Innovation and Excellence Awards
Celebrating achievements and recognising staff across our District.

About the Awards
The Sydney Local Health District Innovation and Excellence Awards aim to recognise, celebrate and encourage healthcare innovation and excellence in line with the District's values, strategic focus and vision to achieve 'Excellence in health and healthcare for all'.
Winners were announced at the Sydney Local Health District 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM), 4pm to 6.30pm, Thursday 8 December 2022. Read more about the AGM.
Categories
There are 12 award categories in total, split between program, project and individual awards.
Winners have been announced! Click the category below to see the finalists and winners for each category.
Team Awards
Collaboration between clinicians, researchers, policy makers, service users, health managers and consumers in healthcare is critical – and can lead to service improvements and research findings that improve outcomes for our patients.
Highly commended:
- RPA Hospital - Multidisciplinary Memory and Cognition Clinic for patients with dementia
Winner:
- Concord Hospital Haematology Services – VITT: diagnosis and management of a new disease
Our District is committed to collaborating and purposefully working in partnerships across government and community organisations.
Highly commended:
- RPA and Concord Hospitals High Risk Foot Service - Podiatry care for high risk patients during COVID-19
- Sydney Dental Hospital - Remote paediatric dental care provision during COVID-19
Winner:
- Digital Health and Innovation - vICU: Keeping people on country
This award recognises and showcases innovation in improving the quality and safety of mental health patient care.
Highly commended:
- Professor Marie Bashir Centre - Next generation psychiatric ketamine treatment clinic
- Community Mental Health Services - Camperdown, Marrickville and Redfern Acute Care Service
Winner:
- Concord Centre for Mental Health – The Walker Unit
Support for our people is one of our most important investments in delivering excellence in healthcare for all.
Highly commended:
- Concord Hospital Speech Pathology – Masked communication education
- PPE Governance Committee - Workforce safety during the pandemic – mask strategies to optimise utilisation
Winner:
- Clinical Services Integration and Population Health and Mental Health Services - Project ECHO: Improving best practice care for people with complex mental health conditions
We are committed to ensuring that our District and the services we provide are inclusive of all people in our community regardless of race, gender, sexuality and ability - and that everyone is accepted, welcomed and valued.
Highly commended:
- Population Health - Breast Cancer Concierge Program
- Population Health - Community pharmacies and peer-led pop up HIV and Hepatitis C testing at Riverwood
Winner:
- Health Promotion Unit and Aboriginal Health Unit - Jarjums Connections
Keeping our community healthy is one of our key priorities. This includes raising awareness of healthy choices, and improving the overall health and wellbeing.
Highly commended:
- Clinical Services Integration, Homeless and Rough Sleepers Program – Boarding House Project
- Population Health – Active Ageing Network
Winner:
- District Emergency Operations Centre – Riding the Delta wave in a complex environment
Patient safety is one of the most important parts of providing excellent care. This includes engaging patients as partners in their care and delivering care in ways that they will find relevant.
Highly commended:
- Oral Health Services – ‘More than just teeth’ – a holistic approach to ensuring Patient Safety
Winner:
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – Virtual safety briefing
Patient-centred care is at the heart of our strategy. Every patient experience is an opportunity to deliver on our shared vision, and this category recognises the projects which have transformed patient experiences.
Highly commended:
- Sydney Dental Hospital – Monitoring Assessing Dental (MAD) Project
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Orthopaedics - Using 3D tech to revolutionise orthopaedic prosthetics
Winner:
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital – Pelvic Mesh Service
This award recognises a team, or teams, who have transformed their processes to deliver exceptional patient and family-centred care.
Winners:
- Canterbury Hospital Emergency Department
- Concord Hospital Emergency Department
- RPA Hospital Emergency Department
Individual Awards
This Award recognises the contribution of an individual who provides excellent support for patients, carers and families and acts as a role model for volunteering in our District.
Winner:
- Olivia Nixon, President of Little Wonder, RPA Neonatal Intensive Care Unit parent support group
This category recognises a hospital assistant who demonstrates excellence in their cleaning role.
Winners:
- Balmain Hospital - Rajesh Khadka
- Canterbury Hospital - Jane Thomas
- Concord Hospital - Aben Tawk Thawng
- Croydon Health Centre - Ni Wayan Monika Sofiani
- Croydon, Marrickville and Redfern Health Centres - Anup Sharma
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit - Cam Giang
- Sydney Dental Hospital – Jin Kook Mok
This award recognises employees who have made an exceptional contribution to the services provided by the District.
Highly commended:
- Milorose Felipe, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Pelvic Mesh Service
- Bonnie Fonti, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Winner:
- Dr Amelia Lewis, Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist, Community Health
These awards recognise the outstanding contributions in our District during the response to COVID-19.
Winner:
- Associate Professor Lauren Troy, Respiratory Staff Specialist, RPA