Victorian Rural Health Awards
Since 2005 RWAV has proudly hosted the annual Victorian Rural Health Awards to recognise the outstanding contributions made by health professionals working in rural communities.
The awards honour the exceptional medical specialists, GPs, nurses, Aboriginal health workers, general practices, practice managers, allied health professionals, GP locums and medical students working across rural Victoria.
The Victorian Rural Health Awards are supported by the Victorian Government.
Nominations for the 2019 VRHA awards have closed.
2018
2018 Victorian Rural Health Award recipients, Creswick, Victoria, April 2018
2018 Award Categories
Length of Service Award 35+ Years
This award is presented to general practitioners and medical specialists who have served rural and regional Victoria for over 35 years. It recognises their extensive commitment to providing health services, often to many generations of the same family and their continued involvement in the community. Dr Rebecca Dale – Castlemaine Dr Timothy Watford – Omeo Dr John Buckley – Merbein Dr Roderic Booth – Swan Hill Dr Bala Pillai – Echuca Dr Cleopas Sahhar – Warragul Dr Robert Peterson – Seymour Dr Ray Moore – Bendigo Dr Elizabeth Perry – Wangaratta Dr John Barry – Swan Hill Dr David Leembruggen – Warrnambool Dr Ann Miller – Sale Dr Simon Davis – Yackandandah
Rural Doctor Award
The Rural Doctor Award has two subcategories: Outstanding Contribution and New Rural Doctor. The first recognizes general practitioners and medical specialists who have shown professional and personal commitment to regional and rural communities, often going above and beyond with services and involvement in the community. The second category recognises doctors who are establishing their careers in rural health and who have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to their profession and to their community.
Rural Doctor Award – Outstanding Contribution
Dr Elizabeth Kennedy – Shepparton Dr Lalani Udalamatta – Edenhope Dr Brian Hepper – Creswick Dr Gavin Cuff – Maryborough
Medical Specialist Award
Presented to those practitioners who have shown ongoing commitment to providing specialist medical services throughout rural Victoria. These specialists have a significant impact on health outcomes for those living in rural areas. They enable access to specialist services in areas where communities cannot attract, or it is not viable to sustain, a local medical specialist. Dr Andrew Wai-Ming See – East Melbourne
Aboriginal Health Award
The award highlights the significant work and commitment many healthcare professionals contribute to the well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The award recognises both medical and non-medical workers and includes specialist, counsellors, health workers, nurses and many others. Dr Norma Oliver – Echuca
Rural General Practice Award
Gateway Health Medical Practice Wondonga – Wodonga
Healthcare Professional Award
We celebrate the contributions from the entire range of healthcare professionals keeping rural Victoria healthy. The nurses, the practice managers, the allied health workers and the GP locums – they are the engines that keep community health running and we celebrate their achievements. Julie Steele – Maffra
Rural Nursing Award
Christine Smith – Mooroopna
Rural Allied Health Professional Award
Emily Luke – Reservoir
Student Award
The award celebrates the future of rural healthcare. Each year we recognise students who have shown a true passion for rural health and have dedicated their training to these communities. Jessica Paynter (Medical Student Award) – Nyah Elisha Price (Nursing Student Award) – Trafalgar
2017
Congratulations to the winners of the 12th annual Victorian Rural Health Awards. These outstanding award winners took centre stage at the award ceremony held at Marysville on the 25th of March 2017. Every year nominations are put forward by members of the public, community organisations and local healthcare providers and are assessed by an independent panel of judges. Nominations open in October of each year and RWAV encourages the public to nominate local healthcare professionals who provide vital health services to rural and remote communities.
