2009 Minister's Awards for Excellence in Aged Care

Innovation in Information Technology

Category Winner - Residential:
Samarinda Aged Services
Samarinda Lodge, Ashburton, VIC

Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot announced the recipients of the 2009 Minister's Awards for Excellence in Aged Care at HammondCare's Southwood facility in Sydney's south west today.

The awards recognise best practice and innovation in residential and community aged care.

Minister Elliot said: "We have first class aged care facilities in Australia. The innovation and dedication of aged care providers and their employees to continually seek new and creative ways to provide even better care is commended."

The Minister's Awards for Excellence recognise aged care staff and providers who provide exemplarily care to older Australians.

"Nurses, personal carers and allied health workers are the backbone of Australia's aged and community care system. It is important that their efforts are recognised and applauded," Minister Elliot said.

Minister Elliot announced that HammondCare Southwood was awarded the 2009 award for 'Innovation in Staff Recruitment and Retention' in the residential category.

The award recognises the innovative and effective staff recruitment, orientation and training strategies to support delivery of a new dementia care service model.

HammondCare's recruitment and retention program has resulted in a 95 per cent staff retention rate since October 2007. The retention of an experienced and highly skilled workforce has resulted in better care for residents.

The 2009 Minister's Awards for Excellence recognised excellence in the categories of:

• Innovation in Staff Recruitment and Retention;
• Excellence in Training and Staff Development;
• Innovation in Information Technology;
• Leadership and Achievement;
• Achievement in Service Provision in a Regional, Rural or Remote Area.

"The nominees and recipients in these highly competitive awards display a passion and commitment to care," Minister Elliot said.

The 2009 awards were open to a wider range of individuals and organisations than in previous years, including Australian Government subsidised nursing homes and hostels, Community Aged Care package providers, Extended Aged Care at Home providers, Home and Community Care aged care providers and National Respite Care Program providers.

The nominees were judged by panel comprising:

• Di Lawson, former CEO, Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council;
• Greg Mundy, CEO, Aged and Community Services Australia;
• Fiona Nicholls, Assistant Secretary, Quality Policy and Programs Branch, Department of Health and Ageing.

"I would like to acknowledge the time and effort that the judges contributed in assessing the highly competitive nominations," Minister Elliot.