Healthcare award honour for East Grampians Health Service

East Grampian Health Service has won a top public healthcare award for successfully addressing significant workforce shortages in ruralVictoria.

Minister for Health David Davis last night presented East Grampians Health Services (EGHS) with the Health Leader’s Award for achieving a highly capable and engaged workforce at the 2012 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards inMelbourne.

The Health Leader’s Awards recognise outstanding health leadership by an individual or team resulting in positive change across the Victorian health system. The award for achieving a highly capable and engaged workforce recognises outstanding health leadership that has improved workforce capacity.

Mr Davis said the East Grampians Health Service’s Learning, Education, Training and Sustainability Program (LETS) has been recognised for its innovation in addressing workforce shortages and capability in a rural health service.

“EGHS was facing significant workforce issues, particularly in key specialist areas of obstetrics, anaesthetics, dental, allied health and specialist nursing areas,” Mr Davis said.

“The organisation established a learning, education and training centre, which opened in October 2011 which builds workforce locally.

“Partnerships with Ararat Medical Centre and Ballarat Health Service have ensured that EGHS is building its obstetrics workforce.

“Pathways programs enable staff, such as enrolled nurses to undertake a Bachelor of Nursing, to up-skill while remaining employed at EGHS through flexible rostering and management support.”

Runners up receiving a highly commended award were Alfred Health’s Patient Centred Team Based Ward Rounds Team and the Royal Women’s Hospital’s Maternity Services Education Program Team.

Mr Davis said these prestigious awards, now in their eighth year, illustrate the breadth of innovation and quality in Victorian healthcare.

“This is our foremost occasion for celebrating healthcare leadership, innovation and excellence – the cornerstone qualities that make our hospital, public and primary care system the best it can be,” Mr Davis said.