Twenty-one District clinicians to benefit from new scholarship.

Mental health nurse Steve Douglas was known among his colleagues for his passion for staff education and his role as a mentor to others.

Now, staff education will be a part of his legacy.

Twenty-one clinicians in Sydney Local Health District have been awarded the Steve Douglas Education Scholarship, which will help to fund education opportunities for staff in disciplines across the District’s Mental Health Service.

It has been established to celebrate the life and career of Steve Douglas, who passed away during an incident while at work in November 2019.

“Steve always had students in tow and was deeply committed to supporting new members of staff,” Dr Andrew McDonald, the District’s Acting Director of Mental Health Services, said.

“This scholarship is a very apt celebration of the contribution he made to both patients and staff during his career.”

Steve gave almost three decades of service to the District, starting his career as a theatre orderly at RPA before he discovered his passion for nursing.

He became an Enrolled Nurse in 1992, working mainly in the hospital’s Neurosciences department.

He later completed a Bachelor of Nursing and went on to qualify as a mental health nurse in 2007, working first at Rozelle Hospital and then at the Concord Centre for Mental Health.

In 2017 he moved to the Community Mental Health Services and commenced working with the Camperdown CORE team.

Here, working with patients in the community, he had found his calling, Lance Takiari, the District’s Director of Nursing for Mental Health Services, said.

“Steve was respected as an individual and valued as a team member. He treated consumers with dignity and respect, ensuring both their physical and mental health needs were supported.”

The inaugural Steve Douglas Education Scholarships were awarded in a ceremony at the District’s Centre for Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) in Rozelle.

This year’s recipients are:

• Abbivathana Deva Selliah, Peer Support Worker, Safe Haven Camperdown
• Abby Andrews, Occupational Therapist, Camperdown Mobile Assertive Treatment Team
• Chloe Burns, Occupational Therapist, Camperdown Marrickville Redfern Acute Care Service
• Chloe Choi, Clinical Psychologist, Canterbury CORE
• Daulat Naterwala, Registered Nurse, Norton Unit, Concord Centre for Mental Health
• Erin Smith, Clinical Psychologist, Rivendell Unit
• Jane Massa, Suicide and Depression Prevention Coordinator, Older People’s Mental Health Services at Camperdown
• Jennie Lian, Registered Nurse, Manning East Unit, Concord Centre for Mental Health
• Kell Derrig-Hall, Social Worker, Camperdown headspace Early Intervention Team
• Kirsty Greenup, Registered Nurse, Camperdown Marrickville Redfern Acute Care Service
• Magdalena Polanska, Registered Nurse, Acute Unit, Professor Marie Bashir Centre, RPA
• Maria Gonzalez, Registered Nurse, Western Sector Acute Care Service
• Melissa Tjakrawisada, Clinical Psychologist, Croydon CORE
• Nadia Di Simone, Registered Nurse, Camperdown Marrickville Redfern Acute Care Service
• Natassa Constantinides, Social Worker, Safe Haven Camperdown
• Orishina Toma, Registered Nurse, Manning East Unit, Concord Centre for Mental Health
• Ping-Lin (Brenda) Chen, Clinical Nurse Consultant, RPA Emergency Department
• Ranjita Khadka, Clinical Nurse Educator, Concord Centre for Mental Health
• Selina Lim, Social Worker, Western Sector Acute Care Service
• Tharushi Kaluarachchi, Clinical Psychologist Registrar, Walker Unit, Concord Centre for Mental Health
• The Walker Team, Walker Unit, Concord Centre for Mental Health

The scholarship will help these clinicians to complete courses that will enhance their knowledge and practice, which in turn, will benefit patients and the community, explained Lance.

“The scholarships ensure that Steve is remembered and that his dedication to education lives on.  We’re all proud of the work we do and honoured to have shared our work life with Steve.”