Celebrating achievements from around our system in 2024 |
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In every part of the health system, our exceptional workforce provides world-class experiences and care to patients, carers and their families. As we head towards the end of the year, I want to express my deepest thanks for your outstanding work. Regardless of your role or location, each of you plays a vital role in delivering the health outcomes that matter most to the communities we serve. I am immensely proud to lead, and work alongside, such dedicated, talented and caring colleagues.
Our achievements across NSW Health come in all shapes and sizes. Some are celebrated loudly or formally recognised. Others are quiet, humble, everyday achievements by people who may prefer flying under the radar or avoiding the spotlight. But all are equally valued and appreciated. | | |
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Looking back, our collective 2024 accomplishments span a huge spectrum. From sustainability initiatives, and hospital upgrades and redevelopments, to advancements in clinical excellence, and ensuring care is culturally informed. In the financial year just ended, we served 26 million meals to patients, supplied 16 million clean bed sheets to our hospitals, and transported 223,000 non-emergency patients. We also delivered 67,677 babies and responded to 1.18 million Triple Zero calls for an ambulance. We have contributed to our communities and improved overall patients' experiences, which is reflected in the upcoming Bureau of Health Information Emergency Department Patient Survey. Results show almost nine in 10 patients were positive about the care they received.
There is great merit in also recognising small, everyday, individual "wins" by our colleagues that otherwise may go unremarked. Personal achievements might include a work anniversary, making progress in learning a new skill, or stepping out of your comfort zone. A simple “thank you” or “well done” celebrates small victories, hard-earned progress, and fuels our motivation to inspire us to achieve even more. While we can’t capture every achievement, this edition celebrates our people’s successes and highlights just some of the many different accomplishments throughout our organisation this year.
Next Tuesday is International Day of People with Disability (3 December) – a reminder of the importance of creating a community where everyone feels seen and supported. With one in five Australians living with disability, chances are you know someone, care for someone, or are someone with lived experience.
NSW Health is committed to being inclusive and responsive to staff and patients with disabilities, along with their carers and families. This includes the release of Policy Directive Responding to the health care needs of people with disability. It includes guidance on simple things that we can do to improve the experience of patients with disability accessing healthcare.
The diversity and talent of NSW Health makes working here truly special. We are a team dedicated to delivering the best possible care. I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your contributions to our communities across NSW, and to one another. Thank you.
Kind regards, Susan Pearce AM
Secretary, NSW Health |
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NSW Ambulance launched the Flood Capability Program this year, providing flood-affected communities across the state with eight new Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRBs). Crewed by specially trained paramedics, the boats boost on-water rescue capabilities, and will provide vital help during natural disasters. Watch the video below to find out how the Inflatable Rescue Boats enable a faster response during flood emergencies. |
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Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital has unveiled the Gadigal Eye Clinic, a pioneering eye clinic within the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District.
The Clinic will be a hub for outreach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, providing in-person services as well as virtual care capabilities for eye patients in regional NSW. |
| In a pilot conducted at The Tweed Hospital in the Northern NSW Local Health District, carers endorsed an online tool for assessing delirium in loved ones.
PREDICT (Prevention and Early Delirium Identification Carer Toolkit) aims to support family and carers by providing tools and strategies to help identify and respond to delirium, ensuring better patient outcomes. |
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Dr Steven Peterson was cycling to work in 2018 when he was hit by a car. He suffered many injuries, including high-level quadriplegia.
Despite the accident, he returned to medicine. He took on a new role as General Practitioner in the Virtual Rural Generalist Service and Remote Medical Consultation Service at Western NSW Local Health District.
Watch his story to see how his disability has evolved the way he interacts with patients and colleagues, and the vital support he has received that made a world of difference. |
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Date to mark
Tuesday 3 December is International Day of People with Disability. With more than one in five Australians living with disability, we are providing the tools you need to communicate in accessible ways with our patients, carers and their families. Sign up for an information session to learn how you can make health information accessible and easier to understand. For more information, visit Accessibility matters.
