Two unique District initiatives nominated as finalists in this year’s Premier's awards.
 

Sydney Local Health District has two unique initiatives nominated for NSW Premier’s awards. 

Both are remarkable examples of the District’s commitment towards the delivery of patient-centred care, innovation, and high-quality services to District communities. 

The District has one of the country’s biggest urban Aboriginal populations. Kalgal Burnbona School Based Integrated Care is an innovative framework developed in District Community Health Services to provide holistic, integrated, multidisciplinary child and family-centred care to children, supporting the District in Closing the Gap. Co-design and ongoing collaboration with the Aboriginal community, education sector and non-government organisations underpin the model’s success. 

The framework helps to improve health, behavioural, education and social outcomes, and is looking to expand and help children in other communities. Improvements in staff retention and wellbeing demonstrate how the framework benefits educators as well as students. 

The initiative is nominated for Excellence in Service Delivery, recognising people who demonstrate the positive contribution they are making for the people of NSW, continuously improving, and committed to their best work. 

Professor Sue Woolfenden, District Director of Community Paediatrics, says “We’re thrilled to be announced as finalists."

"Statewide recognition like this helps us raise awareness of the fantastic outcomes that emerge when we work together with patients and community at the heart of all we do.”

RPA Virtual Hospital’s Wound Care Command Centre is nominated for the Highest Quality Healthcare category, recognising services that ensure people across the state have access to world-class healthcare when and where they need it. 

Opening in 2023, the Centre is a collaboration between the District and NSW Health. It is a flexible nurse-led model of care, with RPA Virtual skin integrity nurses collaborating with other clinicians and allied health virtually and in clinics. They work together to provide timely information to patients with chronic wounds, partnering with them in their care irrespective of their location. 

The team also support regional and rural clinicians in remote communities, empowering them with expertise at the patient bedside using advanced technology, machine learning and predictive modelling. 

Dr Michelle Barakat-Johnson, service founder and District Skin Integrity Clinical Program lead, is grateful for the nomination. 

“On behalf of the team, we are honoured to be recognised for our hard work and dedication to wound care. I look forward to the outcome!”  

The NSW Premier’s Awards ceremony will be held in November 2024.