- Published:
- Thursday 27 November 2025 at 10:00 am
The Allan Labor Government is celebrating Victoria’s world-class health workforce and health services – recognising the incredible care they provide at this year’s Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas and Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Ingrid Stitt last night announced the winners of this year’s awards, chosen for their outstanding contribution to the community and Victoria’s health system.
Among the winners in 2025 is the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service who took home the Excellence in Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing award for an anti-vaping campaign with Mo Works Creative Agency – replacing fear-based messaging with empowering storytelling.
Western Health won the Excellence in Women’s Health award for “Pioneering Care” for their work leading national prison health reform, with the delivery of specialised support for women in custody who are also recovering from addiction and trauma.
Mercy Health received the Care in the Community award for expanding its Paediatric and Neonatal Hospital in the Home service, enabling early discharge and better access to care for new mums and bubs, through remote monitoring and interpreter support.
The work of Victorian volunteers has also been recognised with 12 individuals – each with 30 or more years of dedicated service – added to the Health Volunteer Honour Roll. Those honoured included Thelma Wombwell and Margaret Mundie, who have given 50 and 45 years of service to public healthcare respectively.
Four health services also received the Premier’s Health Service of the Year Awards, including:
- Oral Health Victoria (Primary Healthcare Service of the Year)
- Heywood Rural Health Service (Small Health Service of the Year)
- Dhelkaya Health (Medium Health Service of the Year)
- St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (Large Health Service of the Year).
To view all the nominees and winners of the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards, please visit health.vic.gov.au/victorian-public-healthcare-awards.
Quote attributable to Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas
“These awards shine a light on the groundbreaking work happening across our health system every day and showcase the dedicated healthcare workforce who are transforming the way we deliver care to Victorians.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Ingrid Stitt
“Our mental health, AOD and aged care workforces are delivering earlier, safer and more compassionate care every day. These awards celebrate the people driving real change for Victorians and I’m proud to recognise their skill, commitment and impact.”
Full list of Victorian Public Healthcare Awards 2025 winners:
- Care in the community – Mercy Health, Paediatric & Neonatal Hospital in the Home (HITH) Service Expansion,
- Creating a sustainable and climate resilient health system – Your Community Health, Our Climate, Our Health: Embedding Sustainability and Equity in Community Healthcare
- Excellence in mental health and wellbeing – Peninsula Health, Elimination of Seclusion
- Excellence in public sector residential aged care services – Barwon Health, Restoring Dignity and Quality of Life: Specialist Dementia Care Program for People with Severe BPSD
- Excellence in value-based healthcare – Northern Health, Transforming Asthma Care: Delivering Value-Based Care with a Co-Designed Asthma Digital Pathway
- Excellence in women’s health – Western Health, Pioneering Care: supporting the addiction medicine needs of women in the custodial setting
- Excellence in Aboriginal health and wellbeing – Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (with Mo Works Creative Agency), FLIP THE VAPE: Flipping the script on vaping for Aboriginal youth
- Excellence in equity, diversity and inclusion – Eastern Health and Rahma Health, A Blueprint for Community-led Multicultural Health Resources, starting with the Arabic-speaking community
- Celebrating a strong and sustainable workforce – Eastern Health, Boosting Social Work via AHA Roles in RACS/TCP Pathways
- Partnering in healthcare – Royal Women’s Hospital, Public Fertility Care Partnership
- Premier's Primary Healthcare Service of the Year – Oral Health Victoria
- Premier's Small Health Service of the Year – Heywood Rural Health
- Premier's Medium Health Service of the Year – Dhelkaya Health
- Premier's Large Health Service of the Year – St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
- Health Volunteer Team of the Year – Bendigo Health, Volunteer Services Team
Media contact: Flynn Schulz 0414 672 580 | Flynn.schulz@minstaff.vic.gov.au