The Humpty Dumpty Foundation, with the support of the NSW Government, has announced the New South Wales metropolitan and regional winners as well as the highly commended recipients in the 2024 Michelle Beets Award for Inspirational Paediatric Care.
Honouring the memory of devoted and highly respected nurse Michelle Beets, the Michelle Beets Award for Inspirational Paediatric Care has been held since 2012 and recognises health professionals who inspire peers through their efforts to advance the health of children in NSW.
This year’s regional winner is Dr Elizabeth Cotterell from Armidale Hospital.
Actively supporting vulnerable patients by enabling families to attend appointments at a time and place to meet their needs, Dr Cotterell ensures they receive the care they need despite many challenges. Her extensive experience in a rural hospital has equipped her to manage complex medical cases often at a sub-specialty level, addressing gaps in access to specialised care.
Her commitment to enhancing care extends to championing a project which facilitates interprofessional collaboration among clinicians managing chronic care patients. This monthly workshop has significantly improved understanding and networking as well as providing peer support at Armidale Hospital.
Dr Cotterell was commended for going above and beyond, including providing outreach services to Moree. She is also a Founder and co-chair of Regional Paediatrics NSW, a network of doctors, nurses and allied health clinicians focused on advancing rural and regional paediatric healthcare, demonstrating her leadership and dedication to the field.
Dr Cotterell will receive $25,000 worth of medical equipment through the Humpty Dumpty Foundation for use in their facility and a $5,000 bursary for professional development, training or research.
For the first time in the award’s history, three highly commended recipients have been announced, including Speech Pathologist Mattias Grasselli, also based at Armidale Hospital.
This year’s Michelle Beets Award for Inspirational Paediatric Care was announced at The Great Humpty Ball, Sydney on Saturday 30 November 2024 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney. The winners and highly commended recipients each received their awards on the night from the Hon. Ryan Park MP, NSW Minister for Health, NSW Minister for Regional Health and Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast along with Humpty Dumpty Foundation Patron Johanna Griggs AM.
Humpty Dumpty Foundation CEO & Managing Director, Claire Reaney, said Dr. Cotterell demonstrated clinical excellence in neonatal/paediatric care and a strong commitment to the principles of person-centred care.
“As champions of innovation and improvements in the quality of care to achieve the best health outcomes for children, [metro winner] Ms Saad and Dr Cotterell are highly regarded as inspirational role models by their peers.”
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park MP congratulated Dr Cotterell for her exceptional contributions and dedication to improve the lives of children in their care.
“Their efforts truly embody the values Michelle Beets stood for, and I am proud to see their impact recognised with these well-deserved awards.”
“Through their leadership and commitment to paediatric care, all the clinicians recognised today are an inspiration to their colleagues for delivering exceptional levels of care for children across New South Wales.”
Top image: (L-R) Michelle Beets Award for Inspirational Paediatric Care Metropolitan Winner Rebecca Saad, regional winner Dr Elizabeth Cotterell (Armidale), regional highly commended recipient Mattias Grasselli (Armidale) and metropolitan highly commended recipient Kate Short
Don’t miss any of the important stories from around the region. Subscribe to our email list.