NT Allied Health Excellence Awards

Holly Van Vliet, Occupational Therapist, Alice Springs Hospital, NT Health.

Holly a new graduate Occupational Therapist with a Bachelor in Health Science from Charles Darwin University, graduating in 2023. At Alice Springs Hospital, she has co-developed a specific head strike pathway and supporting documents to enhance patient care.

Holly has promoted a positive culture within the OT team, demonstrating exceptional prioritization skills during periods of short staffing and supporting overall workplace goals. She is known for her patient-centred, strategic, compassionate, and holistic approach to care.

Holly is a strong advocate for her patients, actively participates in working groups and knowledge sharing, and is a deeply valued member of the Alice Springs Hospital team.

Amy Schonewille, Podiatrist, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress.

Amy’s exceptional leadership and clinical skills have driven numerous service developments, transforming foot care clients in remote Central Australian communities. In a region with the highest incidence of lower limb amputations nationally, Amy’s initiatives have facilitated an Aboriginal community-led model of care for high-risk foot clients, allowing them to receive treatment within their communities and avoid travel to Alice Springs for specialist services.

Amy’s notable achievements include accrediting the Congress High Risk Foot Clinic with the National Association of Diabetes Centres, a first for an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. She established an on-call podiatry telehealth service for all health care clinics in Central Australia, providing foot offloading kits typically available only in hospitals.

Rebecca Jarrott, Occupational Therapist, Learn and Thrive Therapy.

Rebecca is an accomplished occupational therapist who has made a lasting impact on the practice of occupational therapy in the Northern Territory through her clinical work and research.

Through her experiences working across cultures she recognised inequities and ethical tensions when assessing functional cognition, particularly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.  The assessment tools available for occupational therapists to assess cognition have been norm-referenced against dominant culture and are often used to make a diagnosis.

It was through this ethical tension that Rebecca started her PhD research in 2016 through Charles Sturt University.  Her research explores the use of the Perceive, Recall, Plan, Perform (PRPP) tool to assess functional cognition. Rebecca's research has informed evidence-based care by confirming this tool has clinical utility and validity when assessing function cognition with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Simone Tribe, Podiatrist, Alice Springs Hospital, NT Health

Simone is a senior podiatrist at Alice Springs Hospital and has revitalized the podiatry service, showcasing her leadership and dedication to high-quality care. She has balanced her clinical duties with ongoing education, service development, and collaboration across podiatry services, while also mentoring junior colleagues.

Simone’s ability to identify clinical gaps and lead improvements has significantly enhanced service efficiency and patient care. She is recognized for her organizational skills, creativity, and approachable nature. Her advocacy and leadership extend beyond podiatry to the broader hospital and Central Australian context, aiming to improve patient outcomes from hospital to community.

Passionate about culturally safe and equitable foot health services, Simone has led numerous initiatives, including the In-patient High Risk Foot Round, the Hospital in the Home Foot Clinic, and the first Central Australia Podiatry Journal Club. She is also developing a dedicated Charcot clinic and educational resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with Charcot-Neuroarthropathy.

Adult Allied Health Team, Central Australia, NT Health.

Adult Allied Health Team (AAHT) are a dedicated and trusted team providing community-based allied health services, specialist seating, and equipment services across Central Australia and the Barkly Regions. This dynamic team comprises administrative and technical staff, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, a speech pathologist and allied health assistants.

The AAHT embodies NT Health’s core values of being Safe, Responsive, and Kind. They are committed to growing NT Health’s workforce by warmly welcoming and supporting students and trainees.

Despite staff shortages, they have created a nurturing environment where everyone can thrive. Their interdisciplinary approach and teamwork have led to better patient outcomes, such as reduced wait times and a new intake system to increase efficiency.

The AAHT demonstrates a positive work culture and exemplary teamwork, responsive to the demands of rural and remote work and community needs. They actively engage with universities for research to improve patient outcomes.

They love learning, collaborating, and supporting each other, as well as living and working in a beautiful and complex community

Sam Brennan, Psychologist, Sam Brennan Psychology.

Sam is an outstanding psychologist based in Nhulunbuy, who has been serving North East Arnhem Land for the past five years.

Sam runs Sam Brennan Psychology, also known as Connect Social and Emotional Wellbeing, which focuses on delivering culturally appropriate mental health services to remote Aboriginal communities. His unique model bridges cultural and professional boundaries, respecting and incorporating Yolngu culture and knowledge systems.

Sam employs local Yolngu people as Cultural Consultants and Indigenous Health Support Workers, ensuring culturally appropriate service delivery and enhancing client engagement. His business maintains a strong focus on community needs and values, fostering trust and collaboration.

Sam collaborates with educational institutions and local enterprises on various projects, including the development of Gundirr, a digital website aimed at improving the cultural competence and effectiveness of mental health services in remote communities by training non-Indigenous health professionals to work effectively within the two-world context. He is also closely working with the community to deliver a women’s Healing Centre in Yirrkala and organizing a Youth Healing Summit to address the wellbeing of young people in the region.

Jodie Yodgee, Pharmacy Technician, Alice Springs Hospital, NT Health.

Since joining the hospital in 2016, Jodie has spearheaded initiatives to reduce pharmaceutical wastage by optimizing stock levels of low-usage medicines, maintaining dynamic inventory levels, and enhancing storage capacity within the department. These efforts have significantly improved stock control, minimized end-of-year stock take variances, and reduced expired medicines.

Jodie’s career has been marked by her adept handling of supply chain disruptions caused by national shortages, COVID-19 border restrictions, flooded highways, grounded planes, and refrigerator failures on trains. Her exceptional problem-solving skills and resourcefulness are put to the test weekly, ensuring that patients receive medications.

Jodie’s dedication to her work is evident in her proactive approach to stock management and her attention to detail. Her ability to navigate and adapt to changing circumstances, such as transporting medicines through floods, highlights her comprehensive understanding of the workplace and its broader environment.

Jodie’s unwavering commitment to patient care and her exemplary initiative make her a standout professional in her field.

Bhavini Patel, Pharmacist, NT Health

Bhavini is an accomplished pharmacist and a dedicated leader in the Australian healthcare system. With over 24 years of experience in NT Health, she has demonstrated exemplary leadership, innovation, and commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for Territorians.

Bhavini has been instrumental in establishing a model for high-quality medicines management services, supporting a high-performing team delivering patient-centred clinical pharmacy services, and creating a robust governance structure that ensures timely and equitable access to medicines.

Her career is marked by significant contributions to the pharmacy profession, including her roles as Director of Pharmacy at Royal Darwin Hospital, Lead for the Charles Darwin University pharmacy program, inaugural member of the National Pharmacy Board of Australia, and NT Executive Director of Medicines Management.

Bhavini’s leadership during the COVID-19 vaccination program exemplified her ability to manage complex projects within cross-cultural settings, ensuring the safety and well-being of the NT community.

Beyond her professional roles, Bhavini actively mentors the next generation of pharmacists and other members of the multidisciplinary team, chairs national committees, and advocates for healthcare excellence through her research. Her service and leadership have had a profound impact at local, national, and international levels, inspiring colleagues across NT Allied Health.

Bhavini is an exemplar of what a pharmacist can contribute to a profession, an organisation, and the health of all Australians. Her dedication and leadership extend beyond her immediate discipline, providing inspiration and setting a high standard for healthcare professionals everywhere