Congratulations to our WA Excellence in Allied Health Awards finalists

Four exceptional WA Country Health Service staff have been named finalists in three categories at the second annual WA Excellence in Allied Health Awards.

Our health service is proud to be a silver sponsor of these awards, which recognise allied health professionals throughout WA who show commitment and passion in their day-to-day work.

WA Country Health Service employs about 1000 allied health professionals—including audiologists, physiotherapists, social workers, podiatrists, pharmacists, medical imaging technologists, sonographers, speech pathologists, psychologists, dietitians and occupational therapists—who all play an important role delivering high quality healthcare to regional, rural and remote communities.

A huge congratulations to our 2025 finalists whose achievements will be honoured at a gala event on Tuesday 14 October at The University of Western Australia.

Allied Health Assistant of the Year finalist: Pam Boase

Pam has been an Allied Health Assistant at Kalgoorlie Health Campus for more than 22 years, developing a reputation as a hardworking, reliable, compassionate and dedicated team member.

With a deep understanding of allied health services and experience in most clinical areas, she is the backbone of the hospital’s Allied Health Assistant team.

Pam has driven positive change in establishing administrative processes for referral management, equipment management and stock ordering, among many other important contributions.

Her kindness and compassion towards patients have made her a well-known and much-loved member of the community.

Early Career Allied Health Professional of the Year finalist: Ruby Edmeades

As a Dietitian with the Kimberley Population Health Unit, Ruby has demonstrated exceptional initiative working in a remote setting.

Ruby has consistently gone above and beyond since joining WA Country Health Service two years ago, including supporting a junior allied health team in Derby and seeking opportunities to improve public health nutrition in the remote Fitzroy Valley.

Juggling a large caseload, she has demonstrated a remarkable ability to provide high quality, patient-centred care to a diverse population, delivering dietetic services to patients of all ages.

Her exceptional clinical judgement and commitment to delivering equitable and culturally sensitive care has made a significant impact in both the community and workplace.

Early Career Allied Health Professional of the Year finalist: Amy Neville

Amy joined WA Country Health Service as an Allied Health Assistant at Northam Health Service before securing the role of graduate Speech Pathologist in January 2024.

As a rural Speech Pathologist, she treats patients of all ages—delivering child development, outpatient and inpatient services in Northam and surrounding communities, while adapting to new models of service provision including virtual care.

Amy demonstrated leadership skills beyond her years while recently acting in the role of Senior Speech Pathologist, providing clinical guidance to colleagues, managing service demands, and ensuring continuity of high-quality care across the region.

Amy embodies the values of excellence, compassion, and dedication in allied health care.

Allied Health Leader of the Year finalist: Suzanne Spitz

As Director Allied Health, Suzanne has shown an unwavering commitment to supporting, empowering and upskilling the allied health workforce and enhancing services throughout country WA.

Her networks and influence are far reaching, and she has shown an exceptional ability to think strategically and collaborate with others to ensure regional allied health services in WA are aligned with national and international directives.

Suzanne played a major role in guiding the organisation in implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and, together with the allied health team, has strengthened allied health leadership, governance and workforce across WA Country Health Service.

Suzanne has been a pioneer, creator and visionary within the rural and remote allied health setting, inspiring hundreds of colleagues along the way.