Award ceremony celebrates nurses and midwives across the region

BALLINA RSL Club hosted the Northern NSW Local Health District Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards with more than 150 people nominated by staff and patients.

Divided into eight categories, the annual awards showcase the contribution nurses and midwives make to healthcare across northern NSW.

Northern NSW director of district nursing and midwifery Katharine Duffy said it was important to recognise people working at all levels.

“From those just starting off in their careers, to those celebrating a lifetime of service, the contribution our nurses and midwives to healthcare in our region is remarkable,” she said.

“Through their compassion, commitment, dedication and resilience, our nurses and midwives provide excellent care to our patients – young and old – every day – delivering high quality healthcare across our hospitals and facilities in Northern NSW.

Award winners included Lismore’s Joanna Martin who was named Nurse of the Year.

Since 2022, her focus has been to improve staff responses to victim-survivors as Indigo House’s Domestic Violence Prevention Officer.

Tweed Valley Hospital’s Tommy Mull-Mathers won New to Practice Nurse or Midwife of the Year.

He was part of the first intake of GradStart registered nurses at the hospital in 2024 and has been a leader in the fast-paced emergency environment.

Jess Baxter also works at the Tweed hospital and was named Midwife of the Year.

She has been an integral member of the Tweed Midwifery Group Practice since 2017 and is currently exploring the centering pregnancy model for antenatal care for the practice.

Narelle Gleeson works as the director of nursing and midwifery at Lismore Base Hospital and was recognised with a lifetime achievement award.

She is passionate about the wellbeing of elderly patients in a career which has spanned 50 years.

Sarah Hendrikse from Tweed BreastScreen and Nigel Watts from the intensive care unit at Lismore Base Hospital were joint winners of the Healing Hearts Consumer Recognition Award.

The Kamala Child and Adolescent Mental Health United group at Lismore was recognised as team of the year.

They focus on youth mental health care through innovative, inclusive and patient-centred service, with a strong commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment.

Other award winners were Nikkita Johnson who was the Aboriginal Nurse or Midwife of the Year from Grafton Base Hospital.

Casino’s Jenae O’Sullivan took home the Brown Ackerman Leadership Award.