The winners of the Exceptional People Awards 2018 are:

Connected Person-Centred Care 

Individual Award

Daisy Bentley

Environmental Services, Coral Tree Family Service

Mental Health Drug and Alcohol

Daisy is so much more than our cleaner. She goes above and beyond what is described in her position description to ensure that staff and families feel comfortable and welcome at Coral Tree Family Service.  Daisy always approaches staff and families with the utmost respect and takes so much pride and joy in the work she completes. Without Daisy the service does not function as efficiently. Congratulations Daisy.

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Team Award

Joint Winner: Mental Health Intensive Care Unit (MHICU)

Hornsby

Mental Health Drug and Alcohol

The MHICU have successfully demonstrated ongoing strong partnerships with their consumers. The MHICU team, including a peer worker representative, have continued to implement a variety of strategies, including consultation with both staff, consumers, carers and consumer representatives, to develop initiatives such as ongoing reviews of seclusion and restraint practices. The commitment of the team to collaboration and partnership, particularly with consumers, results in an ongoing culture of improvement and consumer-centred care. Congratulations Mental Health Intensive Care Unit.

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Joint Winner: Stroke Acute Rehabilitation Team (START)

Royal North Shore Hospital

The Stroke Acute Rehabilitation Team (START) of RNSH is an integrated medical and rehabilitation multidisciplinary team. The team consists of a full time physiotherapist and occupational therapist; and part-time dietitian, speech pathologist and social worker. They are a highly committed and skillful specialist team who are strong patient advocates. They provide multidimensional approach based on multidisciplinary work and rehabilitation to promote functional independence, social re-integration and to maintain medical stability. This integrated system of care increased patients and relatives involvement in goal setting thus improving patients' satisfaction. All team members ensure that patients and relatives are involved in the care which are provided in a respectful and supportive manner. Congratulations Stoke Acute Rehabilitation Team.

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Patient or Consumer Nominate Award

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Team

Royal North Shore Hospital

"I have had a challenging health history over the past 10 years with constant hospital admissions, many big surgeries and treatment for leukaemia."

"I came to the program very very unfit and never having exercised regularly in the past and I never thought I was capable of finding a program that would cater to my needs and allow me to participate at a level that I was comfortable with."

"The Cardic rehab program has made an enormous difference to my global health. I am amazed at the progress I have made in my overall fitness and my friends and family have all noted how well in looking and the improvement I have made."

"I cannot speak highly enough of the wonderful team and the excellent program they run. I'd like to thank everyone involved for the opportunities they have provided and I'd like to give them all an enormous thank you for giving me back the feeling of being well again which was something I cannot remember feeling for at least 10 years."

Congratulations Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Team.

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Healthy Communities 

Individual Award

Vivienne Thompson

Clinical Nurse Specialist, Koala Family Care Centre

Hornsby Hospital

Vivienne has a wealth of knowledge which she is happy to share. She is approachable and you can feel her genuine support. Vivienne's role requires her to help parents with complex needs meet the demands of parenting and be the best parent they can be. Vivienne has a constant mantra for herself and the colleagues she works with - keep the infant (patient) in mind. Vivienne has worked very hard on building and improving the links between services to better support patients. She is humble, patient and always kind. Many families in our community still remember and ask for her, long after she has finished working with them. Congratulations Vivienne.

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Team Award

Sexual Health Clinic Team

Clinic 16

Primary and Community Health

The sexual health clinic team is a multidisciplinary team of nurses, doctors, counsellors, psychologists, administration, a health promotion worker and a dietician. This group of superb individuals all work together above and beyond all expectations to allow for early intervention and treatment; and prevention of onward spread of STIs and HIV. They are caring and dedicated to their patients and the trust and respect shown to all who enter the door is inspiring. Congratulations Sexual Health Clinic Team.

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Evidence-Based Decision Making 

Individual Award

Matthew Williams

Senior Physiotherapist & Coordinator, Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program (OACCP)

Royal North Shore Hospital

Matthew has been the Northern Sydney Local Health District lead of the innovative Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program since its inception. Matthew has been instrumental in providing leadership and mentoring newly appointed coordinators. He is an outstanding Physiotherapist and emerging leader who has worked hard to achieve significant outcomes for the program. Congratulations Matt.

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Team Award

Antimicrobial Stewardship Team

Northern Sydney Local Health District

The Northern Sydney Local Health District Antimicrobial Stewardship Program is a successful program championing policies and systems for managing use and misuse of antibiotics and their resistance patterns. This success has come owing to the hard work, dedication, resilience and undying commitment of each of the team members across 5 different health care facilities. The team's impact on quality of care is highly commendable. Congratulations AMS team.

