In a celebration of excellence and dedication, the 2024 Primary Healthcare Awards took place in Wagga Wagga on Friday 1 November, recognising outstanding contributions to primary healthcare.

Hosted by Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN), the ceremony highlighted the remarkable achievements of healthcare leaders and community organisations from across the region.

Award winners celebrating at MPHN’s 2024 Primary Healthcare Awards. Front row left to right (cutting the cake) Taylah Habel Noack from Collaborative Health Murrumbidgee and Craig Maxwell from Murrumbidgee Men’s Group. Back row from left to right: firsthealth Board Chair Dr Jodi Culbert; Lourene Liebenberg from Deniliquin LHAC; Dr Rachael Fikkers from Riverina Aboriginal Medical and Dental Service; Deniliquin LHAC Chair Lynda Barclay; Cristie Simpson from Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service; Rachelle Austin, Louise Mace, Katia Bredin and Einasleigh Happer from Collaborative Health Murrumbidgee; Christopher Skennar from Murrumbidgee Men’s Group; Lily Walker and Charli Butcher from Collaborative Health Murrumbidgee; and MPHN CEO Stewart Gordon.

Notable winners included Deniliquin LHAC’s Health in Your Hands project, Murrumbidgee Men’s Group Lived Experience Presentations, the Instrumental Swallow Assessment Service, Cristie Simpson from the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service, and the Riverina Aboriginal Medical and Dental Service.

MPHN’s firsthealth Board Chair Dr Jodi Culbert said it was a pleasure to recognise the outstanding achievements in primary healthcare through the awards.

‘Every time, we are just impressed by how worthwhile it is to see people’s work showcased, whether as finalists or nominees,’ Dr Culbert said.

‘Health professionals aren’t always very good at self-promotion, self-recognition, sometimes self-care. But when you take the time to put on paper the things that you do, the things that you’re proud of and passionate about, and we get to read them, it’s just incredibly encouraging.’

‘On behalf of the Board, I extend heartfelt congratulations to this year's award recipients and finalists. I hope you’re inspired by each other tonight to keep doing all the great work you’re doing for our community.’

2024 Primary Healthcare winners and finalists

Promoting Healthy Living

Winner: Health in Your Hands: The Deniliquin LHAC launched the Health in Your Hands project to align with MPHN and MLHD priorities and address health needs in the Edward River Local Government Area. Over 12 months, the project focused on repeated messaging about how lifestyle changes can prevent or reduce chronic disease risks. Community talks were held on nutrition, exercise, and smoking cessation. Anecdotal feedback suggests that participants are positively engaging with the initiative and believe that committing to lifestyle changes can improve their health outcomes.

On accepting the award, Deniliquin LHAC Chair Lynda Barclay expressed hope that in 10 years' time, the combined efforts of everyone present would bring rural health outcomes closer to those of their city counterparts.

‘I’d also like to thank MPHN for providing the grants,’ Ms Barclay said. ‘We know our community, we know what they need, but without funds, it’s pretty tricky to do much about it. So, thank you very much.’

Finalist: Dr Trudi Beck – Mums and Bubs: Nova Health Co.’s Mums and Bubs program is a multidisciplinary initiative designed to support women and babies during the postnatal period and improve health outcomes as they transition to parenthood. Co-facilitated by Dr Beck, the five-week program includes shared medical appointments for up to eight women and their babies, addressing recovery challenges and common parenting experiences. The syllabus follows the First 1000 Days Framework and the Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC/Possums) framework, promoting cued-care and responsive parenting. Since its launch in 2022, the program has supported over 470 participants.

Murrumbidgee Community Grant of the Year

Winner: Lived Experience Presentations, Murrumbidgee Men’s Group: With a Murrumbidgee Suicide Prevention Community Group Grant, the Murrumbidgee Men’s Group delivered lived experience talks to community groups, including Coleambally Central School and Wagga Wagga City Council workers. Speakers shared their personal experiences, discussed identifying triggers and warning signs, and provided strategies for staying well and seeking help. The talks aim to inspire hope and highlight the importance of mental wellness and recovery.

Murrumbidgee Men’s Group member Craig Maxwell said it was great to see mental health being talked about.

‘To see the change in men from the first time they rock up to the group, the amount of confidence that it builds, the social connection that it has, and some of the stories of resilience that they share is really empowering,’ Mr Maxwell said.

Highly commended: Healthier Together in Deni: With a Wellbeing and Resilience Grant, the Deniliquin LHAC launched the Healthier Together in Deni initiative, featuring pull-up banners and monthly talks on health topics like kidney health, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. The goal was to encourage community members to stay active, learn about health, and share their knowledge. The banners and talks are also promoted through social media, newspapers, and radio, reaching thousands of people.

