Western Health is proud to announce that the Babaneek Booboop Program at Melton has won the Excellence in Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Award at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards last night.
The Babaneek Booboop Program, led by Charry Owens, Annie Sowter and Tracey Robinson, promotes the health and developmental outcomes of First Nations children in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs (the City of Melton and Moorabool Shire). Establishing and building on strong networks, the program has supported more than 350 children and their families in their engagement with child health and promoted cultural safety in health.
It’s seen more than 97 per cent of participants complete maternal and child health key ages and stages assessments. It’s also led to significant uptake of oral health, audiology, optometry and NDIS referrals.
The program is currently funded by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing through Korin Korin Balit-Djak funding, and is led and managed by Western Health.
The Perioperative and Critical Care Division was also acknowledged, with a nomination for the Excellence in Values-Based Healthcare award.
In 2022, the Perioperative and Critical Care Division, Alaina Zor, Fred Huynh, Meron Pitcher, Richard Grygiel and Rick Horton, established the same-day discharge initiative for patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy and hernia repair surgery.
The new approach was inspired by success in other countries and was designed to alleviate the strain on hospital beds following the COVID pandemic. The project has already improved patient access to surgery, reduced lengths of stay and enhanced patient satisfaction. In one year, more than 300 patients who would have stayed overnight instead left on the same day as their surgery.
The initiative showcased the benefits of timely and efficient surgical care while optimising resources and improving patient outcomes.
Western Health CEO Russell Harrison said this was an outstanding achievement and extended his congratulations to the two teams.
“Well done to these two teams, I’m so proud that these excellent examples of the exceptional care and culture of innovation so evident at Western Health were acknowledged.”
The West Metro Health Service Partnership, of which Western Health is a key partner, was also recognised and nominated for the Health Service Partnership of the Year.
Since its establishment two years ago, the partnership has built strong connections with more than 280 stakeholders and delivered significant impact through 13 collaborative projects.
