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Melbourne Health Chief Executive praise for Healthcare Award wins
11 September 2008
Melbourne Health Chief Executive, Linda Sorrell, today hailed as “the jewel in the crown of The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s 160th anniversary celebrations” the winning of six awards in the annual Victoria Public Healthcare Awards.
The awards were announced last night, with Melbourne Health’s expertise in public heath being recognised by three special Ministerial Awards, a Premier’s Award, and a gold and silver win in two more categories.
Ms Sorrell said: “This is an outstanding achievement and on behalf of Melbourne Health I congratulate all the recipients for all their hard work and their professionalism. We are in the business of providing the best possible care for patients and it is extremely pleasing that these endeavours have been recognised through these awards.
“These wins are particularly pleasing as they represent the jewel in the crown of our celebration of the 160th anniversary of The Royal Melbourne Hospital this year.”
Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Professor Stephen Davis won the Minister’s Award for Outstanding achievement by an individual, its ABO incompatible renal transplantation team won the Outstanding achievement by a team, and Professor Bruce Singh won the Minister’s Award for Outstanding achievement by an individual in mental healthcare.
Melbourne Health shared the Premier’s Award for Excellence for Improving cancer care in Victoria with the Royal Women’s Hospital, was also a gold winner for Providing timely and accessible health services by dramatically improving emergency department waiting times for mental health patients with a new Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Unit, and a silver winner for Providing sustainable, well managed and efficient health services.
In presenting Professor Davis with his award, Health Minister Daniel Andrews praised his 35-year association with the Royal Melbourne Hospital, which has taken him from a young intern to his current roles as Director of Neurology, Divisional Director of Neurosciences, Head of the Stroke Care Unit and Chairman of the hospital’s medical advisory committee.
Professor Davis established the hospital’s Stroke Care Unit, last year developed the hospital’s Code Stroke to streamline the admission of acute stroke patients and was one of the driving forces in establishing the Stroke Society of Australasia.
“Professor Davis’s opinion is eagerly sought and he leads a highly successful stroke research program that is recognised both nationally and internationally,” Mr Andrews said.
“However it is not only length of service or positions of responsibility that define him but his outstanding commitment to and passion for his patients, for the hospital he feels so proud of, its vital role in caring for the community and his belief in the importance of educating, training and mentoring the young, who will ultimately continue his work.”
Mr Andrews said the Incompatible Renal Transplantation Team, an innovative partnership between the Royal Melbourne Hospital and North West Dialysis Service, had resulted in the doubling of the number of transplants performed by Melbourne Health in the past five years.
The transplant service performs approximately 50 per cent of Victoria’s kidney transplants, with Australia’s largest live donor transplant program.
“Major advances have enabled kidney transplantation for patients who would have otherwise remained dependent upon dialysis,” he said.
“Transplantation will add an average of 15 to 30 years to the lives of these patients, as well as enhancing their quality of life and easing the lives of their families.
“Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for End Stage Kidney Disease and this project has exceeded all expectations for patients with this disease. Melbourne Health staff have accomplished what probably constitutes the greatest advance in renal transplantation in Australia for 20 years.”
The Minister for Mental Health, Ms Lisa Neville said Professor Singh’s award for Outstanding achievement by an individual in mental healthcare was a fitting finish to his role as Clinical Director of NorthWestern Mental Health, a position he relinquished last January.
“Professor Singh has worked in the field of mental health since 1972. His achievements, his contribution to clients, patients and the community, are vast,” Ms Neville said.
“He played a pivotal role in North Western Mental Health growing from a small 20-bed general hospital psychiatric unit into one of the largest services in Australia with a national and international reputation for innovation, training and research.
“In the Asia Pacific region, Professor Singh has initiated change in countries where previously it has generally been accepted that people with a mental illness are either institutionalised or estranged from their community and family.
“Professor Singh is a leader, administrator, clinician, researcher, academic, educator and mentor who is respected for his skills, ability, forethought and humanity and his belief in providing dignity for those in the community who are often misunderstood and alienated because of their illness.”
The Victorian Public Healthcare Awards were established in 2005 to celebrate the dedication and expertise of the people who provide publicly funded healthcare in Victoria.
Mr Andrews said the award categories seek to honour the best health services and reflect important areas of practice across the health spectrum, regardless of the setting, service or specialty.
With six categories plus the Minister’s and Premier’s awards, they offer healthcare agencies the opportunity to be recognised for their commitment to providing the best possible care to the people of Victoria.
“Representatives from health services, academia, non-government organisations and consumers judged the entries and the 95 judges, led by the Chair of Judging Dr Norman Swan, gave generously of their time and expertise to arrive at the finalists,” he said.
“The 2008 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards illustrate the scope of innovation and excellence within Victorian healthcare and celebrates the health sector’s achievements.
“The awards have been embraced by the sector with great enthusiasm and generated considerable goodwill.
“More than 300 entries were submitted to this year’s awards – an increase of more than 30 per cent on last year’s awards.”
Media contact: Rod Jackson-Smith 0417 156 214
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