The 2013 NSW Multicultural Health Communication Awards were presented on Monday 8th July 2013 in the Jubilee Room of the NSW Parliament House. At the same time the new MHCS website was launched.
The Hon. Jillian Skinner MP, NSW Minister for Health an Minister for Medical Research, presented the keynote address while the Hon Donald Harwin, President of the Legislative Council of the NSW Parliament welcomed everyone to Parliament House and presented the awards.
Also in attendance were Mr. Terry Clout, Chief Executive, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD), Dr Greg Stewart, Director, Ambulatory and Primary Health Care, SESLHD and Mr. Peter Todaro, Director, NSDW Multicultural Health Communication Service.
There were a record number of submission this year with thirty seven resources passed through for judging to a panel of distinguished judges, Neneth Costa, Multicultural Officer-Education and Information Services, NSW Office of Fair Trading; Alison Lee, Project Coordinator, Patient Based Care, Clinical Excellence Commission; and Helen Slatyer, Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University.
Submissions were received from 30 organisations representing various LHDs and NGOs with resources produced in 45 languages altogether.
The NSW Multicultural Health Communication New Website
At the MHCS Awards this year, Minister Skinner also officially launched the new MHCS Website. The website recently revamped is a central point for the facilitation of health information when targeting CALD communities. It currently receives 5 million hits per year and provides information in approximately 45 languages. The new website contains updated information on interpreting and translation policies and procedures as well as over 500 health publications in up to 45 CALD languages