Powering innovation with our
people and strategy
Our strategy, people and partners are the foundations of our success. We celebrate our diversity and recognise our collaborative achievements, progressing a range of strategic initiatives to respond to health system needs.
“I am confident the ACI will continue to lead how we transform the delivery of healthcare… Now, more than ever, NSW Health relies on the ACI not just to respond to current needs, but to look to the future. To show us what will emerge over the coming years that we, as a system, need to prepare for.”
Susan Pearce AM, Secretary, NSW Health
Celebrating 15 years of the ACI
Since the ACI was established 15 years ago, we’ve led meaningful change thanks to our dedicated staff; strong partnerships with clinicians; and ability to work across the health system to drive innovation.
Across our 36 clinical networks, statewide programs and other functions, our work is shaped by the voices of clinicians, data, evidence-based research and the lived-experience of patients. The result is transformative changes to the way healthcare is delivered in NSW.
In 2025, some highlights include:
- reaching more than 200,000 patient-reported measures surveys submitted, to help improve healthcare outcomes and experiences.
- standardising nurse-initiated care in more than 150 emergency departments with the Emergency Care Assessment and Treatment program
- setting the standard for nutrition in NSW Health facilities and making an interstate impact with the NSW Health Nutrition Standards
- co-designing shared decision making approaches with Aboriginal people in areas such as bowel cancer screening
- leading a multidisciplinary approach to menopause care
- reaching the milestone of more than 1,000 health professionals completing our Healthcare Redesign program
- supporting LGBTIQ+ young people with the co-designed Rainbow Resource for Mental Healthcare.
Discover more highlights from our 15-year history.
Growing together to embrace change
Our Staff Forums provide an opportunity for all staff to connect, collaborate and evolve our ways of working.
In June, the theme was 'Growing Together', as we celebrated 15 years of the ACI, imagined the future of AI in healthcare and challenged our approach to critical decision making.
In November, we were empowered to achieve our strategy, thinking creatively about how to take innovations from 'Idea to Impact'.
A new chapter for research and clinical innovation
The NSW Health Research and Innovation Strategy 2025–2030 is an ambitious 5-year plan to coordinate and advance clinical innovation and health research in NSW. For clinicians, the strategy will help fast-track healthcare innovations in NSW, from research to pilot programs, clinical practice and system-wide adoption.
The strategy:
- leverages our expertise across the ACI and the Office for Health and Medical Research
- sets the foundation for greater collaboration to achieve improved health outcomes for the people of NSW
- builds on a decade of investments in research and innovation in NSW, and aligns with the ACI Strategy, Future Health; and other NSW government initiatives, including the NSW Innovation Blueprint.
The NSW Health Research and Innovation Council was established in November to guide the collective implementation and dynamic adaption of the strategy.
Celebrating staff achievements
In May, we came together to celebrate the annual ACI Staff Excellence Awards. This was an opportunity to recognise individual and team achievements across impactful innovations, agility, staff wellbeing, collaboration, consumer engagement and Aboriginal health.
“Taking the time to understand each other’s strengths and perspectives creates a stronger foundation for collaboration. When people are open to learning and feel safe to share ideas, we're able to work together more meaningfully and focus on achieving shared goals.”
Clementia Yap won this year’s Collaboration Award for building strong partnerships, solving problems under pressure, and delivering meaningful outcomes across the ACI and NSW Health.
“Leveraging innovative research methods and developing evidence-based solutions to address critical healthcare challenges have been highlights during my first year at the ACI."
Maxwell Limakatso received the Emerging Talent award, working with our Experiential Evidence team on several high-impact projects, such as a review of geriatric services to improve healthcare delivery.
“I'm very proud of what we've achieved in supporting Aboriginal people with a burn injury to stay close to home and community.”
Siobhan Connolly received our Sol Bellear AM Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Health, recognising her leadership in co-developing the Community Coordinated Burn Care Toolkit.
New framework to guide our innovations to impact
Our Executive team has introduced a Value and Impact Framework – a guide for all ACI staff and stakeholders to ensure we are moving forward with a shared purpose. The Framework:
- explains how we focus on work that delivers clear, measurable results and makes real impact
- includes definitions and principles that show how we can align our work to our Strategy and deliver tangible benefits
- will be embedded into our operational planning from 2026 and will underpin all key decisions.
“This framework is about enabling ACI to focus more on work that is impactful, offers tangible benefits to the health system and our stakeholders, and ensures our organisation maintains strategic alignment while doing so.”
Dr Jean-Frédéric Levesque, Deputy Secretary, Clinical Innovation and Research and Chief Executive, Agency for Clinical Innovation
Embracing culture and connection
We are committed to fostering a positive workplace where staff feel connected, included and culturally safe; a place where we embrace diversity and support wellbeing.
- Our Rainbow Working Group brought staff together to celebrate Pride Month in June. A vibrant office display showcased a striking collection of vintage Pride t-shirts, shared the history of the Pride movement, and highlighted diversity within the LGBTIQ+ community. Staff made badges to celebrate LGBTIQ+ identities and the role of allyship.
- Our Aboriginal Cultural Capability Advocates Group has been refreshed to improve cultural awareness and understanding among Clinical Innovation and Research Division (CIR) staff. The aim is to enable stronger engagement and partnerships with Aboriginal people and improve cultural safety in our work.
- In the spirit of diversity, unity and shared community, we joined other NSW Health staff to celebrate Eid in our office at St Leonards.
- During Mental Health Month in October, we launched Wellness in Action, an initiative giving staff the opportunity to share and inspire one another with ways they are prioritising wellbeing beyond the workplace.
- Staff learned from colleagues and consumers how conditions such as dementia and menopause can impact people’s lives, through immersive awareness-raising activities in our workplace.
Responding to employee feedback
Once again, ACI recorded a 100% response rate for this year’s People Matter Employee Survey. This is an independent assessment about how we’re going, what employees like about ACI and where there are areas for improvement.
Highlights from this year’s results include staff valuing:
- their job purpose and enrichment: 84%
- flexible working: 89%
- our ethics and values: 87%
- being able to adapt to change: 91%
Notable improvements from last year’s results include:
- making improvements to meet future challenges: 64% (+19pp)
- communicating the importance of customers in our work: 76% (+18pp)
- awareness of how to report unethical behaviour: 94% (+15pp)