Western NSW Local Health District’s (WNSWLHD) dedicated staff have been recognised at an annual awards ceremony held at the Dubbo Rhino Lodge overnight.

The WNSWLHD Awards recognise the hard work and outstanding success of teams, projects and health professionals across the region. The Awards program recognises, supports and promotes innovation in the provision of quality care, patient experience and clinical care, while providing an opportunity for the workforce to connect, learn and celebrate achievements together.

The 2024 Awards were presented across 18 different team, project and individual categories, following the District’s annual symposium which featured presentations from all the categories’ finalists.

The Symposium also provided an opportunity for attendees to vote for the People’s Choice Award, while the Chief Executive’s Award and the Board Choice’s Award have also been presented.

2024 WNSWLHD Award recipients:

• Staff Member of the Year Award: Jasmin Jones (Registered Nurse, Grenfell Multipurpose Service) and Tammy Jones (Support Services Manager, Narromine Health Service)
• Volunteer of the Year Award: Elizabeth Allen (Dubbo)
• Chief Executive’s Award: Circular recycling program Orange
• Board’s Choice Award: First experience, lasting impression - Paediatric clothing pool Dubbo
• People’s Choice Award: Occupational Therapy in the Emergency Department
• Senior Leader of the Year: Jo Lemmich (WNSWLHD Patient Safety Manager)
• Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) Rural Innovation Award: Public Health Analytics Dashboard
• Excellence in Aboriginal Healthcare Award: Right time, Right place: Innovative collaboration to connect women from Western NSW to world-class cancer treatment
• Health Innovation Award: Scan – Reuse – Reduce
• Inspiring Teams Award: Mudgee Health Service, food service team
• Keeping People Healthy Award: Cervical screening during pregnancy Dubbo
• Excellence in the Provision of Mental Health Services Award: Tuning in to kids
• Transforming Patient Experience Award: Oral health waiting list reform
• Patient Safety First Award: Changing the slippery slope of deteriorating patients
• People and Culture Award: Allied Health Rural Graduate Program
• Health Research Award: Intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy in regional NSW hospital
• Excellence in the Provision of Multicultural Healthcare Award: Arogya: Co-designing solutions to healthcare disparities in Dubbo’s migrant community
• Environmental Sustainability Award: Excess PPE Management Success

More information, including profiles of all Award recipients and finalists, is available on the WNSWLHD website.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“Western NSW is unique as a Local Health District, and with a huge geographic footprint which includes some of the most remote towns and most vulnerable populations in the state, the workforce faces different challenges every single day.

“However, our dedicated staff continue to rise to those challenges and provide innovative, world-class care to the people of western NSW, doing so with incredible drive and commitment.”

Quotes attributable to Labor Spokesperson for Dubbo Stephen Lawrence MLC:

“These awards are an opportunity to celebrate the valuable contributions these special individuals give to our health system all over western NSW.

“I wholeheartedly congratulate all of Western NSW Local Health District’s Award recipients and finalists who are thoroughly deserving of this recognition, and I also want to thank the entire workforce for their ongoing dedication.”

Quotes attributable to WNSWLHD Chief Executive Mark Spittal:

“Every year this event allows us to see and appreciate the amazing work our staff do right across our District. Importantly, it gives us an opportunity to come together to celebrate and recognise those achievements.

“I look forward to seeing and hearing from our finalists at the Symposium every year, the passion they have for their projects, improvement and above all the communities they are engrained in is nothing short of inspiring.

“I thoroughly congratulate all our winners and finalists, there were so many worthy projects that were submitted for consideration across the District. Our entire District is so proud of our staff’s work and the care they provide.

“We are truly grateful to have such dedicated healthcare professionals in western NSW, of whom our communities can be justifiably proud.”