Today I acknowledge some of the achievements of Dr Elizabeth Harford from the Blue Mountains, who spent 42 years working in the public healthcare sector, two years as a research physiologist and 40 years as a nurse. She spent seven years in the emergency department of the Westmead Hospital, and for five of those years she was managing a nine-bed resuscitation and trauma room. She initiated discussions with the United States Emergency Nurses Association to bring the Trauma Nursing Corps Course to Australia and New Zealand. She was one of the first instructors in that course. At that time it was the first skills-based trauma course for nurses in Australia.

She lectured in postgraduate emergency and trauma nursing at the University of Sydney and wrote part of the masters degree course content for emergency and trauma nursing. She also wrote part of the course content for critical care nursing for the University of Sydney and the University of Western Sydney. She lectured in ballistics and the mechanism of injury, chest and abdominal injuries in warfare for courses for Australian Defence Force nurses. She managed patient flow at Westmead Hospital for 960 beds. She commissioned the role of nurse manager for cardiology and cardiothoracic services in Westmead Hospital, including creating a whole-of-service ward structure, enabling efficient admission and discharge of patients undergoing cardiac catheter procedures. She also led the redevelopment of the postgraduate course in cardiac nursing for Westmead Hospital and the University of Western Sydney.

Dr Harford worked for five years as principal adviser for nurse practitioners in the Nursing and Midwifery Office, Ministry of Health. She assisted in the rollout of 150 nurse practitioner positions across New South Wales. She is a member of the Master of Nurse Practitioner degree curriculum committees and lectured in the courses at the University of Newcastle and the University of Technology Sydney. She visited over 100 hospitals across New South Wales, including 80 rural and remote sites. She worked with the University of New South Wales in Sydney to develop a short course in primary nursing care. She completed reviews of over 10 hospitals and services across New South Wales, making recommendations for improvement. She completed a Doctor of Philosophy from the Faculty of Nursing, University of Sydney, on the "History of Nursing and Medical Treatment in Casualty Departments 1870-1940". She worked as the director of nursing and midwifery across 19 facilities, including the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and the Greater Southern Area Health Service.

Following a restructure to the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Dr Harford managed a number of facilities as a general manager over 10 years. The facilities included the Griffith Base Hospital, Leeton, Lake Cargelligo and Hillston. During that time she built relationships with the local Wiradjuri communities as well as the United Hospital Auxiliaries and local health advisory services. She led many of the initial planning discussions for the redevelopment of the Griffith Base Hospital. She led the design of the new renal dialysis unit, including floor‑to‑ceiling windows, a native garden and Aboriginal art. During three years at the Blue Mountains District Anzac Memorial Hospital and Springwood Hospital, she ensured that a maintenance program improved the structure and safety within both facilities. She worked with the Darug and Gundangurra peoples to develop a plaque honouring Aboriginal soldiers who served in World War I. Liz Harford worked with a wide range of community groups, including the United Hospital Auxiliaries and the Leura Gardens hospital committee, to develop chambers of commerce et cetera, and fundraised for the improvement of services at both hospitals.

Liz Harford worked with a wide range of community groups, including the United Hospital Auxiliaries, the Leura Gardens Festival committee, chambers of commerce et cetera, and raised funds for the improvement of services at both hospitals. She sponsored the local Aboriginal and TAFE Painting Up Country group to provide paintings for the palliative care rooms at both sites. She employed the first geriatricians at Blue Mountains Hospital and also increased the numbers of physicians, obstetricians, gynaecologists and emergency doctors. She advocated strongly for increased numbers of nurses and midwives at both sites. What a woman! Dr Liz Harford is an amazing human with an illustrious career and exceptional achievements.

Imagine my horror and that of my community, the medical staff council, the auxiliaries and the hospital staff to learn that the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District underhandedly terminated Dr Harford from her role as our beloved general manager of Blue Mountains Hospital recently. Today I honour her and, for the record in this place, express my appreciation and gratitude for her remarkable contribution to the public sector health care of New South Wales. We will miss Dr Harford, and we salute her.