The 12th annual Far West LHD Health Innovation and Staff Recognition Awards was held this week with the winning project a program dedicated to improving the clinical outcomes for local residential aged care residents with COVID-19.
The 2022 FWLHD Health Innovation Award was presented to ‘FWLHD COVID-HITH (Hospital in the Home): Improving outcomes for Residential Aged Care Residents with COVID-19’. This project was led by Dr Sarah Wenham (Specialist Palliative Care Physician), who collected the award with Karen Kemp (Infection Control Clinical Nurse Consultant) and Lesley Jesser (After Hours Nurse Manager).
This project was implemented to urgently address the increasing number of COVID-19 positive Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) residents presenting to the BH Hospital Emergency Department (ED), being admitted to hospital and dying in hospital following a RACF COVID-19 outbreak.
An extraordinary FWLHD Outbreak Management Team (OMT) meeting was convened, and the root causes were identified; and within two working days a COVID Hospital in the Home (COVID-HITH) service was rapidly set up, a medical model of care designed, and the service opened to address the issues identified with the aim of improving clinical outcomes for RACF residents. Since commencing on 19 April 2022, the COVID-HITH has supported seven RACF facilities with 8 COVID-19 outbreaks and has treated 127 RACF COVID-19 positive residents.
Innovation Award runner up projects were: Closing the Documentation Loop – Collaboration is key to Quality & patient Safety; Outpatient psychotherapy public community mental health: A Sustainability Analysis; and Wilcannia COVID Integrated Wellbeing Response.
The FWLHD Health Innovation and Staff Recognition Awards were presented in a ceremony at the BH Civic Centre on Wednesday with participants attending in person – the first time since 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony was also broadcast to staff across the LHD.
Interim Chief Executive, Mr Brad Astill, said it was a pleasure that award recipients and attendees were physically present at the ceremony.
“It’s important to acknowledge the great achievements across the health service through the Health Innovation Awards and Staff Recognition Awards, and the long standing staff in the District,” said Mr Astill.
“It was a real pleasure that we have returned to presenting those awards fully in person and I extend my congratulations to all of the Award recipients.”
Staff Recognition Awards were presented to staff who had excelled in customer service and had contributed the care and wellbeing of patients and clients to an exception level. Award winners were chosen from peer nominations, including consumer nominations for staff and teams for excellence service.
Staff Recognition Award recipients for 2022 were:
Extraordinary Staff Member Awards:
Allied Health – Briana Smith (Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Manager at Broken Hill Base Hospital).
Medical – Dr Sarah Wenham (Specialist Palliative Care Physician and currently Acting Director of Medical).
Mental Health – In a tie: James Pollack (NDIS Mental Health Officer) and Tahlia Kerin (Peer Supported Transfer of Care Worker for the Community Mental Health Drug & Alcohol Team)
Nursing and Midwifery – Janet Daley (Registered Nurse on Sub Acute Rehabilitation Unit at Broken Hill Health Service).
Support Staff – Noeline Cook (Administration Officer, Wentworth Health Service).
Consumer Nominated Staff Member:
Jennifer Wellington (School Nurse Coordinator).
Inspiring Team (tied):
Broken Hill Community Mental Health Drug Alcohol Team; and
FWLHD Palliative Care, Oncology and Cancer Services team for Broken Hill and Buronga.
Employee Recognition Awards for years of dedicated service were also presented to a number of employees from across the District. Long Service awards were also presented in the following groups:
Long Service Awards for 10 years of service: Shannae Harvey, Gemma Gers, Corina Kemp, Christopher Jones, Kevern Hobman, Jo Condon, Morgan Walsh, Benjamin Harris, Sarah Wang, Carrie Barlow, Angelina Prendos, Colleen Dorman, Jade Agius, Diane Fulham, Tracy Williams, Sandra Wauchope, Tori McManus, Colby Nejaim, Paula Treloar, Jacinta Barraclough, Jintu Paul, Stephen McGlinchey, Jasmine Roberts, Jaimee Ryan, Haley King, Kylie Kerslake and Brodie Kennedy.
Long Service Awards for 20 years of service: Denise McCallum and Jillian Lord.
Long Service Awards for 30 years of service: Carole Vlatko, Christopher Hoysted, Bradley Milne and Frances Grimm.
Long Service Award for 40 years of service: Susan Beahl and Helen Morris.
The Far West LHD Employee Recognition Awards are presented for years of dedicated service to the organisation. The recipients were recognised with certificates of acknowledgement and a gift.
The Broken Hill community is set to benefit from major infrastructure projects underway at the Broken Hill Health Service, including a new mental health unit, an upgraded emergency department and new key health worker accommodation.
Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) is once again helping to raise awareness of gender-based violence by supporting events to highlight the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism annual campaign.
