Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick

08/04/2026

CHAMPIONS4CHILDREN | Adam Jaffe is a respiratory paediatrician and co-head of the Respiratory Department at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. He’s also the John Beveridge Professor of Paediatrics and Head of the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health at UNSW.

“As a young boy, I always wanted to be a paediatrician”, he says. “I’m lucky enough to fulfil my dreams and can’t imagine working in any other field of medicine. It’s an honour to be able to look after the most precious of people, and I love how honest children are. While it can be challenging, it’s a rewarding speciality to work in.”

“No two days are ever the same. I can spend all day in meetings or seeing patients – it’s certainly never boring! Across my different roles, I’m fortunate enough to be a part of making a difference to children’s health nationally and internationally through research, advocacy, mentoring the next generation of clinicians and researchers, and through clinical work”.

“While I am passionate about equitable care for children with respiratory and rare diseases, a patient I met while a junior doctor has shaped a big part of my professional journey. I have been focused particularly on children with cystic fibrosis (CF) ever since, and how to discover new treatments to CF. With the help of UNSW and SCHF, I helped establish Australia’s only precision medicine centre for children with CF, where we take children’s own cells and grow them into mini organs, which are then used to discover new therapies and access new modulators”.

04/04/2026

The Easter Bunny, like many Australians, is trying to save on petrol this Easter.

But there was one trip he simply couldn’t skip.

With a very heavy bag of chocolate (and a little help from public transport), he hopped his way to Children’s Hospital at Randwick to bring some treats, smiles and a bit of Easter magic to our patients.

A big thank you to our generous partners Lindt and Bondi Rescue for helping make it happen.

Happy Easter!

27/03/2026

Building better, brighter futures for children is at the heart of everything we do at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. This goes beyond healthcare—it’s about creating meaningful, positive change in the world children grow up in.

On National Close the Gap Day, we came together to honour the strength and resilience of the world’s oldest continuing cultures, and to launch our Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework. This marks our commitment to delivering culturally safe care, strengthening human connection by listening deeply to patients and families and learning continuously about communities and cultures.

We recognise that achieving equitable, high-quality healthcare means change within our systems. We are working to ensure our services are accessible to Aboriginal children and families, and that cultural safety is not an add-on, but a fundamental part of care.

We look forward to building culturally safe spaces where Aboriginal people feel respected, safe, and see their culture valued across our Network. Our framework is an important step in supporting children and young people live their healthiest lives.

25/03/2026

We're thrilled to announce that Georgia Lloyd, Pharmacist and Educator, has been named finalist in the 2026 NSW Health Excellence in Allied Health Awards for Allied Health Educator of the Year 🏆

She's being recognised for her passion, dedication, and the impact she brings to children's lives every day.

As an educator, Georgia is helping shape the future of paediatric care by supporting early career pharmacists to become confident clinicians. She’s passionate about improving systems of care and translating best practice into paediatrics.

Georgia says, “Education and workforce development can sometimes feel like work that happens behind the scenes, so it’s really meaningful to be recognised”.

We’re so proud to have you on our team and to see your contributions recognised at a state level.

Winners will be announced tomorrow and we’ll be cheering you on every step of the way! 🎉

11/03/2026

The Children's Hospital at Westmead is experiencing issues with phone lines into the hospital. If you need information about a patient in our care please visit us in person at Hawkesbury Road Westmead.

There is no impact on patient care and contingency processes are in place.

The emergency department remains open and patients can still attend to receive care.

If there are any changes to scheduled appointments, the hospital is endeavouring to contact all affected families directly.

You can still call the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick on 9382 1111 and we will provide an update as soon as phone services at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead are restored.

We appreciate the patience and understanding of patients, families, and the community while we work to resolve the issue.

Please remember if you are in a life threatening situation call 000. If you require non-emergency health advice you can call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.

10/03/2026

Whooping cough cases in Australia peaked for the first time in more than 35 years, with thousands of infections in NSW alone.

Plummeting vaccination rates and fading immunity are to blame, according to experts.

What is whooping cough? Also known as ‘Pertussis’, Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory illness that causes severe coughing fits for weeks. Babies under 6 months are at high risk because they are too young to be vaccinated 👶.

How can keep your little ones protected?
✔ Vaccinate during every pregnancy
✔ Keep your child’s immunisations up to date
✔ Make sure carers of young children, including grandparents, are protected too

If you’re unsure whether your family is up to date, speak with your GP 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

Learn more about whooping cough symptoms, treatment, and how to protect your child on the Kids Health Hub. Link in comments below.

07/03/2026

Champions4Children | “I'm fortunate to work across two roles at SCH. While working part-time as a Nurse Manager in Ambulatory Services, I’m also a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Children’s Intensive Care Unit (CICU).

My roles can look very different depending on the day. In Ambulatory Services, I support operations to ensure services run smoothly and that staff and patients are well supported. In CICU, my focus is on caring for critically ill children and supporting their families through very stressful and uncertain times.

