ICU nursing scholarships support emergency care in Melbourne’s west

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Three Western Health nurses have been awarded ICU post-graduate scholarships to further their training and improve critical care in the west.

Vanessa Clapham, Emma Philips and Arshpreet Kaur will receive $10,000 each towards their course fees and associated costs.

The scholarships are part of Plenary Health’s five-year partnership with Western Health Foundation during the delivery of the new Footscray Hospital.

Western Health Chief Executive Adj. Prof Russell Harrison said the scholarships would financially support nurses’ studies and healthcare in the western suburbs.

“These scholarships will help attract, train and retain staff and keep them in the west, and allow these nurses to become ICU staff, which is vital for Western Health and our community, Mr Harrison said.

“A huge congratulations to our three nurses and thank you to our partner Plenary Health for such an important and valuable contribution.”

Plenary Health New Footscray Hospital Project Chair Kelvyn Lavelle said Plenary Health were proud to support nurses and their training as part of its partnership with Western Health. 

“The retention and development of nursing staff, not only at Western Health but across the whole health sector in Victoria is critical,” Mr Lavelle said.

“Our partnership with Western Health Foundation is a significant contribution for Plenary to play in the community of which it’s developing the new Footscray Hospital.”

Scholarship recipient and western suburbs local Vanessa Clapham said that after many years of study, she had found her home in the intensive care unit at Footscray Hospital.

“For Western Health, the scholarships mean we can employ new intensive care nurses, grow our team, and provide the best care for those critically unwell.”

“The scholarship has been a blessing as without it – while also raising a family- completing my post-graduate studies would not have been financially viable,” Mrs Clapham said.

Western Health Foundation is the fundraising entity of Western Health, providing healthcare services to more than one million people across Melbourne’s west. It raises funds to purchase equipment and certain facilities, fund medical research, provide scholarships for staff and help deliver patient support for those in need.

Plenary Health’s five-year partnership with Western Health is worth more than $300,000 and includes postgraduate nursing scholarships, research awards for Western Health staff, in-kind activities and monetary and other support for events.

Due to open in 2025, the $1.5 billion New Footscray Hospital Project is being delivered by the Plenary Health consortium in partnership with the Victorian Health Building Authority and Western Health.