New resources
People with disability are at increased risk of having poor oral health and often relatively simple dental treatment requires a general anaesthetic. NSW Health has developed two new videos to help improve the oral health of children with disability. Watch the videos on the NSW Health website. |
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Reducing re-offending through recovery |
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People on remand in NSW prisons now have access to rehabilitation and drug treatment services. This follows a significant expansion of health programs by Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network. The new initiatives offer tailored, one-on-one interventions for people experiencing drug-related harm. “Many people who come into remand are vulnerable and are often dealing with drug use or alcohol use. The expansion of services provides evidence-based interventions for people so they can make healthier choices – both while they are with us and when they are returned to the community,” said Craig Cooper, Drug and Alcohol Service Director. Craig says the expansion of services means people who previously missed out now have access to care on par with the community. |
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Craig's dogs Vita and Pablo |
| “Providing the right care, at the right time, and in the right setting is key to achieving better health outcomes for people entering custody.
“We have a team of more than 50 drug and alcohol clinicians now working across the state. They support individuals in managing triggers and cravings, and help them set health goals. This reduces reoffending and helps people lead healthier lives upon their return to the community.” Outside of work, Craig loves spending time with his dogs – Vita and Pablo. |
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Celebrating 20 years of the CEC |
The Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) turned 20 this year. Lorraine Lovitt, Senior Improvement Lead, has been there since the beginning.
“Professor Cliff Hughes, former Chief Executive, was setting up the CEC out of a small office with a small team. I remember having a desktop computer sitting on top of phone books,” Lorraine recalled the early days. |
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Fast forward 20 years since the CEC opened its doors in 2004, the agency has become a leading force for patient safety across NSW.
Lorraine witnessed the CEC's journey firsthand. She joined the CEC armed with experience in aged care and was instrumental in launching the landmark NSW Falls Prevention Program. “It was busy and lots of fun establishing the program and creating a network of experts committed to falls prevention,” said Lorraine. “I am especially proud of developing the Comprehensive Care – Minimising Harm model of care, which we are now promoting across NSW. |
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“The CEC has really provided me with the freedom to get on with the work required and drive meaningful quality and safety improvements.” |
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Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards |
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The winners and finalists in the 12th annual NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards were celebrated on Monday evening at NSW Parliament House.
This year’s Award recipients showcase the significant contributions nurses and midwives make to individual and community wellbeing.
Congratulations to the 2024 Award winners and finalists. If you missed the live event, keep an eye out for a highlight video on the Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards website. |
| Winners and finalists at the 12th annual NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards |
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Breaking the cloud ceiling |
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| Delivered in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the eight-week training program supports women to re-skill, up-skill, or pursue a career in cloud computing.
Rina Ward, Platforms Product Manager in the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, was the first graduate to complete her exam.
“I now have a better understanding of cloud computing concepts, and the capabilities required to transition the district to the cloud,” said Rina.
“Having secure, sophisticated cloud-based systems will ultimately support our staff to provide the best care to patients and our communities.” |
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Heather Cardin, Head of Training, says this learning initiative reflects eHealth NSW’s ongoing commitment to support gender diversity in technology. “It’s so inspiring to see how many women across NSW Health have immersed themselves in the program and gained the technical and professional skills they need to thrive in the cloud technology field.”
Heather encourages women who are looking to re-skill or up-skill in cloud computing to complete the expression of interest form for the 2025 CloudUp for Her program or contact the Digital Academy team.
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What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases and networking over the internet. It offers cost savings, flexible resources and faster innovation.
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The two Margarets | Volunteer winners |
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Let's celebrate the wonderful volunteers who make a valuable contribution to our community by supporting public health services across NSW. Their dedication and generosity of spirit creates better outcomes for patients, their families and carers, and staff alike.
This International Volunteer Day (5 December), we celebrate all volunteers and say a big thank you.
Margaret King and Margaret Young were jointly awarded this year’s NSW Health Awards Volunteer of the Year. Read their stories below to see the significant impact they have made on our communities. Congratulations to both Margarets! |
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Margaret King
Murrumbidgee Local Health District
For more than a decade, Margaret has been a volunteer and health advocate. As Chair of the Griffith Local Health Advisory Committee, she has been involved in the redevelopment of Griffith Base Hospital and advocated for refugee and migrant communities. |
| Margaret Young
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
Margaret has volunteered with the district for six years. Every week, she and her husband Tony bring gifts and cakes to staff and patients. She is a volunteer with lived experience, and giving back is how she shows her support for mental health inpatients and thanks to staff. |
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NSW Health Awards | 60 seconds highlights reel
Missed last month’s NSW Health Awards? We’ve got you covered. Check out the 60 seconds highlights video below. You can also watch the full ceremony or learn more about the finalists and winners on the NSW Health website. |
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Giving back in the outback |
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After 20 years of working in pathology in Sydney, Sunita Goundar was ready for a change. “I’m from Fiji originally. When you come to a country like Australia to study and work, it gives you so many privileges – you just want to give back,” she said.
