Congratulations to Registered Nurse Pattie Maughan who won in the Innovator of the Year category at the Mater People Awards.         

The award sought to recognise an individual recognised for an original idea put into practice at Mater to delivery tangible benefits where an individua successfully implemented an innovative improvement initiative, program or activity with measurable outcomes and benefits designed to advance quality and improve care or service and meet an identified need.

Pattie leveraged her track record in delivering change management initiatives and leading collaborative problem-solving, establishing Mater’s first formal, team-based Waste Action Group (WAG) in late 2019 in a very busy Mater Hospital Brisbane operating theatre.

While others had tried for many years, Pattie was able to galvanise a critical mass of supporters across diverse professional groups. She arranged in-servicing and signage; consulted with the team to develop a formal procedure; and overcame infection management concerns (complicated further in the context of COVID-19).

The outcomes included an observable increase in recycling (evidenced by bin movements) and inherent environmental benefits. Importantly, Pattie’s initiative delivered cost savings by diverting general waste away from landfill which attracts a government levy.

Pattie brought care, comradery, and excellence to this voluntary role, on top of her clinical duties. She made recycling a legitimate and easier path for clinicians to follow. Following Pattie’s pioneering lead, WAGs have now been formally established at Mater Private Hospital Redland and Mater Private Hospital Springfield.

The new WAGs have benefited from Pattie and her group’s learnings and resources, including research into ways to donate unused or expired goods to community groups.

Thanks to Pattie’s leadership, and commitment to environmental sustainability in a healthcare setting, she is now inspiring others with a second innovation—to make and supply reusable theatre caps.

Congratulations to the other finalists for these awards including,

• Queensland Family Cohort Study, Jo Schagen, Danielle Borg, Claire Thurston, Vicki Clifton, Kym Rae, Tess Harmeys and Maria Oliveri.
• Lottery Operating Platform project Jeremy Montague, Sarah Glenville, Simone Elliott, Andrew Cairney, Amanda McMillan and Nicola Gunn