Finalists for the WorkSafe Health and Safety Representative of the Year Award

Northern Health is thrilled to announce that Bessie Taitoko, Psychiatric Services Officer/Health and Safety Representative – BIPU, and Owen Glassenbury, MHICAR Senior Clinician/Clinical Nurse Consultant/Health and Safety Representative – BIPU, are finalists for the 2025 WorkSafe Health and Safety Representative (HSR) of the Year Award.

Bessie and Owen have gone above and beyond to make Northern Health safer and kinder for staff and patients. Their leadership perfectly embodies our values of Safe, Kind, Together, showing how HSRs can make a real difference every day.

Some of the amazing work they’ve done include:

• Safer patient admissions – Ensuring patients are placed in the right ward, reducing distress and keeping everyone safer.
• Better support for staff – Advocating for extra security when needed, helping staff feel confident, protected, and cared for in high-risk situations.
• Faster, smarter responses to violence – Improving Code Black procedures and strengthening collaboration with local police, so staff can act quickly and safely, with kindness and professionalism.
• Strong collaboration with program managers, management, and staff – Working closely with program managers, leaders, staff and other stakeholders to identify risks early and implement practical, frontline solutions, ensuring safety and kindness are shared priorities across the department.

Thanks to their dedication, Bessie and Owen have made our workplace safer, calmer, and more supportive. Their work reminds us that living our values of Safe, Kind, Together can spark big changes every day.

Let’s celebrate their achievement and be inspired to make safety and kindness a priority in our own teams!

We wish them all the best for the Awards night on 26 February 2026.

Featured image L-R: Rianna Cordina, ANUM/Clinical Nurse Consultant – BIPU, Owen Glassenbury, MHICAR Senior Clinician/Clinical Nurse Consultant/Health and Safety Representative – BIPU, Bessie Taitoko, Psychiatric Services Officer/Health and Safety Representative – BIPU, and Leon Tan, OHS Manager.