Human Experience Week edition 2024 |
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Acting Secretary's message |
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Hi folks,
With the tragic events of recent days still fresh in our hearts and minds, I am grateful for the groundswell of care and compassion you have shown your colleagues and communities alike.
In this edition, Dr Murray Wright, our Chief Psychiatrist, shares some valuable and timely advice for us all – including how to look out for yourself, your friends and family, and where you can go for more support if you need it.
The Employee Assistance Program is a free, confidential service available to you and your family. It offers counselling and other support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More details can be found on your local intranet. If you, or your family, need support, please reach out for it. |
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In line with Dr Wright’s advice, it is important to remember a kind word or gesture, no matter how small it seems, can make a big impact and change someone’s day for the better – whether it’s a patient, their family, or a colleague.
These small, sometimes fleeting moments all add up. They stay with us long after a conversation or interaction has ended. Working at NSW Health also affords us an additional opportunity to shape these moments – especially as we find ourselves sometimes sharing the most challenging times in peoples’ lives. These moments that matter are at the heart of the upcoming Human Experience Week, which runs from 29 April to 3 May.
We want to recognise, celebrate and highlight the important connections and experiences of patients, their families and carers, our staff, and volunteers. I encourage you to find out more and check out the program of online and in-person events designed to inspire hope and help people thrive.
You can find out more about our commitment to deliver exceptional experiences for people across NSW in our Future Health roadmap and Elevating the Human Experience – Our Guide to Action.
Lastly, communities across the country will be marking ANZAC Day on the 25 April. This includes the many people at NSW Health who are veterans, or currently serve in the military. While it is a day of remembrance, it is also a time to acknowledge their outstanding contributions – including in sometimes extraordinarily challenging situations – spanning international peacekeeping to medical evacuations. Regards,
Phil Minns
Acting Secretary, NSW Health
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A word from Dr Murray Wright, Chief Psychiatrist |
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The tragic events of recent days are having profound and far-reaching impacts for our community. NSW Health Chief Psychiatrist Dr Murray Wright notes that "having clinical or other expertise doesn't immunise you against having a normal human reaction".
Watch the video below for his advice on looking after yourself and your loved ones during this difficult time. |
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Ask “what went right?” instead – John Hunter Hospital embraces LEX |
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Reporting and documenting errors is critical to keeping patients safe. It helps us learn, avoid future errors, and ultimately improves the patient experience.
On the flipside, we can also improve by celebrating and learning from moments of excellence that happen daily. |
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At John Hunter Hospital in the Hunter New England Local Health District, intensive care unit staff have kicked off a new initiative to identify, reflect on, and learn from excellence.
“We are taught from a young age to learn from our mistakes, but it's also important to celebrate and purposefully acknowledge excellence and share what we have learned,” said Louise Umbers, Clinical Nurse Consultant.
Called Learning from Excellence (LEX), it encourages staff to report instances of excellence. Positive feedback is reported directly to the staff member, and the person submitting the report is also acknowledged for their contributions.
Louise said LEX goes beyond staff recognition. It can highlight learning opportunities from moments of excellence within the workplace. |
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“Since implementing LEX, staff have reported increased morale and a sense of professional accomplishment, ultimately leading to positive patient outcomes and experiences,” said Louise.
Want to learn more about the human centred practices taking place across NSW Health? Join the livestream or register to attend the virtual showcase on Wednesday 1 May from 10am to 12pm during Human Experience Week.
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Gather, be inspired, and reconnect |
Join in the celebrations and register to attend the events in-person and online during Human Experience Week.
NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM will join award-winning journalist Julia Baird on Thursday 2 May for a conversation about what grace looks like in our world. See more highlights below and check out the full program here.
