Sydney Community Services has sadly and gratefully farewelled a highly respected and much-loved key staff member – our Nursing Service co-manager, Michele Neil.
In six years with SCS, Michele built up a nursing team and community nursing service for the north shore which won accolades not only from clients but from GPs and managers in the northern Sydney health system. Michele worked hard to build relationships with the wider health network, especially with discharge planners and social workers at local public and private hospitals around the north shore. Relationships mean discharge planners have confidence to refer a patient to the SCS nursing team if there’s complicated discharge or extra things to be done.
Our nursing team has adopted the ‘whatever-it-takes’ approach to community nursing that Michele encouraged, which sometimes means extras – as well as looking after health issues. An SCS nurse might pick up a takeaway for a patient’s lunch, food to put in the fridge or even food for their pet! They might also pick up medicine or be an advocate at health appointments.
Michele says this wholistic approach is the best way of fulfilling the team’s goal to prevent people going to hospital or, if they are admitted, the wholistic approach will help them get there in the best possible physical condition so they have the best chance of good recovery.
Michele has lately been co-managing our community Nursing Service with Annette Allen, another senior registered nurse who is now taking on the role of SCS Nursing Manager full time. Congratulations to you both, your team and good luck to Michele!
Find out more about our nursing service here
You can read more about Michele and our nursing service at our website
Read more about Annette here
