Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by the Chair (the Lord Mayor) –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         after nearly 10 years of service as the Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Schembri will be leaving St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney;

(ii)        Associate Professor Schembri will be leaving to take up an appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Sydney Local Health District;

(iii)      Associate Professor Schembri began his career as a social worker on HIV/AIDS Ward 17 South in the early 1990s, and the words of Sr Margaret Mines “It’s because it’s hard that we do it” left an indelible mark on Anthony;

(iv)      commencing his appointment at St Vincent’s, Associate Professor Schembri set about addressing some of the hardest challenges to tackle unmet needs, including:

(a)       overseeing the establishment of St Vincent’s Correctional Health at Parklea, championing gender equity for women, establishing the inaugural Youth Advisory Board and commencing the first Pride Network and establishing the Inaugural Sexuality and Gender Diversity Strategy;

(b)       making Aboriginal Health a priority, appointing the first Director of Aboriginal Health, establishing the Dalarinji Committee, co-chairing with local community Elder, the late Aunty Fay Carol and following her passing, expanding learning and employment opportunities via the Aunty Fay Carol Nursing Cadetship program;

(c)       prioritising Patient Safety and Experience, implementing robust programs under “Zero Harm” to reduce avoidable patient harm and annual Quality and Safety peer events; and

(d)       developing the St Vincent’s Campus, Intensive Care Unit expansion, Emergency Department expansion including the first PANDA Unit in the country, Bone Marrow Transplant Ward, Urban Health Hub and Safe Haven, St Vincent’s Sydney Health Innovation Precinct and paving the way for the future establishment of the Cahill Cater and West Street redevelopments;

(v)       Associate Professor Schembri represented the St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney across Boards and Committees and supported the work of the St Vincent’s Curran Foundation supporting their philanthropy in speaking and hosting events and forums of the Foundation;

(vi)      Associate Professor Schembri has represented the St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney on the Boards of the Primary Health Network, the Garvan Institute, the Victor Chang Institute, NCCRED, SPHERE, St Vincent’s Curran Foundation and Australian Hospitals and Health Association and held adjunct appointments with ACU, UNSW and UNDA;

(vii)     when the pandemic first hit our shores in early 2020, St Vincent’s Hospital found itself in ground zero, and immediately started playing a critical role in testing for, and treating, Covid. Associate Professor Schembri established the first pop-up community testing site in the country, and more recently, Australia’s first multidisciplinary long-Covid clinic; and

(viii)    St Vincent’s played an important role during the Delta outbreak too - prioritising vaccinations for our vulnerable communities at both their clinics and via their Vinnies Vax Van (that other health services throughout Australia replicated); and

(B)      the Lord Mayor be requested to write to Associate Professor Schembri AM congratulating and thanking him for his work at St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney as the Chief Executive Officer.

Carried unanimously.

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