Minister for Health David Davis and Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge presented awards in 18 categories to health services across the state at a special ceremony in Melbourne.
These prestigious awards are a chance to highlight and celebrate innovative, high quality and exceptional work being undertaken by individuals, teams and health services across Victoria. “Victoria’s public health services are setting the benchmark for what is possible, and what can be achieved when exceptional leadership, professionalism and dedication come together,” Mr Davis said.
The achievements being showcased at these awards are integral to the Victorian Government’s commitment to deliver a health system that is innovative, sustainable and focused on patient care. Mr Davis said for the first time the Victorian Government has introduced the Minister’s Award for Private Hospital Excellence. This year the inaugural award goes to Diaverum for its dedication to patient care in renal dialysis and I congratulate them on their innovation and delivery of quality health care. Other major winners in 2013 include:
- Eastern Health – Metropolitan health service of the year;
- Barwon Health – Regional health service of the year;
- Rochester and Elmore District Health Service – Rural health service of the year;
- Diaverum – Private health service of the year;
- Western Region Health Centre – Primary health service of the year; and,
- Alfred Health – Premier’s Award for advancing healthcare – putting patients first.
The awards, now in their ninth year, highlight the depth and breadth of Victoria’s world class healthcare and are an important opportunity to celebrate health services that foster a culture of innovation and ensure Victorian patients receive the best possible care. The finalists are delivering excellence in person-centred care, service provision, quality healthcare, improving the health status of Victorians, supporting chronic disease self-management and progressing e-health and communication technology.
Projects such as St Vincent’s Hospital overnight dialysis service, North Yarra Community Health’s exercise program for the disadvantaged, and Latrobe Community Health Services mobile wound service demonstrate outstanding leadership in healthcare. Dr Eric Fairbank AM, Associate Professor Leslie Reti and Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor Alison Street AO all received special recognition with Health Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge said the awards were an important opportunity to celebrate the outstanding leadership amongst mental health and drug and alcohol services. “The breadth and diversity of entries indicates an overwhelming commitment to better prevention, diagnosis, treatment and recovery services for people with a mental illness and their families who support them,” Ms Wooldridge said. “Congratulations to Ballarat Health Services and Barwon Health on winning the outstanding achievement and leadership awards respectively.”
Further information
A full list of 2013 Award Winners is available at Victorian Public Healthcare Awards. Source: Department of Health Victoria