Royal North Shore Hospital

31/07/2026

News NEWS NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT NSLHD Northern Sydney and Mid North Coast Local Health Districts Strengthen PartnershiP PAGE 4 NSLHD farewell

30/07/2026

Discover how emerging research is reshaping ovarian cancer care.

In this episode of Tomorrow’s Medicine Today podcast, Dr Emily Colvin discusses new approaches to treatment and targeted technologies that could lead to more effective, personalised treatments for ovarian cancer patients.

Listen to the full episode -

🎙on our website: https://bit.ly/44Y2uG3
🎙on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pOCHd2

20/07/2026

Everyone deserves healthcare that feels safe, welcoming and respectful.

On 25 July, the NSLHD & Rainbow Screening Clinic is providing free breast/chest screening for LGBTIQ+ people with breast/chest tissue in a supportive, gender-affirming environment.

A mammogram can detect cancer long before symptoms appear, sometimes when it's as small as a grain of rice. Yet 1 in 4 eligible LGBTIQ+ people have never had a mammogram.

Taking time for screening is an act of self-care. Early detection saves lives.

Rainbow Screening Clinic
25 July 2026
8:00am - 12:00pm

St Leonards BreastScreen NSW Clinic
Royal North Shore Community Health Centre
Level 6, 2C Herbert Street, St Leonards

✅ Free, high-quality mammograms
✅ No referral required
✅ Inclusive, gender-affirming care

To book or find out more:
📞 0427 414 931
📧 [email protected]

20/07/2026

Around one in three Australians are drinking at levels considered harmful, yet treatment options remain limited.

At Northern Sydney Local Health District, our Drug and Alcohol Services Research Unit is helping lead the search for better treatments.

In a landmark NHMRC-funded trial, the team compared the current gold-standard medication, naltrexone, with topiramate - with striking results.

Now, researchers are exploring whether CBD could become another tool to help reduce alcohol cravings and support recovery.

Led by Associate Professor Mark Montebello and Dr Lauren Monds, the team is driving research that could reshape the future of alcohol treatment in Australia.

Read more here: https://internet.nslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/News/Pages/alcohol%20dependance%20study.aspx

17/07/2026

The latest edition of NSLHD News is here!

Discover the inspiring stories, innovations and achievements making a difference across our health district:

🖤 Celebrating 50 years of NAIDOC Week
🐕 The doctor with the dog: Zelda’s special role at NBH
❤️ New research to detect silent heart disease
🎓 Careers fair inspires the next generation of health workers

…and that’s just the beginning!

Read about the people, research and achievements shaping healthcare across NSLHD. 👇

https://online.flippingbook.com/view/539440779/

15/07/2026

What if the future of cancer treatment lies within our own immune system?

In this episode of Tomorrow’s Medicine Today podcast series, Professor Cameron Turtle explores the groundbreaking science behind CAR-T cell therapy, an innovative form of immunotherapy that is changing the way some blood cancers are treated.

A specialist haematologist and researcher, Professor Turtle explains how scientists can take a patient’s own T cells, engineer them in the laboratory, and transform them into targeted cancer-fighting cells capable of recognising and destroying cancer.

Listen to the full episode -
🎙️on our website: https://bit.ly/3RiEeeD
🎙️or on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4yrmxKI

14/07/2026

Leading Royal North Shore Hospital clinician researcher, Associate Professor Brendon Neuen has had three major studies published on the same day in world leading medical journals: The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA.

The research found that finerenone, a medication currently used for some patients with chronic kidney disease for people with type 2 diabetes, can help far more people than previously thought.

The first study, a six-year clinical trial involving 1,600 patients across 24 countries with non-diabetic kidney disease showed that finerenone significantly slowed kidney function decline, reduced the risk of kidney failure, heart failure, and cardiovascular death by 23 per cent.

A second study found the medication also helped a group of patients with kidney disease caused by glomerular diseases, a group of conditions that generally affect young patients with fewer treatment options.

A third analysis involving 14,500 patients with both diabetic and non-diabetic kidney disease – found that the medication reduced the risk of kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation by 23 per cent, reduced the risk of heart failure by cardiovascular death by 18 per cent, and death from any cause by 12 per cent.

Presented to more than 4,000 delegates at the European Renal Association Congress, the findings could improve outcomes for millions of people living with kidney disease worldwide. 👏

14/07/2026

🩺 ADVANCE YOUR PRACTICE IN INTENSIVE CARE AT ROYAL NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL 🩺

The Royal North Shore Hospital Intensive Care Adult Nurse Practitioner Transition to Practice Program delivers high-volume, hands-on clinical training in a leading tertiary ICU.

The program supports progression into advanced practice with focused experience in vascular access, tracheostomy procedures and management, intra-hospital transfer, and complex case management.

To find out more, visit: https://bit.ly/4sCACSF

10/07/2026

This week, we came together at Royal North Shore Hospital to celebrate NAIDOC Week and this year's theme, 50 Years of Deadly.

Staff, patients and community gathered for the inaugural Deadly Awards, recognising excellence, leadership and contribution across Northern Sydney Local Health District

Co-hosted by special guest and MC Luke Carroll, the celebration included a Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, Yidaki (didgeridoo) and cultural dance performances and a shared lunch.

