A midwife from Victoria who pioneered a Midwifery Group Practice model, a nurse from NSW who helped reduce stigma around seeking mental health support, and a research centre who educated nurses in rural and regional Australia to perform skin checks are among nine finalists announced in the 2025 HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards.
Now in their 19th year, the awards honour the vital contributions made by Australia’s nurses, midwives, nurse educators, researchers, and personal care workers, who improve health outcomes for communities through care and support.
“Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the nurses, midwives and organisations across Australia for their significant contributions to healthcare,” HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said.
Winners will be announced at a celebratory dinner on May 14, with a $30,000 prize pool to be split among the three categories – Nurse of the Year, Midwife of the Year, and Outstanding Organisation.
2025 HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Finalists
Midwife of the Year
Carli Beange
Royal Perth Bentley
Carli, a dedicated midwife since 2006, is the inaugural Midwifery Manager of Australia’s first publicly funded Midwifery Birth Centre. Carli leads a team promoting continuity of care and empowering birthing choices, with each midwife caring for up to 35 women annually.
Colleen White
Peninsula Health
Frankston, VIC
Colleen is recognised for driving improvements in care for pregnant women through various initiatives, including the Midwifery Group Practice model, homebirth programs, and health initiatives for First Nations people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she aided in developing the Hospital in the Home programs, resulting in more families receiving health care at home and helping expand the nurses’ skill sets.
Vanessa Page
Gateway Health
Wodonga, VIC
Vanessa is recognised for leading the Endorsed Midwife Care Program at Gateway Health. The program provides bulk-billed continuity of midwife care to pregnant people with complex needs in the Albury and Wodonga areas, mainly benefiting culturally and linguistically diverse clients. Since the program’s inception in 2021, around 240 clients have accessed the service.
Nurse of the Year
Ty Simpson
The Alfred
Melbourne, VIC
Ty is recognised for his significant contributions to nursing education and patient care in Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy. Ty’s work has been transformative, helping equip nurses to handle cutting-edge therapies, benefiting patients and the nursing profession.
Laura Sadler
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, SA
Laura is recognised for her commitment and excellence in nursing as the South Australia Lung Transplant Nurse Consultant/Coordinator. Her initiatives reduce patient stress, improve clinical outcomes, and enhance patient experience, including reducing travel burdens, making her a respected mentor and asset to the healthcare community.
Amanda Butt
NPathy
Sydney, NSW
Amanda is recognised for helping revolutionise mental health care with her clinic, NPathy, which offers accessible services, particularly for vulnerable and underserved populations. Amanda’s initiatives have improved patient outcomes and fostered a more inclusive healthcare system.
Outstanding Organisation
Cabrini Women’s Mental Health
Cabrini Health
Elsternwick, VIC
Cabrini Women’s Mental Health (CWMH) is recognised for its pioneering role as Australia’s first private women-only mental health service. Since 2021, it has supported more than 1,000 women. CWHMS addresses the diverse needs of women experiencing mental ill health, empowering women to reclaim their identities and achieve lasting recovery.
First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing
Frankston, VIC
First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing’s ‘Birthing on Country’ model delivers culturally safe maternal and family healthcare for First Peoples’. This model has reduced premature births, increased breastfeeding rates, and improved engagement with services, fostering a culturally safe environment for First Nations families to thrive.
Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre
University of South Australia
Adelaide, SA The Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre is recognised for educating nurses in rural and regional Australia to perform skin checks, screening over 500 people in rural areas at Australia’s first free nurse-led skin cancer screening pop-up clinics, using cutting-edge AI technology and providing training for rural nurses.
