The Pulse: Uncovering health stories with clinical experts

Do mozzies like sweeter blood? Do they transmit COVID-19? Is it only female mosquitoes that bite? These are the kinds of questions ‘Mosquito Man’ Dr Cameron Webb gets regularly, and breaks down for us on the latest episode of Western Sydney Health Check. As the weather begins to warm, Dr Webb warns that mosquito numbers will rise and provides some tips on protecting yourself from the annoying bite...

Dementia affects close to half a million Australians. Yet despite the stigma, it is possible to enjoy a rich and active lifestyle for years after diagnosis. In this episode we speak to Geetika Dayal, whose mother has early onset dementia, and WSLHD dementia advisor Sue Tolhurst. Geetika speaks about the reality of her mother's condition and how it has been for her father to transition from pa...

We welcome our first return guest this episode in Dr Shopna Bag, director of the Public Health Unit in Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD). Dr Bag and her team have led the incredible contact tracing efforts in Western Sydney, interviewing every one of our 500+ COVID-19 patients to find out how they caught disease and who they might have passed it onto. In this interview she delivers expe...

It covers 23 different, highly specialised roles - but what exactly is 'allied health'? WSLHD Allied Health director Jacqueline Dominish joins us to explain her portfolio and outline the three-year strategic vision that was recently launched. Jacquie speaks honestly about the difficulties facing our culturally rich and diverse community – including language barriers, lack of health under...

Westmead Hospital security officer Fred Nachar thinks he should have a new job title: "customer service officer". The beloved member of the security team clocks tens of thousands of steps each shift as he makes his away around the vast campus, helping patients and checking in on staff while also being prepared to respond to any urgent matter at a moment's notice. He also had an unco...

Blacktown Hospital’s Dr Maria Nittis speaks candidly about domestic violence (DV) and the support available in this episode of Western Sydney Health Check . Maria is the department head of the forensic medical unit, a service that documents the injuries of victims and helps them access legal and social support. She reveals that DV is rising within Western Sydney during the COVID-19 pandemic, and c...

From helping patients learning to walk again to helping them talk, Westmead Hospital physiotherapist Hariette Esterman says working on the frontline of COVID-19 is no easy task. Hariette works in Westmead Hospital’s ICU as an acute physiotherapist and found her passion for helping the most vulnerable patients after her new graduate placement. As an acute physiotherapist, Hariette jokes that they m...

Jessica Lam and Ikneet Kalsy are both 22, both pharmacy interns, and both members of the Western Sydney Local Health District Youth Council, providing invaluable input into our services from a young person’s perspective. In episode ten they discuss some of the effects the pandemic has had on young Australians including social isolation, loss of work and study disruption, and share their perspectiv...

Dr Kavita Varshney from Westmead Hospital’s emergency department drops in for a chat with her five-year old niece Zara.  Zara is the star of an important COVID-19 video message where she cleverly imitated her aunty’s video message for a NSW Health campaign.  Dr Varshney talks about how the Westmead Emergency team tackled the COVID -19 pandemic and how staff supported each other during this challen...

As a community nurse, she’s passionate about caring for the vulnerable, particularly Western Sydney’s young people and those experiencing homelessness. In episode eight we speak to Nina about a new clinic providing free flu shots and COVID-19 screening to disadvantaged and at-risk people, the inspiration behind her team’s work, and the response they’ve had so far from the community. You can contac...

Registered nurse Ashleigh Peters chats about her experience working in the COVID-19 ward at Westmead Hospital. We hear about her rise through the nursing world and the GradStart program.   Yervette Jones, WSLHD Workforce nurse manager, gives an overview of the 2021 GradStart program and the benefits of joining the incredible team at Western Sydney.   For information on the WSLHD GradStart program...

In episode six we speak to intensive care specialist Dr Tom Solano, critical care coordinator for Western Sydney Local Health District. Dr Solano shares what he and other intensive care staff have seen so far, what they’ve learned from cases overseas, and how they’re feeling about treating patients critically ill with COVID-19. He also shares what our District is doing to dramatically increase int...

In episode five we speak to Professor Bill Brakoulias, executive director of mental health services for Western Sydney Local Health District. Prof Brakoulias provides insight into how COVID-19 is causing stress and anxiety, leading to some extreme behaviours including fights over toilet paper and anger at health workers, as well as more common symptoms such as irritability and sleeplessness. He al...

In episode four we speak to gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Andrew Pesce, who has delivered thousands of babies at Westmead Hospital over many decades.    Dr Pesce provides advice and reassurance for pregnant women on how to keep themselves and their babies safe from COVID-19, and what to expect when they come to hospital to give birth. 

In episode three we speak to one of our health heroes, junior medical officer Dr Brandon Verdonk, who's been working around the clock to help the community of Western Sydney deal with COVID-19. At the coal face of the pandemic, Dr Verdonk takes us behind-the-scenes to give us exclusive insight into his daily dealings with COVID-19 in this week's Western Sydney Health Check podcast. He al...

In episode two we ask the big questions about COVID-19, including what it is, how it’s spreading and what happens if you test positive. Our guests are Professor Tania Sorrell , Director of Infectious Disease Services, Westmead, and Director of the Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney; and Dr Shopna Bag , Director of the Public Health Unit at Western...

Welcome to our new podcast Western Sydney Health Check , the only place to hear from leading experts on healthcare-related issues from five hospitals and a range of health services in Western Sydney. In episode one we are joined by our chief executive Graeme Loy as he discusses COVID-19 and what our district is doing to prepare for the pandemic. Proudly produced by Western Sydney Local Health Dist...