“I wanted to do something to help smaller communities access the healthcare they need.” |
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In 2023, Sunita moved to Walgett, a remote town in the north of NSW, taking on the challenge of managing an outback laboratory for NSW Health Pathology. The Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme, which provides financial incentives of up to $20,000, (previously $10,000) provided vital support. Since it began, the scheme has helped recruit 3,192 staff to rural and remote areas to work in critical, hard to fill positions.
Sunita says the work in Walgett is challenging, but she’s loving her new home. |
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In Focus with Matthew Daly |
Q: What work is being done to make healthcare more accessible to the people of NSW?
A: There is measurable, sustainable progress being made across NSW to make healthcare more accessible. A comprehensive answer would require several editions of Check In, but below is a snapshot.
An Emergency Department (ED) Taskforce was established in December 2023 to address ED wait times, access to care, and explore innovative solutions to divert pressure from our hospitals. Representatives include experts from nursing, medical, allied health, Aboriginal health, hospital executive and NSW Ambulance. The 2024-25 NSW Budget also included an investment of $480.7 million over four years for an ED Relief package. It will support initiatives across the state to ease the pressure on our emergency departments and connect people to the care they need when it is not life-threatening.
Almost 180,000 people across NSW avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency department each year thanks to Healthdirect. When you call Healthdirect, a registered nurse assesses your condition and discusses the best options for your needs. This could span in-person urgent care, virtual options such as virtualKIDS or virtualGP services, or even call an ambulance if needed.
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| It is a big shift in how people access healthcare. To support this shift, we will be kicking off a mass media behaviour change campaign Healthcare Anywhere in 2025.
There are many more changes ahead as we look to expand healthcare access and world-class care options. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, please find out more about the NSW Single Front Door Program via the NSW Health website. Matthew Daly
Deputy Secretary, System Sustainability and Performance
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The NSW Health 2023-24 Annual Report is available online
The NSW Health 2023-24 Annual Report describes our performance as a health system during the 2023-24 financial year, and how we enrich health in millions of ways every day.
The key achievements of each local health district, specialty health network, health service and pillar are outlined in the report, as well as other key milestones that NSW Health achieved in the year.
The full report is now on the NSW Health website. |
| Beyond tomorrow: Health megatrends anticipated to impact NSW and the healthcare workforce to 2040 The Future Workforce Unit at the NSW Ministry of Health has worked with the CSIRO to commission Beyond tomorrow: Health megatrends anticipated to impact NSW and the healthcare workforce to 2040. The research report highlights the transformative forces redefining the nature of work, the workplace and the workforce. Read the report on the NSW Health website. |
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Declaring gifts and benefits
As public sector employees we need to be aware of our responsibilities in relation to gifts and benefits. All offers of gifts or benefits, whether accepted or not, are to be declared to your Health organisation. To learn more about declaring gifts and benefits, please see the Conflicts of Interest and Gifts and Benefits Policy. |
| Reducing weight stigma – new module for healthcare professionals The Centre for Population Health has partnered with the Obesity Collective to develop a new eLearning module.
Understanding the Science and Reality of Obesity for Better Patient Care (course code 539896682) explores how health professionals can help address stigma using both science and lived experience to improve patient outcomes.
Access the module via My Health Learning. |
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Discussing sexuality and intimacy after injury and illness Injury and illness can affect a person’s sexual wellbeing and intimate relationships. Conversations can be routinely included into everyday healthcare practices.
The Discussing sexuality and intimacy after injury and illness eLearning module explores why these conversations are important and provides guidance for clinicians on how to have open, respectful and informative discussions.
Find this course on My Health Learning using the course code 551862851. |
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NSW Health acknowledges Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands and waters of NSW and pays respect to Elders past, present and future. |
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Feeling social? Follow NSW Health |
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