Ms Fiona Mitchell is Swansea’s Local Women of the Year for 2022.

Ms Yasmin Catley MP – Member for Swansea, nominated Fiona to receive the award for her passion and efforts in upholding the health and wellbeing of Hunter and Central Coast residents through her role as a nurse.  

Fiona commenced her career at the Royal Newcastle Hospital, upon completing hospital-based training.

Fiona has nursed in Europe, was involved in the opening of the Cardiac Ward at John Hunter Hospital, has managed the Belmont Hospital Emergency Department Nursing Unit for the past 7 years and also completes shifts for the GP Access after-hours service of a weekend.

Fiona has played a key role in protecting the health of staff and patients during the pandemic, as one of the Hunter New England Local Health District staff involved in developing an innovative swabbing model designed to prevent people from contracting COVID-19.

The model consists of a telephone assessment combined with a drive-through appointment to enable social distancing. Fiona and the team were recognised for developing this method at the 2020 NSW Health Awards.

Fiona consistently advocates for better working conditions for her colleagues, including reduced nurse to patient ratios as an active member of the NSW Nurse and Midwives Association.

Fiona will receive the award at the NSW Women of the Year Awards ceremony at ICC Sydney, on Wednesday 9 March. The event follows on from International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8 March.

Ms Yasmin Catley MP – Member for Swansea said ‘Fiona is a dedicated nurse who has continuously worked to maintain the health and wellbeing of Hunter and Central Coast residents’.  

‘Fiona is an experienced nurse that has demonstrated her ability to care for others through countless roles such as developing the innovative COVID-19 swabbing model with her Hunter New England Local Health District colleagues’.

‘I know that Fiona is also passionate about improving working conditions for nurses and is an active member of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association’.  

‘It was a pleasure to nominate Fiona to be Swansea’s Local Woman of the Year’