I was drawn to paediatrics because of the resilience and honesty of children. Being able to advocate for them, support their families, and help make their hospital experience less frightening means a lot to me.

One of the most rewarding moments was caring for a child who had been critically unwell in ICU for a long time. After many uncertain days, the family later returned to visit and the child walked in smiling and full of life – it was incredibly emotional for our whole team.

I also love mentoring other nurses and supporting them to grow in their careers. Mentoring staff, helping them develop their skills, and watching their confidence grow is something I find incredibly rewarding.

International Women’s Day is a chance to recognise the strength and achievements of women, including the incredible women I work with every day. I’m where I am today because of women who supported and encouraged me.

To young women considering a career in health: stay curious, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to take opportunities. Your compassion and perspective are valuable, and our healthcare system needs strong women ready to make a difference.”
— Lisa Gatehouse, Nurse Manager in Ambulatory Services and Clinical Nurse Specialist in CICU.

04/03/2026

26/02/2026

Our new 12 storey building was officially opened this week by NSW Premier Chris Minns, Health Minister Ryan Park MP, Marjorie O’Neill - Member for Coogee and Matt Thistlethwaite MP.

The new facility is set to reshape the experience of care for families from across NSW, including families like Belle’s.

Belle was born at 27 weeks, weighing just 513 grams. Now three, she lives with chronic lung disease and still needs urgent care when her breathing worsens.

Belle’s family are already familiar with the larger Emergency Department at the heart of the new building. “It feels much bigger and brighter,” Belle’s mum Emily says. “The private triage rooms and spaces for parents make it calmer for children.”

Among other new building features include single-patient bedrooms with carer beds, a new playground, and more areas for families to take a break and prepare meals. Premier Chris Minns said the new building“ is an extraordinary milestone for the healthcare of children, young people and families across the state”.

Delivered by Health Infrastructure with John Holland and BLP architects, and supported by the Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation, this investment ensures families like Belle’s are cared for in facilities designed with their needs in mind.

23/02/2026

We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our local community.

A big thank you to Paddington-Woollahra RSL Sub-Branch, Helensburgh RSL, Penrith RSL, Maroubra RSL sub-Branch, Penshurst RSL ,Australian Army, Sydney University Regiment, 8th Brigade Training and 5th Combat Services Support Battalion 5th Brigade who hosted a special community BBQ at our hospital for patients, families and staff.

It was extra special to see the Army, AirForce, and Navy officers not only attending, but cooking, serving and spending meaningful time with patients and families. There were smiles everywhere and even a little dancing and singing throughout the day.

A special thank you to Anthony and the Tree of Wisdom from The Wiggles for a wonderful performance and for lending a hand in the BBQ. Your music brought so much joy to everyone there.

Events like this remind us how fortunate we are to be surrounded by such a caring and generous community.

Thank you for making a real difference for our patients, their families and staff.

We couldn’t do it without you.💙

18/02/2026

Fifty incredible artworks created by students in Years K-10 are now on display at the Art Gallery of NSW as part of the 2026 Operation Art Hospital 50 Exhibition.

With over 600 artworks submitted from 256 schools, the joint initiative between our hospitals and NSW Department of Education invited students to create powerful artworks with one purpose: to put a smile on the faces of children and families going through really tough times.

The selected works will become part of the permanent collections at both The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick — bringing joy to patients for years to come.

Another big congratulations to our 2026 award winners 🏆
- Elsa (Artarmon Public School) – Patient Pick for “Petals and Paws”
- Cooper (Binalong Public School) – Curator’s Choice for “Hot Dog”
- Belinda (Strathfield Girls High School) and teacher Adrian Mok – Outstanding Teacher and Student Award for “Rays”
- Harmoney (Young Public School) – Danny Eastwood Indigenous Art Award for “My Landscape”

And finally, a heartfelt thank you to every student who participated — your creativity is making a real difference. 💛

17/02/2026

We’re so excited to welcome our new graduate nurses joining us across the Network!

With 29 nurses starting at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, and 24 nurses at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, our nurses will be working in multidisciplinary teams alongside experienced staff who will support them to gain the skills and knowledge required to care for NSW’s diverse communities in a variety of clinical settings, including the emergency department, acute services, mental health and other specialities.

Starting as a new graduate in the Oncology ward, Steven Duff shares, “There’s something incredibly special about caring for children. They’re brave in ways that constantly surprise me, even in moments that would challenge most adults. Being able to support not only them, but also their families, especially on what may be one of their hardest days, is something that sits close to my heart. I believe every child deserves the chance to grow, laugh, and live well, and if I can help make even a small difference in that journey, then I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be, doing work that feels purposeful”.

Jessica Eadie, who joins the team at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, says, “I am looking forward to being part of the children’s and family’s journeys and hope I can bring a bit of sunshine and healing to what would be one of the greatest challenges a family could experience. I’m also looking forward to learning how to provide the highest quality of care by working in a variety of incredible multidisciplinary teams at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, which I know is a great place to learn and cultivate skills to be the best nurse for each patient.

Welcome to the team - we're so proud to have you! 💙