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| Human Experience Week 2024 (29 April - 3 May) |
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Bright Shining: how grace changes everything
Thursday 2 May, 10am - 11am
A conversation with NSW Health Secretary, Susan Pearce AM and award-winning journalist and best-selling author Dr Julia Baird about the mysterious and necessary human quality: grace. |
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Practical pathways to workplace wellbeing |
Health and wellbeing are at the heart of our work in NSW Health – as is prioritising the wellbeing of our staff. That’s the focus of My District OK (MDOK), the program empowering staff at Sydney Local Health District with the skills to care for themselves.
Dr Samantha Bendall is a Deputy Director at MDOK, where she draws on her decades of experience as an emergency physician at RPA Hospital and a Retrieval Specialist with CareFlight and NSW Ambulance Retrieval Service.
Watch the video below to hear Samantha open up about her work and the impact of the program on staff.
Want to hear more about the program? Register to attend the MDOK Workplace Wellbeing Conference on Tuesday 30 April, 8am to 4:30pm during Human Experience Week. In-person spots are filling up so be sure to get in early and register now, or attend virtually. |
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Decades of dual service | ANZAC Day |
Many staff in Wollongong Hospital will know Dr Trevor Gardner as an anaesthetist. They may also know him as a former Director of Trauma at the hospital, or as Co-Chair of its COVID-19 taskforce during the pandemic. |
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Dr Trevor Gardner and Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of NSW, at the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours ceremony |
| But Dr Gardner is also a longtime member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
His military career has included deployments in Rwanda, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, and aeromedical evacuations including the ADF response to the Bali bombings in 2005.
His decades of healthcare and military service were recognised in 2023 when he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division in the King’s Birthday Honours. However, Dr Gardner says that ADF members don’t seek credit for the work they do.
“Many working in Health would have colleagues who have served and they’d never know – and that speaks about the quality of these people. They do it for all the right reasons." |
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This ANZAC Day (25 April) is set to be an extra special one for Dr Gardner. He will be attending the dawn service at HMAS Creswell, where his 18-year-old son Eamonn is undergoing naval officer training and will be performing ceremonial duties. |
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Tweed Valley Hospital Community Open day |
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Hospital visits can be intimidating and stressful, especially for those navigating an unfamiliar space for the first time. But not this time. Lucky Tweed Shire locals got a sneak peek inside the new Tweed Valley Hospital before its official opening on Tuesday 14 May.
More than 4,500 visitors attended the new hospital Community Open Day last month. They walked through some of the main departments, and learnt more about the new hospital at the information and exhibition zones.
“The Community Open Day offered people the chance to experience their new hospital first-hand, allowing them to become familiar with the environment,” said Adam Reid, Acting General Manager, The Tweed Hospital/Tweed Valley Hospital.
“This way, when they require admission or treatment in the future, they can hopefully feel more at ease.”
Adam said the team received a lot of positive feedback on the day, with many visitors thanking the staff members and volunteers for the pleasant experience.
“Everyone can’t wait for the new hospital to open!”
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Locals walked through some of the main departments at the new hospital | |
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A 3,000-year-old celebration |
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Passover begins at sundown on Monday 22 April, marking the anniversary of the Jewish exodus from slavery in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. |
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Karen Einati, Change and Adoption Manager at eHealth, is looking forward to celebrating with a Seder, a special meal held at the start of the Passover festival. “Seder is huge for us! My husband has a large family and we combine them with my family and have a big meal which includes a very large amount of delicious food,” she said.
The meal is steeped in tradition and goes back more than 3,000 years. It features ceremonial foods, singing and storytelling.
The Seder plate is the centrepiece of the table. It features items related to the story of Passover – which tells of the exodus of Jewish slaves toiling under Pharoah thousands of years ago. |
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“Because the Jewish people left Egypt in haste and had no time to wait for their bread to rise, we eat flat bread, called matza, during Passover,” explains Karen.
Additionally, all leavened food (called ‘chametz’) is removed from the home. |
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The Seder plate also has bitter herbs like horseradish to remind us of the bitterness of slavery; an apple and spice paste ground together with wine symbolises the building mortar slaves used; and a boiled egg signifies several things including new life.
