Showcasing the incredible people and work across our regional, rural and remote local health districts. |
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Acting Secretary's message |
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Hi folks,
I’m Acting Secretary for the next couple of weeks, and it’s my pleasure to share this special regional edition of Check In.
More than a third of the state’s population lives in regional NSW, and is served by nine local health districts. People working and living in these communities enjoy many benefits – including some their urban counterparts can only imagine before making a sea or tree change. However our regional, rural and remote communities also face unique hurdles – including situations that people in metropolitan areas may never contemplate. |
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A great example is the tyranny of distance. In some parts of NSW, your nearest neighbour, or town, is a five hour drive away. That makes things like robust technology and access to virtual care of paramount importance; which in turn, also helps underpin a more equitable, innovative, and sustainable health system.
Our NSW Regional Health Strategic Plan sets out our long term vision and strategic priorities to improve regional health outcomes and services, including goals to support our workforce. I encourage everyone to have a read.
While it’s early days, pleasingly, we have seen steady progress already. Examples include: increasing numbers of staff across regional local health districts; and a 59 percent increase in people accessing the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme – which helps regional patients, who at times may also be our colleagues, friends and family – with practical, financial support to access specialised health treatment not available locally.
Whenever I have the opportunity of visiting the regions, I’ve really come to appreciate how special these communities are. There’s a unique feel to these places, with a strong camaraderie, community spirit, and a can-do approach. The invitation to enjoy a morning tea and a yarn, is especially appreciated and always makes me feel welcome.
Lastly, a special thanks to all the staff across NSW Health who worked over the Easter long weekend. I hope you also found opportunities to enjoy some quality time (and chocolate) with friends and family.
Regards,
Phil Minns
Acting Secretary, NSW Health
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Walking down the aisle at Braidwood |
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Health staff participate in many important moments in their patients’ and carers’ lives – even helping a couple tie the knot.
The team at Braidwood Multipurpose Service, Southern NSW Local Health District, were delighted to host a wedding ceremony for Lucy and Anthony Toohey. |
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Lucy Toohey, her grandmother Thelma Raynolds, Anthony Toohey, and staff at Braidwood Multipurpose Service |
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The couple asked to be married there so Lucy’s grandmother and Braidwood resident, 98-year-old Thelma Raynolds, could be a part of the day. Lucy got ready for the wedding in her grandmother’s room, before her dad walked her down the aisle… in this case, the hospital corridor. Vows were exchanged in front of Thelma and her fellow Braidwood residents. The hospital’s staff formed a guard of honour and threw confetti for the happy couple.
“It takes a pretty special person to work in healthcare and the staff went above and beyond to bring the day together,” said Lucy. |
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Patricia Hemler, Director of Nursing, Braidwood Multipurpose Centre, said it was a day to remember for all of Braidwood’s staff and residents. “It was a very special occasion and a beautiful event for all the residents to share in,” Patricia said. “The family organised everything and were so considerate, including all the residents and staff on their special day.” Read the full story here.
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Closing the gap | Bellinger artistry |
Staff, students, and members of the local Aboriginal community in the Mid North Coast Local Health District gathered on National Close the Gap Day (21 March). Working in close collaboration, they created a special Aboriginal artwork that will also be showcased in the foyer of Bellinger River District Hospital.
Watch the video to learn more, and hear from Lisa Kelly, Aboriginal artist and former staff member, plus Lisa Slater, Executive Officer at Bellinger River District Hospital. |
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Navigating cancer treatment with IPTAAS |
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HealthShare Manager Lilli Forrest’s world was turned upside down after her cancer diagnosis – a very rare melanoma on her left iris needed immediate treatment. On top of that, it was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Lilli had also just discovered she was pregnant with her second child. Postponing treatment until after her baby was born was not an option. Due to the nature of the cancer, neither was being treated locally. |
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Lilli lives near Lismore in northern NSW and received care in Brisbane approximately 200 kilometres away. It involved months of navigating border closures, medical procedures, organising travel and accommodation. Happily Lilli recovered, and she and her family welcomed the safe arrival of baby Lucinda, their little ball of energy and joy. Another turning point for Lilli and her family was being able to access the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS), a program Lilli had heard about in passing through her role at work.
IPTAAS provides financial assistance towards travel and accommodation costs when one needs to travel long distances for specialised health treatment that is not available locally.
“Having the IPTAAS program means that you have less financial burden and you’re able to get that treatment as soon as you can,” said Lilli. |
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To find out more about how IPTAAS can support your patients, friends and family, visit the NSW Government website. |
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State’s longest-practising Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner |
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“I feel privileged to work with patients and their families in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District as they move toward the end of their life. It is very rewarding to help them achieve their goals.” |
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Jenny McKenzie is NSW Health’s longest-practising Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, a role she began in 2006. “Palliative care is about helping patients to get the best out of their lives,” said Jenny.
