Parkes midwife Cath Byrnes has been given the prestigious honour of being the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) Midwife of the Year.
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The announcement was made at a special afternoon tea held at Parkes Maternity Unit on Monday afternoon as midwives all over the world celebrate International Day of the Midwife.
Cath, a midwife of 23 years, had no idea she was receiving the award.
"It is a very big surprise, I'm feeling really overwhelmed and honoured," she said.
"I am part of an amazing team of Lachlan Midwives who are committed to delivering a high standard of care to women.
"I accept this award on behalf of all of my fellow midwives in Lachlan.
"It is a privilege and an honour to provide a high quality service that allows women to birth in their communities."
Kate Power Acting Health Service Manager Lachlan Health Service said Parkes is really proud to have the nominated midwife for International Midwives Day.
"Cath is a very passionate, well respected midwife and we are really proud of her, we are very happy," Kate said.
"She is very well respected by her peers and this was a peer nominated award.
"She not only looks after her patients passionately and gives them her best, she also does the same thing for the staff who she works with.
"Cath is very skilled she is also a child and family health nurse as well as a midwife.
"She is a very caring person, very suitable to be working in midwifery and with mums and bubs."
The WNSWLHD Midwife of the Year is based on three sections, demonstration and commitment to the Living Well Together Values, a commitment to the midwifery profession and demonstration of leadership in the provision of midwifery quality care.
Executive Director Quality, Clinical Safety and Midwifery, Adrian Fahy, said Cath is a hard working Midwife and an asset to the Lachlan Health Service team in Parkes.
"She shows great innovation and initiatives towards clinical education and mentoring new staff," he said.
"Cath not only demonstrates all of the required qualities but she is also a fantastic role model to not only other midwives but staff across the hospital.
"Her passion is women centred care and looking at the family as a whole unit and adjusting her care to suit the woman's needs."
Over the past 12 months Cath has been working to improve patient outcomes through educating staff.
She not only attended training to develop her own skills, but bought the training back and developed sessions for staff.
"Cath is a role model and mentor to new grads and students and is seen as a senior staff member in the unit that staff can approach for direction and learning," Adrian said.
"We are extremely proud of Cath, and her passion and dedication to providing excellent care to our woman.
"We would also like to thank and pay tribute to all of our hard working and dedicated midwives that work across the WNSWLHD."
The NSW Government has committed to the largest Australian healthcare workforce boost with an extra 5000 nurses and midwives across regional and metropolitan areas over four years, as part of a $2.8 billion investment in frontline staff.
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