“Passover is a chance for us all to get together as a family and spend quality time – that's my favourite aspect of the festival.” Chag Sameach! |
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Growing up and growing healthy |
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Change can be hard, particularly for young people moving from paediatric to adult health services.
Silvana Techera and Paula Carroll from the Agency for Clinical Innovation’s Transition Care Network are dedicated to elevating the human experience of young people and their families through the transition care journey. For Youth Week 2024 (11 – 21 April), they share how they support young people in our care. |
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Silvana Techera and Paula Carroll |
| “We empower young people to become more responsible for their healthcare,” said Silvana. “It’s incredibly rewarding work.”
As Transition Care Coordinators, Silvana and Paula collaborate with clinicians, health managers and young people to develop resources that help them navigate the health system. They recently helped to develop two animated videos to help young people find a GP and get specialist referrals. “The videos are an effective way to communicate with young people, in their own voice,” said Silvana. |
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“Young people helped produce and even narrated the videos, making the information approachable and relevant.” “Supporting young people so they build trust with their new adult healthcare teams is crucial for their long-term engagement with health services,” said Paula.
“The gratitude and positive feedback we get from families really highlights the importance of this phase in a young person’s healthcare journey.”
Learn about the Transition Care Network and local transition support services. |
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Every year, the Bureau of Health Information asks thousands of people about their experiences in the NSW public healthcare system as part of the NSW Patient Survey Program. After analysing the feedback, the results are published to help ensure patients’ voices drive improvements in experiences and outcomes of care.
Here is some positive feedback that highlights the difference we make in elevating the experience of patients while in our care: |
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You can explore patient survey results for your local health district or hospital on the BHI Data Portal. |
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SDPR launches to leaders statewide at symposium
On 3 April, leaders from across NSW Health joined Single Digital Patient Record (SDPR) symposium.
The event featured presentations and panel discussions from SDPR experts and clinical leaders on the journey so far, the roadmap and benefits, transformation priorities and collaboration needs for delivery.
Watch the full event recording on the SDPR SharePoint site. |
| New BreastScreen NSW website
BreastScreen NSW has launched a new website.
It plays a crucial role in raising awareness about breast screening, has easy access to screening information, and offers a seamless screening booking process. It also incorporates a mobile-first user-friendly interface and translated pages in other languages.
Take a look around the new website or share it with others. |
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Sustainable Futures Innovation Fund
Applications for the NSW Health Sustainable Futures Innovation Fund close 29 April 2024.
The Fund provides up to $25,000 for NSW Health staff to kick start innovative projects and initiatives that improve patient care and reduce our environmental footprint (either in emissions or waste). The Fund is coordinated by the NSW Health Climate Risk and Net Zero Unit.
For information on how to apply, visit the NSW Health website.
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| Rural and regional scholarships now open
New dates for the 2024/25 rural and regional scholarships have been released.
NSW Health offers a range of scholarships in medicine, nursing, midwifery, allied health and more to support staff and students living and working in rural and regional areas. These scholarships can support you with travel, accommodation, or study costs.
To find out more, visit the NSW Health website or contact MOH-RuralScholarships@health.nsw.gov.au.
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From the Critical Intelligence Unit
The Critical Intelligence Unit (CIU) Evidence Digest highlights transformative clinical innovations. Recent features include: - AI and immuno-oncology, indoor airborne risk assessment for SARS-CoV-2, a virtual concussion clinic, and the future workforce in the NHS
- Generative AI in medical imagery models and datasets, addressing disparities in stroke, and newborn screening
Subscribe for Wednesday morning updates or explore the CIU's living evidence table on AI in healthcare. |
| NSW Child Safe Hub and webinars
NSW Health has developed the NSW Health Child Safe Action Plan to promote and support the safety of children, and has now launched the NSW Health Child Safe Hub.
This SharePoint site provides links to information, resources and free interactive webinars to support you in implementing child safety at work.
Check out the NSW Health Child Safe Hub Webinars page on the site for upcoming free interactive webinars for NSW Health staff on Child Safe Risk Management. |
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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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