message FROM the Chief executive Deb Willcox
I was delighted to join the NSW Health Awards vitual watch party recently with two of our wonderful projects’ winning their respective categories. I would like to congratulate the Mental Health Intensive Care Unit at Hornsby Ku- ring-gai Hospital for claiming the Excellence in the Provision of Mental Health Sevices category with their project ‘Reducing Time in Seclusion in the Mental Health Intensive Care Unit’ and the Intensive Care Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital for winning the Patient Safety First award with the project ‘Reducing Inappropriate Arterial Blood Gas Testing in a 58-bed Quarternary ICU’. Both projects have delivered phenomenal benefits to our patients and are testament to the excellent work and culture within our district. Our district was lucky enough to be nominated three times, and while our team at Mona Vale Rehab missed out claiming the Transforming Patient Experience Award, I would like to congratulate them for their work in partnership with their patients to deliver such a successful program. You are still very much winners to us as you improve the lives of our patients remarkably day in, day out. Sydney Local Health District’s Quality and Improvement Awards earlier this year. These awards formed the foundation for the teams to enter the NSW Health Awards and enjoy their success on a larger scale. Keep your eyes peeled for more information on next years instalment of the awards and how you can take part. Importantly, all of our winners and nominees took part in the Northern Next Wednesday is also International Pathology Day. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our pathologists across the district working behind the
scenes for the fantastic work they do every day. Never before has pathology testing made such a crucial contribution to the wellbeing of the community as it has this year during the COVID-19 pandemic. The healthcare system has been able to use the knowledge gained from COVID-19 testing to locate the virus and protect the community. Our staff have been working around the clock to get COVID-19 results to patients as quickly as possible. The hard work our pathologists put in every single day in processing tests means those in our community can get back to work or school and their lives as soon as possible. Finally, if you haven’t already done so, I’d like to encourage you to take a few minutes to complete the Future Health online survey. Closing on Friday 6 November, the survey is designed to get your input on the things that matter most to you as we plan for how our health system grows and adapts to meet the needs of our patients and workforce over the coming decade. The Future Health Strategy will look at ways to do this, and builds on the foundations of the NSW State Health Plan, which ends on 30 June 2021. A key part of the strategy will be identifying the ways that we can best support you to continue delivering high quality, safe and compassionate care. Your input will be critical and will help drive improvements across our health system – in the way we work, the way we deliver health services and the projects we prioritise over the next decade.
Deb Willcox Chief Executive Northern Sydney Local Health District
2 NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 21| 5 NOVEMBER 2020
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