Senior Millicent registered nurse Alice Brennan was a finalist in the Quiet Achiever category in the 2022 annual Limestone Coast Local Health Network awards.

She provides a range of roles across the Millicent and District Hospital site as a theatre recovery nurse, domiciliary midwife and infection prevention and control nurse.

Ms Brennan has represented the facility’s 140 employees on the Millicent Health Advisory Council for well over a decade.

Her award citation revealed the extent of her commitment to her patients and her colleagues.

“Ms Brennan is always willing to provide that extra service to anyone who requires assistance, working back frequently, coming in on days off to ensure that services are accessible to the community,” stated the citation.

“With an increase in her workload for the infection prevention and control role, Ms Brennan has had a steep learning curve in the aged care space but has taken this in her stride and led the facility in the recent COVID outbreaks with a calm and steadfast approach.”

Another Millicent Hospital nurse to be a finalist was Stephen Bati in the Values Super Star category.

He is one of the part-time Associate Nurse Unit Managers in the acute ward.

According to the citation, Mr Bati is an excellent example of the true application of the health network values as a leader and a clinician with his calm manner and critical thinking skills, providing the team with confidence and guidance.

“Mr Bati demonstrates alignment with the health network values by demonstrating courage through stepping outside of his comfort zone and taking on new challenges in education, mentoring new staff and students and is willing to have difficult discussions with respect and grace,” his citation read.

Meanwhile, other Millicent nursing and support staff were on the podium for a number of other award categories.

The Sheoak Lodge aged care facility was a finalist in the health network Award for Excellence in Clinical Care (Residential/Aged Care).

By their management of COVID outbreaks, it was said the team at Sheoak Lodge has provided an exemplary service to the 60 residents with at least two outbreaks in three months.

The staff at Sheoak Lodge, including cleaning and catering, have endeavoured to provide the highest level of care possible, whilst experiencing significant workload increases, loss of colleagues and media scrutiny.

The staff have shown great resilience and dedication to the residents and their colleagues, they have been overall flexible, open to feedback and engaged in identifying opportunities to improve.

One of the joint award winners for Excellence in Clinical Care (Outreach) was the Millicent and District Health Service Domiciliary Midwife Program.

The citation stated the midwifery team has continued to provide the women of the Wattle Range Council area with a domiciliary midwifery outreach program, that has been able to continue during COVID pandemic, staffing shortages and other impacts.

“The increased risk to new mothers facing early discharge and increased isolation in the face of the pandemic was recognised and strategies implemented to ensure the service could continue safely and efficiently,” the citation read.

“The success of the service in supporting mothers and babies, identifying issues that required a higher level of care and being available to listen to new mothers has been invaluable to the community.”

The award for Excellence in Clinical Care (Acute/Hospital Service) went to the Millicent and District Hospital Acute Ward Nursing Staff.

The health network judges said they provided an expanded outstanding service to the community during the pandemic.

The ward team provided the community with a number of key services during the last two years that would not have been available if the staff have not shown exemplary community service, teamwork and dedication.

The Millicent Hospital administration team was a finalist in the Award for Excellence in Non-Clinical Services.

They provided an outstanding level of teamwork and support to the greater community and the Acute Ward Nursing staff team.

Throughout the last two years the administration team have gone above and beyond to support the clinical team and the community through being a flexible work group.