“I love the diversity and unpredictability of my role. No two days are the same.” Jenny was named NSW Health Employee of the Year in 2018, and has been passionate about palliative care since her days as a student nurse. "My wish is to leave palliative care in better shape than when I started. We’re well on the way to achieving that goal.” |
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When Jenny’s not tending to her patients, she’s tending to her garden so she can make homemade pickles, jams and sauces.
“Work-life balance is achievable in the region, and I feel privileged to live here on Wiradjuri lands. I also love that I get to go out to our smaller sites and see the great work happening across the district!” |
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After studying nursing at Charles Sturt University’s Port Macquarie campus, Chelsea Devenish now enjoys being part of the team at Orange Base Hospital in western NSW.
As a recipient of a New Graduate Nursing and Midwifery Relocation Scholarship, Chelsea benefitted from practical, financial support such as relocation costs. Best of all, she says she couldn’t be happier with the move – from the support she gets from her terrific colleagues, the variety and depth of skills she is gaining, plus the unique, country feel of a friendly, close-knit regional community.
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“Moving to a new town, the scholarship was a lifesaver for me. It helped take away the financial stress and made the transition into a new job so much easier. I’m not going anywhere!” said Chelsea.
Chelsea’s story also highlights some of the many ways NSW Health is working to increase its nursing and midwifery staff numbers across rural, regional and remote NSW. It’s one of 44 recommendations from the Parliamentary Inquiry into Health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote NSW that NSW Health is implementing and monitoring progress.
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To date, 13 of the 44 recommendations have been completed and the other 31 are in progress. A Progress Report will be published mid-2024. |
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Balance beckons in Broken Hill |
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Heidi Drenkhahn is the Senior Renal, Oncology and Palliative Care Dietitian at Far West Local Health District.
Early in her career, she spent almost a decade working as a dietitian in Broken Hill before moving to a clinical governance role. |
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| Heidi enjoyed this change but ultimately returned to dietetics when her current role became available, and she hasn’t looked back.
“Coming back to face-to-face clinical work has been wonderful,” Heidi told us ahead of Dietitians Week (8 - 14 April).
“I like being able to support our patients to reduce their symptom burden, reduce their anxiety around eating or not eating, and give them the best opportunity to do what they want with their lives.”
Heidi also loves the work-life balance that living in Broken Hill provides. “I have a five-minute commute – the worst traffic delay I’ve ever had getting to work was having to wait for a family of emus to cross the road one day! |
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“I also like working in a small community where you are closer to the people you are supporting at work; they are your footy captain’s grandfather, the friendly lady from tennis, and the aunty of the clerk at the front desk,” she said. |
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Meet our people: Michael Canty |
As an emergency nurse, Michael Canty worked in all corners of Australia. When an opportunity came up at Quirindi Hospital, a tree change became life changing.
Watch the video to hear how the NSW Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme opened up new opportunities for Michael, and helped him land his current role as a transitional nurse practitioner in the Hunter New England Local Health District. (Even the birds in the background can’t help singing out about it!). |
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Continuity of midwifery care |
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Kaela Bailey is one of the three midwives making up the founding team for the Shoalhaven Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. |
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Launched in March this year, the MGP program offers expectant mothers personalised care from pregnancy through the first two weeks after childbirth.
“Having a dedicated midwife throughout the journey allows mums-to-be to receive continuity of care,” said Kaela, a registered midwife.
“It makes them feel comfortable and safe throughout their journey, knowing they have a supportive advocate who knows their story and their goals,” she said.
Kaela said the most rewarding part of her role is supporting women through labour and birth when they are feeling scared and anxious.
“Knowing I had a positive impact in helping a woman work through their fears and achieve the birth she wanted is what makes me love my job,” she said. |
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From chasing to living dreams |
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| Kelly Lienesch is a proud Malyangapa woman who grew up in Wanaaring, a remote outback village in north western New South Wales.
She has been an Enrolled Nurse for 32 years and recently became a qualified Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP).
“I am the only one out of all of my cousins to finish year 12 and I was the first in my family to go to university,” said Kelly.
“My parents always encouraged me to chase my dreams and said that education was an important tool which would allow me to help our people and communities,” she said.
This has stayed with Kelly through life and inspired her to complete her AHP training to expand her knowledge and experience when working with her community. “It is extremely rewarding being able to give back and provide care to our community,” said Kelly.
