A Tasmanian nurse practitioner and NSW practice nurse manager have been recognised amongst 20 Medicare Champions in the Stronger Medicare Awards announced in a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra last night.
In Medicare’s 40th birthday year, the Stronger Medicare Awards recognise and honour the outstanding health professionals and other workers in clinics, health centres, general practices and primary care settings, all around Australia.
More than 140 exceptional nominations were received from across the country, with 37 finalists and the final 20 Medicare Champions chosen by a panel of experts, including ANMF’s Federal Assistant Secretary Lori-Anne Sharp.
The awards recognise the role of primary care in providing accessible and high-quality healthcare to all Australians. They also honour those who have championed Medicare and contributed to its success over the last four decades, said Federal Health Minister Mark Butler.
“We need to raise the aspiration of nurses, midwives and every other health professional to see themselves in primary care,” said Minister Butler.
“These awards are important because they elevate primary care roles and recognise them for the challenging, diverse and impactful roles that they are.”
The nine individual winners include GPs, nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and allied health professionals, along with 11 primary healthcare teams which largely feature nurse and midwifery-led models of care.
Nurse practitioner and practice co-owner
Medicare Champion individual recipient, Kerrie Duggan, is co-owner, managing director and nurse practitioner at the Cygnet Family Practice in Tasmania’s Huon Valley. She stepped in as a co-owner to save the important local practice when the previous owner made the decision to close. The service supports around 2,000 people in the local community, who might otherwise have been without healthcare.
“My passion is helping people in rural Australia access health care, when they need it.”
The NP role and the unique opportunity of co-owning a general practice has enabled Ms Duggan the opportunity to initiate and establish a team-based, patient-centred, holistic healthcare service.
New nurse-led processes help better capture patients’ baseline health data, complete health checks, and set up care plans to manage chronic conditions. A new urgent and after-hours service utilising nurse practitioners and community paramedics has provided an additional 1,700 patient appointments in 12 months.
Ms Duggan has lobbied for raised awareness of the NP role which increases patient access to care, provides leadership to the nursing profession, and improves the provision of health care to the general community. The NP role ensures a systematic and comprehensive approach to identify gaps in care, and identify and manage early, risk factors for chronic disease development.
“This recognition is important for the future of nurses being seen as a safe, effective and expert health professionals,” she said.
Outside of clinical care, Ms Duggan has supported her community through a range of initiatives. These include an outreach men’s health service and the establishment of the Cygnet Cares Suicide Prevention Network.
Caring for culturally diverse communities
NSW RN Selin Tekirdag was awarded a Medicare Champion in recognition of caring for culturally diverse communities in Fairfield in Sydney’s west. She supports 28 medical centres across NSW and the ACT as a chronic disease management nurse manager.
In the role, Ms Tekirdag has established several nurse-led clinics in the Fairfield Chase Medical Centre including a refugee health clinic, an iron infusion clinic and a women’s health clinic. The women’s health clinic provides a safe space for women to talk, as well as education and health promotion including mammogram testing, cervical screening, STI protection and contraception.
Her work which particularly supports disadvantaged communities has been supported by developing strong networks in the community, and with refugee and settlement services.
“I like to bridge the gap for those who have struggled to manage their health due to cultural barriers. It only takes a few extra minutes to go the distance and explain or guide them in ensuring they are being placed on the right paths to improve their quality of life.
“It’s about setting an example for their families, friends and all future generations, as they go home and talk about the experiences, they’ve had in primary care settings to better their health.”
In the role, Ms Tekirdag trains other nurses in chronic disease management and shares best practice with staff in regional and remote areas.
Team Medicare Champions
Nurse-led and midwifery-led models of care feature highly in the team Medicare Champion awards, including NT’s Top End Health Service Midwifery Group Practice, Perth’s Homeless Healthcare’s Medical Respite Centre (MRC), SA’s Mallee Border Health Centre, Launceston’s Mission Health, and Canberra’s Next Practice.
