2024 Together C&I Awards

The Together ceremony was an opportunity for staff to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Community & Integration staff, highlighting genuine appreciation for their daily efforts.

Winners of the awards were announced in a special ceremony on Tuesday 19 November 2024.

Congratulations to:

Outstanding Professional Support Staff Member

Noelene Cook

Nolene is indispensable to NBMLHD, demonstrating exemplary professionalism with her promptness, organisation, and responsiveness. She consistently upholds CORE values while ensuring excellence in the operations of allied health and specialty teams. Nolene's attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and support for both staff and managers make her a crucial asset. Her dedication to addressing service demands and enhancing functionality goes beyond expectations, setting a high standard for her colleagues. Nolene's contributions, though often unrecognised, make her a true role model within the organisation.

Outstanding Clinician Award

Anna Snowden

Anna is a highly respected member of the BM Access Team, known for her trauma-informed approach and skill in engaging consumers and their families, even in distressing situations. She partners with families in care, maintaining transparency and clarity in her role, which fosters trust and positive outcomes. Anna recently led intensive home-based treatment to keep a consumer at home, highlighting her commitment to collaborative care without seeking recognition. Her positive attitude and willingness to take on complex work make her a role model to both new and experienced clinicians. Anna’s dedication significantly enhances the team's effectiveness and the overall trust in the service.

Inspiring Leader Award

Matthew Russell

Matthew exemplifies exceptional leadership, guiding his team with a clear vision and commitment to fostering a positive work environment. He is dedicated to nurturing team growth, promoting collaboration, and driving service improvements in mental health care.

Over the past year, Matthew has successfully navigated significant changes within the Mental Health Service, implemented new structures, and engaged with key stakeholders on challenging topics.

His proactive leadership, focus on person-centered care, and commitment to excellence makes him a worth recipient of this award.

People Focused Award

Dorian Taylor

Dorian is dedicated to enhancing the human experience for all service users in our district, providing high-quality, human-centered care to consumers and carers. He leads by example in promoting best practices and continuously seeks to improve service delivery for those with intellectual disabilities and mental illness through active feedback and adaptation.

Dorian's advocacy for equitable health care and inclusive practices ensures that individuals' needs and preferences are prioritised.

Innovator Award

Penrith Community Mental Health Team

The Penrith Community Mental Health Team provides care for the district's most complex and disadvantaged consumers, using active feedback and quality improvement to address community needs. Through the YES survey, they improved from 'Not performing' to 'Performing' against statewide KPIs, achieving the highest number of returns among community mental health teams.

This feedback led to a comprehensive community mental health program offering DBT, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and hearing voices support, yielding positive care outcomes.

Passionate about quality and improvement, they have lodged an Apollo evaluation of their program and are a key research site for UNSW’s Advance Statement evaluation, all while managing high consumer numbers. They are a credit to the service.

Collaborate for Success Award

The Acute Mental Health Unit Team

The Acute Mental Health Unit exemplifies the NSW Health CORE through its daily operations and commitment to high-quality patient care. The team actively collaborates with each other and external partners to address complex patient needs, leveraging individual strengths to enhance overall performance.

They celebrate collective successes, fostering a supportive work environment, and actively seek feedback to continuously improve service delivery. This dedication to collaboration, recognition of individual contributions, and commitment to continuous improvement positions the unit as a deserving candidate for the "Collaborate for Success" award.

Above and Beyond Consumer’s Choice Award

Kimberley Grime

In her position as a midwife, Kim embodies exceptional qualities, demonstrating professionalism and empathy in every interaction. She ensures that her patients are well-informed, explaining details clearly to empower them in their care decisions.

Kim consistently goes above and beyond, being available outside of regular hours to provide reassurance and support during stressful moments. Her gentle and compassionate approach, particularly in challenging situations, fosters a sense of safety and trust. She actively encourages her patients to research and engage in their health choices, valuing their input and concerns.

With her extensive knowledge and flexible support, Kim prepares families for motherhood while maintaining a cheerful and caring demeanour, making her an invaluable resource for those she serves.

Commendation Award for Culture Winners

The Mental Health General Services Team

The MH General Services Team is a small group that consistently demonstrates the NSW Health CORE values in their interactions with both patients and staff by simply ‘getting on with it’.

Their approachable and respectful demeanour, combined with a positive attitude, lifts the spirits of those around them. They effectively adapt to sudden changes in unit acuity, maintaining a high standard of cleanliness for patients and staff, all while working with minimal resources and without seeking recognition.

