Rules about when a positive case has to self-isolate or test after they have been released have changed.
For more information on self-isolation requirements for people with COVID-19, visit: Testing positive to COVID-19 and managing COVID-19 safely at home.
A booster dose strengthens your immune system and helps to maintain a high level of protection against serious illness from COVID-19.
From April 2022, you are eligible for a winter COVID-19 vaccination (second booster) if you are:
The recommendations for an additional booster dose focus on protecting the most vulnerable groups against severe illness.
You can receive your winter COVID-19 vaccination four months after your first booster dose, or four months after a confirmed COVID-19 infection if you've had COVID-19 since your first booster dose.
The COVID-19 and flu vaccines can be given together at the same time. Most people who are eligible for an additional winter COVID-19 booster will also be eligible for a free flu vaccine, available in mid-late April 2022.
For more information visit NSW Government - Booster vaccination.
Harmony Day was celebrated last week with a number of events taking place to showcase and acknowledge the diversity of our staff and community.
Southern NSW and Murrumbidgee local health districts celebrated the first-ever Festival of Inclusion in acknowledgement of Harmony Day which was held on 21 March.
The festival celebrates inclusion, equity and diversity, and the right for everyone to live a full and productive life.
Inspired by Nepean Blue Mountain Local Health District, the festival challenged staff to learn something new in order to help make work a more inclusive place for patients and staff, regardless of their background, identify or circumstances.
Staff were encouraged to deepen their understanding about what inclusion means to them, and what they can do to improve access to services through a calendar of events, activities, resources and training.
Blacktown Hospital's state-of-the-art new mental health unit
Blacktown Hospital’s Acute Adult Mental Health Inpatient Service opened recently. The modern therapeutic space ensures people can recover in a calm and healing environment.
Those with lived experience and the wider community played a key role in the design and delivery of the 30-bed unit.
The new unit features 30 single-bed rooms each with unique artwork, two spacious dining and recreation rooms filled with natural light, a dedicated room for art therapy and other therapeutic activities, sensory modulation rooms, indoor and outdoor exercise as well as fitness facilities and landscaped gardens.
The purpose-built unit is part of the $700 million state-wide Mental Health Infrastructure Program to support the delivery of mental health care reform in NSW – the single biggest investment in mental health infrastructure to date.
Name: Susan Pearce
Role: Secretary, NSW Health
My 18 year old daughter straight away said “bossy”! Followed by generous and uplifting. I’ll take it!
I don’t watch much TV but I do love ‘Call the Midwife’ - I cry every episode without fail.
Oh there are so many but I just read ‘Again, Rachel’ by Marian Keyes and loved it.
I missed out on doing midwifery early in my career and I’ve always wished I had done it which is partly why I love Call the Midwife :)
Believe it or not my most popular “dish” is home made sausage rolls - a secret Broken Hill recipe!
Notwithstanding the aforementioned sausage rolls I am a pretty good cook.
Health workers are being encouraged to help older people get physically active, to help maintain their strength, balance, and independence and to reduce their risk of falls.
Better Balance for Fall Prevention is the theme of this year's April Falls Day, April 1, 2022, an annual event supported by the NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network to raise awareness about the impact of falls and to promote the latest best practise strategies through the entire month of April.
The Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) has collaborated with the NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network to produce a range of April Falls resources for patients, families, carers and health staff..
Get involved in Patient Experience Week and share your stories about how you deliver exceptional care.
Our theme this year is the Power of Storytelling. Stories have been used to hand down learning for thousands of years. A good story engaged our curiosity, emotions, and imagination. We will explore the transformative power of storytelling and its potential to bring about change.
We invite you to participate in our program of events, establish local initiatives, and as always, elevate the human experience.
Register now for a Value based healthcare week session and find out more.
The online event is open to all NSW Health staff. You can choose from a number of tailored sessions.
Penrith local, Matt Roger, is one of Nepean Blue Mountain Local Health District’s passionate consumer representatives generously sharing their lived experience to help maximise accessibility.
