The health service was named Victorian Health Service of the Year in the medium category for the second year running.

Chief executive Nick Bush said he took great pride in receiving the award.

“Our staff have worked really hard in education and training,” he said.

“We have had a strong focus on our future workforce, both medical and nursing.”

Mr Bush said a great deal of the credit for the award win lay with hospital staff.

“We’ve got very good, committed staff,” he said.

“Our doctors are loyal to the organisation and the community and that sets the tone for the whole service.”

Mr Bush said sustainability of service would be a strong focus for the health service in the next year.

“Hopefully we can make it three in a row,” he said.

“But it is critical, particularly around our nursing staff, that we keep up-skilling them for the future.

“We’ve partnered with the Australian Catholic University to deliver a diploma of nursing so our staff can be trained here in Ararat. 

“We want to be able to give good jobs to local people for years to come.”