Nurse wins major award
MARK Forrest has worked in hospitals all over the world, but credits his team at Caloundra Hospital for helping him win a major award.
The nursing unit manager has won the Dr H. H. (Barny) Moy Memorial Medal, Sunshine Coast Health District's highest award for excellence.
"I'm very proud, but I don't see it as a personal award. It's for the people I work with," Mr Forrest said.
"We help each other. The level of communication and trust in the way people support each other here is incredible.
"I wouldn't have won this award without them."
Mr Forrest entered the health industry in Scotland when he was just 18 and for the past 26 years has travelled the world working in a range of specialised fields.
When he moved to Australia five years ago, he settled in Townsville but 18 months ago shifted to the Sunshine Coast.
Health service chief executive Kevin Hegarty said Mr Forrest's award, dedicated to the memory of Dr Moy, was the most prestigious recognition a member of the health service could achieve.
Dr Moy, a consultant urologist at Nambour Hospital from 1989 to 1992, had a strong commitment to and association with the hospital.
His family established a bequest to enable the Barny Moy Medal to be awarded annually to a member of staff nominated by their peers.
"Some of the recurring descriptors of Dr Moy that come to mind include respect, trust, dedication, professionalism, commitment, skill and compassion," Mr Hegarty said.
"Those wonderful qualities that so well describe Dr Moy were also evident in the nominations for this year's Dr H H (Barny) Moy Memorial Medal."
In addition to the medal, several other special awards were presented to staff members and teams who contributed most to the hospital and health service in the past 12 months (see box).
EFFORTS HONOURED
Dr H. H. (Barny) Moy Award: Mark Forrest, Nursing Unit Manager, East Ward, Caloundra Hospital.
Innovation: Dr Peter Hollett and Dr Prem Ram.
Patient Safety and Quality: Belinda Harpin.
Engagement: Sanmarie Duddridge.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commitment: Cultural Healing Team.
Leadership: Lynette Randall.
Patient Flow: ECLIPSE Team.