Matt, who has Multiple Sclerosis and uses a power wheelchair, helped pave the way for a new access ramp to be built outside the Nepean Hospital car park near Parker Street following feedback from the local community.
Matt says he is excited his contribution resulted in real action.
“Whether you’re using a wheelchair, pushing a pram or being aided by a walking stick, the new ramp is making access to the hospital that little bit easier,” Matt said.
“This is consumer advocacy at its most powerful. It’s hard to cater to every individual’s needs, and while sometimes you won’t get it right the first time, it’s important to acknowledge and consider options that are inclusive for everyone.”
“I applaud Nepean Hospital for listening to their consumer representatives and acting on feedback received from the community.”
NSW Health celebrated World Oral Health Day on Sunday 20 March, sharing our best four tips for a healthy mouth.
A new Child and Family Health Clinic has opened to cater for the growing number of families who live around Green Square and parts of Rosebery and Waterloo.
Proud Aboriginal man Ron Leslie, who was a well-known member of staff at Westmead Hospital, was farewelled in an intimate service.
The John Hunter Children’s Hospital NICU sustainability champion action group is set to save more than 90,000 plastic baby bottles from landfill this year.
Join us for our annual influenza webinar on Tuesday 5 April, 12-1:30pm and learn what you need to know to be prepared for influenza and COVID-19 vaccination in 2022.
Hear from leading experts in the field on:
Register for the NCIRS webinar.
Equipment is being sent to Tonga from Royal North Shore and Hornsby hospitals following the devastation caused by the volcano eruption in January.
Equipment is being sent to Vaiola Hospital in Tonga’s capital city Naku’Alofa which was destroyed during the eruption.
After speaking with Consul General of Tonga Louise Waterhouse, who is helping collect aid for the country, Royal North Shore Hospital endocrinologist Professor Bruce Robinson contacted Northern Sydney Local Health District Chief Executive, Deb Willcox to see if they could provide support.
“Within 24 hours we managed to locate hospital beds, over-beds tables, medication trolleys, amongst other items to send,” he said.
“This sort of hardware is really important for patients and staff.”
Last week, we celebrated Dietitians' Week.
It’s no secret that food plays a key role in people’s physical and mental wellbeing and is an important part of people’s cultural identity – particularly in the state’s multicultural melting pot of western Sydney.
Everyone’s plate looks different in the west and the team of dietitians at Western Sydney Local Health District know first-hand there’s no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to a healthy diet.
“Many people underestimate the power of nutrition. We use it to help them manage their health conditions,” Blacktown Hospital dietician Alice Meroni, who was born and raised in Italy, said.
“In Italy, the food culture is not as diverse, so every day at Blacktown Hospital is an opportunity for me to learn something new and apply it in my work with patients.
“For some people, food is the centre of their cultural identity and telling them that the new diet might affect this crucial part of life is not always easy.
“It’s important to deliver the information sensitively and listen to their concerns. We keep culture at the heart of our service.
“We want the best outcomes for our patients, so we put time for research and try to come up with alternatives and substitutions.
“Often we educate other family members too, to make sure when the patient is discharged, they continue getting the support for their recovery.
Thank you to Alice and our wonderful dietitians for the important contributions you make to NSW Health and the wider community.
The Critical Intelligence Unit COVID-19 Monitor provides a snapshot of topical information and graphs – generally drawn from international and national sources. This week the Monitor provides updated data on COVID-19 cases, variants, vaccines, hospitalisations and deaths.
In the past week, the Critical Intelligence Unit (CIU) Daily Digest has included a range of new articles.
The Daily Digest is available via the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) website. To receive the Digest each morning, sign-up by emailing Critical Intelligence Unit.
The Critical Intelligence Unit continues to provide:
We hope you stay well and continue to practise physical distancing.
Health check in is sent directly to all employees across the health system to keep you informed of important updates. Email story ideas, suggestions or feedback.
