. The GPS – Nasogastric Tube project received funding to purchase a Cortrak 2 enteral feed system for Royal North Shore Hospital’s neurosurgery ward during the pilot phase. The Cortrak 2 is a bedside unit allowing real-time confirmation of nasogastric tube placement, without the need for a chest x-ray. The second project, ‘Moving from Sick to Sic!’ recovery through group activity and connection, received funding to provide three weekly group activity sessions for young adults with first episode psychosis at Hornsby Hospital’s early psychosis intervention service. Two brave young men and the mum of a young woman who have attended the service told their very personal stories and how exercise made such a difference in their care.
of the Innovation Program so make sure you submit your entries before 28 February 2021. It was with great pleasure that we recently welcomed Claire Harris as NSLHD Director of Nursing and Midwifery (DONM). Claire has been a nurse for more than 35 years and many of you will know her most recently as the Director of Nursing and Midwifery at Royal North Shore Hospital. Claire has a deep love of the profession and I know will provide strong leadership for all of our nurses and midwives. I want to thank and pay tribute to Jenny Nielsen who has been acting in the role for the past eighteen months. Over this time Jenny has led the directorate and the profession continuing the culture of excellence and innovation that exists in NSLHD nurses and midwives. Jenny’s work during the pandemic has been incredible. Jenny and her team have been at the centre of our response- setting up and maintaining our clinics and staffing our screening services at all of our hospitals and services. Jenny’s leadership and care for our community was at an unprecedented level. Jenny’s big heart, generosity and selflessness is to be commended. I know together, Claire and Jenny are going to be a powerful force for nursing, midwifery and for the very best patient care. I am looking forward to joining the NSW Health Nursing and Midwifery Awards 2020. The awards are held to acknowledge the exceptional care and compassion that nurses and midwives provide every day around NSW. Tune into the awards on the NSW Health website on Thursday 26 November. Finally, our Annual Public Meeting is coming up on Friday 27 November at 3:00pm. This year’s theme is “Rising to the challenges of 2020”. We will be sharing the achievements of staff including our response to COVID-19, the bushfires and the White Island volcano disaster. The event will be live streamed and all are welcome to tune in through your computer or mobile via this link https://bit.ly/3oiads1. Deb Willcox Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
Applications are already open for the next round
2 NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 22| 20 NOVEMBER 2020
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