2022 Tasmanian Palliative Care Awards

Palliative Care Tasmania is delighted to announce the finalists in the 6th Annual Tasmanian Palliative Care Awards that celebrate excellence across the state and sector.

Finalists have been selected by a panel of peers on the basis of overall merit, excellence and contribution. This year we received the highest number of nominations which made for robust deliberations and difficult decisions. We thank all the nominators for the time and care they took with the nomination process.

1) Outstanding Palliative Care Professional

Open to any individual working in palliative care in Tasmania. May include: specialist and generalist palliative care staff, nurses, clinicians, doctors, allied health professionals, GPs pharmacists, CEOs, NFP staff, aged care workers, administrators, marketers, academics, researchers and educators.

The winner was:

• Dr Ann Buchan – General Practitioner, Ochre Medical Centre, King Island

The runner-up was:

• Kristina Mullins – Nurse Practitioner, Moreton Group Medical Services

The Finalist was:

• Dr Shampa Sinha – Registrar, Special Palliative Care Service South & Comprehensive Palliative Care in Aged Care Team

Proudly supported by:

Millingtons Funerals & Cemeteries is one of Tasmania’s oldest funeral companies and has helped our community say goodbye for nearly a century. Understanding that times of loss require compassion and tailored professionalism, to say farewell in a way as individual as your loved one. Millingtons provides a full suite of services to Tasmanians, ensuring they help celebrate the life of your loved ones. Their mission is to provide the Tasmanian community with the highest standard of personal and professional care in the delivery of funeral and cemetery services.

2) Outstanding Palliative Care Volunteer/Carer

Open to any individual (volunteer or carer) supporting Tasmanians with a life-limiting illness and their families. May include: Palliative and hospice care volunteers, hospital volunteers, community volunteers, cancer support centre volunteers, aged care volunteers, family, friends, loved ones that have gone above and beyond in the support of someone with a life limiting condition, including young carers.

The winner was:

• Mark Kelly – Volunteer, Lifeline Tasmania

The runner-up was:

• Sarah De Jonge – Founder of 1000 Hearts

The Finalist was:

• Dr Paul Barrington – Volunteer, Hospice Volunteers South

Proudly supported by:

Lifeline provides social support for older Tasmanians to reduce loneliness and improve their mental wellbeing through the Chats Program and Community Visitors Scheme. Lifeline Tasmania is dedicated to strengthening the community through these programs, crisis support, dedicated training, ongoing telephone counselling and support to families and communities impacted by suicide.

3) Outstanding Palliative Care Service Provider

Open to any individual or organisation providing palliative care to Tasmanians with a life-limiting illness. May include: Palliative care units, hospitals, GP practices community outreach teams, multi-purpose and health centres, district or regional hospitals, allied health providers aged care and home care providers, councillors, social workers volunteer organisations, community groups, community services and psycho-social supports, funeral directors, bereavement service providers.

The winner was:

• North Eastern Soldiers Memorial Hospital, Scottsdale – Nursing Team

The runner-up was:

• W.Whittle Palliative Care Unit

The Finalist was:

• Gibson Unit, St John’s Calvary Hospital
• Walking Through Grief, Launceston
• Hospice Volunteers South
• Hospice Care Association of North West Tasmania

Proudly supported by:

Established in 1887 to be an impartial and professional Executor and Trustee, TPT Wealth truly is the long game. We offer special expertise in Will Preparation, Estate Planning, Testamentary Trusts, Power of Attorney and Estate Administration services to help preserve a person’s legacy long after their passing.

4) Outstanding Achievement in Palliative Care

Open to any individual or organisation working or associated with palliative care in Tasmania. May include: all the above categories plus non-direct and non-clinical achievements such as academics, projects, disability, inclusivity, policy work, peak bodies, NFP staff, teams and projects, art and creative achievements, advocacy, fundraising and awareness, champions, change makers and more.

