As we head into winter our emergency departments (EDs) are under ongoing, significant pressure due to COVID-19, which is still impacting staff availability, and now a spike in flu cases. And all of this while we also work hard to increase elective surgery and other procedures in an effort to catch up on the delays caused by the pandemic. I want to acknowledge all of our staff who continue to do an exceptional job providing high quality care to our patients despite the many challenges we face.
We continue to work closely with Local Health Districts and Specialty Health Networks on tried and true strategies to manage demand while also looking at new models of care for people with influenza-like illness.
Some of these strategies include models similar to those we have utilised with COVID-19, to provide health advice and care to patients outside of EDs. This includes expanding our COVID-19 Care at Home line to include flu. There is also work being done to encourage and raise awareness in the community, in multiple languages, about alternative advice and care options including GPs, healthdirect and pharmacies.
Our communications team have been working hard to ensure this information is going to communities right across the state to help them to find the best place to get the care they need. We are also working with the Department of Customer Service to help us get these messages to millions of people across NSW.On a separate note, we celebrated the winners for the belated 2021 NSW Health Awards last week. It is the innovation and ingenuity of our staff on the frontline that makes all the difference. I would like to congratulate the finalist and winners and I hope you all enjoyed getting together to celebrate.
This week, we will commemorate National Sorry Day and I encourage you all to attend tomorrow's Sorry Day event by joining us online as we livestream the event.
Kind regards,
Susan Pearce
Secretary, NSW Health
Tomorrow, NSW Health will commemorate National Sorry Day from 10:00-11:30am.
At this important event, on behalf of NSW Health, the Secretary, Susan Pearce, will be making a formal apology to the survivors of the Stolen Generations.
National Sorry Day is held annually on 26 May to acknowledge and recognise survivors of the Stolen Generations. It honours the resilience and self-determination of Aboriginal people who have been impacted by the forced removal of babies and children from their families.
The occasion will be livestreamed for staff to join online.
Join the livestream
This National Reconciliation Week, 27 May-3 June, the Public Service Commission is holding a special event for the sector to hear firsthand the impact of past government practices from Stolen Generations survivors.
As public sector employees, when we understand the history of Aboriginal community interactions with government, it helps us to design and deliver better services to those communities and ensures they are not re-traumatised through their interactions with government. It's all of our responsibilities to equip ourselves and our people with this knowledge.
The history and lived experience of Stolen Generations survivors can be confronting, but by recognising this past trauma we can contribute to the important cultural safety work being done in the sector and outside of it.
Everyone's Business: A conversation with Stolen Generations survivors will be held virtually on Monday 30 May from 10am to 11am. All public sector employees are invited and can register through Eventbrite.
Name: Luke Sloane
Role: Acting Coordinator General, Regional Health Division
Now, let's get to know you a little better…
What are three words your family and friends would use to describe you?
Driven, dry, unassuming.
Last great TV show or movie you watched?
The Dropout (Elizabeth Holmes)
Favourite book?
Before the Coffee Gets Cold – Toshikazu Kawaguchi
If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
Surfing
If you're cooking dinner, what will everyone be eating?
Pasta – tortellini boscaiola, or pesto pasta
Any hidden talents?
Nothing hidden I don't think. I fancy myself as a bit of an amateur bicycle mechanic, but also used to be in a rock and roll band.
Congratulations to our winners of the 23rd Annual NSW Health Awards – celebrating the achievements of 2021.
You can read more about our winners on the NSW Health website and watch the event on-demand now.
Meet Helen Mears, who won the NSW Health Volunteer of Year Award last week.
Helen has been a United Hospital Auxiliary (UHA) volunteer at Coffs Harbour Health Campus (CHHC) for approximately 40 years, and has been the President of the local UHA group, affectionately known as the Pink Ladies, for over 30 years.
The Pink Ladies, under Helen's leadership, have raised more than $3 million for the hospital, having tirelessly fundraised for medical equipment, staffed the hospital's cafe and gift shop which generate the funds for donations, and recruited, managed and inspired countless volunteers throughout her tenure at Coffs Harbour Hospital.
A new state-wide Winter campaign has recently launched by the Department of Customer Service and NSW Health to help keep the community safe and well during the colder months.
This campaign will gently remind and encourage the community (especially youth) of the behaviours or 'little things' we can all do that will make a huge difference in helping to protect ourselves and our community.
This includes:
The campaign was informed by insights and research to ensure it is relevant and engaging with the community, given concern for COVID-19 and the perception of risk has declined over the past few months.