The event was an opportunity to honour the world's oldest continuing cultures, celebrate the achievements and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and strengthen our commitment to culturally safe and inclusive healthcare.

Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge, culture and stories.

NAIDOC Week may be wrapping up, but our commitment to listening, learning and building respectful relationships continues every day. 💛❤️🖤

09/07/2026

Welcoming the next generation of Aboriginal Health professionals 👏

NSLHD is proud to support Aboriginal Health Trainees Shaun Jones and Jordan Liddiard as they build their skills in culturally safe, person-centred care across Population and Community Health.

During a two-week placement with the Northern Sydney Home Nursing Service, Shaun and Jordan gained hands-on experience in community-based care, supporting Aboriginal clients and strengthening connections within the community.

Reflecting on the experience, Jordan said "Seeing firsthand the difference they make in people’s lives every day has given me a deeper appreciation for the vital role they play in supporting our community."

Their placement not only enhanced their skills and confidence but also enriched our team’s understanding of culturally safe practice.

Thank you, Shaun and Jordan, for your commitment to improving health outcomes and helping us deliver care that is respectful, inclusive and connected to community.

06/07/2026

Celebrating new life and connection to Country this NAIDOC Week!

Families with babies in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are receiving a special hand-painted artwork to mark NAIDOC Week and welcome their newest family member.

Located on Cammeraygal Country, this initiative was led by Clinical Nurse Educator Suzette Riva and recognises both the arrival of new life and the enduring connection to Country.

"This keepsake is a small but meaningful gesture that celebrates new life, acknowledges connection to Country, and reflects our commitment to culturally safe, family-centred care," Suzette said.

Clinical Nurse Consultant Emily Macnaught said welcoming a new baby is one of life's most significant moments.

"We felt it was important to mark that occasion during NAIDOC Week," she said.

The initiative grew from conversations within the NICU team about meaningful ways to acknowledge NAIDOC Week and builds on the unit's ongoing commitment to cultural recognition.

Since 2024, every baby admitted to NICU has received a cot card featuring one of six beautiful designs by Darug educator and artist Leanne Watson Redpath.

Each artwork reflects Aboriginal culture and heritage, creating a treasured keepsake for families.

Happy NAIDOC Week! ❤️🖤💛

05/07/2026

🌱 A GREENER APPROACH TO SKIN GRAFTING 🌱

A Royal North Shore Hospital initiative is reducing carbon emissions from eligible skin grafting procedures by 73 per cent while helping patients with small burns receive treatment sooner.

The No GA, No Delay: Skin Grafting the Local Way project allows suitable patients to undergo skin grafting under local anaesthetic in the Severe Burns Injury Unit Ambulatory Care Clinic, rather than in an operating theatre under general anaesthetic.

Procedures can be completed in less than two hours, allowing patients to remain awake, avoid a hospital admission and return home sooner to recover.

Clinical outcomes are comparable with the traditional theatre pathway, with the same median graft healing time of 10 days and no unplanned admissions, regrafting or emergency department presentations recorded.

“By delivering this care in the clinic, we can treat patients while reducing emissions, avoiding hospital admissions and freeing up valuable theatre and inpatient resources,” specialist burns surgeon Dr Aruna Wijewardena said.

The award-winning initiative is expected to avoid around 70 hospital admissions each year and deliver almost $382,000 in savings for Northern Sydney Local Health District.

Read more: https://www.nslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/News/Pages/A-greener-approach-to-skin-grafting.aspx

03/07/2026

The latest edition of NSLHD News is here!

Discover the inspiring stories, innovations and breakthroughs making a difference across our health district:

🔬Cancer Clinical Trials Unit unveiled in Northern Sydney
👶How the Northern Beaches Hospital paediatric team transformed care for little Charlotte and her family
🌱 A greener approach to skin grafting
💡New approaches to treating alcohol dependence

…and that's just the beginning!

Read about the people, research and achievements shaping healthcare across NSLHD. 👇

News NEWS NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT NSLHD cancer clinical trials unit unveiled in northern Sydney PAGEs 4-5 Strengthening Cultural connections P

01/07/2026

✨ TOMORROWS MEDICINE TODAY – INSIDE THE OPERATING ROOM ✨

The latest episode of Tomorrow’s Medicine Today is now available.

Join host Matthew Doane as he talks with Dr Sarah Green, Director of Medicine at Royal North Shore Hospital, about what really happens when a patient experiences a severe reaction during surgery.

The discussion explores why many people leave hospital with a lifelong “drug allergy” label, and whether some of these diagnoses may not be accurate.

Find out how specialist testing is helping distinguish true allergies from expected drug reactions, improving patient care and expanding future treatment options. The episode also offers insight into the complex decisions made in the operating theatre and their long-term impact on patient health.

Listen now on the NSLHD website: https://bit.ly/3SDBdG2 or on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44510te

30/06/2026

✨RNSH PHYSIOTHERAPY TEAM RALLIES FOR LIFEBLOOD DONATION ✨

Members of the RNSH physiotherapy team came together for a group Lifeblood donation in support of “One in a Marrow”, an initiative started by senior paediatric physiotherapist Elizabeth Anderson to encourage blood donation ahead of her bone marrow transplant for leukaemia.

