SESLHD gets festive this season
South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) staff are embracing the festive season, as seen through the magnitude of celebrations and events taking place across the district in the lead up to Christmas.
Patients at the Royal Hospital for Women had a jolly visitor last week – Santa distributed gifts and Christmas cheer throughout the wards. Vanessa Madunic, General Manager, Royal Hospital for Women, said: “Some of our patients will need to be in hospital over the holiday period so we decided to bring Christmas to them. This small gesture put smiles on many patients’ faces – it was very special”.
Santa made a guest appearance at the Mumsense Christmas party as well, where babies experiencing their very first Christmas – dressed head to toe in festive attire – sat on Santa’s lap for a photo.
The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation also hosted a hospital-wide end of year Christmas lunch for staff. Doctors, nurses, midwives, clinicians, administration and domestic service staff were all invited to come along and join in the festivities as a celebration of their hard work. Staff were gifted with boutique shampoo, conditioner and hand cream – thanks to Australian company; Leif – and were treated to a delicious spread, supplied by Urban Catering.
Staff at St George Hospital supported the Dandelion Support Network with a donation of $800 and a van full of presents. Based in the Sutherland Shire, the Dandelion Support Network currently coordinates the donation of preloved nursery furniture and items for babies and children for over 400 families across NSW.
The Christmas spirit was sparkling throughout the hospital, with staff taking decoration competitions very seriously. A staff Christmas luncheon was enjoyed by all who attended and a Christmas theme ‘Bring your dog to work day’ brought cheer to staff working in the Administration Building (James Laws House).
Decorations filled The Sutherland Hospital’s corridors and wards and colourful Christmas scrubs cheered up emergency department patients. Staff who attended the annual Christmas barbecue were greeted by Valerie Jovanovic, General Manager, and the Executive Team cooked up a feast that was enjoyed by all. The Children’s Ward was showered with toy donations and a Christmas Choir visited to fill the hospital halls with musical joy.
Generous staff from Prince of Wales Hospital supported Christmas appeal ‘It’s in the Bag’ organised by charity ‘Share the Dignity’ as part of their 2019 Christmas charitable initiative. Staff donated 163 bags filled with essential toiletries and sanitary items for girls and women facing homelessness, domestic violence and poverty. Many shared kind words too, by including heartfelt notes, cards and photos to help make someone’s Christmas a little brighter.
SESLHD’s Nursing and Midwifery Directorate coordinated and promoted the ‘Share the Dignity’ campaign – hosting site-based activities throughout the district. Over 400 handbags were collected in total and funds raised were provided to local charities to give to people experiencing hardship at this time of year.
