2026 HESTA Excellence Awards winners named

Eight outstanding individuals and teams from across Australia have been recognised for their contribution to health and community services at the 2026 HESTA Excellence Awards.

Selected from 24 finalists and more than 340 nominations nationally, the winners were recognised across aged care, allied health, disability services and community services, with awards for both Individual Leadership and Team Excellence.

The winners were celebrated at an awards ceremony in Melbourne, with HESTA CEO Debby Blakey praising their skill, dedication and impact on the communities they serve.

"This year's winners represent the very best of Australia's care sector. Each of them shows what it looks like to deliver critical services in the community with skill, dignity and heart," Ms Blakey said.

"So many of our members dedicate their working lives to these sectors, and we see the difference they make every day. The HESTA Excellence Awards are our way of shining a national spotlight on that work and celebrating the people behind it."

Among this year's winners are a team delivering free, disability-competent preventive dental care in Western Sydney, a clinical psychologist who has transformed access to perinatal mental health care, and the co-founder of a health service that restored access to primary care for thousands of rural and remote Northern Territorians.

Each of the eight winners will receive $7,500 to put towards personal or professional development or to enhance services or processes in their workplace.

The prizes are funded by AIA Australia.

The 2026 HESTA Excellence Awards winners

Disability Services – Individual Leadership
Carol Jennings – WaterWombats, ACT

Disability Services – Team Excellence
Northcott Healthcare & Clinical Governance team – Parramatta, New South Wales

Aged Care – Individual Leadership
Glen Williams – OneCare Limited, Hobart, Tasmania

Aged Care – Team Excellence
Embedding Specialist Palliative Care Nursing in Aged Care Residential In-Reach Team – Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria

Allied Health – Individual Leadership
Frances Bilbao – Mums Matter Psychology, Williamstown, Victoria

Allied Health – Team Excellence
Family Safety Team – Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria

Community Services – Individual Leadership
Kylie Straube – Remote Territory Healthcare, Berry Springs, Northern Territory

Community Services – Team Excellence
Women's Homelessness Prevention Project – Justice Connect, Melbourne, Victoria

For more information, visit the HESTA Excellence Awards website.

HESTA is APHA's Diamond Sponsor.

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