Barwon Health duo named finalists in WorkSafe award

A PAIR of Barwon Health staff have been recognised for their commitment to workplace health and safety and been crowned a finalist for the 2024 WorkSafe Awards.

Jennifer-Maree Gamble and Gaye Maree Coles have been shortlisted for the Health and Safety Representative of the Year Award.

The WorkSafe Awards annually celebrate excellence in workplace health and safety and return to work.

The anesthetic and recovery nurses were shortlisted from more than 100 nominees for the title.

Ms Gamble and Ms Coles were joint winners of the Australian Nursing and Midwife Federation (ANMF) Hannah Sellars Health and Safety Representative of the Year Award in 2023.

Ms Gamble said to receive a second statewide award in consecutive years would be an amazing honour.

“I’m very humbled by this. It’s quite extraordinary to be nominated alongside some other great candidates from across the state.

“It’s fantastic to know people who are under our care and within our organisation think we are worthy of something like this.

“It [the nomination] puts the focus on nursing and our work and gets the word out about health and safety which is an area we are both very passionate about.”

Ms Coles said the duo’s passion for their work was a key to their success.

“We work very closely with our designated work group to make sure our staff and patients are as safe as possible.

“They truly appreciate it and believe we are invested in what we do.

“The operating theatre is not something you see under lights very often, so to spotlight that area with our work is very cool.

“We are very chuffed.”

The winners of the 34th annual WorkSafe Awards will be announced at a formal gala night at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins on February 29.

Tickets can be found on Eventbrite.