2017 Award Winners
- Rural Doctor Award – Outstanding Contribution
- Dr. David Mullen
- Dr Maria Rachinskaya
- Dr. Oleg Rachinsky
- Rural Doctor Award – New Rural Doctor
- Dr Ruyu Yao
- Medical Specialist Award
- Dr Arup Bhattacharya
- Aboriginal Health Award
- Dr Michael Wilson
- Rural General Practice Award
- Ararat Medical Centre
- Rural Nursing Award
- Sharnee Armstrong
- Rural Allied Health Professional Award
- Sarah Pinkerton
- Practice Manager Award
- Karen Jephcott
- GP Locum Award
- Associate Professor Ralph Audehm
- Medical Student Award
- Tom Ponsonby
- Nursing Student Award
- Abigail Livingstone
- Length of Service Award
- Dr Campbell Hunt
- Dr David Iser
- Dr Mark Zagorski
- Dr Michael Spillane
- Dr Brian Murphy
2016
2016 VRHA recipients, Sale, March 2016.
Length of Service Award Dr David Ball – Mooroopna Dr Nicholas Barker – Red Cliffs Dr Ian Barratt – Warrnambool Dr Daniel Silver – Castlemaine Dr Graham Stephens – Healesville Dr David Tynan – Maryborough Rural Doctor Award – Outstanding Contribution Dr Chris Perry – Leongatha Dr Hoe Sin Ooi – Golden Square Dr Donald Liu – Warracknabeal Dr Mehdi Sanati Pour – Mildura Dr Bala Pillai – Echuca Dr Peter Nesbitt – Echuca Rural Doctor Award – New Rural Doctor Dr Alison Wilde – Toora Medical Specialist Award Dr Safwat Bassili – Balwyn Aboriginal Health Award Garry Giles – Echuca Margaret Murray – Wodonga Johanna Nesbitt – Echuca Rural General Practice Award Leongatha Healthcare Mount Beauty Medical Centre Echuca Moama Family Medical Practice Rural Nursing Award Robyn Butler – Leongatha Rural Allied Health Professional Award Kay Knight – Echuca Practice Manager Award Judy Robb – Leongatha GP Locum Award Dr Siobhan Reddel Medical Student Award Samantha Walker – Deakin University
2015
2015 VRHA recipients, Bendigo, February 2015.
Length of Service Award Dr Andrew Brommeyer – Ballarat Dr Graham Bromwich – Bairnsdale Dr Robert Carson – Maryborough Dr Kuen Chan – Mooroopna Dr Arthur Chiang – Spring Gully Dr David Conron – Gisborne Mr Jesse Das – Portland Mr Paul Donoghue – Ballarat Dr Elizabeth Fitzgerald – Neerim South Dr Rodney Guy – Gisborne Dr Ruth Hand – Ballarat Dr Stephen Jedynak – Neerim South Dr Paul Kelly – Benalla Dr Malcolm MacDonald – Bendigo Dr Sandra MacGibbon – Hamilton Dr John Mackellar – Mooroopna Dr Frank Marton – Ballarat Dr John Menzies – Camperdown Dr Elizabeth Moore – Ballarat Dr Stewart Moroney -Wangaratta Dr Hoe Sin Ooi – Bendigo Dr Charles Perry – Moe Dr Edgar Peterson – Bendigo Dr John Philpot – Warrnambool Dr Christopher Priest – Kyneton Dr James Rose – Sebastopol Dr Jacqueline Rounsevell – Warrnambool Dr Jan Sheringham – Bendigo Dr Kadandlea Shetty – Merbein Dr Tony van der Spek – Bendigo Outstanding Contribution Award Dr Neil Bright – Yarrawonga Dr Sinead De Gooyer – Leongatha Dr Sue Harrison – Echuca Dr Fahad Jamil – Strathdale Dr Chee Sheng Wong – Ararat Medical Specialist Award Dr Leo Fogarty -Wangarratta Dr John Oswald – Ballarat Dr John Stickland – Ballarat Aboriginal Health Award Ms Michelle Dow – Moe Dr Jane Greacen – Bairnsdale Rural General Practice Award Elmore Primary Health Service – Elmore Gateway Health – Wodonga Inglis Medical Centre – Sale Moe After Hours Medical Service – Moe Orbost Medical Clinic – Orbost Wonthaggi Medical Group – Wonthaggi Rural Nursing Award Mrs Nicole Brereton – Strathfieldsaye Ms Wendy Hellebrand – Bannockburn Ms Dianne Robertson – Maffra Practice Manager Award Ms Cassandra Mayman – Sale GP Locum Award Dr Lynne Davies Dr Katrina White Medical Student Award Robert Holian – University of Melbourne Natalie Kew – University of Melbourne David Khoo – Deakin University