District mental health team wins Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Award. 

The Camperdown, Marrickville and Redfern Acute Care Service has been named the Nursing Team of the Year at the 2022 NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards. 

The team at the Service delivers trauma-informed and compassionate mental healthcare for consumers experiencing mental health crises in the community 24-hours a day, seven days a week. 

"It's an amazing achievement and we're so thankful for the acknowledgement for the work that we do every day. I'd like to thank every single person that works on the acute care team and their dedication, and the work that they do every day," Donna Beeson, who manages the service, said.  

The 25-member team provides mental health assessments and interventions for people experiencing acute mental health problems including treatment, assistance with admissions to inpatient treatment facilities and referrals for ongoing care in the community.

Since its inception in 2016, the team has expanded to include the Police, Ambulance and Clinical Early Response (PACER) team, who provide clinical intervention to consumers, advice, consultancy and support to police at South Sydney Local Area Command about managing mental health issues in the community and reducing mental health presentations to the Emergency Department.

It also includes the Emergency Department (ED) Mental Health Liaison Nursing team, who respond to requests for mental health interventions in EDs and SafeHaven, a non-clinical service where peer support workers and a mental health clinician together help consumers navigate their recovery journey.

“The Award is fitting recognition for the Service, and I would like to thank the hardworking and passionate team for their dedication to caring for members of our community when they are at their most vulnerable, Dr Teresa Anderson, the District’s Chief Executive, said.

The NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards were presented by NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard, NSW Minister for Women, Regional Health and Mental Health Bronnie Taylor, NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce and NSW Health Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Jacqui Cross.

The annual Awards celebrate and recognise the outstanding nurses and midwives across NSW Health.