The Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) acknowledges the hard work of clinicians and health managers across the health system in responding to COVID-19 in NSW. We express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supports the work of the ACI and the NSW Health system.
The network has collaborated with the ACI’s Renal Network and South Western Sydney Local Health District on a new video series about kidney disease. The videos draw on the lived experience of Aboriginal people and health staff to:
- inform clinicians and the Aboriginal community about the disease
- educate on how renal health is best managed
- support clinicians to become more culturally competent when caring for Aboriginal people.
Watch the videos on the Agency for Clinical Innovation website.
Learn more or contact the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network.
The network has partnered with the Ministry of Health to bring 40 clinical experts together and develop a centralised list of screening and assessment tools for clinicians caring for older people. The resources can be used to identify older people’s cognitive and mental health needs.
Learn more or contact the Aged Health Network.
The network has produced a new web resource to inform clinicians, patients, carers and the community about the NSW Health Immune Effector Cell Service. Immune effector cells can be used to create an immune response in the body to treat diseases.
A video guide to CAR T-cell therapy has also been produced to explain the therapy to families and carers, including its benefits and side effects.
More about the Blood and Marrow Transplant + Cellular Therapies Network
Farewell to Sandeep Gupta
Sandeep Gupta, Frailty Taskforce Co-Chair, has stepped down from the Executive as he is relocating to the United Kingdom. The taskforce sincerely thanks Sandeep for his leadership and tireless commitment to improving the lives of older people living with frailty. Sandeep’s expertise was particularly vital in developing a comprehensive suite of resistance training videos and practical resources that help clinicians reduce the impact of frailty on their clients.
Welcome Genevieve Maiden
The taskforce welcomes new Co-Chair, Genevieve Maiden, Allied Health and Integrated Care Manager at Uniting War Memorial Hospital in Sydney. Genevieve has a physiotherapy and health service management background. She has a strong interest in developing and implementing anticipatory models of care to identify and address frailty, improve the quality of life of older people and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions. Genevieve joins Helen Tuxworth, Professor Sue Kurrle and Professor Ken Hillman on the Frailty Executive.
Learn more or contact the Frailty Taskforce.
Farewell to Kim Hobbs
Kim Hobbs, Clinical Specialist Social Worker for Gynaecological Cancer at Westmead Hospital's Social Work Department, is standing down as Co-Chair of the network. Thank you to Kim for providing many years of dedicated service to the role since the network's inception in 2009; and before that a member of the Gynaecological Oncology Executive Committee of the Greater Metropolitan Clinical Taskforce.
Kim has led on and supported many initiatives, including:
- the annual Gynaecological Oncology Nurses and Allied Health Group (GONG) seminar
- development of Gynaecological cancer: A guide to clinical practice in NSW
- development of the Optimal care pathway for women with cervical cancer.
Kim will continue as an active member of the network and a member of the GONG committee to support the annual seminar.
Welcome Anne Mellon
Anne Mellon, Clinical Nurse Consultant for Gynaecological Oncology at the Hunter New England Centre for Gynaecological Cancer, will join Associate Professor Russell Hogg as Co-Chair of the network.
Anne has been a member of the network since its inception, on the executive committee and is a member of the GONG nurses group. She has collaborated on many network initiatives, including clinical practice guidelines and GONG seminars.
Anne is a board member and current Acting Vice President of the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA) and Chair of the Gynaecology Specialist Practice Network of CNSA. She is also involved with the Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group and is on Ovarian Cancer Australia’s Clinical and Scientific Advisory Panel.
The Intensive Care NSW (ICNSW) Nurse Leaders group has developed the new NSW intensive care unit (ICU) nursing clinical pathway.
The resource provides a professional development framework facilitating the delivery of clinical care and career direction planning for ICU nurses. It suggests a dynamic pathway for nurses as they develop from novice to expert; acquiring skills to deliver safe patient care, by progressing at their own pace.
ICNSW facilitates the collaborative Nurse Leaders group, which represents ICU nurse educators, clinical nurse consultants and nurse managers from metropolitan and rural NSW. The group is a forum for networking, professional development, remaining informed about ICU matters and progressing priority projects.
Thank you to the ICU clinicians who provided feedback that led to the pathway and the working group who developed this valuable resource.
Learn more or contact ICNSW.
The network has produced various medical imaging resources:
- COVID-19 medical imaging referral guide for referring doctors
- a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast administration form, standing order templates and patient information sheets to help medical imaging facilities standardise safety processes and support local health districts providing guidance to clinicians
- a reviewed computed tomography contrast administration checklist.
An MRI Infrastructure Survey is available to complete by 15 March 2022. Please contact Ingrid Klobasa to complete the survey. The network will provide an information paper based on the survey results that describes current access to public MRIs.
A project to alert the referrer and radiologist to clinically significant appearances noted on general imaging requested by emergency departments is progressing. Usability testing for a new model of care has been completed at two sites, including a private and a rural hospital.
Lean more or contact the Medical Imaging Network.
The ACI is proud to be a founding partner in the ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation.
We’re encouraging those with lived-experience of mental health issues and their carers to complete ALIVE’s National Lived-Experience Priority Survey, which focuses on mental health research. Clinicians can share it with your patients and clients.
ALIVE’s research roadmap will be informed by insights from the survey.
Learn more or contact the Mental Health Network.
Farewell to Janet Bell
Janet Bell, Co-Chair of the Nutrition Network’s Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) Committee, stepped down from the role in August 2021 after more than 10 years. The network thanks Janet for her leadership, dedication and the passion she contributed to improving HEN services.
Welcome Katherine Fullerton
Katherine Fullerton was elected as the new committee Co-Chair following an expression of interest process. Katherine is the HEN Dietitian Coordinator in the Hunter New England Local Health District and a long-standing member of the HEN Executive and Committee. Katherine’s strong leadership skills and passion for the network will help the committee promote change and instigate innovation.
Become a member
The HEN committee is seeking new members; in particular, emerging clinicians at the beginning of their careers. Committee members will learn more about HEN and benefit from participating in HEN-related activities. For more information, contact Mel Schier, Nutrition Network Manager.
Learn more or contact the Nutrition Network.
New online service directory
The Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Transition Working Group has developed an online service directory. It includes details of some of the IBD services that support adolescents and young adults across NSW. Services can be added by contacting us.
Recent transition experiences
The network would like to hear from young people with chronic conditions and carers about their recent transition experiences. People can complete the survey online. The important perspectives and experiences shared with the network will help us identify ways we can improve the transition process.
Join our network
Involvement from clinicians, patients and carers can make a significant difference to advancing transition care practices to ensure the best outcomes for young people. Access information, resources and the latest events by joining our network.
More about the Transition Care Network
Keep up to date on the latest activities across our networks, and get involved in key projects that help drive improvements in healthcare.