As the Homeless Health Service Manager at St Vincent’s Health Network in Sydney, I lead multidisciplinary teams dedicated to supporting individuals at risk of or experiencing homelessness. These teams cover primary health, health education, care coordination, assessment, and residential accommodation. Our focus is on engaging with individuals in a trauma-informed and patient-centred manner, ensuring they have access to healthcare services of their choice.

While my background is in clinical care, my current role centres on service development rather than direct clinical work. I design services based on best evidence and identified community needs. A notable achievement was leading the establishment of Sydney’s first COVID-19 vaccine hub for people experiencing homelessness. In addition, I am heavily involved in strategy and policy development, where research plays a pivotal role.

Over the past decade, our homeless health service has expanded significantly due to support from government and philanthropic sources, particularly through proof-of-concept designs. However, these financial contributions are often time-limited, making ongoing evaluation and research critical. By demonstrating through research that our services are both cost-effective and result in positive health outcomes, we strengthen our case for sustainable government funding. This ensures that our services continue to meet the needs of the homeless population.
In addition to my current role, I have extensive experience in incident response within the St Vincent’s Health Network. This involved collaborating with various stakeholders to prepare for and manage major incidents, ensuring adherence to disaster management policies. Prior to this, my career included management, education, and clinical roles within emergency department settings. My experience as a registered nurse, clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator, and nursing unit manager has provided me with a deep understanding of healthcare operations and the importance of effective disaster preparedness and response.