The team visited Lifeblood to donate blood and plasma, supporting a cause that brings colleagues together around a shared purpose.

NSLHD Physiotherapy Advisor Peter Young, who organised the group donation, said it was a great opportunity to contribute to a public health initiative.
Ten members of the RNSH Physiotherapy team attended Lifeblood to make a group blood or plasma donation in support of ‘One in a Marrow’. The team was proud to support this important cause, with others welcome to get involved via the group link,” he said.

Learn more here: https://bit.ly/43HTiVO

30/06/2026

🌟TEAMS PREPARE CLINICAL TECHNOLOGY FOR SDPR 🌟

As the NSW Health Single Digital Patient Record (SDPR) rollout approaches, teams from the SDPR Implementation Authority, Biomedical Engineering and Digital Health Services are carrying out technical readiness activities across NSLHD facilities.

Over the coming weeks, staff across wards, clinics and patient care areas may see team members wearing blue SDPR vests conducting audits of clinical technology and supporting network infrastructure.

The audits involve reviewing equipment such as patient monitors, ECG machines and cardiotocography devices, documenting serial numbers, checking network connectivity, and assessing wall ports and related infrastructure. This work will help identify opportunities to integrate clinical devices with the future SDPR system and support more connected, efficient information sharing.

Shiromee Gasperson, Change Manager in the Clinical Engagement team, Digital Health Services, said the audits are a key step in preparing for future SDPR workflows:

“This work will help the SDPR Implementation Authority better understand our clinical technology environment and support more connected care when the SDPR goes live in NSLHD later this year.”

Find out more about SDPR: https://bit.ly/4p0slp9

Bite-sized SDPR information sessions for staff are also available via Digital Health Services: https://bit.ly/4vLFcyC

29/06/2026

Northern Sydney Local Health District is delivering refreshed Respecting the Difference training – our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural training program that strengthens our commitment to culturally safe, inclusive, and respectful workplaces.

Led by Rikka Lamb, Cultural Capabilities Lead, alongside a dedicated team of facilitators, this program is now delivered in-house, creating a more consistent experience and stronger connections with our local teams and services. It supports our people to deepen their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural safety, respect, and inclusion across our diverse workforce.

A key feature of the refresh is the opportunity for participants to shape the program, with ongoing feedback helping to continuously evolve the training to better reflect real experiences and community needs.

24/06/2026

NAIDOC Week is just around the corner (July 5-12), and this year’s theme is 50 Years of Deadly.

The week is a chance to celebrate and recognise the history, Culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

There are a number of exciting events planned for the week across NSLHD including:

- Monday 6th July, at NSECC Macquarie Hospital | 11.30am-1.30pm | Smoking ceremony, opening of Past & Present Stairway, MDHA staff award

- Tuesday 7th July at RNS Hospital, Kolling Forecourt | 11am-1pm | NSLHD Staff Award Presentation, Guest Speaker - Actor Luke Carroll, Smoking Ceremony and Cultural Dancers

- Tuesday 7th July at Mona Vale Hospital | 11am-12.30pm | Cultural art workshop - Aboriginal Art on Canvas

- Wednesday 8th July at Mona Vale Hospital Yarning Circle | 11am | Smoking Ceremony

- Thursday 9th July at Hornsby Hospital Yarning Circle | 11am-1pm | Smoking Ceremony and Dance Performance

- Wednesday 8th July at Ryde Hospital Yearning Circle | 1-2pm | NAIDOC celebration

- Thursday 9th July, PARVAN Service | 12.30pm | Yarning and Weaving Circle

More details will be released in the lead up to the week.

We encourage you to come along to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.

To learn more about NAIDOC Week, visit www.NAIDOC.org.au. For event details, contact: [email protected]

22/06/2026

✨TOMORROW'S MEDICINE TODAY: BREAKING ADDICTION BARRIERS ✨

In the latest episode of Tomorrow's Medicine Today, Clinical Associate Professor Mark Montebello joins James Elliott and Matthew Doane to explore why addiction is often misunderstood, the barriers preventing people from accessing treatment, and how earlier intervention can change lives.

Drawing on his experience as Clinical Lead of Drug and Alcohol Services at NSLHD, Associate Professor Montebello shares insights from the frontline of addiction medicine and discusses how we can close the gap between evidence and practice to improve patient outcomes.

Listen now on the NSLHD website: https://bit.ly/4uFOs6o or on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4aAEN9Y

19/06/2026

NSLHD News 🙌

The latest edition of our district newsletter is out now! Read all about:

• The winners of the Quality and Improvement Awards
• The Matildas visit RNSH
• NSLHD staff in the Kings Birthday Honours List
• SDPR is coming to NSLHD
• NSLHD renews partnership with Australian Defence Force

And so much MORE!

Click the link here to view:

NEWS NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT NSLHD Main story Short blurb 2026 quality and improvement awards Pages 4 and 5 Read more on Page x A beacon of kin