An optometrist from New South Wales, whose persistence helped save the life of child, and an optometrist in Rotorua who has delivered outreach services to a small Maori community, have been recognised with the 2021 inaugural Specsavers Dame Mary Perkins Medal for Outstanding Patient Care.
The winners were announced at the Specsavers Clinical Conference live event in Brisbane by Dame Mary Perkins herself. With a beaming smile, Dame Mary announced the winners and the invaluable contribution the two individuals have made, resulting in a positive impact in their communities.
The Australian winner is Mariella Coluccio from Specsavers Bankstown, New South Wales. New Zealand’s winner is Celeste Raisbeck from Specsavers Rotorua.
The Australian winner is Mariella Coluccio from Specsavers Bankstown, New South Wales. New Zealand’s winner is Celeste Raisbeck from Specsavers Rotorua
While the Specsavers Doug Perkins Medal recognises consistently high standards of clinical excellence for partners and their teams, the Dame Mary Perkins Medal recognises exceptional acts of patient care in 2021; going above and beyond in one or more of the following categories:
- customer service,
- clinical care,
- clinical leadership, or
- teamwork to benefit patient care.
Unlike the Doug Perkins Medal, which is based on clinical data, the Dame Mary Perkins Medal considers nominations within the Specsavers network. Individuals, teams or stores are eligible, including retail and optometry team members, as well as partners.
Ms Coluccio is recognised for her persistence in following through with a three-year-old child with severe swollen optic nerves who was discharged from hospital with severe fever and nausea. With the child’s parents speaking limited English, Ms Coluccio persisted in contacting the hospital until the child was taken back in for care. Subsequently, the child had emergency surgery for a brain haemorrhage.
Ms Raisbeck is recognised for her outreach work. She was involved in providing an ocular health screening program to Murupara, a small Maori community in Rotorua that would not otherwise have had access to eye care. More than 100 people in the community were screened with 38 pairs of free hobby glasses given out. To date Ms Raisbeck has provided six outreach services to Murupara.
