The Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD) is under new leadership as Chief Executive Brad Astill takes the wheel.
After working with NSW Health for over 40 years – most recently as Chief Executive at the Far West Local Health District based in Broken Hill – Astill’s enthusiasm for ensuring the best healthcare outcomes for the community has never wavered.
“Leading a health organisation is a huge responsibility which I don’t take for granted,” Astill said.
“I’m incredibly lucky to join the team here at NBMLHD who have built a reputation as an organisation committed to fostering a culture of compassion, collaboration and education, one that is embedded in the health services it provides.
“I look forward to working with our stakeholders and empowering our staff, patients, and consumers to continue to create responsive models of care that address the growing needs of our community and put us at the forefront of health care delivery.”
The new role isn’t all the leader is excited about, as his appointment in the region also brings him home.
“I was born and bred in the western suburbs, so I know the area very well,” Astill explained.
“The western suburbs weren’t as big and busy as they are now, but it was certainly a great childhood.
“I grew up a bit west of Parramatta – between Parramatta and Penrith basically – and went to school in the area, all my family are in the area, and I got married in the area.”
On his stomping grounds, Astill will oversee a period of health transformation in the Nepean, Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains and Lithgow regions.
“As the Nepean facility grows, we’ll not only be able to deliver more volume of services, but also more complex services, which is really exciting,” Astill said.
The Chief Executive outlined the importance of working closely with partners in the community to streamline patient health journeys.
“Whether it’s GPs or community staff that we employ or people that work for other agencies delivering services in the community, we’ll try and provide the best services for patients in the best settings,” Astill stated.
“Not everybody needs to come to hospital to have their healthcare needs serviced, so we need to work much more closely with our community partners, so patients have a very seamless experience.”
To conclude, Astill noted a handful of his priorities moving forward.
“We’ve got the new facility on the Nepean campus, we welcome Hawkesbury, and we’re starting discussions about the Blue Mountains Hospital as well,” Astill said.
“There are no formal commitments yet to rebuilding Blue Mountains Hospital, we are starting to look at what would be needed to keep providing services for communities of the mountains as well.
“It’s a growing area, growing community, growing population, and it’s really exciting.”
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.