Full medical team deployed to support City2Surf

As more than 90,000 runners took part in the world's largest fun run, NBMLHD staff were on the ground helping provide critical medical support along the iconic 14-kilometre course from Sydney CBD to Bondi Beach.

The deployment brought together medical, nursing and support staff from across the District, with significant coordination and preparation involving Nepean, Blue Mountains and Lithgow Emergency Departments, Nepean Pharmacy, executive teams across the District, and the District Emergency Management team.

City2Surf presents a unique set of challenges for health services, with risks ranging from dehydration to cardiac events, crowd incidents and other medical emergencies associated with large-scale public events. Temporary medical facilities, resuscitation capability and roving clinical teams are established throughout the course to provide rapid assessment and treatment when needed.

For Lithgow Hospital Critical Care Hub nurse, Leigh Thomason, participating in the event offered an opportunity to develop skills in a completely different environment.

"I volunteered for City2Surf because I wanted to challenge my skillset, try something outside of my comfort zone and get a different perspective of emergency nursing," says Leigh.

"I have worked in critical care for 10 years, in ICU and ED, and have been a MET nurse during this time responding to emergencies across the hospital. I enjoy broadening my skills and challenging my knowledge, but I have only ever had the opportunity to do so in a hospital.

"City2Surf is a great opportunity to experience what first responders do in the field and, in doing so, gain a greater appreciation of the role our ambulance and police colleagues play in responding to emergencies."

The deployment gave NBMLHD staff the opportunity to provide care in a dynamic, large-scale event setting while strengthening emergency management, teamwork and operational response capabilities.

District Health Emergency Management Manager, Alison Comerford said the event provides an important opportunity to test and strengthen the District's deployment capabilities.

"City2Surf allows our teams to apply their clinical and emergency management skills in a dynamic operational environment," says Alison.

"These deployments help us refine our processes, strengthen teamwork across multiple services and ensure we're prepared to respond effectively when our community needs us."

The successful deployment reflects the dedication, teamwork and professionalism of staff across the District, who contributed their time and expertise to support one of Australia's most significant community events.