Nurses and midwives at Northern Beaches Hospital in now have access to a range of career development programs available across the NSW public health system, opening up new training, research and leadership opportunities previously unavailable to them.
The change follows the hospital’s transition to public ownership, which saw more than 1,800 staff join NSW Health after nearly eight years under private operator Healthscope.
For nursing and midwifery staff who built careers at the hospital since it opened in 2018, the move opens professional pathways that were previously unavailable to them.
New opportunities for nurses and midwives
A range of specialty development programs in critical care, aged care, neonatal intensive care, acute care and palliative care are now available, ensuring nurses can gain expertise relevant to their field and ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.
Nurses now also have access to professional development days, which provide opportunities to connect, share knowledge and build expertise. Early career nurses will benefit from leadership programs, structured mentorship, clinical supervision, coaching and teaching across Northern Sydney Local Health District.
Additional funding supports nursing and midwifery-led projects, and scholarship opportunities through Northern Sydney Local Health District and NSW Health are also available. Research is supported through access to the NSLHD Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, which provides masterclasses in research development, statistics, writing and publication.
Professional recognition includes opportunities to secure funding to attend professional conferences and entry into the Mary Chiarella Research Medal, the only award of its kind in NSW.
Nurses and midwives also now have access to internal conferences and showcases, including the Person-Centred Care Showcase, Nursing and Midwifery Research Conference, and specialty-specific development days for areas such as neonatal and renal nursing.
The annual leave tax resolution
One of the more practical concerns for staff during the transition was the tax treatment of accrued annual leave. The Commissioner of Taxation has approved a variation allowing staff to transfer unused annual leave balances to NSW Health without the balance being treated as a lump-sum taxable payout at the point of transfer, ensuring it is only taxed normally via PAYG when the leave is actually taken.
The arrangement ensures staff are not financially disadvantaged when transferring leave balances as they move to NSW Health employment.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association described the tax ruling as a key win for its members, noting that staff are now looking forward to improving conditions, including nurse-to-patient ratios in line with their public hospital colleagues, which the association argues will lead to a safer workplace and better patient care.
Future plans for the hospital
Following the transition to public ownership, the Northern Beaches community will continue to have access to private services until 30 June 2027, while the longer-term plan for private services is finalised with clinicians and the community.
NSW Health is also establishing the state’s first High Volume Planned Surgery Centre at Northern Beaches Hospital, expanding the hospital’s role and helping reduce surgery wait times across NSW.
The Northern Beaches Hospital Clinical Services Plan update aims to integrate the hospital into the Northern Sydney Local Health District network and future planning, confirming role delineation for each specialty, assessing service capacity and identifying opportunities for service delivery.
For patients, the day-to-day experience of attending the hospital on Warringah Road in Frenchs Forest remains largely unchanged. Emergency, maternity, surgical and specialist services continue operating, with the hospital now classified as a level 5 public facility within the NSW Health system.
Further information for staff and patients is available at nslhd.health.nsw.gov.au or by contacting Northern Sydney Local Health District on (02) 9462 9488.
Published 3-June-2026
