Our Commitment to Safety and Quality
Patient Story
A Final Wish Fulfilled: Empowering Care Through Compassionate Innovation When a 56-year-old woman living with a rare ovarian cancer expressed her heartfelt wish to visit her family’s holiday home one last time, the Northern Sydney Home Nursing Service responded with compassion, creativity, and commitment to person-centred care.
Thanks to this innovative and compassionate approach, the patient and her family were able to visit their holiday home and create cherished memories together. They also gained greater autonomy in her final weeks, reducing the need for daily nursing visits. The patient and her husband expressed deep gratitude for the care received and support, describing the experience as profoundly meaningful. This story highlights how care is being reimagined— putting people first, listening to “what matters to me,” and working “with me, not to me.” It’s a powerful example of enabling dignity, choice, and connection at life’s most important moments. Read more: Sandy’s story inspires
The patient required daily drainage of peritoneal fluid via a port—a complex procedure typically performed by nurses. With no local services available at the holiday destination and no suitable existing carer education packages, the situation presented a significant challenge. Determined to help, the Oncology Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Consultant obtained the necessary approvals and support to develop a tailored training program for the patient’s husband. The program was based on clinical procedures but adapted to meet his health literacy needs. The Nurse successfully trained him to perform the drainage safely and monitor his wife’s condition.
new protocol for complex home care – Northern Sydney Local Health District or visit https://bit.ly/4hpCetz
Andrea Firgau, Oncology Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Consultant (centre), with the patient’s family
6 Safety and Quality Account 2024-2025 Report
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