The good people at the Mental Health Intensive Care Unit of Bloomfield Hospital were recently recognised for “exceptional care to some of the most acutely-unwell consumers,” at a regional award event.

With the theme this year of 'Kindness and Bravery in Leadership and Care', the crew's commitment to excellence and compassion saw them win the Team of the Year Award at the Western NSW Local Health District 2026 Nursing and Midwifery Symposium and Awards dinner.

Their commendation — out of finalists also covering Coonamble, Gilgandra, Gulargambone, and Dubbo — emphasised their commitment to the caring professions and to their patients.

“In a highly complex and high-pressure environment, they consistently prioritise dignity, therapeutic engagement, and least-restrictive care while maintaining safety and professionalism,” their commendation said.

“The team demonstrates strong cohesion and psychological safety, supporting one another through reflective practice, debriefing, and shared resilience; their ability to transform crisis presentations into therapeutic recovery experiences reflects truly outstanding teamwork and commitment to person-centred mental health care,” it added.

The annual ceremony was an opportunity to “celebrate the efforts of exceptional staff” while also acknowledging the dedication of the entire nursing and midwifery workforce, local health district Executive Director Quality, Clinical Safety and Nursing, Adrian Fahy said.

“The awards acknowledge the passion, dedication, and significant contribution nurses and midwives provide to patients and communities across Western NSW,” Adrian said.

“Their tireless efforts are at the heart of the care we provide, whether in hospitals, community health centres, or in the homes of our patients,” he added.

Finalists from the local region also included Sharon McIntyre from Nursing Administration at Bloomfield in the Aboriginal Nurse/Midwife of the Year category, and Mollie Cheek from Orange Health Service’s Intensive Care Unit for the Pauline Webster-Cox New to Practice Nurse of the Year award.

In more good news for the Bloomfield team, their win sees them go on as finalists in the statewide 2026 NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.