The winner was:

• Working It Out – The Silver Rainbow Program

The runner-up was:

• Li-Ve Tasmania – Healthy Dying for People with Disability project

The Finalist was:

• The Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre

Proudly supported by:

TerryWhite Chemmart is one of Australia’s leading retail pharmacy networks delivering frontline healthcare. With more than 500 community pharmacies across Australia, we are committed to ensuring every Australian has easier access to pharmacists and expert health advice every day. TerryWhite Chemmart provides high-quality, accessible and cost-effective community-based health care

5) Excellence in Palliative Care – Aged Care setting

Open to any individual or organisation working or associated with palliative care in Tasmania working or associated in a residential aged care setting or home care provider setting. May include aged care organisations, staff, volunteers, support workers, team members, service providers and more.

The winner was:

• Andrew Buckley – Enrolled Nurse, Peacehaven Residential Aged Care, Launceston

The runner-up was:

• King Island Hospital & Health Centre – Netherby Home Nursing Staff & Carers

The Finalist was:

• Care Forward- State-wide Care Forward Care Coordination Team

Proudly supported by:

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (AMNF) is Australia’s largest national union and professional nursing and midwifery organisation. The ANMF is the union for registered nurses, enrolled nurses, midwives, and assistants in nursing. The ANMF represents the professional, industrial and political interests of over 300,000 members. The ANMF is committed to representing Tasmania’s healthcare sector and the amazing nurses, midwives, and care workers who work within it. With 8,000 Tasmanian members. ANMF strength and collective bargaining power allows for active promotion and protection of the interest of Tasmanian nurses, midwives and care workers.

6) Excellence in Palliative Care – Community setting

Open to any individual or organisation working or associated with palliative care in Tasmania working or associated in delivering services or care in a community setting. May include community nursing teams, outreach, GPs and practice nurses, community health centres and staff, community houses, community service organisations, transport orgs, meal providers, support services,  holistic and social supports and more.

The winner was:

• Community Rapid Response Service- North West

The runner-up was:

• The Golden Wattle Café, Glenorchy

The Finalist was:

• Launceston Community Nursing Service

Proudly supported by:

caring@home, a national palliative care project, have developed resources to support people to be cared for and to die at home, if that is their choice. Free resources are available Australia-wide for health care professionals, community service providers and carers to support carers to help manage breakthrough symptoms safely using subcutaneous medicines. New resources tailored for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families will be released at the end of 2022.

7) ‘Joy Coghlan’ Tasmanian Palliative Care Honour Roll

The Tasmanian Palliative Care Honour Roll recognises individuals who have made an outstanding lifetime contribution to the sector. The Honour Roll ensures these contributions are given full recognition and not forgotten in the passage of time.

The 2022 Tasmanian Palliative Care Honour Roll has two inductees:

• Mrs Helen Gower (recognised posthumously)

Helen Gower was a much loved and respected palliative care volunteer from 2007 – 2021.

• Mrs Viki Elphinstone  

Vicki Elphinstone has been a Nurse Unit Manager and Clinical Nurse Consultant with the Specialist Palliative Care Service (SPCS). She is an active member of the SPCS board and has taken on the roles of President and Vice-President.

Partners

The Awards would simply not be possible without the support of our wonderful partners who are committed to the sector and the people within it. We encourage everyone to support the organisations that support us.

Category Partners

Community Partners

Working It Out (WIO) is Tasmania’s sexuality, gender, and intersex status support and education service. WIO provides support and advocacy services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) Tasmanians, and LGBTIQ+ inclusion professional learning programs. WIO is the Tasmanian partner of the Silver Rainbow program, delivering training and capacity building to services working with older people; and we support older people themselves in understanding their rights and ageing well.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia is a national employers organisation, which has represented and promoted the vital role of community pharmacy in the Australian health care system for over 90 years.  The Guild in Tasmania supports and advocates for a truly diverse group of community pharmacy owners who are medicine experts, focused on supporting their patients’ health journey through the provision of an increasingly wide range of professional services.

The 2022 Tasmanian Palliative Care Awards are the only state-wide awards that recognise compassion and excellence in Palliative Care across the state. This is our opportunity to acknowledge the many selfless individuals and organisations assisting people with a life-limiting illness to live, die and grieve well.