North West Hospital and Health Service (NWHHS) recently hosted its annual Staff Awards Night — a special evening dedicated to recognising the people who go above and beyond to make a difference across the health service.
The event brought together staff, executives, and board members to celebrate the dedication, innovation, and excellence shown by teams and individuals across the North West in 2025.
NWHHS Board Chair Cheryl Vardon AO congratulated all nominees and recipients. “These awards reflect the extraordinary calibre of people across our region. Their dedication, cultural leadership, and service to our communities are deeply valued.” Said Ms Vardon.
NWHHS Health Service Chief Executive Sean Birgan also praised the outstanding efforts of staff across the region. “Our people are the heart of this organisation,” said Mr Birgan. “This night is about honouring their incredible work, their commitment to our values, and the positive impact they have on our communities.”
Award recipients were recognised across the organisation’s core values: Innovation, Respect, Engagement, Accountability, Caring, Honesty — with special honours also presented by the Executive Team and Board.
2025 NWHHS Award Winners
Innovation
Winner: Cassandra Bailey
Cassandra created and led the Remote Ready Program — a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to upskill staff before they work in remote settings. She also implemented a telehealth emergency simulation initiative now being adopted across the state.
Respect
Winner: Ally Manwaring
A leader in medication safety, Ally champions respectful, open dialogue and quality improvement in clinical care.
Engagement
Winner: Mere Mock
Mere has built strong, culturally safe partnerships with First Nations patients, families, and staff — delivering meaningful support throughout discharge planning.
Accountability
Winner: Claire Matthews
Claire supports over 450 nurses and midwives with outstanding efficiency, organisation, and proactive HR support.
Caring
Winner: NWHHS Sexual Health Team
The team nearly doubled service engagement through smarter triage systems, community partnerships, and bold outreach campaigns.
Honesty
Winner: Teri Loccisano
Teri offers reliable, values-driven guidance in HR with a blend of transparency, empathy, and problem-solving savvy.
Volunteer Award
Winner: James Coghlan
James ran 700km in honour of his late wife, raising $37,000 for the Mount Isa Cancer Care Unit in a tribute that touched the region.
First Nations Award
Winner: Charlotte Mullins
A proud advocate for cultural safety, Charlotte brought Doomadgee cross-cultural training off-country and champions First Nations health in every aspect of her work.
Executive Leadership Team Award
Recipient: Sidony Miller-Waugh
As acting Director of Pharmacy, Sidony transformed the department into a high-functioning, supportive, and values-led workplace admired across the service.
NWHHS Board Chair’s Excellence Award
Recipient: William Wilson
Will is the heartbeat of Continued Care — a mentor, historian, and role model who brings humour, pride, and unwavering accountability to his team.
The event marked a mid-year celebration of the hard work and continued progress of staff across the service, reinforcing NWHHS’s commitment to delivering high-quality, culturally safe care — no matter where they are in the North West.