Western NSW Local Health District is delighted to announce the recipients of its 2023 Excellence in Allied Health Awards, who were recognised ahead of International Allied Health Professions Day on Saturday, October 14.
The Awards, which were held in Orange on Friday, 13 October, acknowledge the passion, dedication and contributions that allied health professionals and their support staff provide to the communities across Western NSW.
Angela Firth, WNSWLHD Executive Director of Allied Health, said she was thrilled with the success of the event and congratulated each award recipient, who were celebrated among colleagues and guests at the presentation.
"I'd like to sincerely congratulate all the recipients of this year's Excellence in Allied Health Awards, as well as all the nominees and those who are highly commended in each category," Ms Firth said.
"As always, the calibre of the nominees this year was exceptional, making it difficult to select the winners, but that's a great problem to have.
"2023 is the third year that the Awards will also be held by NSW Health and the recipients from our local categories will be put forward as nominees for the NSW Excellence in Allied Health Awards."
WNSWLHD's 2023 Excellence in Allied Health Award recipients include:
- Allied Health Professional of the Year: Alyssa Walter (Speech Pathologist, Dubbo Health Service)
- Aboriginal Allied Health Professional of the Year: Vanessa Kendall (Social Worker, Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol, Bathurst)
- Early Career Allied Health Professional of the Year: Georgia Knowles (Occupational Therapist, Allied Health Rural Graduate Program)
- Allied Health Researcher of the Year: Jessica Kennedy (Psychologist, Barraminya and Gundaymarra Mental Health Inpatient Units, Dubbo Health Service)
- Allied Health Leader of the Year: Katrina Rohr (Allied Health Rural Graduate Program Coordinator, WNSWLHD)
- Allied Health Educator of the Year: Kathryn Perry (Speech Pathologist, Cowra Health Service)
- Allied Health Assistant/Technician of the Year: June Coyte (Allied Health Assistant, Bathurst Health Service)
Ms Firth said the event celebrated the efforts of these exceptional staff but was also an opportunity to recognise the achievements and dedication of the entire allied health workforce.
"In Western NSW Local Health District, we employ more than 600 allied health staff and they work incredibly hard to deliver essential services in our hospitals, health centres and in community settings, including dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, psychology, radiation therapy, social work and more," Ms Firth said.
"Our allied health staff offer many of these services both face to face and virtually and also play an important role in promoting health and wellbeing to our communities."
For more details about the recipients and nominees in each category, visit the WNSWLHD website.
Nominations for the 2023 NSW Excellence in Allied Health Awards open on Monday, 16 October. For more information visit the NSW Health website.