“I want to be a role model for other Aboriginal people and staff across the Western NSW Local Health District. If I can do it, there is no reason they can’t do it too.” |
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Community bands together to celebrate much-loved nurse |
After two decades of service, much-loved community-based Child and Family Health Nurse, Helen Walsh, recently finished her role in the Central Coast Local Health District. When the news broke in her local area, young and old alike jumped into gear to thank, celebrate, and honour a woman widely recognised across the community for making a terrific impact with her care and compassion. The call went out far and wide. Posts on social media and notices in community newsletters then sparked the creation of a virtual card, featuring well-wishes, memories, and thanks for all Helen had done for them.
While some messages were from new parents, many were from families with school aged children, teens and even adult children, who all remembered Helen and how she had helped them. |
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| Helen is moved by the community’s response and gets emotional thinking about the families she has worked with over the years.
“I love what I do and if, in any small way, I helped their parenting journey, I leave a happy person,” said Helen.
Helen believes that she had the best job in the world. She met mums with their first baby and then supported them through subsequent pregnancies. Some of her “clinic babies” even returned with their own babies.
“To be able to provide continuity of care and build a relationship with mums and their babies was a privilege,” said Helen. |
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What’s next for Helen? She’s taking some well-deserved time off while she moves houses. “If I’m ever feeling lonely, I’ll go to the shopping centre. I’m always bumping into one of my families there, usually on a day when I’m not wearing any make-up!” |
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Join Rural Health Pro today |
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More than 8,900 health professionals have already signed up to access support, news, events and resources on Rural Health Pro. Rural Health Pro is being funded by NSW Health to deliver the Grow. Connect. Thrive. Be Inspired initiative to NSW Health staff.
Engaged by the Ministry of Health as part of a workforce fatigue and wellbeing initiative, Rural Health Pro is a Rural Doctors Network initiative which offers members ongoing access to specially designed curated activities and resources for free. |
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"I am very passionate about equitable access to healthcare in the rural setting and it was awesome to see that there is a whole platform dedicated to connecting individual rural health workers with each other," said Emma Campbell, Transitional Nurse Practitioner.
Join Emma and many others by visiting the Rural Health Pro website today. | |
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Appointment of Acting Chief Executive, Health Infrastructure Rebecca Wark has made the decision to resign from her role as Chief Executive of Health Infrastructure and will leave in June.
Emma Skulander, Chief Operating Officer of Health Infrastructure, will act as Chief Executive in the mean time.
Read the Secretary's message on the Intranet. |
| Career opportunities in rural and regional NSW
Have you been inspired by all the rural and regional stories?
Rural and regional life in NSW has so much to offer. Check out all the career opportunities and rural incentives on the NSW Health website and plan your move to regional! |
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Rural mental health in the spotlight
In case you missed it, Letitia Cross, Rural Mental Health Coordinator for the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP), Hunter New England Local Health District, was a recent guest speaker on the Financial Bloke's Wealth and Wisdom Podcast.
Letitia talked about ‘stress-onomics’ – focusing on how stress management and proactively managing our mental health can stop fatigue, burnout, and illness from impacting rural businesses.
Catch up on the Podcast episode here and learn more about RAMHP. |
| NSW Health Emergency Department Taskforce
A time limited Emergency Department (ED) Taskforce has been established to improve ED wait times, access to care and to explore innovative solutions to divert pressure from our hospitals. The Taskforce provides an opportunity to make important changes that could positively transform patient care in our EDs.
The Taskforce brings together representatives from metropolitan, rural, and regional NSW and a range of expert clinical representatives including nursing, medical, allied health, Aboriginal health, hospital executive and NSW Ambulance.
Read the latest edition of the ED Taskforce Newsletter for more information. |
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From the Critical Intelligence Unit
The Critical Intelligence Unit (CIU) Evidence Digest highlights transformative clinical innovations. Recent features include: - Chatbots for chronic condition support, stem cell transplants for COPD, telehealth quality of care and doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis for sexually transmitted diseases
- Mobilisation in the ICU, AI and health disinformation, and balancing the risks and benefits of CAR T-cell therapy
Subscribe for Wednesday morning updates or explore the CIU's living evidence table on AI in healthcare. |
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We can’t fit them all, but here are just some of the upcoming dates that our colleagues or communities across NSW may be marking.
United Nations’ World Health Day (7 April) - Eid al-Fitr (9 – 10 April)
Auslan Day (13 April) Earth Day (22 April) -
Passover (22 – 30 April)
World Immunisation Week (24 – 30 April) ANZAC Day (25 April) – public holiday World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April) Human Experience Week (29 April – 3 May) -
International Star Wars Day (4 May … may the 4th be with you)
- Orthodox Easter (5 May)
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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work and pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We also acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff working with the NSW Government. |
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Feeling social? Follow NSW Health |
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