Allied Health Excellence Awards
Find out how to nominate for the Allied Health Excellence Awards. This award recognises the contributions of allied health professionals, assistants and teams to our community.
Nominations close at 5:00 pm Friday 8 August 2025.
The Allied Health Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding allied health professionals, assistants and teams. The awards recognise their exceptional service and contribution to our community.
Who you can nominate
Nominees for all award categories must:
- work in the ACT
- be employed in the public, private, and/or not-for-profit sector
- be working in an eligible allied health profession
- be endorsed by their current supervisor
- not have received an award in the same category in the past 3 years
- not be subject to a professional practice notification, restriction/limitation to practice, under investigation, or disciplinary process.
For more information read the nomination guidelines:
- Nomination Guidelines for the Consumer Recognition category [PDF 294 KB]
- Nomination Guidelines for all other categories [PDF 294 KB]
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner | Medical Physicist |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison Officer | Music Therapist |
Allied Health Assistant Includes:
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist |
Analytical Scientist Includes:
| Occupational Therapist |
Audiologist | Optometrist |
Biomedical Engineer | Orthoptist |
Biomedical Technician | Osteopath |
Cardiac Perfusionist | Paramedic (Ambulance and Intensive Care) |
Cardiac Scientist | Pedorthist |
Chinese Medicine Practitioner | Pharmacist |
Chiropractor | Physiotherapist |
Clinical Neurophysiology Scientist | Play Therapist |
Counsellor | Podiatrist |
Creative Art Therapist | Prosthetist and Orthotist |
Dental Practitioner Includes:
| Psychologist |
Dental Technician | Public Health Officer |
Dietitian | Radiation Therapist |
Environmental Health Scientist | Radiographer |
Epidemiologist | Respiratory Scientist |
Exercise Physiologist | Sleep Scientist |
Genetic Counsellor | Social Worker |
Health Information Officer / Manager | Sonographer |
Medical Laboratory Scientist | Speech Pathologist |
Award categories
Each nomination can be made in one of the following categories.
For allied health assistants, dental assistants or peer recovery workers.
For people who started as a new graduate on or after 1 January 2023.
For people who work in clinical, community, technical, and scientific fields.
For allied health leaders at all levels.
For people improving skills and knowledge in allied health learning.
For teams who work together for a common goal.
The team must include at least 2 team members from an eligible allied health profession.
Other team members can be from other professions such as nursing, medicine, scientific, technical, and administrative.
For people or teams achieving excellence in research or quality improvement.
For a team, the lead researcher/s must be from an eligible allied health profession.
Teams can also include broader professions such as nursing, medicine, scientific, technical, and administrative.
For people or teams improving Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander health services.
Nominations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are strongly encouraged, however all eligible allied health professionals may be nominated.
Team nominations must include at least 2 team members from an eligible allied health profession.
Other team members can be from other professions such as nursing, medicine, scientific, technical, and administrative.
For patients, health consumers or families to nominate allied health professionals, assistants, or teams.
Read the Nomination Guidelines for the Consumer Recognition category [PDF 294 KB].
How to nominate
Anyone can submit a nomination for the Allied Health Excellence Awards, including self-nomination.
To nominate online:
- Complete the online nomination form.
- Include the relevant supervisor’s email address.
- Submit your nomination before the closing date.
The nominee must be endorsed by their current supervisor before the closing date.
How we choose winners
Winners are chosen by a panel of senior allied health professionals and leaders, and consumer representatives.
The selection process is confidential and final.
Past winners
We celebrate nominees and award winners on International Allied Health Professions Day on 14 October each year.
- Award winners receive $500 for learning.
- The allied health professional of the year receives an extra $1500 for learning.
2024 award winners
- Joshua O’Dwyer, Canberra Health Services – Allied Health Assistant Excellence
- Brigette Berry, Canberra Health Services – Early Career Excellence
- Donna Bainbridge, Fisher Family Practice – Practice Excellence
- Tim Tooke, Canberra Health Services – Management and Leadership Excellence
- Sandra Holdom, Canberra Health Services – Education Excellence
- Black Mountain School Student Engagement Team, Education Directorate – Team Excellence
- Tanya Buettikofer, Canberra Health Services – Research Excellence
- Community Care Program Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Inclusion Plan Implementation Team, Canberra Health Services – Excellence in Provision of Services to Improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing
- Matthew Hotchkis, Podiatry Professionals and Canberra Heel Pain Institute & Rebecca McRae, Reboot Physiotherapy – Consumer Recognition
- Community Care Program Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Inclusion Plan Implementation Team (Canberra Health Services) – 2024 Allied Health Professionals of the Year
Contact us
Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer
If you need help or have questions, contact us.
Call
(02) 5124 9734