NEWS NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT NSLHD
Main story Short blurb the muru Dali Gili Gili Employee Network Day at NSLHD
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Message from the chief executive Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM
Dear colleagues, I’m excited to share the news that
Thank you to all of our staff who took part, and to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service for organising another fantastic event. It was a powerful day, with people generously sharing their stories to help deepen understanding and support meaningful change. I would like to congratulate the NSLHD staff members who were recently recognised at the inaugural 2025 Single Digital Patient Record (SDPR) Awards. It is a privilege to be able to work with so many staff members who are helping pave the way in the SDPR rollout. It was lovely to see these efforts recognised at a state level. You can read more about the winners on page 7 in the issue of this newsletter. To have winners and finalists of these awards is a testament to the incredible talent across our district and the vital role NSLHD is playing in one of the most significant digital transformations in the state health system’s history. It was a pleasure to join staff at Ryde Hospital for a barbecue celebrating the completion of early works on the redevelopment. Hosted by our construction partner A.W Edwards, it was great to meet the team behind this important project. Thank you to everyone involved, the Ryde community will soon benefit from modern, purpose-built facilities supporting world-class care. Warm regards, Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
the district has officially launched the Tomorrow’s Medicine Today podcast in collaboration with the Kolling Institute. The podcast is hosted by Professor James M. Elliott and Associate Professor Matthew Doane, acclaimed clinician-researchers from the district, who explore cutting-edge ideas and breakthroughs with leading voices in medical innovation. You will have the opportunity to hear from many researchers and learn all about their work and lives. You can tune in by visiting the website: https://bit.ly/nslhd-tmt and on Spotify: https://bit.ly/448P755. Thank you to the teams involved in bringing this podcast to life. It is an incredible step forward and I hope everyone can take away some insights from the series. Our annual Quality and Improvement Awards were held recently at Royal North Shore Hospital and I was blown away by the standard of submissions again this year. We had 45 submissions, and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to nominate a staff member or team for an award. Congratulations to all our winners and finalists of these awards. Your commitment to innovation and high-quality care to our patients does not go unnoticed. Keep an eye out for the next newsletter, where we’ll share all the highlights from the 2025 QI Awards. The Muru Dali Gili Gili Employee Network Day at Macquarie Hospital was an important and meaningful event for our district. This biannual event is always a great opportunity to bring staff together to learn and discuss the experiences Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face across government and non-government agencies.
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Staff at the Muru Dali Gili Gili Employee Network Day
Muru Dali Gili Gili employee network day at nslhd Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and allies from across NSLHD gathered at the Northern Sydney Education and Conference Centre (NSECC) to celebrate the annual Muru
Dali Gili Gili Employee Network Day. Meaning “Path to Shine” in the local Dharug language, the day honours Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff through cultural connection and meaningful career development. Chief Executive Adjunct Professor Anthony Schembri said the event highlighted the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. “A workforce that reflects the diversity of our population not only improves organisational culture but supports better health outcomes for our First Nations consumers,” he said. “Events like this remind us that closing the gap is a shared responsibility. By listening, learning and taking action, we strengthen both our workforce and our service to community.” The event opened with a smoking ceremony and Acknowledgement of Country in the courtyard, followed by updates from the Muru Dali Gili Gili Employee Network. Staff took part in leadership and career development sessions, yarning circles, and wellbeing activities. Cultural workshops included the Guni Bee paint-a-pot activity, food medicine talk, mindfulness and sound healing, and health checks.
