The West Armidale Medical Centre, operated by the Healthy Communities Foundation Australia (the Foundation), shared the limelight last night in Melbourne as the Foundation was recognised as outstanding health organisation in 2024 in the National HESTA Nursing and Midwifery Awards. The award recognises excellence in supporting nurses as clinical leaders in health care in Australia.
Local Armidale nurse Rohan Nyanpane was part of a delegation of nurses who went to Melbourne to hear the announcement at a gala awards ceremony attended by health leaders from across Australia.
Foundation CEO, Mark Burdack, said: “This award is a credit to all the hard work and commitment shown by our nursing teams across rural and regional Australia”.
“Rural and regional communities have poorer health, higher rates of hospitalisation, die up to 16 years earlier than people who live in the cities and poor access to doctors”.
“After more than 20 years of waiting for solutions to the rural health crisis, communities like Armidale know that the only way to solve the health challenge is to empower and resource local communities to lead local health reform.
“While the number of doctors, allied health and other professionals declines the further you move from the cities, the number of nurses does not. Nurses have always been the backbone of rural and regional health, and they have become the foundation for renewing and expanding health care access in rural and regional communities.
“Our nurse led teams are bringing health care back to the bush including mental health services, women’s health, children’s health and chronic disease management.
“It is very rare for rural and regional nurses to get recognition on a national stage for their work, and I would like to thank HESTA Super, Me Bank, Medibank and the other award sponsors, and the jury of academic and industry peers, for recognising the tireless work of rural and remote nurses and their role in returning health to local communities” said Mr Burdack.
For more information call Mark Burdack on 0418974988.
Hear more from Rohan Nyanpane, Registered Nurse, West Armidale Medical Centre here: