Southern collaboration on show at 2024 National Rural & Remote Health Awards
Southern’s Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) implementation team were announced as the Rural/Remote Multidisciplinary Health Collaboration of the Year at the National Rural & Remote Health Awards on 6 November 2024.
Held at the National Press Club in Canberra, the awards honour those who keep rural and remote communities healthy. The team were presented with their award by Professor Roger Strasser AM, Professor of Rural Health, Founding Dean Emeritus, Northern Ontario School of Medicine University.
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Also celebrated at the awards was Rebekah Bowman, who was a finalist in the Rural/Remote Health Advocate of the Year category. Bek is the District Midwifery Manager of Southern’s midwifery team across our five maternity services.
Entries for the Awards were assessed by a judging panel including rural health practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and advocates.
The finalists were selected from almost 200 nominations across ten categories, including nominations from rural and remote areas in every state and territory.
Southern has successfully implemented a VAD service, aligning with the New South Wales Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022.
The service ensures that each person’s unique circumstances are respected, with choices supported without judgment, regardless of their setting, geographic location, or preferred language.
Southern's VAD service was commended for demonstrating exceptional commitment to providing empathetic and supportive end-of-life care, making a significant difference in the lives of individuals and families through their person-centred approach.