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Responsive and Adaptable Organisation 

Individual Award

Chris Oxby

eMR Architect

Information Communuications and Technology (ICT)

One of our clients has described Chris as 'always been unfailing in his desire to help and always a pleasure to work with. A thoroughly likeable and accomplished professional, competent falls way short of describing him!'

Chris is a forward thinker; he finds new ways to achieve outcomes or alters existing systems/processes to meet a need. He understands the business of caring for our patients and staff and will extend himself to meet clinical needs. Chris is always willing to be on the leading edge and take sensible risks to take our eMR development to a new level. Without Chris's expertise, we would not have achieved the level of eMR development we have today. Congratulations Chris.

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Team Award

Hornsby Mental Health Service Assertive Outreach Team

Mental Health Drug and Alcohol

Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Mental Health Service (HKMHS) Assertive Outreach Team (AOT) have successfully restructured over the past two years from a residential service to an assertive outreach service, thus aligning with other LHD AOT's. The success of this transition involved a high level of openness and collaboration with NGO's to support the consumers, showing respect to the challenges and concerns of those consumers, carers and staff involved who were going through significant changes. This is testament to their 'can do' attitude. The HKMHS AOT provide a unique example of recovery-orientated practice in action and show that it is possible for consumers with a mental illness to live successfully in the community with adequate supports. Congratulations Assertive Outreach Team.

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Engaged and Empowered Workforce

Individual Award

Joint Winner: Joyce Yuet-Han Liew

Deputy Director of Pharmacy, Northern Beaches

Manly and Mona Vale Hospitals

Joyce's firm belief in the principle of duty of care extends not just to patients but also our systems and staff. Her willingness to fill in the gaps in the service and go above and beyond her role inspires our staff to engage better with our systems and processes hence lifting the quality of our service. Joyce has invested significant efforts in maintaining a healthy work culture across both sites by communicating effectively by listening and helping staff achieve their optimal potential. Congratulations Joyce.

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Joint Winner: Esther Ng

Nurse Unit Manager, Graythwaite Rehabilitation Centre

Ryde Hospital

Esther is a truly inspirational member of the Nursing Unit Manager team at Ryde. Esther remains positive and actively motivates her peers to increase performance and maintain professional standards which lend to ensuring best care outcomes. Esther works tirelessly to ensure that the right patient receives the right level of rehabilitation at the right time. Esther works above and beyond expectation to ensure barriers to access for rehab are overcome in the best interest of the patient and their carers. She takes pride in her work, ensuring that her team remain motivated, inspired and work within an environment of continual professional education and development. Congratulations Esther.

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​Team Award

Employee Services Team

Workforce and Culture

The Employee Services Team is dedicated to ensuring an engaged and empowered workforce across NSLHD. The team provide guidance, support and assistance to managers on a broad range of issues relating to recruitment, pay, rostering and separations. The team go above and beyond on a daily basis to ensure that NSLHD employees can focus on providing connected person-centred care, knowing that their employment related matters are being actioned. The team are friendly, well-trained and proactive. Congratulations Employee Services Team.

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CORE values and behaviours 

Staff Award

Hollie Mahlberg

Security Supervisor

Hornsby Hospital

Hollie has had a positive impact on the security department at Hornsby Hospital. She has a pleasant demeanor and 'can-do' attitude that has endeared her to the Hornsby community. Hollie has lead her team effectively and inspired them. Hollie's management style is calming, communicative and always respectful of employees. She has demonstrated commitment to working with internal and external stakeholders to benefit her staff, the organisation and the patients at Hornsby Hospital. Congratulations Hollie.

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Volunteer and Consumer Advocate Award

The Emergency Department Volunteer Research Assistant Team

Royal North Shore Hospital

The Emergency Department Volunteer Research Assistants are a highly effective team from a broad range of backgrounds. The team members freely donate their time and expertise, with no monetary reward, filling a roster providing as complete daytime and evening coverage as possible. The team has supported- and continues to support- the development of the Royal North Shore ED Research Program. Collectively, the research data generated by the VRAs have contributed to increased knowledge and tangible improvements in patient experience, and have benefited the ED in many ways. Without these dedicated volunteers, this research could not have taken place at all. Congratulations Volunteer Research Assistant Team.

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Chief Executive Award

Tracey Taylor

Manager Employee Services

Workforce and Culture