Innovation

Past finalists of this award

2025

Winner: Voluntary School-Based Vision Screening Program – George & Matilda Eyecare, Griffith

At Beelbangera Public School, George & Matilda Eyecare Griffith launched a free vision screening program to help detect eye issues in children early. Held during the school day, the program made it easy for families to access care and follow up using digital tools. Of the 84 children screened, more than 60 percent needed further assessment – highlighting an important gap in eye health.

Finalist: Perimenopause Online Education Program

The Perimenopause Online Education Program is an interactive, cost-effective initiative to improve health literacy among women aged 45 to 55 across the Murrumbidgee region. Led by a dietitian and physiotherapist, the three-session program explored nutrition, exercise and overall wellbeing. Reaching 57 participants, it achieved strong outcomes in confidence, knowledge and access to support – empowering women to better understand and manage this stage of life.

Finalist: CreateSpace Collective – headspace Griffith

headspace Griffith’s youth-led creative wellbeing program, CreateSpace Collective, provides a safe, non-clinical space where young people can connect over shared meals, creative activities and peer support. By reducing isolation and easing pressure on clinical services, the program is helping young people access care earlier and in ways that feel comfortable and empowering. CreateSpace Collective has fostered strong engagement, improved access to support – and even created youth employment opportunities through lived experience roles.

2024

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.

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.

2023

Winner: Intergenerational Activity: Integrating generations of the Deniliquin Community

This program brings together high school students, preschoolers, and older adults, fostering empathy and leadership skills among the students while promoting understanding between the generations. This program has enhanced social skill development, improved social connections, and boosted the wellbeing of all participants. It has also inspired some high school students to pursue careers in childcare and aged care. The program has minimal costs but significant benefits, reducing loneliness, improving happiness, and providing exposure to future career opportunities.

Finalist: Alternate Workforce Program

Despite extensive recruitment efforts spanning 12 months, Gidget Foundation Australia (GFA) initially struggled to find a suitably skilled clinician to provide psychological treatment for families in the Murrumbidgee region. By broadening their recruitment criteria through the Alternate Workforce Program to include experienced mental health nurses and mental health social workers, GFA successfully recruited three clinicians to Gidget House Wagga Wagga. These clinicians have subsequently conducted 707 appointments and assisted 85 clients since its inception.

Finalist: The Old Servo, Henty

Originally an abandoned service station, The Old Servo in Henty has been transformed into a thriving community health hub. It includes a swim spa, therapy rooms, and a lending library, with upcoming plans for a laundromat and chicken run. The Old Servo benefits local businesses, reduces travel expenses, and fosters community pride and renewal.

2022

Winner: Hay Aboriginal Medical Service – Marrabinya 0-4 head to toe health checks

The Marrabinya zero to 4 head to toe health checks are delivered by the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service mums and bubs team at the Hay Aboriginal Medical Service (HAMS) providing health checks, parental support and advice. With the aim of increasing clinic attendance, staff from Hay AMS approached local schools and early learning centres and as a result there has been an uptake in referrals to this service leading to early intervention outcomes.

Finalist: headspace Griffith CreateSpace

In November 2021, headspace Griffith opened their youth safe space, CreateSpace. This is a multi purpose, youth friendly space where young people and their friends can come and relax, access support and other wellbeing initiatives. The space also plays host to targeted wellbeing and skills groups. The CreateSpace has led to attitudes towards accessing mental health services changing, which has led to an increase in referrals to the service.

Finalist: Wagga Wagga Local Health Advisory Committee

The Wagga Wagga Local Health Advisory Committee delivered this project to support mental health and wellbeing in school aged children in the Riverina. The LHAC worked in collaboration with the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital Executive, Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Murrumbidgee Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Alliance, headspace Wagga Wagga and local high schools to design and develop a silicone wristband with a QR Code which takes the user to the Head to Health website.

2021

Winner: Gidget Foundation – Alternative Workforce Program

After identifying there were alternative clinicians in the region who could potentially deliver an appropriate and high quality clinical perinatal psychological service but who were currently unable to bill under Medicare’s Better Access Initiative, Gidget Foundation proposed and implemented an initiative to expand the criteria to include suitably experienced and qualified mental health clinicians and are now able to invest less time and resources on recruitment efforts for the Murrumbidgee region.