Dr Kristof Mikes-Liu

Dr Mikes-Liu is a dynamic leader at NBMLHD in the Mental Health Service.  He is committed to enhancing workplace culture and diversity through collaboration and a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach.

He fosters genuine engagement with consumers and stakeholders, creating an environment of cultural and psychological safety that encourages constructive feedback.

His dedication to understanding complex issues and facilitating dialogue leads to improved outcomes for both consumers and staff. Dr Mikes-Liu’s leadership style celebrates unity, diversity, and inclusivity, ensuring that everyone feels valued and important within the organisation.

Sally Weymouth

Sally is the Disaster Recovery Cinician and Social work in the Mental Health Service.  Sally actively collaborates with diverse, vulnerable communities affected by natural disasters, fostering an environment of openness and respect where every voice is valued.

Sally quickly responds to urgent calls for mental health support, leveraging her extensive networks with service providers and emergency response organisations, such as SES, RFS, and Police.

Her recent deployment to the Hawkesbury floods showcased her exceptional partnership skills, as she worked with multiple agencies to deliver vital mental health care and support, including translating services for non-English speakers. Sally's dedication makes her an invaluable asset to both our organisation and the communities she serves.

The Acute Mental Health Unit Nursing Team

The nursing staff in the Acute Mental Health Unit have significantly improved workplace culture through innovative practices and a strong commitment to collaboration.

They introduced a peer support program and organised “Wellness Wednesdays” to promote mental health and community among staff, enhancing job satisfaction and reducing burnout.

Their exemplary interdisciplinary collaboration includes participating in case conferences with various health professionals to develop comprehensive patient care plans and protocols addressing complex needs.

Additionally, they champion diversity and inclusion through a dedicated committee, cultural competency training, and celebrations of significant cultural events.

These efforts not only elevate the quality of care but also establish a commendable standard within NBMLHD, making the nursing staff deserving nominees for the Culture Commendation Award.

Commendation Award for Performance Winners

Kellie Huggett

Kellie is consistently professional and pleasant to all people who seek help from the Public Health Unit. She has stepped up into a leadership role amongst the school team and is always looking for ways to extend her knowledge.

Her interactions with health care professionals and members of the public are polite, professional and well mannered. She has a fantastic attitude to work and to helping those around her. Her joyful mood and encouraging words lift the mood in the office. Kellie goes above and beyond to follow up with queries, ensuring vaccines arrive on time and GPs are supported in their delivery.

Rachelle Davis

Rachelle is an exceptional Mental Health Service employee who consistently goes above and beyond in her role. She mentors and coaches emerging administration staff, helping them reach their full potential.

Rachelle shares her extensive corporate knowledge with the others, ensuring they are well-equipped to perform their roles.

Rachelle also plays a key role in organising the MH Administration Forum, fostering networking and support among administration staff across the service. Her professionalism, reliability, and willingness to assist others without seeking recognition make her an invaluable asset to the MH Executive team.

Amanda Robinson

Amanda is a vital member of the Public Health Unit, consistently delivering high-quality work and going the extra mile to support her team and the local community. During the recent Avian Influenza outbreak in the Hawkesbury area, she tirelessly developed materials and systems that facilitated efficient surveillance, earning recognition from the statewide Public Health Network. Amanda ensures that all patients and community members receive appropriate follow-up and support regarding notifiable conditions, and she is always quick to assist her colleagues whenever needed.

Tanya Mahony

Tanya Mahony is a Senior Oral Health Therapist at NBMLHD, where she excels in managing the Primary School Mobile Dental Program, serving 66 schools and 43,251 students, 85% of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

As the oral health promotion and research coordinator, she leads multiple projects and publications while mentoring new dental graduates and teaching undergraduate students at Nepean Centre for Oral Health.

Tanya's dedication to integrated oral health care, collaborating with various health professionals, is exemplary. She is currently completing a master’s degree and plans to pursue a PhD focused on oral health care for children with disabilities in Australia

The Mental Health Information and Business Analytics Team

The MH Information & Business Analytics Team have made significant contributions to improving the performance of NBMLHD Mental Health by closely collaborating with staff to enhance activity targets and KPIs through meaningful data entry. Their efforts have led to the reduction of unknown classes and phases, positioning NBMLHD Mental Health among the top five performing districts in the state. Despite being a small team, their impactful work serves as a stable foundation for informed decision-making and performance measurement, making them invaluable "quiet achievers" within the service.