Read about the people championing our CORE values in the workplace and beyond |
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The cold weather has arrived and with it comes one of the busiest seasons for NSW Health. We have already seen a large increase in the number of people in NSW being diagnosed with respiratory illness and the burden this places on healthcare services.
As healthcare workers, our friends and family may turn to us for advice when they are sick. But we can help protect them from really getting sick this winter. Encourage your family and friends, especially those who are aged 65 and over, or with young children aged six months to under five years, to get the flu vaccine. It's quick and easy to get vaccinated and also helps protect people around you.
Additionally, please remember that you and your loved ones can call healthdirect 24/7 on 1800 022 222 or use the online symptom checker. This free service provides medical advice and connects people to the right care |
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I want to acknowledge and thank everyone across NSW Health for continuing to provide high-quality care to the community during this challenging winter season – especially as respiratory illness impacts extend beyond work, and are felt in our homes, by our families, and communities.
This edition includes stories about colleagues in different roles across the health system who are walking the talk and live our CORE values.
Our CORE values – collaboration, openness, respect and empowerment – are at the heart of our NSW Health culture. Regardless of our role, these values determine how we work. They should shape our behaviours, our decisions, and how we show up each day. They should guide every interaction with colleagues, those in our care, or the wider community. Ultimately these values help us all deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients, and improve our day-to-day experience of work.
Please reflect how values contribute to your workplace, and the difference they make for you and your colleagues. Small, simple actions or gestures such as taking time to really listen, or offering to lending a hand is sometimes the difference between an average or great day.
I would also like to encourage you to complete our Time for Care pulse check survey before it closes on Wednesday 10 July. Your feedback will help us understand what progress we have made over the last eight months and where more work is needed. Our ultimate aim is to reduce the administrative burden that takes frontline clinicians away from what matters most – patient care.
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Kind regards,
Susan Pearce AM
Secretary, NSW Health
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A multidisciplinary team at Campbelltown Hospital has teamed up to care for a teenage boy with autism – successfully performing several procedures in one go.
“Children with autism and behavioural issues may need to be sedated while clinicians provide essential care to avoid causing the child great distress,” explains Dr Setthy Ung, Senior Staff Specialist at Children’s Ambulatory Service (CAS).
The Children’s Ambulatory Service (CAS), Oral Health and Podiatry teams in South Western Sydney Local Health District worked together to perform several procedures at the same time while the patient was calm and sedated. |
| The CAS team performing surgery |
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Thanks to their collaboration, the patient received immunisations, an electrocardiogram, blood work, dental examination and x-rays, toenail avulsions, and finger and toenail trimming, all in one session.
“The stress on the child was greatly reduced because we could complete these procedures in one go,” said Setthy. “It also avoided the need for multiple sedations. “We are delighted with the outcome and look forward to developing a model of care for all patients with special needs.’’ |
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Telling tales proves educational |
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| Ange Ryan is a breast cancer survivor. She is one of 21 lived experience educators who are openly sharing their experience with other patients at Sydney Local Health District. By candidly sharing their stories and experiences, educators like Ange help ensure lived experience is embedded into professional development and education. “Everyone has a story, and how you tell it matters. We’re making sure our stories are purposeful, and resonate with everyone,” Ange said.
"It's a fabulous opportunity for people like me to use my experiences to help people working in the health system to see a slightly different viewpoint,” she said. |
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"The Lived Experience Educator Program is a great opportunity to harness and understand the human experience. We recognise people's individual and unique expertise from having been patients, carers, and consumers themselves.
"We are given a voice, and we are heard." Representing a diverse community, the lived-experience educators can use their unique perspectives to co-design and build an integrated education curriculum.
"Education is a great space where stories can be heard, and knowledge shared."
Tell me a story
Did you know... storytelling remains one of the most effective tools to convey information, teach, and inspire people. Stories capture a listener’s attention, make information accessible and memorable, and help people learn – no matter their individual learning style preferences. The oral tradition of Aboriginal storytelling extends back more than 60,000 years. |
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Winter warmers: Italian vegetable soup |
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As temperatures drop, what better way to warm up than with a nourishing and hearty meal? As a bonus, it's budget friendly, healthy and quick to make! Watch the video to learn how to make this delicious Italian vegetable soup. Thank you to the Centre for Population Health team for sharing this great recipe.
Healthy Eating Active Living offers tips, tools and free programs that support a healthy lifestyle for you and your family. This initiative aligns with the NSW Government's Healthy Eating and Active Living Strategy, which is committed to supporting a healthy community in NSW and reducing the impact of lifestyle-related chronic disease. For more recipes or menu inspiration visit the Healthy Eating Active Living website. |
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Patients' voices on respect |
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“Were you treated with respect and dignity?” Thousands of patients each year are asked this important question as part of the NSW Patient Survey Program run by the Bureau of Health Information (BHI). Patient feedback highlights that respect is appreciated, recognised, and rated highly.
The latest results from the Emergency Department Patient Survey show that almost nine out of ten (87 percent) of patients who attended a NSW public hospital emergency department in 2022-23 said they were ‘always’ treated with respect and dignity.
Thank you and well done! Below are just some of the many comments from patients about their experience. |
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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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Empower others with mentorship and support |
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Cathrine Wade, Registered Nurse and Midwife, is also the Clinical Midwifery Educator and Indigenous Liaison Midwife at Deniliquin Hospital in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District. Mentoring and supporting the next generation of midwives is a big and satisfying part of her role. |
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| “Along with ensuring our midwives and nurses have the latest resources and training available, I also mentor them in their journey as a health professional,” Cathrine said.
“I feel that as women, we sometimes forget to value and support each other, and my role involves offering advice, recognition and mentorship.” Cathrine is also passionate about delivering exceptional patient care. She shares her knowledge to empower vulnerable women in regional areas, and believes midwifery offers a special opportunity to empower future generations. “We are focused on delivering patient-focused care and providing women with informed choices about their birthing journey. |
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“One of the most rewarding things is being with women. As the Indigenous Liaison Midwife, I feel it is particularly important. A woman is central to raising the next generation, and it because of her that we are here.” |
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Time for Care: Pulse check survey |
Our Time for Care initiative is about working with staff to reduce the amount of time spent on non-clinical and administrative tasks that take frontline clinicians away from what matters most, patient care. Over recent months, we have progressed a range of quick wins such as improving rostering support, recruitment processes and clinical communications so more time can be spent on patient care.
We want to know if this is having an impact so we’re seeking your feedback through a pulse check survey. This is your chance to share how your experience has changed and where more work is needed. The survey is open to all staff, no matter where you work in the health system – we all have a role in supporting the care of our patients. Complete the pulse check survey to help us understand if we are making a difference. Your responses will remain anonymous, and the survey is open from now until Wednesday 10 July 2024. |
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From the Critical Intelligence Unit
The Critical Intelligence Unit (CIU) Evidence Digest highlights transformative clinical innovations. -
AI in emergency care, NICE weight loss drug recommendation and NHS scheme to boost personalised cancer vaccine trials
- OECD reports on the impacts of long COVID and service delivery in the age of AI and personalised cancer vaccines
Recent features include:
Subscribe for Wednesday morning updates or explore the CIU's living evidence table on AI in healthcare. |
| NSW Health Awards nominations close soon Don’t miss your chance to nominate the teams and people who are enriching health in millions of ways! Contact your Local Liaison Officer to find out how you can nominate the next winner of the 2024 NSW Health Awards.
For more information on the categories and the Awards, visit the NSW Health website. |
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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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