The skills and dedication of local nurses and midwives has been recognised with success in the latest Nursing and Midwifery Awards from the Western New South Wales Local Health District (WNSWLHD).

The presentation dinner took place on Thursday, May 9th, with plenty of local faces among the award winners.

Marli Sharah, a midwife from the Narromine Health Service was the overall winner in the Aboriginal Nurse/ Midwife of the Year category.

In her bio, provided by WNSWLHD, Ms Sharah is described as having an unwavering commitment to excellence in midwifery care as an Aboriginal maternal and infant health services.

"Registered midwife. Marli's dedication to her profession is truly remarkable," the bio states. "She consistently goes above and beyond to provide exceptional care and support to her patients, ensuring that they receive the highest standard of care during such a crucial time in their lives. Her compassion, empathy, and professionalism set her apart as a leading figure in the field of midwifery.

"Not only is Marli an outstanding midwife, but she is also a valuable team member who is always willing to lend a helping hand and share her knowledge and expertise with her colleagues. Her positive attitude and exceptional work ethic have a ripple effect on the entire team, inspiring us all to strive for excellence in our own practice."

Other local nominees

Other local health providers nominated for the awards included

• Stacey Edwards from Condobolin Health Service in the Midwife of the Year category.
• Monica Lama from Gilgandra Multi-Purpose Service in the Pauline Webster-Cox New to Practice Nurse of the Year Award.
• Angela Hundy - Walgett Multipurpose Service in the Aboriginal Nurse/ Midwife of the Year Award.
• John Alchin - Gilgandra Health Service, Nurse Manager in the Nursing and Midwifery Leader of the Year Award.

The Narromine Health Service and Gilgandra Multipurpose Service were nominees in The Team of the Year Award for their exceptional care and dedication to patients.

Adrian Fahy, WNSWLHD Executive Director Quality, Clinical Safety and Nursing, said he was delighted to have the opportunity to congratulate each award recipient, who were celebrated among colleagues and guests at the presentation evening.

“All eight recipients of this year’s Nursing and Midwifery Awards were truly deserving and I was thrilled to present them with their awards, as well as acknowledge all the nominees and those who received honourable mentions in each category,” Mr Fahy said.

“As always we were faced with the difficult task of selecting recipients in each category having received some wonderful nominations this year, but that’s a great problem to have."

“The recipients from our local award categories will now be put forward as nominees for the 2024 NSW Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.” Mr Fahy said.