Aged & Community Services Australia
Level 1, 36 Albert Road, South Melbourne, Vic, 3205
Ph: 03 9686 3460 Fax: 0-3 9686 3453
MEDIA RELEASE
30 September 2008
REGIONAL AGED CARE SERVICES WIN
NATIONAL AWARDS & RECOGNITION FOR
EXCELLENCE IN AGED AND COMMUNITY CARE
Attention Rural News, health, ageing, employment, IT
A northern NSW aged and community service, based at Pottsville Beach north of Byron Bay,
has won a top national award for its Technology Innovation and services. A Retirement Village
in the Barossa Valley, SA has won the Best Organisation - Retirement Living, and Carrington
Centennial Care in Camden NSW has won the Residential Care Award. Other employees,
volunteers and services in Ballina, Muswellbrook, Murrurundi (NSW), Warrnambool (Vic) and
Mt Morgan (Qld) were runners up for national awards.
The annual Awards, presented in Adelaide at the Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA)
National Conference, recognise excellence in quality care and services for older people.
These National Awards were presented to services and individuals from NSW, South Australia and
Western Australia. All the winners and finalists were outstanding achievers in the aged and
community care industry throughout Australia.
The Individual Award went to Dr Penelope (Penny) Flett, CEO, Brightwater Care Group,
Western Australia. Since her appointment in 1986, she has led the growth and diversification of
Brightwater in service areas (such as rehabilitation, respite and residential care for younger
people) as well as leading 20 facilities providing residential care, creating new commercial and
business development in catering and laundry services, and auspicing research facilitation in
dementia and education /industry areas. She was the first chair of the Aged Care Standards and
Accreditation Agency, has been on numerous other boards and enquiries and was Telstra’s
National Businesswoman of the Year in 1998.
The panel of eminent judges for the ACSA Awards included the former Governor General, Sir
Ninian Stephen, Rt Hon. Ian Sinclair, Productivity Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald, US Ageing
expert Dr Robyn Stone, and Frank Smolenaers, Director of Technology at the Centre for Health
Innovation.
The 2008 winners, and runners-up, who are also formally recognised, come from NSW, Vic, QLD,
SA and WA.
ACSA’s 2008 Awards for Excellence in Aged Care cover eight categories: for the outstanding
Individual; Organisation, (residential, community and retirement living); Employee; Volunteer;
Newsletter (professional and voluntary) Training Innovation program, and Technology Innovation.
“The ACSA Awards have been made since 1990 and are the industry recognition of dedication and
innovation in providing services to older Australians and younger Australians with a disability,”
ACSA President Klaus Zimmermann said.
“The above results show that rural and regional services are up there with the best and
largest city services for providing cutting edge care and services and ensuring that older
Australians can receive top quality care regardless of location.”
CONTACT: Megan Stoyles for media interviews, & conference details: 0408 147 829.
Aged & Community Services Australia
Level 1, 36 Albert Road, South Melbourne, Vic, 3205
Ph: 03 9686 3460 Fax: 0-3 9686 3453
Individual Award for Excellence: Proudly sponsored by Health Super
Recognised for a lifetime’s work in aged and community care.
Winner: Dr Penelope (Penny) Flett, CEO of Brightwater Care Group, Western Australia
Employee Award: Proudly sponsored by HESTA Superannuation Fund.
Winner: Sandra Morgan, Helping Hand Aged Care, North Adelaide, South Australia
Runners up:
Susan Cunningham, St Andrews’s Village Ballina Ltd, Ballina, New South Wales
Chic Taylor, Hunter Integrated Care, Muswellbrook, New South Wales
Samantha Whalan, James Watson Hostel, East Perth, Western Australia
Volunteer Award: Proudly sponsored by Southern Cross Care (Aust) Inc
Winner: Tom & Sally Rainey, Presbyterian Aged Care, Haberfield, New South Wales
Runners up:
Catherine Gordon, John Cani Hostel, Mt Morgan, Queensland
Helen Williamson, Bankstown City Aged Care, Georges Hall, New South Wales
Organisation Award - Residential Care: Proudly sponsored by Silverman Dakin
Winner: Carrington Centennial Care Ltd, Camden, New South Wales
Runners up:
IBIS Care Holdings Pty Ltd, Blakehurst, New South Wales
Masonic Care Queensland, Sandgate, Queensland
Organisation Award - Community Care: Proudly sponsored by SmartLink International
Winner: City of Canning, Welshpool, Western Australia
Runners up:
Amana Living, Cottlesloe, Western Australia
Hunter Integrated Care, Murrurundi, New South Wales
Organisation Award – Retirement Living: Proudly sponsored by SmartLink International
Winner: Barossa Village Inc. Nuriootpa, South Australia
Training Innovation Award: Proudly sponsored by Australian College of Health Service Executives
Winner: Baptist Community Services of NSW & ACT, Epping, New South Wales
Runners up:
Silver Chain Nursing Association, Perth, Western Australia
Lyndoch Inc, Warrnambool, Victoria
?Glen Waverley Nursing Home, Glen Waverley, Victoria
Technology Innovation Award Proudly sponsored by Paul Hartmann Australia
Winner: Feros Care, Pottsville Beach, New South Wales
Runners up:
Baptist Community Services of NSW & ACT, Epping, New South Wales
Samarinda Aged Services, Ashburton, Victoria
Silver Chain Nursing Association, Perth, Western Australia
Newsletter Awards:
For a stimulating and positive newsletter involving, informing and reaching consumers, their carers, families and friends;
A newsletter produced by dedicated staff and/or with professional help Proudly sponsored by INsite
Winner: The Bugle, Uniting Care Community Options, Surrey Hills, Victoria
Runners up:
Inside Focus, Silver Chain Nursing Association, Perth, Western Australia
Newslink, Churches of Christ Life Care, North Adelaide, South Australia
A publication produced by volunteers, or in addition to normal duties Proudly sponsored by Australian Ageing
Agenda
BV Lifestyle, Barunga Village Inc, Port Broughton, South Australia
CONTACT: Megan Stoyles for media interviews, award details: 0408 147 829.
NEWS 
