Pathologically Speaking

What does it take to keep a statewide pathology service moving? In this episode we hit the road with long-serving pathology courier Russell Platt, who spent 25 years transporting vital pathology samples and blood supplies across the vast Central West of NSW.
From navigating floods, fires and the COVID-19 pandemic to building lasting connections with laboratory teams, Russell shares the challenges, rewards and memorable moments of a career spent delivering some of healthcare’s most precious cargo.
It's a fascinating look at the vital role couriers play in supporting patient care.
 

Hawkesbury District Hospital Pathology Laboratory Manager Blessings Ndlovu chats to host Liz Farquhar about his journey from Zimbabwe to Australia and a career dedicated to supporting patient care through pathology.
Blessings talks about how he developed a passion for science early on in life, the mentors who inspired him, his experiences working as a scientist in Zimbabwe, and the leap of faith that brought him to Australia. He also shares stories of some of the most challenging cases from his time in the transfusion lab, including the critical role it played during life-threatening emergencies.
Blessings takes you behind the scenes of one of NSW Health Pathology’s newest laboratories, discussing the challenges and rewards of establishing pathology services at Hawkesbury District Hospital following its transition into the NSW public health system.
From implementing new technology and supporting staff through change to building strong relationships with clinicians and the local community, Blessings shares his thoughts on leadership, teamwork and the vital role pathology plays in healthcare. 

From growing up in a small village in Norway to leading research initiatives at NSW Health Pathology, Dr Bente Talseth-Palmer’s science career has been anything but ordinary.
In this episode, Bente shares how shewent from establishing a genomics laboratory in Iceland to pursuing a PhD in cancer genomics in Australia. She talks about the impact her mother’s cancer diagnosis had on her career and reflects on balancing a successful research career with family life, a lifelong love of nature, as well as giving back to her local Hunter Valley community through sporting organisations and domestic violence support services.
Today, as NSW Health Pathology’s Research Operations Director, Bente helps medical researchers access the expertise, data and resources needed to drive cutting-edge discoveries that are improving health outcomes for patients.
 

Nigeline Sio’s passion for science began in high school, where she competed in chemistry titration competitions and discovered a love of laboratory work. Today, as Laboratory Manager at NSW Health Pathology’s Blue Mountains laboratory in Katoomba, she leads a team delivering vital diagnostic services to the local community.
In this episode of Pathologically Speaking, Nigeline reflects on a career that has taken her across rural and remote laboratories in Queensland and the Northern Territory before settling in NSW to raise her family. She talks about why improving health outcomes for remote and marginalised communities has been a driving force throughout her career, and the important role pathology plays in ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare.

In this episode we speak to Iain Hutchinson, Laboratory Manager at NSW Health Pathology's Moruya Laboratory on the state’s South Coast. Having started his career with NSW Health as a wardsman at just 18, Iain has built his expertise across some of Sydney's busiest laboratories before making the move to a small regional lab and taking up a management role.
Iain talks about the unique challenges and rewards of delivering pathology services in a large coastal catchment, leading a regional laboratory team through the Black Summer bushfires, and helping plan the new state-of-the-art laboratory at the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.

In this episode we speak to Professor Sandra O'Toole, pathologist and Senior Staff Specialist at NSW Health Pathology's Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology Department at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She is one of Australia’s leading breast cancer researchers and President of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA).
Professor O’Toole discusses the critical role pathology plays in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, the latest advances in research and where she sees the challenges ahead.
She also shares the personal experiences that have shaped her career, including her mother’s journey with breast cancer, and how it inspired a commitment to improving outcomes for patients and their families. She discusses the ups and downs of juggling study, travel, raising a family, and research. An insight into a career that’s been built on care and compassion.

Forensic Mortuary Technician Abby‑Lee Honeysett takes you inside NSW Health Pathology's state-of-the-art Forensic Medicine facility at Lidcombe. She explains the day-to-day work of a forensic mortuary technician and how they support the work of Forensic Pathologists. Abby-Lee also talks about how she and a colleague have started a special service creating precious keepsakes for families grieving the loss of a child.She reflects on her own family’s experience with the NSW coronial system and how it inspired her to pursue a career in this field.A proud Wiradjuri woman, Abby‑Lee shares her journey of reconnecting with her Indigenous heritage and how a love of painting helps her to process the trauma she encounters at work and sustain compassion in the face of loss.
⚠️CONTENT WARNING: this episode includes discussion of autopsy procedures and issues surrounding stillbirth.

In this episode of Pathologically Speaking, we sit down with Robyn Seberry, the long-serving lab manager and supervising scientist at NSW Health Pathology’s Forbes Laboratory.
Robyn talks about her passion for pathology and the joy of living and working in a close-knit regional community. She shares the variety that comes with her role, from working in the lab, seeing patients face-to-face in the pathology collections service, collaborating closely with the local health district and getting the best out of her “small but mighty” team of staff.
Robyn also reflects on some of the lab’s toughest moments, including the 2022 Central West floods, when the Forbes lab pulled together to keep vital testing services running safely and reliably, even as river levels rose and roads became inaccessible.

For four decades Neil Horton has been a driving force behind the quality of NSW Health Pathology laboratories across the New England region and beyond. A respected leader and mentor, Neil has dedicated his career to strengthening pathology services and supporting the people who deliver them.
In this episode, Neil reflects on what great leadership really looks like, how he brings out the best in his teams, and why embracing change has been essential to navigating the challenges of a rapidly evolving profession. He also shares how his lifelong love of theatre has kept him deeply connected to the community he calls home.
A career that has helped shape pathology in regional NSW.

Meet Danny Nugus, Senior Forensic Medicine Social Worker here at NSW Health Pathology, based in Newcastle. Our team of specialist social workers provide a crucial service right across New South Wales when a death has been reported to the coroner. Danny and his colleagues support families navigating a sudden or unexplained death. They assist families in the early hours, days and weeks of their grief through the coroner’s and forensic medicine processes, providing information, advocacy and choice, and offering emotional and practical support and guidance, including the facilitation of viewings and identifications. 
Danny discusses how he helps families through the toughest of times, shares some of his hardest moments, and describes how providing culturally sensitive care can help with the grieving process.