ACT Health

📢Calling all nurses and midwives in the ACT 📢 It’s time to nominate your exceptional colleagues for a Nurses and Midwives Excellence Award🎖 ‘These awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognise the outstanding professional accomplishments of our peers and thank our fellow colleagues’ – ACT Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Marina Buchanan-Grey. ‘Every day our nurses and midwives provide an exceptional service across Canberra’s public and private healthcare settings. ‘They demonstrate innovation and find ways to improve how we do things through experience and research. ‘They show leadership at all levels and incorporate our core values when managing people. ‘They provide person-centred clinical practice and educate our existing and future workforce.’ Nominate a peer today. Visit act.gov.au and search ‘honours and awards’. The community is also invited to nominate an outstanding nurse, midwife or team in the consumer recognition category.

Let’s give three cheers to Canberra’s maternity clinicians who upskilled this year - like Hana! 👏 👏 👏 If you work in the sector – now is your chance to upskill too! Hana is a Clinical Midwife Consultant working at Canberra Health Services, and a recent recipient of the Maternity in Focus scholarship scheme. The scholarship offers paid professional development opportunities across a range of fields including perinatal loss, perinatal mental health, breastfeeding and more. Through the scheme, Hana was able to attend a perineal repair workshop to refresh her skills and ensure techniques remain up-to-date and based on best-practice evidence. ‘All professional development opportunities benefit consumers – either through direct care, or workforce satisfaction and retention. ‘Growing our knowledge and skills in areas of interest supports diverse, contemporary and passionate health professionals. What could be better for consumers than that?!’ Applications are NOW OPEN.     Find out more and apply: https://lnkd.in/g3Aj5UcH

🚜Check out the first big milestone for the construction of the new Southside Hydrotherapy Pool in Tuggeranong🚜 This week, builders are filling the pool’s concrete shell for the first time to do some initial checks. These checks are important, and once they're done, the pool will be filled again to cure the concrete. Work will then begin on the structure and facilities around the pool. The new hydrotherapy pool is expected to be completed next year 🥳 Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gxJnX8eJ

The National Dementia Action Plan 2024-2034 has now been launched.   The 10-year plan outlines 8 high-level actions aimed to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia.   We are proud to support the Action Plan as we continue to make meaningful changes across our health system in the ACT.   To read the Action Plan, visit https://lnkd.in/gzp3bAsk

Today is #InternationalDayforPeoplewithDisability. Canberra is home to more than 80,000 people living with disability – that’s around 17% of our population. Twelve months ago, we launched the ACT Disability Health Strategy. This is our 10-year commitment to supporting the dignity, rights and wellbeing of people with disability through accessible healthcare for all. We are committed to creating an inclusive society, where everyone has the chance to participate in community life and no-one is left behind. You can learn more about the ACT Disability Health Strategy on our website: https://lnkd.in/gj2xM2Nx The strategy is also available in Easy English. 

Grants are NOW OPEN for service providers to deliver phone-based services for: 🔷 ACT Quitline 🔷 ACT Quitline for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities   This grant of up to $775,000, is for eligible organisations who have experience delivering health services to the community and is for a maximum of 3 years.   To apply, visit our website https://lnkd.in/g8SCJdRY   Applications close 4pm, 29 January 2025.   If you have any questions, email ATODPolicy@act.gov.au

We’re proud to support the First 1000 Days Conference taking place in Canberra today. The conference brings together frontline health, education and community professionals to support families and children through this critical developmental period (conception to two years). ACT Health is leading significant work as part of our Best Start for Canberra’s Children: The First 1000 Days Strategy. It’s our commitment to working with community and service partners to provide early support for children and families. Some key programs we’ve launched to support the strategy in 2024 include: ✔️The INFANT program, which supports new parents with feeding, nutrition and active play education. ✔️The first Maternity in Focus: ACT Maternal Survey, to gather consumer feedback on public maternity care. ✔️The Maternity in Focus: ‘Birthing on Country’ models of care, to listen to community about what excellent ‘Birthing on Country’ models of care could be for the ACT. ✔️The Maternity in Focus Workforce Scholarship Scheme, to provide funded professional development in maternity care. Learn more about INFANT here: https://lnkd.in/gju926-A Learn more about Maternity in Focus here: https://lnkd.in/g3Aj5UcH

Do you already make a difference to maternity care in the ACT but want to further develop your professional skills? If so you’re in luck. The Maternity in Focus Workforce Scholarship Scheme is NOW OPEN! 🥳 Jessica is a registered nurse and midwife working at Canberra Health Services, and a recent recipient of the scholarship scheme. ‘The training I received through my scholarship equipped me with strategies to apply a trauma-informed approach. ‘Trauma-informed care is essential in maternity services to minimise the risk of causing or intensifying trauma for consumers’, said Jessica. The scholarship scheme offers paid professional development opportunities across a range of fields including perinatal loss, perinatal mental health, breastfeeding and more. Are you ready to upskill in 2025? Find out more and apply: https://lnkd.in/g3Aj5UcH

Congratulations to this year’s outstanding winners in the ACT Allied Health Excellence Awards 🏆 Our allied health workforce provide healthcare across 40 different disciplines to keep our community healthy and strong 💪 Join us in giving this outstanding group a round of applause 👏 🥇2024 Allied Health Professionals of the Year Community Care Program Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Inclusion Plan Implementation Team - Canberra Health Services 🥇Allied Health Consumer Recognition Matthew Hotchkis - Podiatry Professionals and Canberra Heel Pain Institute Rebecca McRae - Reboot Physiotherapy 🥇Allied Health Assistant Excellence Joshua O’Dwyer - Canberra Health Services 🥇Allied Health Early Career Excellence Brigette Berry - Canberra Health Services 🥇Allied Health Education Excellence Sandra Holdom - Canberra Health Services 🥇Allied Health Research Excellence Tanya Buettikofer - Canberra Health Services 🥇Allied Health Team Excellence Black Mountain School Student Engagement Team - Education Directorate 🥇Allied Health Practice Excellence Donna Bainbridge - Fisher Family Practice 🥇Allied Health Management & Leadership Excellence  Tim Tooke - Canberra Health Services 🥇Excellence in Provision of Services to Improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing Community Care Program Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Inclusion Plan Implementation Team - Canberra Health Services

Are you a health professional interested in exploring innovation in healthcare? 👩⚕️ The IHI BMJ International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare ‘Pushing Boundaries’ is taking place in Brisbane next week from 6 to 8 November. Bailey is the Director of Clinical System Governance with ACT Health. She attended last year’s forum and will be joining again in 2024 remotely. ‘For me, collaborating with like-minded colleagues from the ACT and interstate was a highlight, as well as hearing from consumers and clinicians who shared their experiences and innovative work. ‘A great privilege was hearing from an Aboriginal woman, who from her own experiences, initiated change in her remote community to address youth mental health and suicide rates. ‘Her inspirational story demonstrated for me that from a simple idea, big things can occur.’ Bailey has a message for anyone considering attending this year’s forum either in person or online. ‘Anyone working in or engaged with the healthcare system can benefit from the forum. ‘It allows you to reflect on your own clinical practices and consider opportunities in your own backyard. It also offers the opportunity to meet others from across the country, to partner with in future.’ ℹ️ For more information about the forum and how to register, visit https://lnkd.in/gz4RcQ-S