2019 Foundation Day Celebrations at Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital

Staff at Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital recently celebrated their annual Foundation Day with a lunchtime barbecue followed by staff awards and an afternoon tea.

The theme for this year was 'collaborative care' and attending the awards presentation was keynote speaker Peter Hannagan, a past patient. Mr Hannagan spent five weeks in the hospital after having eye surgery.

“Another patient walked past my bed, and asked me how I was doing. I told him that the only way we’ll die here is if they kill us with kindness,” he said while gratefully recalling his experience.

This year also marks 100 years of the Sydney Hospital Auxiliary Volunteers. Their celebration included the presentation of an anniversary plaque and the cutting of a special memorial cake for afternoon tea.

Dr Pauline Rumma, Director of Clinical Services, said: “We’re very fortunate to have such a wonderful group of volunteers at Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital. We thank them for their continued support.”

Awards were also given out to staff and volunteers celebrating long service at the hospital – Helen Scullion was congratulated for an astonishing 35 years of service.

The winners of this year’s awards are:

  • Anita Cobby Memorial Grant: Valeria Abarca, Enrolled Nurse,Theatres
  • The Marie Dempsey Memorial Prize (sponsored by Sydney Hospital Graduate Nurses Association): Matthew Trudgett, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Emergency Department
  • Team of the Year Award: Bookings office
  • Junior Medical Officer of the Year: Dr Neeranjali Jain
  • Clinical Innovation Award: Helen White and team for the HOPE project / Chris Sargeant, Habibullah Muhiddin and team for Intravenous Access Training (joint winners)
  • Consumer Award: Outpatient Department
  • Staff Achievement Award: Debbie Ross, Acting Clinical Nurse Consultant, Infection Control and Prevention
  • Mosman Rotary Award: OPD Administrative Team
  • 2019 Nurse of the Year Award: Jane Barr, Acting Nurse Unit Manager, Perioperative Unit

Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital thanked all of the sponsors who made the day possible: Sydney Eye Hospital Foundation, Smartsalary, HESTA, Anita Cobby Family, Sydney Hospital Graduate Nurses Association and the Rotary Club of Mosman.

Staff cooking sausages on the BBQ