The Hon Jillian Skinner MP - NSW Health, Dr Patricia Ferguson - Infectious Diseases Staff Specialist and Dr Mary Foley, Director General - NSW Health.
Health Minister with the Stroke Outreach Service.jpgThe Hon Jilian Skinner MP - NSW Health and Alice Lance, Physiotherapist
TWO medical staff from Blacktown-Mt Druitt Hospital were presented with the inaugural Quality Awards for helping control the spread of diseases and helping stroke patients to recover.
Western Sydney Local Area Health District's Patricia Ferguson, an infectious disease specialist, and Alice Lance, a senior physiotherapist, received their awards from board chairman, Stephen Leeder at the recent health district's annual public meeting.
Dr Ferguson was pleased her work with the haematology, infectious diseases and infection control staff had been recognised with a Quality Award.
"Respiratory viruses are common infections that can cause severe pneumonia in the vulnerable bone marrow transplant patients," she said.
"Following the innovations that have been put in place, patients at Westmead are much less likely to develop pneumonia when they receive their bone marrow transplant and it makes Westmead the safest place to receive this transplant."
Ms Lance from Stroke Outreach Service said the award was for the development of a rehabilitation program to help ensure a quick recovery for younger people with stroke.
"Outcomes of the first 11 months of the program showed 92 per cent of patients achieved at least one top level goal, and overall quality of life measures improved," she said.
Professor Leeder said the Quality Awards recognised staff who had gone above and beyond what was expected of them to provide quality health care to the community.
Westmead Hospital's Visitor Buggy project, co-ordinated by Sharon Joseph, took out the top award in the Volunteer Service category.
The electric buggy assists less physically mobile patients and visitors and has transported more than 10,000 people throughout the hospital, was also a finalist in the NSW Ministry of Health Awards this year.