Staff planting seedlings
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Staff from Hornsby’s neonatal special care nursery with their Every Week Count award
Every Week Counts award for Hornsby Hornsby’s neonatal special care nursery is working with other hospitals across Sydney and the Central Coast to reduce preterm labour and babies born less than 39 weeks in low-risk women. Its collaboration with Royal North Shore,
midwifery teams have collaborated and shared improvement strategies with colleagues from other hospitals. “Our aim is to reach a common goal of reducing pre-term and early term births,” Ajay said. The trial, which will finish in May next year, focuses on two pillars of pre-term birth prevention across the hospitals. Firstly, prevention of early pre-term births between 14 weeks and 36 weeks, and the second component is the prevention and safely- reduced early term births (between 36 weeks and 6 days and 38 weeks and 6 days). Findings from the national pre-term prevention trial will be rolled out across Northern Sydney Local Health District hospitals and Gosford Hospital.
Northern Beaches and Gosford hospitals has earned accolades at the Every Week Count national launch in Brisbane recently. The national collaborative trial is to reduce preterm labour (babies born less than 37 weeks) and babies born less than 39 weeks (early term) in low-risk women. Research has shown babies born as close to term experience less health complications and have a reduced length of stay in hospital. Associate Professor Ajay Vatsayan is head of obstetrics and gynaecology at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital where the medical and
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NSLHD launches Tomorrow’s Medicine Today podcast A new podcast series showcasing
chance to share the world-class research happening right here in Northern Sydney with a wider audience.” New episodes will be released fortnightly. The first episode is now available and features Associate Professor Sarah Glastras discussing the complexities of diabetes and obesity. You can listen now at https://bit.ly/nslhd-tmt or on Spotify: https://bit.ly/448P755 If you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, please email NSLHD-tmt@health. nsw.gov.au.
MABO DAY AT NSLHD NSLHD marked Mabo Day with a special stall at Royal North Shore Hospital, hosted by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service team, highlighting the significance of this important day with staff and visitors. Braiden Abala, Deputy Director of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service at NSLHD, reflected on the enduring impact of Mabo Day. “Mabo Day was pivotal in the land rights movement. It marked the recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had long occupied Australia and held legal rights to their ancestral lands — completely overturning the concept of terra nullius,” he said. “It remains deeply relevant today, as it affirmed the sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their rights to land through Native Title, and their ability to determine what happens on their ancestral lands.” Observed annually on 3 June, Mabo Day commemorates the legacy of Mer Island man Eddie Koiki Mabo, whose landmark case in the High Court of Australia led to the 1992 decision that overturned the legal fiction of terra nullius — the false idea that the land belonged to no one prior to British Produced with the Kolling Institute, the series features clinicians, researchers and teams from across NSLHD who are shaping the future of healthcare. Podcast host and Kolling Institute researcher Professor James Elliott said the series shines a light on the depth of talent and discovery happening locally. “Each year, Stanford University publishes a list of the top two per cent of researchers globally — and many of those names are my colleagues right here at the Kolling Institute,” he said. “That’s what inspired this podcast. It’s a groundbreaking research, innovative models of care, and inspiring stories from across the district has been launched. Tomorrow’s Medicine Today is presented by Northern Sydney Local Health District and the Kolling Institute. Chief Executive Anthony Schembri said the podcast is an important way to highlight NSLHD’s leadership in research and innovation. “Our teams are delivering truly outstanding work in healthcare and medical research,” he said. “This podcast is a fantastic platform to share that work with our community and highlight the people behind the breakthroughs.”
Matthew Doane, Sarah Glastras, James Elliott
colonisation. This historic ruling formally recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived on, cared for, and maintained a deep and continuous connection to this land for tens of thousands of years, with their own laws, languages, and customs.
Members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander team hosted the stall
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Burn Baby Burn – runners take on steep hill for good cause Runners endured the burning pain as they took on the Balmoral Burn to raise money for Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital’s maternity ward. As part of the annual fundraising campaign the Humpty Dumpty Foundation holds, teams of runners from across Sydney took part in the charity event. life for our tiny future leaders,” she said. “Humpty Dumpty Foundation is where miracles begin, the generosity makes a lasting impact, and we are deeply appreciative of your unwavering commitment and continued support.”
The foundation also donated breast pumps to the special care nursery as part of its annual Mother’s Day fundraising appeal.
