Catholic Health Australia (CHA) welcomes the discussion about the end of life, assisted suicide and palliative care on the ABC’s Q&A program, to be aired tonight.

Catholic Health Australia is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of hospitals, aged and community care services, providing approximately 10 per cent of healthcare services in   Australia. Catholic Health Australia’s CEO, Suzanne Greenwood, today stated that greater investment in quality palliative care should be the focus of the debate.

Catholic Health Australia congratulates Australian Catholic University (ACU) on the appointment of Mr Julien O’Connell AM as its next Pro-Chancellor.

Chair of the Catholic Health Australia Board, Ms Rowena McNally, said “Mr O’Connell is a highly respected and valued member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Health Australia and we look forward to enjoying an enhanced relationship working further with ACU subsequent to his appointment as Pro-Chancellor.”

Catholic Health Australia welcomes the Turnbull Government’s decision to give Minister Sussan Ley the added responsibility as Minister for Aged Care to add to her portfolios of Health and Sport.

Catholic Health Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Suzanne Greenwood, is pleased with today’s announcement and hopes for enhanced opportunities for care integration, moving forward, under the one minister.

Catholic Health Australia commends Calvary Health Care for its continued commitment to providing essential palliative care and rehabilitation services of the highest quality for the people of Wagga Wagga and the greater Riverina.

Calvary Riverina Hospital’s new $9.3 million Mary Potter Palliative Care Unit and the St Joseph’s Rehabilitation Unit, to be officially opened tomorrow, illustrate both Calvary’s and Catholic Health Australia’s shared belief in the value of providing dignified and compassionate palliative care, a right for all Australians faced with incurable or life-limiting illness.

Suzanne Greenwood, CEO of Catholic Health Australia, today acknowledged the important place palliative care holds in the holistic health care ethos practiced by Catholic health, aged care and community service providers such as Calvary Health Care.  

Catholic Health Australia congratulates moral theologian Fr Cormac Nagle OFM who was awarded CHA’s highest honour, the Maria Cunningham Lifetime Contribution Award 2015, at the annual Catholic Health Australia Awards held at Parliament House, Canberra.

 The Maria Cunningham Lifetime Contribution Award takes the name of Sr Maria Cunningham RSC OAM who worked as a nurse, a nurse educator and a leader of Catholic health care ministries for all her working life. 

This year, Catholic Health Australia recognised the tireless efforts, the many years of countless contributions to Catholic health and pastoral care, as well as theological and educational work, and also ethical and bioethical work performed by Fr Cormac Nagle. 

Catholic Health Australia congratulates the team at the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network (DAWN), St John of God Subiaco Hospital, who were honoured with the CHA Award for Outreach Health Care 2015 at the annual Catholic Health Australia Awards held this year at Parliament House, Canberra.

The Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network is a free service providing home-based support for individuals experiencing withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs. In operation since 2001, DAWN fills a large gap in this home-based style of care. Regardless of its success, it is still the only provider of home-based drug and alcohol withdrawal services in Western Australia. 

Catholic Health Australia congratulates Mary Ringstad who was honoured with the CHA Award for Excellence in Pastoral Care 2015 at the annual Catholic Health Australia Awards held this year at Parliament House, Canberra.

Mary, who is the Pastoral Care Manager at Calvary Mater Newcastle, was presented with the award at CHA’s National Conference in Canberra for over 17 years of dedicated service, ensuring spirituality remain a cornerstone of the provision of Catholic health care. 

Widely recognised as an outstanding provider of sensitive and compassionate pastoral and spiritual care, Mary and her dedication to the healing ministry is not only valued by staff and patients at Calvary Mater Hospital, Newcastle, but by the greater Newcastle and Hunter Region communities. 

Catholic Health Australia congratulates Southern Cross Care (Vic) and its Holistic Wellness Program, honoured with the CHA Award for Leadership in Positive Ageing 2015 at the annual Catholic Health Australia Awards held this year at Parliament House, Canberra.

The Holistic Wellness Program is a standout program, provided by Southern Cross Care (Vic), aimed at providing a calming, home-like environment for people living with dementia, one of the most vulnerable groups in society.  

The program is designed to provide individual, tailor-made care for each individual person. Modelled on a ‘smaller is better’ concept, Southern Cross Care (Vic) facilities are modelled to reflect a familiar home-like environment for the residents. 

Catholic Health Australia congratulates Megan McKechnie who was honoured with the CHA Award for Nurse of the Year 2015 at the annual Catholic Health Australia Awards held this year at Parliament House, Canberra.

Megan was presented with the award at CHA’s National Conference in Canberra for her dedicated and outstanding work in the treatment of patients with complex alcohol and drug complications, severe mental health issues, as well as for providing sensitive and compassionate care to the marginalised in-keeping with the ethos of Catholic health care provision.

Catholic Health Australia congratulates Stephen Tippett who was honoured with the CHA Award for Emerging Leader 2015 at the annual Catholic Health Australia Awards held this year at Parliament House, Canberra.

Stephen, who is the Manager of Food Services at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, was presented with the award at CHA’s National Conference for his standout leadership qualities, his dedicated service to patients’ health, his continued ability to provide strong but sensitive direction for staff with disabilities, and for his provision of exceptional care, in keeping with the Catholic mission.