Clinical Person of the Year Dr Preeti Patil is congratulated by Chief Executive Lisa Blackler and Nicholas Zimmermann (left) and Brad Stafford from award sponsor MedRecruit.
CQ Health has recognised its brightest stars at the 2024 Staff Recognition Awards, presented in Rockhampton last week (Thursday 18 July).
Chief Executive Lisa Blackler said she was proud to celebrate staff achievements at the presentation evening at Headricks Lane.
“It has to be said that healthcare workers don’t come to work each day to win awards, they’re in the business of helping their communities and they do that with dedication, care and compassion every day,” she said.
“But we believe it’s important each year to take the time to stop and recognise those who have gone above and beyond and celebrate their special achievements.
“It was a wonderful night, dressing up and sharing some of those great stories and catching up with colleagues we don’t get to see every day.”
Judging was tough, with six awards presented from a total of 88 nominations that were received across the health service.
Ms Blackler thanked all CQ Health staff for their continuing dedication to providing great care to Central Queenslanders.
“I am proud to be Chief Executive of this organisation, and it makes me extremely proud to know our team has so much to celebrate.”
The winners
Team of the Year (sponsored by Medrecruit)
Central Queensland Public Health Unit
This team is leading a groundbreaking clinical trial for a chlamydia vaccine. The findings from this important clinical trial will ultimately contribute to the development of the first vaccine for chlamydia, providing a lasting benefit to our community now and into the future.
Clinical Person of the Year (sponsored by Medrecruit)
Dr Preeti Patil, Rockhampton Clinical Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Dr Patil has restored pride to the department which has become a beacon in the academic and clinical arena. She led the team to obtain full five-year accreditation by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to provide training to specialists of the future, ensuring high quality, sustainable health care.
Widely recognised as a gem of a leader, her care and concern for staff is immeasurable and she teaches and imparts her knowledge with great humility, which means our patients are getting the best possible care. Additionally, she has introduced new services to enable greater access and care closer to home for our community.
Clinical Support Person of the Year (sponsored by Medrecruit)
Darren Bowman
As Rockhampton Hospital Environmental Services Coordinator, Darren has made a significant impact on waste management and recycling services. He has arranged for items no longer of use at the health service to be sold, repurposed, or donated to charity, meaning they haven’t gone to landfill and have a new life elsewhere.
He has also implemented the Containers for Change program at Rockhampton Hospital, raising more than $8500 in the past two years. Darren also continues to lead his team to ensure the highest standard of linen and waste management can be achieved for the health service.
Pursuing Innovation (sponsored by QSuper) and Transforming Health Awards
Allied Health
CQ Health’s Allied Health team has won both awards for their integrated model of care framework that reimagines patient care by focusing on the patient’s perspective, optimising use of the allied health workforce. This ensures Central Queenslanders receive care in the right place at the right time. They have moved to a seven-day service model and are shifting focus from traditional hospital services to more out-of-hospital care.
Health Equity Award (sponsored by CQUniversity)
BreastScreen Rockhampton and Woorabinda
BreastScreen Queensland’s Rockhampton service has worked in partnership with Woorabinda Multipurpose Health Service and Mimosa Medical Clinic to implement a culturally safe model for local women. Since 2020, 228 women have been screened in Woorabinda.