Finalist: Active Farmers Hillston Wellness Day: With a Wellbeing and Resilience grant, Active Farmers organised the Hillston Wellness Day, offering wellness activities, mental health talks, and information stalls. The free event included sensory play for young children and various physical activities like cardio, strength, and gentle exercise. The event, which attracted participants aged 2 to 73, was well-received by the community.

Innovation

Winner: Instrumental Swallow Assessment Service, Collaborative Health Murrumbidgee: In the Murrumbidgee, people suspected of having dysphagia previously had to travel up to 400km for instrumental assessments. The Instrumental Swallow Assessment Service addresses this issue by offering mobile assessments using a portable fibre-endoscopic device in communities like Wagga Wagga, West Wyalong, and Griffith. This initiative has reduced wait times from six months to two weeks, decreased client costs, and likely lowered hospital admissions related to aspiration complications. It also provides learning opportunities and free educational support through clinics for GPs and residential aged care homes to enhance dysphagia competencies.

Einasleigh Happer of the Instrumental Swallow Assessment Service, Collaborative Health Murrumbidgee

Einasleigh Happer said she and fellow co-owner Katia Bredin started the service two years previously with a passion for delivering exceptional speech pathology general practice across the Murrumbidgee and a passion for rural health.

‘It’s grown very quickly over that time,’ Ms Happer said. ‘We spend a lot of time educating, learning. We spend a lot of time, a lot of money travelling to learn new skills that we can’t access in Australia as private practitioners, so it’s very exciting.’

Finalist: APLUS Pharmacy Education: Pharmacies in Moama, Deniliquin, and Tocumwal received full-day coaching from APlus Pharmacy Education to upskill staff on asthma, eczema, and hayfever. The training included pre-booked patient clinics and resulted in improved staff confidence, better store layouts, and enhanced medication solutions. Patients reported better asthma control, significantly lower hayfever scores, and improved eczema management, leading to a better quality of life.

Finalist: Guunu-Maana (Heal) Community Coordinated Burn Care: The Community Coordinated Burn Care project, led by Hay Aboriginal Medical Service, was established after a local child’s tragic burn injury to improve local health services and care coordination. In partnership with ACCHS, the George Institute for Global Health, SBIS, and the Burns Service at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, the project provides training to enhance burn care skills and confidence. It aims to care for children within the community, reduce hospital stays, and prevent long-term complications by addressing gaps in integrated burn care.

Emerging Leader

Winner: Cristie Simpson: Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service (GAMS) launched a pilot speech therapy program with the Rural Doctor’s Network to support local First Nations children. Led by Allied Health Assistant Cristie Simpson, the program offers online appointments and play therapy, with Cristie conducting assessments and facilitating therapy. Since February 2024, Cristie has supported 189 care episodes and is pursuing a Certificate 4 in Allied Health - Speech Therapy. GAMS aims to expand the program to Lake Cargelligo and Hay by hiring another allied health assistant.

Ms Simpson said it had been a wonderful journey to reestablish speech therapy services at the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service.

‘I would like to thank our management and staff at our service,’ Ms Simpson said. ‘I would also like to thank the Rural Doctors Network for joining us with Umbo and speech pathologist Michaela Thompson, who have all been an absolute pleasure to work with to create this program for the children in our community.’

Highly commended: headspace Griffith CARES team: From October 2023 to August 2024, the headspace Griffith CARES team joined the Orygen Implementation Lab to address referral, recruitment, and retention challenges. With tailored support, headspace Griffith successfully recruited six clinicians, along with administration and community engagement staff, creating a stable and committed team. Improved referral processes ensure clients receive the right support from the appropriate provider.

Outstanding Contribution to Leadership in Primary Healthcare

Winner: Riverina Aboriginal Medical and Dental Service (RivMed): Faced with a GP shortage, RivMed relied on locums but has since appointed a Senior Medical Officer and GP Supervisor, successfully recruiting three full-time Registrars, two of whom have become Fellows. RivMed also trains Junior Medical Officers (JMOs) through the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, offering valuable experience in general practice and Aboriginal Health. By providing meaningful placements, RivMed encourages interns and registrars to stay in rural practice.

RivMed Dr Rachael Fikkers Senior Medical Officer thanked MPHN for its support.

‘I think that this is a really important sort of recognition of the importance work that we do at RivMed,’ Dr Fikkers said. ‘It’s been a challenging few years. It’s just a testament to the staff and the collegiality that we have an amazing leadership with our CEO, Peta Larsen.’

Highly commended: Peta Cullis: Founded in 2009 by dietitian Peta Cullis, Ingrained Nutrition provides quality healthcare to regional and rural areas. Supporting 5,000 people across 20 locations, including 2,000 in outreach and aged care, Ingrained Nutrition helps with eating disorders, diabetes remission, and more. Peta also mentors new dietitians to improve their skills and knowledge of the health system.