Amanda has been with Central Coast Local Health District since starting as a medical intern in 2018 but it's only recently that she made the decision to specialise in emergency medicine.
"I realised I found the most job satisfaction managing sick patients and responding to emergency situations," she said.
"ED also feels more naturally inclined towards advocacy and foreign aid work which is something that inspired my pursuit of medicine in the first place".
A typical day for Amanda involves a 10 to 12 hour shift in the ED at Gosford Hospital and could range from putting a cast on a broken arm, to providing emergency care to someone who is seriously ill and importantly, giving simple reassurance to all patients in her care.
It's the things she enjoys most about emergency medicine that can make it challenging too.
"This includes the unpredictability of the department and of who might come through the door and COVID-19 has of course introduced additional challenges," she said.
Regardless of the challenge, Amanda knows she can count on the support of the team around her.
"The senior doctors are nurturing of junior growth and development and the emergency department here is a particularly supportive environment".
NSW Health is the largest public health system in Australia, with more than 170,000 staff across the state.
We welcome people from diverse backgrounds and continue to build a diverse and inclusive workforce, which celebrates the strengths that come from our differences. Our diversity is a huge asset and building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve is vital in delivering inclusive and responsive services.
To celebrate the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development and our diverse workforce, we are excited to launch our Diversity Inclusion and Belonging video that now features on our Diversity Inclusion Belonging hub.
Diversity brings great things to our workplace, including:
Everyone has a role to play to embed diversity, inclusion and belonging into our workplace to ensure we are all valued, feel we belong and create a culture that reflects our CORE values.
For information and strategies to support a culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging, visit our hub, where we also encourage you to share your initiatives and stories.
Professor Tracey O'Brien has been appointed Chief Executive, Cancer Institute NSW and Chief Cancer Officer NSW, effective 4 July 2022. Tracy is a paediatric and adolescent Haematologist and Oncologist with more than 25 years of experience improving the outcomes of people with cancer in Australia and internationally.
Wayne Jones concluded his acting period as Deputy Secretary Patient Experience and System Performance on Friday 13 May, as planned. Joanne Edwards is now acting as Deputy Secretary as recruitment for the role is finalised.
The Suicide Prevention Quality Improvement Toolkit is part of the Zero Suicides in Care program and aims to support managers and clinicians to reduce suicide in people who are cared for in mental health services in NSW. The toolkit provides information, resources and quality improvement tools for undertaking suicide prevention initiatives in hospitals and other mental health care facilities.
Join the webinar on Wednesday 22 June 2022, 6-7pm (AEST) to hear Professor Trevor Gibbs share a more modern definition of collaboration, using experience from many years of faculty development. Find out more about the webinar, presenter and register now via the HETI website.
The latest NSW respiratory surveillance reports - COVID-19 and Influenza is now available:
In the week ending 14 May 2022:
This week, we celebrate National Palliative Care Week, with the theme "Palliative Care It's your right".
Join in on Palliative Care Australia's events and let's spark important conversations in the community about the benefits of quality palliative care and celebrate the amazing dedication of all our staff working and volunteering in palliative care across NSW Health.
Western Sydney Local Health District celebrated IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia) on May 17.
Dr Rohan Bopage, a key staff member of the Western Sydney Local Health District and proud member the LGBTQIA+ community is helping to spread the message that "we should ALL have a safe place to go for ALL health care needs".
Dr Bopage specialises in sexual health, working at the Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre based in Parramatta.
As a proud gay man who grew up in a very conservative community back in Sri Lanka, he experienced a lot of stigma and discrimination himself growing up.
"That is one of the reasons I left Sri Lanka after university," said Dr Bopage.
"I was lucky to move to Australia where, comparatively, the stigma is a lot less, but still, I see it; so I think that is a part of why I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping others with similar lived experiences."
He is also a committed advocate for healthcare equity and promoting community health services to vulnerable, at risk, communities.
"We have a very inclusive environment in sexual health services, and we give a lot of assurance and acceptance.
"That is the key; so people feel it is a safe place."
Nominations for the 2022 NSW Health Excellence are now open, closing 24 June 2022.
The NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards acknowledge the skill and dedication of the nurses and midwives in NSW, and recognise their outstanding contributions to the health and wellbeing of our communities.
In 2022 the Awards will include six local health district and specialty network-nominated awards, one consumer-nominated Healing Heart award and one colleague-nominated Healing Heart award.
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, testings, vaccines, hospitalisations and deaths.
In the past weeks, 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:
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.
