Awards, Recognition & Affiliations
Our nursing and midwifery workforce are frontrunners in care, education and research and we recognise the valuable contribution they make to our community.
Rural and remote placements
The nurses and midwives in Sydney Local Health District continue to support rural and remote Local Health Districts in disaster response, workforce capacity, recruitment, and opportunities to gain new skills and experience.
Sydney Local Health District is proud of its partnership with Far West Local Health District, and has supported Broken Hill Emergency Department with suitably skilled and trained nursing staff and through our many virtual health programs.
We have partnered with Murrumbidgee Local Health District through the Virtual Nurse Assist Program, and recently with Griffith Base Hospital in their Women’s and Babies Unit.
In 2025, we look forward to supporting midwives from Far West Local Health District who will join us at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital as they gain midwifery and Neonatal Intensive Care experience in a tertiary hospital setting.
In 2025, our nurses and midwives volunteered to be deployed to Northern NSW to assist communities in the aftermath of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred. In 2022, they were deployed to assist in the devastating floods in Northern NSW, and in 2019-2020, the fires in Southern NSW.
NSW Heath Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards 2025
The NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards acknowledge the passion, dedication and contributions of nurses and midwives, who positively impact the health outcomes of patients, women and families across NSW.
The 2025 awards will be held at an in person event in November. This year there are nine nomination categories. Of these, eight are individual awards and one award is for a team. The individual award categories include one consumer-nominated Healing Heart Award and one colleague-nominated Healing Heart Award.
Healing Heart Award nominations now open
Do you know a nurse or midwife who you think deserves to be recognised and celebrated? Nominations are now open for the 2025 Healing Heart Consumer Award and the Healing Heart Colleague Award. Submit your nomination before Thursday 12 June.
Nominate now
Congratulations to Courtney Joseph, Registered Midwife at Canterbury Hospital and Aaron Jones, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Information Officer in Sydney Local Health District, who were both nominated as finalists for a NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Award in 2024.
The RPA Virtual Wound Care Command Centre
The rpavirtual Wound Care Command Centre was honoured with three prestigious awards in 2024:
- NSW Health Awards for Transforming Patient Experience
- Premier’s Award for Highest Quality Healthcare
- Sydney Local Health District Excellence and Innovation Award for Transforming Patient Experience
The NSW Health Transforming Patient Experience Award acknowledges projects and programs that reflect meaningful and active collaboration between the patient, their families and carers and the health care team to improve health outcomes.
The Premiers Highest Quality Healthcare Award recognises services that ensure people across the state have access to world-class healthcare when and where they need it.
The Wound Care Command Centre, located within Australia’s first virtual hospital, leverages cutting-edge technology, including an artificial intelligence wound app, to offer immediate specialist services. This innovation has improved continuity of care, reduced waiting times, and eliminated travel costs. Notably, the app has decreased average healing time and reduced wound size by an impressive 48 per cent.
Opening in 2023, the Centre operates as a flexible nurse-led model working alongside other clinicians and allied health professionals both virtually and in clinics. Together, they provide timely, high-quality care to patients with chronic wounds, partnering with them in their treatment journey irrespective of their location.
Dr Michelle Barakat-Johnson, founder of the RPA Virtual Hospital Wound Care Command Centre and District Clinical Skin Integrity Lead, expressed her pride in the team’s achievements.
This award showcases what we can accomplish in just a year since officially opening, exceeding our targets, and transforming the lives of patients across the state. And this is only the beginning.
– Dr Michelle Barakat-Johnson