Friday December 6, 2024
The Aspire to Inspire (A2i) Awards recognise the outstanding contributions of our people who go above and beyond, demonstrating Eastern Health values in action.
Congratulations to all 2024 A2i Award winners.
Safe Always
Michelle Taylor, Team Leader Maroondah Continuing Care Together
Michelle Taylor has fostered a psychologically safe workplace. Being a lifelong learner, Ms Taylor has set an example for her team where they feel encouraged to access training opportunities, ensuring they continue to develop their clinical skills.
Because of Ms Taylor’s leadership, her team report that their work environment is friendly and welcoming, while being open to feedback and changing for the better.
Partnering in Care
Benn Veenker, Manager of Lived Experience Workforce and Advocacy
Benn Veenker is dedicated to the professional development of his team; proactively searching for training opportunities aligned with their professional goals. He is a crucial part of the positive change needed in the alcohol and drug sector, advocating for the value of learning from lived experience workers rather than stigmatising them.
Mr Veenker also started ‘Run into Recovery’; a group that fosters connection for those who have a past in substance use or have been impacted by a loved one’s substance use disorder.
Excellent Care and Experiences
GEM@Home/Rehab@Home Team
The GEM/Rehab@Home team has doubled in size over the past year, making made new staff feel welcome, and continue to deliver outstanding care to patients. The team passionately advocates for and recognises the rights of their patients, and their desire to receive treatment and care where they feel most comfortable – their homes.
They introduced novel models of care that are leading new ways of thinking across Victoria and recognise that the smallest things in a patient’s life can sometimes be the most important for their physical, emotional and physiological wellbeing.
Bunjil’s Spirit Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing
Donna Dryden, Aboriginal Health Care Worker
Donna Dryden is a proud Aboriginal woman from Yorta Yorta land. As an Aboriginal Health Worker with the Aboriginal Health Team in Healesville, Ms Dryden goes above and beyond every day to ensure that her clients have access to quality and culturally safe health care.
She supports clients to navigate the complex health system and liaises with multiple health services. Ms Dryden strongly advocates for clients while encouraging self-advocacy and develops strong therapeutic relationships with them.
Ms Dryden has actively worked in organising flu vaccine days, family health days and a day for elders to engage in a physiotherapy session at Eastern Health Healesville.
Resource optimisation
Renee Burdeu, Senior Counsellor Advocate ECASA
In 2023 the Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (ECASA) had a 12-month waitlist, which caused ongoing distress for clients and staff alike. Renee Burdeu researched, consulted on, and implemented a service change that reduced the waiting time to just four to five weeks.
Ms Burdeu’s vision for ECASA has been unflagging, and she has brought ECASA staff with her in making the cultural shift necessary to approach the new model of care with passion and positivity. Demand for ECASA’s services has only increased, but the short wait time and high quality of care provided to victim survivors of sexual assault has been maintained.
Diversity and Inclusion Champion
Tara Morrell, Diversity and Inclusion Worker
In her role at the Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (ECASA), Tara Morrell reduces barriers and improve access to the service for people from diverse backgrounds.
Ms Morrell has developed partnerships within Eastern Health and in the Eastern Metropolitan Region to promote ECASA’s services and to understand how best to meet diverse needs. She approaches this work with curiosity and helps support the counselling staff to deliver care in the most respectful and appropriate way.
Respect for All
Hayley Hennessey, Personal Assistant Mental Health
Hayley Hennessey received six nominations, highlighting how she exemplifies professionalism and excellence in her role.
Her extensive experience and profound knowledge make her an invaluable asset to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Program.
Ms Hennessey’s proactive approach and dedication significantly contribute to a positive and productive work environment.
Learning and Improving Every Day
Niall Kennedy, Consultant Intensivist
Niall Kennedy developed ‘Primary School’; a tool which supports Intensive Care Unit (ICU) trainees with an exam called the ‘Primary’, which assess foundational knowledge in intensive care medicine.
Mr Kennedy identified that a lack of structure and formal resources was creating an isolating study experience for trainees. Today, Primary School has become recognised in the broader ICU community. During recent interviews for Junior Medical Officers, Primary School was repeatedly quoted as a significant asset. The pass rate for the exam has increased to upwards of 50 percent, seeing Eastern Health surpass the national average.
Volunteer or Consumer Representative
Denise Curran, Volunteer
Denise Curran has been a volunteer for 25 years. In various leadership roles she was responsible for the recruitment, training, and rostering of the kiosk volunteers. When the Auxiliary closed its doors in 2023, Ms Curran continued volunteering at the wards in a patient support role.
She is also a member of the Maroondah Hospital Welcome Ambassador program. Ms Curran’s long association with the hospital means that she is best placed to see that everyone gets where they need to go with a friendly word or even a special escort if needed.
Rising Leader
Sophie Orbien, Training and Testing Analyst
Sophie Orbien has consistently demonstrated an agile and open mindset when pivoting from role to role even through times of incredibly high pressure and demand for her services.
Ms Orbien has embraced the various roles she has held within the Enable Program by diving deep into learning each aspect and sharing that knowledge and experience with the people around her.
Her leadership of the post go live support team has been exemplary, and she has been able to nurture and develop that team through their learning journey.
Rising Leader
Sam Campbell, Deputy Chief Data and Analytics Officer/ Principal Data Scientist
Sam Campbell has gone above and beyond in leading the development of the new financial year’s activity plan. Applying his knowledge of data science, Mr Campbell developed a model to assess the impact of numerous scenarios developed by the clinical operations team.
He demonstrated remarkable adaptability in responding to several changing assumptions due to the fluid environment the health service is facing. In addition to his technical achievements, Mr Campbell has demonstrated excellent collaboration and teamwork skills.
Eastern Health Foundation Award
Emma-Rose Parsons
Emma-Rose Parsons is a passionate and driven consumer of Eastern Health services. As a paediatric psychologist, she is a passionate advocate for reducing fear, anxiety and pain in children. Leveraging her community networks, Ms Parsons developed the Mountain to Melbourne fundraising run to enhance the experience of our paediatric patients.
She ran 180km, running past Eastern Health Angliss, Box Hill and Maroondah – where our paediatric services are located, raising nearly $45,000. Ms Parsons plans to make this an annual event.
Consumer Participation
Pharmacy Team: North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (NEMICS) Project Team
The NEMICS team’s initiative exemplifies how consumer participation can significantly enhance healthcare outcomes. The project addressed a critical need for clearer medication instructions for cancer patients, whose regimens often involve complex, high-risk medications.
The team sought to bridge the gap between patient understanding and medication adherence by directly involving consumers in the development process.
Following a comprehensive patient feedback process, the team modified pharmacy dispensing labels, improving patient understanding of oral anticancer therapies, and an increased satisfaction with pharmacy services.