BHS celebrates Together Week and AGM

INNOVATION, determination and achievements of the Ballarat Health Service and its staff were celebrated during Together Week 2018.

During this busy week BHS held its Research and Education Awards Presentations, Annual General Meeting and its seventh Annual Research Symposium.

Presented at the AGM, BHS’s Annual Report detailed the financial results of Victoria’s second largest regional health service, employing over 4000 people.

An operating surplus of $311,000 was achieved for the 2017-18 financial year from revenue of $470,881 million with BHS continuing to focus on generating operating efficiencies and maximising revenue.

There was a 4.5 per cent increase in the number of babies delivered as well as an increase of 7 per cent in the emergency attendances.

BHS performed 10,000 surgeries throughout the year with the dental program providing 15,000 treatments to patients.

AGM guest speaker Nick Locandro, recently recognised as a Compassionate Ballarat Hero, told of his 2000km cycling journey, along with mates Jarrod and Jamie, from Uluru to Ballarat over 14 days to raise awareness for early onset dementia.

Paul Lovell was made a Life Governor at the AGM for his outstanding contribution as a volunteer in various roles at BHS over the past 30 years.

Dr John Oswald, who has made a significant contribution to BHS during his time as a Consultant Anaesthetist between 1997 – 2004 was also awarded Life Governor.

At the Awards Presentation event BHS acknowledged the accomplishment of its staff handing out six awards for excellence in allied health, intern professionalism, quality and innovation, medical, nursing and research as well as announcing the recipients of The Doreen Bauer Travelling Scholarship.

Over 30 research projects were presented at the Research Symposium, celebrating the research contributions and achievements of BHS staff, research alliances and students.

Wrapping up the week was the presentation of the BHS Together Awards acknowledging recipients in three categories – Living the Values Every Day, Health and Volunteer of the Year.