Finalists recognised for healthcare innovation and excellence in NSW.
 

Staff and a volunteer at Sydney Local Health District have been named as finalists in the 2024 NSW Health Awards for their extraordinary efforts to improve the state’s public health system. 

Now in its 26th year, the Awards acknowledge the personalised, sustainable, and digitally enabled programs that contribute to the wellbeing of patients and the community. 

Here are the District’s finalists:

Health Research Award – Oral Insulin, ANZAC Institute 

The team at the ANZAC Institute have developed oral insulin, offering a new alternative where only injection treatments were previously available. Oral insulin has undergone wide-ranging preclinical testing and is now in production in preparation for clinical trials in early 2025.   

This innovative research aims to improve treatment options for people living with diabetes and prevent significant long-term impacts of this disease.
 

Transforming Patient Experience Award — RPA Virtual Hospital Wound Care Command Centre  
Founded on a nurse-led model of care, the RPA Virtual Hospital Wound Care Command Centre enables collaboration between skin integrity nurses and other clinicians and allied health staff to provide expert advice on wound care treatment and management.  

Artificial intelligence informs predictive modelling to help patients understand their healing trajectory. Virtual access via the app empowers patients to be partners in their care by uploading their health status information from metropolitan, regional and remote locations.
 

Excellence in Multicultural Healthcare Award – International Student Collaboration Stream, Population Health  

The post-COVID surge of international students returning to Sydney highlighted the need to prevent and treat the human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infections in the international student population.  

The team collaborated with peers in the international student community and engaged directly with students at targeted events to deliver holistic, culturally safe health promotions, empowering students to make decisions and prevent emergency department presentations.
 

Excellence in the Provision of Mental Health Services – Therapeutic Dragon Taming, Mental Health Services   

‘Therapeutic Dragon Taming’ combines the Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) tabletop game with elements of psychological therapy, most commonly Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Consumers participate in two-hour sessions each week for eight weeks. They are guided by a multidisciplinary team including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and peer support workers.  

Engaging consumers in their mental health treatment is crucial for improved social, functional and occupational outcomes. This approach has led to lower drop-out rates than those of traditional talk therapy.
 

Volunteer of the Year Award – Neil Winter, Concord Hospital  

Neil has been a dedicated volunteer at Concord Hospital since 2022. After a significant lived experience with the healthcare system, he decided to give back as a Volunteer and Consumer Representative. He embodies the NSW Health CORE values and has driven these values throughout Concord Hospital’s Volunteer Service, which recently regrouped and experienced significant growth.  

The 2024 NSW Health Awards presentation will be held on 24 October at the Sydney International Convention Centre from 6:00pm and will be livestreamed. Updates will be posted on the NSW Health Awards website.  

NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM expressed her excitement about celebrating the people and teams who are enriching health in millions of ways every day. 

"The Awards are a chance to recognise our incredible healthcare staff and volunteers, across the public health system," Ms Pearce said. 

"I congratulate the finalists, but I also want to acknowledge the work being done across the system every day, by our teams of doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health and support staff." 

NSW Health received 186 nominations across the 12 award categories. 

Congratulations again to all District finalists!