2024 Together Nepean Awards

The Together ceremony was an opportunity for staff and consumers to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Nepean Hospital staff, highlighting genuine appreciation for their daily efforts.

Winners of the awards were announced in a special ceremony on Tuesday 12 November 2024.

Congratulations to:

Outstanding Professional Support Staff Member

Lynette Abson

Lynette is the first smiley face you see when you arrive for your Pre Admission Clinic appointment, which sets the tone for your visit to the clinic.

Lynette is a wealth of knowledge and has a way of "making it happen" no matter the inquiry whether it be from a patient, family member or team member of any discipline.

Lynette has an excellent attention to detail and is a valuable member of the multidisciplinary team in PAC. 

Inspiring Leader Award

Sharon Wong

Sharon has shown outstanding leadership during challenging times.

Sharon led her team through a Rehab Revival project that turned her team around into a very motivated and team that is proud of their work and achieving improved results in patient outcomes and decreasing length of stay. She also introduced a new fast track model that has benefitted both the patients and the facility.

People Focused Award

Denise Smith

Denise Smith, the Nurse Unit Manager of the Colorectal ward E3B, is an outstanding candidate for the People Focused Award. She exemplifies human-centered care and is a role model for best practice customer service.

Denise consistently goes above and beyond her duty of care, ensuring patients, families, and staff feel valued and respected. She actively seeks and acts on feedback to improve processes and enhance the experience of those in her care.

Her commitment to exclusivity is evident in her embrace of cultural diversity and her responsiveness to vulnerable communities. When an Aboriginal patient struggled with an extended hospital stay, Denise brought in an Aboriginal painting to provide comfort. She also arranged fundraising for a nurse who suddenly lost her mother, showing her deep compassion and leadership.

Denise’s ability to communicate effectively with everyone, from doctors to cleaners, ensures the highest standard of care. Her dedication to equity, inclusion, and support for all makes her truly deserving of this award.

Volunteer of the Year

Bernadette Stephenson

Bernadette has been an outstanding volunteer at Nepean Hospital, demonstrating exceptional dedication and passion for her role in the Volunteer Services. Her commitment to managing the raffles and fundraising efforts has resulted in thousands of dollars being raised to support the hospital's patient care equipment.

In addition to her fundraising efforts, Bernadette is an integral member of the Volunteer Leadership Team. Her support to other volunteers is invaluable, providing guidance, encouragement, and fostering a positive and collaborative environment. Bernadette’s warm and cheerful demeanour is infectious; she is always smiling, greeting everyone with kindness, and radiating positivity.

Bernadette embodies the spirit of volunteerism, and her tireless efforts, coupled with her joyful nature, make her an exemplary candidate for the Volunteer of the Year Award. Her contributions not only benefit the hospital but also inspire and uplift those around her.

Collaborate for Success Award

Nepean Surgical Bookings

Nepean Surgical Bookings, deserves recognition for their pivotal role in achieving triple zero for elective surgery by June 30, 2024. This accomplishment is not only significant but also highlights their dedication to patient care and operational excellence.

During the challenging times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the backlog of elective surgery had become a critical issue across NSW Health. However, thanks to the team's diligent efforts, all patients were able to receive their surgery, marking a profound milestone for NBMLHD in achieving triple zero.

Their team demonstrated exceptional commitment to NBMLHD's CORE values, particularly through their collaborative approach. By fostering strong partnerships with surgeons, theatres, and even private hospitals, they ensured efficient scheduling and utilisation of resources, ultimately hitting the target of triple zero.

Outstanding Clinician Award

Amy McGowan

Amy is a truly exceptional clinician. She is an extremely knowledgeable, kind, and compassionate doctor.

Below are just a few statements written by different colleagues who work with Amy. They exemplify her excellence and demonstrate she is a deserving winner of this award.

" Amy always brings a calm and kind presence to every bed space and interaction with family, patients & staff. She is a fantastic team leader during resus, she listens to nurses, patients and families.”

"When Amy is on shift, I know the shift will be ok in her capable hands, no matter how busy we are." 

Innovator Award

Anwar Hassan

In 2024, Dr Anwar Hassan was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Sydney for his research into the use of intrapulmonary percussive ventilation (IPV) in non-ventilated critically ill patients.

Dr Hassan led a randomised controlled trial of the therapy, comparing it to standard chest physiotherapy. His research showed that, compared with chest physiotherapy, IPV reduced ICU length of stay and respiratory rate, with a small improvement in oxygenation. The use of IPV may improve outcomes in critically ill patients with impaired respiratory function. These findings were published in a globally renowned critical care journal and have the capacity to change clinical practice in this important group of patients who are at high risk of poor outcomes, including death. He was awarded Best Abstract in Respiratory Physiotherapy for presenting this research at the 2023 European Respiratory Society meeting in Italy.

Dr Hassan is an exemplar of NSW Health CORE values (collaboration, openness, respect and empowerment). Alongside a full-time clinical load, a pandemic and a part-time PhD he was awarded the NSW Health Allied Health Professional of the Year (2021) and was appointed to the NSW Health System Advisory Council (2023), a testament to his capacity for exceptional leadership.

Above & Beyond Consumer’s Choice Award

Hospital in the Home (HiTH)

Below is a statement written by a patient who has received care from Hospital in the Home. They exemplify the teams excellence and demonstrate they are a deserving winner of this award.

“I have been receiving Infusions for many years and in the past seven years I have been receiving Weekly Sub-Cutaneous Infusions of Immunoglobulin. These Infusions have changed my life dramatically and have meant I have had fewer Infections. Most of all though, I haven’t had a Hospital Admission as a result of a Respiratory Infection for some 14 years. I have always found that the Infusion Service provides great care, kindness and compassion to their Patients. Staff are exceptional and I find Weekly Visits pleasant because the Centre is a professionally run, calm & kind place where patients feel at Home. I personally can never thank the Staff enough for what they have done for me over the years, and I owe them a debt of gratitude because thanks to the Service provided, my quality of life has improved so greatly.”