Safety & Quality Account 2020-21 | 2021-22 Future Priorities

Integrated research education & clinical care

Transforming WSLHD: Innovation & Redesign for Safety and Quality WSLHD Safety & Quality Account

PHOTO: Westmead

Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon Dr Andrew Kanawati with one of his custom 3D-printed spine models.

URBAN WOODLAND FOR HABITAT AND HEALING

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION Our commitment to research at Western Sydney is stronger than ever, with the appointment of our first District Director of Research, and the successful grants we have received to support research across health i.e. from heart regeneration and liver cancer to parental health literacy and COVID-19 stress. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and of course none of it would be possible without the incredible dedication and work of the people who are committed to helping patients receive better health care. USING 3D PRINTING AIMING TO IMPROVE SPINAL SURGERY AT WESTMEAD HOSPITAL Westmead Hospital has begun to embrace cutting- edge advancements in 3D printing in a bid to improve surgical accuracy for more than 200 patients a year needing spinal surgery. Orthopaedic spine surgeon, Dr Andrew Kanawati is pioneering a technique using CT scans and 3D printing to create exact replicas of each patient’s vertebra. This technology enables nearly 100 per cent accuracy of screw placement during surgery which minimises the risk of damage to the spinal cord, surrounding nerves and blood vessels.

WSLHD has partnered with Greater Sydney Landcare Network to realise the dream of creating an urban woodland on WSLHD grounds for habitat and healing. Numerous clinical studies have endorsed that green spaces are not only great for urban ecosystems, but are also associated with better physical health, lower stress levels, and greater community satisfaction. The planting of more than 3000 trees on Westmead Hospital grounds was designed and adapted from the Miyawaki planting method which will: • Deliver a cooling tree canopy cover for Darcy Road and hospital access points • Return original flora species to provide a reliable food source and within five years nesting habitat for native bird species that flourish along Toongabbie Creek • Improve opportunities for patients and attending families and hospital staff to access natural areas for relaxation, healing and de-stressing. The site's proximity to Toongabbie Creek will help extend important habitats for small birds, microbats and other native animals.

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