Bethanie Como is an upscale Bethanie Aged Care site with high end fittings and elegant furnishings. It has 99 beds across three floors with a dining area on each floor, and its Catering Team, consisting of chefs, kitchenhands and food and dining care workers, all exemplify the ethos that “each resident is an individual.”

The Team’s mission is to foster a sense of belonging, social engagement and reablement, making a positive impact on quality of life and wellbeing through enjoyable and culturally inclusive dining experiences. They are committed to supporting residents to feel connected, heard, valued and fulfilled, and have achieved a 100 per cent food satisfaction score from residents.

“I nominated my team because they go above and beyond every day,” says Bethanie Como Support Services Manager Vivek Shetty. “They achieve amazing results in providing day to day service while also delivering extra care – making sure residents are put first, and giving them the best experience possible.”

The Team comprises around 25 people who prepare and serve freshly cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner along with morning and afternoon teas. “This is an upscale site and the residents therefore rightfully have a high expectation of our services, so staff have to be at their best at all times,” Vivek says. “Sometimes it can be challenging but they always come through, pulling together as a team. Our goal is always to ensure the residents’ happiness and achieve customer satisfaction. The Team is thrilled to have won – they are very pleased all their hard work has paid off, and the Award gives them an extra motivation to keep up the high standard they have set.”

Rob is a natural leader who focuses on building strong relationships and empowering others to always bring out their best. In his role at WA Country Health Service (WACHS) he leads by example, communicates effectively, builds trust and relationships, takes the initiative and empowers others while also having an open mind.

In the recent leadup to a scheduled food safety audit, the foodservice team of a hospital were experiencing several operational challenges, and confidence and morale were low. Rod worked with the team to improve operational compliance while building trust and credibility. He visited the site and met with all operational and food service team members to fully understand their frustrations, issues and challenges.

During this process he acknowledged and highlighted the team's efforts in their current situation, conducted risk management and identified areas for improvements. Doing this made the team feel more valued and motivated. Through his review he proposed several changes within the service including the order of tasks and the trial of new monitoring documentation. He took responsibility for the implementation and oversight of the new processes and encouraged staff by setting clear tasks and responsibilities for all. After months of leading and working with the team, they had regained their confidence and significantly improved their knowledge.

“It was great to be recognised with the Award,” Rob says, “and it’s another reminder to keep working hard, keep learning and keep spreading the learnings through the team.”

In his role Rob looks after some 68 country hospital sites ranging from the Kimberley region down to the Southwest. “For the last nine months I’ve been in the role my main focus has been reviewing the food safety programs following feedback received from site auditors, with a view to standardising them across all our regions. I received the official endorsement of the program in June and since then I’ve been rolling it out in each of the regions, working closely with the teams which includes some travel but mostly I’ve been building relationships remotely, trying to use as much emotional intelligence as possible through AI – if that makes sense! The composition of the teams is quite diverse – I’m working with people as young as 16, while the oldest is an 85 year old fulltime staff member.

“Looking ahead, my next work is standardising menus – with at least seven menus across our regions – working with the foodservice network committees, a mix of clinical and non-clinical staff and also engaging with dietitians and speech pathologists. At the same time I’m looking at securing some procurement contracts which don’t currently exist, as well as implementing bespoke electronic versions of our food safety programs and menu management systems.”

Chef Tony is a supportive, empowering leader who creates a workplace where every team member feels valued and motivated. Under his leadership the kitchen has become a united, high-performing team, with colleagues regularly highlighting the positive culture and mentorship Tony provides. He shares his knowledge freely, encourages growth and champions continuous improvement.

Tony also collaborates seamlessly with other departments, always ready to lend a hand to enhance the overall resident experience. His actions reflect compassion, accountability and a genuine commitment to person-centred care.

When a 102 year old Castledare resident transitioned to a Level 7A Easy to Chew diet due to swallowing difficulties, he struggled to adjust. Having lived independently for many years, he had strong food preferences and routines that didn’t always align with clinical recommendations.

Chef Tony recognised the importance of honouring the resident’s food history while ensuring his meals met health and safety standards. Committed to finding a balance, Tony met with the resident daily to listen, adapt and collaborate. Following feedback from the resident and his family, Tony introduced a personalised menu, designed within clinical guidelines but tailored to the resident’s tastes.

This thoughtful approach helped the resident feel seen, heard, and respected. He now enjoys meals that are not only safe but satisfying, thanks to Tony’s consistency and compassion. Weekly check-ins continue every Friday, reflecting Tony’s dedication to personalised care and making every resident feel genuinely valued.

“The Awards presentation was a fantastic night,” Tony says, “and I have to say winning the Award was pretty unexpected – there were so many great people nominated that to be able to win among them was a real satisfaction for me. I would like especially to thank my facility managers Susan and Stephanie who nominated me.”

Tony says working with the residents at Castledare is particularly rewarding and he appreciates the opportunity to be able to build strong relationships with them. Of the 102 year old resident mentioned above, Tony says “He has very particular tastes – he used to cook a lot for himself and he likes his food prepared a certain way. I worked out a special menu for him and I visit him once a week, and we joke about how he’s very happy to have his own private chef! I hope that if I reach his age I will have someone doing the same for me!”

Over the last few years the Joondalup Health Campus of Ramsay Health Care has worked hard to maximise waste diverted from landfill. Through many initiatives and the implementation and sustainment of 30 waste streams, the diversion rate has gone up to an amazing 44 per cent and is on track to reach 50 per cent by 2026.

The diversion to other, more sustainable options has played a significant part in Ramsay's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. Positive impacts include: food waste reduction (edible items now going to Ozharvest), removal of single use plastics before it became mandatory in WA (with the participation of the Catering Team) and encouragement of staff to utilise non-disposable cutlery and crockery, reducing the use of single use biodegradable options.

Waste Management Supervisor Jodie Mallia is the key point of contact for any bulk waste removal and ensures it is disposed of as effectively as possible with landfill being the last option. Even though it is a team effort, Jodie's commitment and diligence have driven these initiatives, with herself and her team working hard to maintain the high standards they have set.

“We’ve been nominated several times so it’s very nice to win the Award,” Jodie says. “Essentially the whole place is supporting us and although we can probably still do a bit better, we’ve definitely come a long way and it really helps having so many supportive people in theatre, ED and day procedures. We unofficially call them our champions – they relay what’s happening and provide really useful feedback on our environmental awareness days, which helps us improve the communication flow and raise awareness. Sometimes it can be a simple thing like identifying recycling opportunities for different types of plastics or ensuring correct waste segregation – it is often a case of trial and error and then learning how we can do things better.”

Jodie announced the Award win via a Toolbox meeting the Monday after the Awards presentation. “We presented it to everyone and explained that this is a whole of facility award and everyone should be proud of it. It’s nice for everyone as a little recognition goes a long way and it shows we are paying attention to sustainability and acting responsibility. It’s an important part of Ramsay Health Care’s ethos and especially for such a large organisation it’s important we reduce our landfill as much as possible. It’s not just posters on the wall and a few bins here and there – it’s about the choices people make every day, such as walking a few extra steps to put their waste in the right bin.”