Former Australian Rugby Union player Phil Kearns AM, came up with the idea of running up Mosman’s Awaba St – Sydney’s steepest street - as a way to raise funds to say thank you to Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) after one of his sons received emergency care for suspected meningococcal. For over 30 years, the 420-metre race has been held and has helped raise money for RNSH and about 500 hospitals Australia-wide to buy necessary medical equipment. This year, the Humpty Dumpty fundraising dinner saw the donation of seven cardiac monitors for Hornsby’s maternity ward. Hornsby Hospital’s Maternity Midwifery Services Manager Helen Mou said the staff were extremely grateful for the generous donation and the help Humpty Dumpty Foundation had provided. “These cardiac monitors are not just a gift of machinery, they provide the very rhythm of
Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital runners get ready for the Balmoral Burn
Celebrating over 100 years of innovation The inaugural Eva Kolling Research Day was recently held at Royal North Shore Hospital, offering a unique opportunity to honour the legacy of a true research pioneer and the long- standing impact of the Kolling Institute.
Foundation for its ongoing support. Early-to-mid-career researchers showcased posters exploring advances in health outcomes, policy, and global health. Two awards were announced on the day, including an Excellence in Clinical Translation Science gong to Temitope Esther Afolabi from the Lab of Ageing and Pharmacology, and an Excellence in Basic Science award to Daisy (Qinrui) Chen from the Renal Research Lab.
Established in 1920, the Kolling is the oldest medical research institute in NSW and has been at the forefront of innovation for more than a century. Its founding director, Dr W. Wilson Ingram, opened Australia’s first diabetes treatment clinic. In 1931, the Kolling Institute of Medical Research was named in honour of businessman Charles Kolling, following a generous donation from his widow, Eva, who was a passionate supporter of health research.
At the event, RNSH honorary archivist Catherine Storey OAM reflected on the Kolling’s history and evolution. Academic Director Professor James Elliott said the day was an opportunity for researchers to connect with the community and highlight their work. “A key part of our research success depends on strong community ties, including community-driven trials and broad engagement,” he said. James also thanked the NORTH
Daisy Chen, Professor James Elliott and Timitope Esther Afolabi
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Winners of the SDPR Challenger Team Award: The SDPRIA Hosting Team and the SDPR Technical Architecture, Hosting & Environment Management Working Group were recognised for their innovation and collaboration. NSLHD staff shine at inaugural 2025 SDPR Awards NSLHD staff were among the standout finalists
- Finalist – Putting Patients First: Thelma De Lisser Howarth, Erin Hoyer, and Nicola Richards from the SDPR Consumer Experience Council. - Finalist – Excellence in Leadership (Team Award): Bronwyn Nolan (NSLHD) and Kay Duckinson (ISLHD). For more information on SDPR, visit: https:// bit.ly/4eiaXYt
and winners at the inaugural 2025 Single Digital Patient Record (SDPR) Awards, held recently. Single Digital Patient Record Authority Chief Executive Dr Teresa Anderson AM praised all 364 individual and team finalists for their outstanding work in delivering digital transformation across NSW Health. “Each and every one of our finalists are winners in my eyes,”she said. “Your collaborative spirit and excellence in partnering is bringing this amazing program to life.” NSLHD had a strong showing
across several categories: - Winner – SDPR Challenger Team Award: Greg Donald (RNS ICT Shared Services) with the SDPRIA Hosting and Technical Architecture Team. - Winner – Putting Patients First (Team Award): Helen Goodwin, Tavia Bernsdorff, and Katherine Peverell for their work on the SDPR Paediatric Council. - Winner – Configuration Champion (Team Award): AnneMarie Hall for her contribution to the Alcohol and Other Drugs Specialty Content Group.
Winners of the Putting Patients First – Team Award: The SDPR Paediatric Council was recognised for their outstanding commitment to patient-centred care.
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