This year’s Queen’s birthday honours roll features three exceptional NSLHD representatives, highlighting an extraordinary commitment to the health of our community. 

Dr Michelle Mulligan OAM

Dr Michelle Mulligan has received a prestigious Order of Australia medal (OAM) for her service to medicine, particularly to anaesthesia.

As a specialist anaesthetist in both the public and private sector, Michelle is the Clinical Director of the NSLHD Surgery and Anaesthesia Network. 

She had a key leadership role during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping the district navigate the challenges of the pandemic as Clinical Lead of the Clinical Advisory Group.

Michelle has been a NSLHD board member since 2017 and is a board member of the Agency for Clinical Innovation and Clinical Excellence Commission. 

She is also a member of the district’s Finance, Risk and Performance Committee.  

Michelle has had many roles with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, including as its Director of Professional Affairs.

Michelle said being included in this year’s Queen’s birthday honours was quite a surprise.

“I’m totally humbled, and it was completely unexpected,” she said.

“It is a privilege to be an anaesthetist and to be able to contribute. I’ve enjoyed every minute. 

“To get an award for doing something you love is very unexpected.”

Professor Sarah Hilmer AM

Professor Sarah Hilmer has been made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to clinical and geriatric pharmacology. 

She has worked as the Head of Clinical Pharmacology and as a geriatrician at Royal North Shore Hospital since 2005. 

Her research and clinical expertise is respected both nationally and internationally. 

Sarah leads a research program in ageing and pharmacology at the Kolling Institute and has contributed widely to the management of medication.

She chairs the RNS/Ryde Hospital Drug and Therapeutics Committee, the NSW Therapeutic Advisory Group, and initiated the NSW Health COVID-19 Drug and Therapeutic Advisory Community of Practice.

Her research focuses on understanding and optimising medication use and improving outcomes in older people, particularly those living with multiple conditions. She developed the Drug Burden Index, a tool to measure the overall risk of a person’s medicines to their physical and cognitive function. This tool is being used widely across NSLHD and the Central Coast Local Health District.

Sarah has welcomed her award.

“I am lucky to have worked in clinical practice, research and policy, with a wonderful network of mentors, colleagues and mentees,” she said.

“I am particularly glad that I have helped train clinicians and researchers with backgrounds in medicine, pharmacy, nursing and basic science in geriatric pharmacology, who can help build this emerging field.  

“I hope that our work improves medicines use and outcomes for older people, whether they’re at home, in a residential aged care facility or in hospital.”

Professor Leigh Delbridge AM

Emeritus Professor Leigh Delbridge has been made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to endocrinology and medical education. He has been a senior endocrine surgeon at Royal North Shore Hospital for more than 20 years, including a decade as Head of Surgery.
He has also been the Professor of Surgery at the University of Sydney for more than 20 years.

He is Australia’s most experienced parathyroid and thyroid surgeon and performed the first minimally invasive parathyroidectomy in Australia using endoscopic techniques. 

He has completed more than 10,000 parathyroid and thyroid operations, and continues to do over 500 such procedures each year. 

Leigh has been the President of the International Association of Endocrine Surgeons, founding committee member of Australia and New Zealand Endocrine Surgeons, and Chairman of the Endocrine Surgery Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

His research interests include the epidemiology of thyroid and parathyroid neoplasia, as well as the development of minimally invasive surgical techniques. 

He has over 300 papers in peer-reviewed journals.