Positive program brings award

West Gippsland Healthcare Group has received an Excellence in Women’s Health Award at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.

The award was received for the group’s Positive Pregnancy Program.

The award was presented to dieticians Ulla Schmidt and Nicole Robertson by Health Minister Jill Hennessy at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.

The program was introduced following collaboration between dietitians, midwives and obstetricians aiming to reduce birth complications in obese pregnant women by optimising gestational weight gain.

The education is based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating using a health coaching approach and encourages nutritional adequacy and appropriate weight gain.

The program is associated with a significant reduction in gestational weight gain compared with previous pregnancies, and more than half of the participants now weigh less than their pre-pregnancy weight.

The program was funded in part by an internal clinical grant approved by the WGHG board.

WGHG chief executive Dan Weeks said the dietetics team including Ulla Schmidt, Nicole Robertson, Bridget Ladlow, Ngan Vo and Thi Trinh, and administration support staff, are to be congratulated for a wonderful program and continuing patient care.

He said the award was well deserved recognition of their work.