Queen’s Birthday Honours 2022

Professor Peter Fook Meng Choong
Officer (AO) in the General Division of The Order of Australia 
For distinguished service to orthopaedic medicine, to research and tertiary medical education, and to professional associations.

Professor Peter Choong AO has been fundamental in the ongoing success of St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne and has been the Sir Hugh Devine Professor and Chair of Surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne since 2009. In 2020, Prof Choong was appointed Head, Department of Surgery within the Melbourne Medical School at the University of Melbourne.

Prof Choong is the founder of St Vincent's Melbourne Arthroplasty Outcomes (SMART) Registry (1998) and a key driving force behind the establishment of the Advanced Biofabrication Facility (BioFab3D) (2016) and was St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne’s Director of Orthopaedics (1996-2020), Chief Medical Officer (2005-2008) and Program Director of Surgery (1997-2002).

Some of his other titles and achievements include: Assistant Dean, The University of Melbourne, Faculty and Academic Centre Chair (Eastern Hill Campus) 2010- 2012; Chair, University of Melbourne Academic Centre 2010-2012; Founder, Centre for Research Excellence in Total Joint Replacement (OPUS), 2016.

Ms Kathleen Mary SLOANE
Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order Of Australia
For significant service to nursing, and to global women's health.

Kathleen “Kate” Sloane is currently the Team Leader and Clinical Nurse Consultant at the Continence Clinic at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. She has worked with SVHM since 2008 after having worked at the Royal Women's Hospital from 1990-2008.

She has been a committee member of the International Continence Society and Continence Foundation of Australia, and a clinician presenter at Uro-gynaecology workshops in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

Her other awards and recognitions include the Connie Award, Continence Care Champion (2013) and the Jean Smith Prize for Excellence in Women's Health Nursing, Royal Women's Hospital (2007).

Dr M Beverly Wood PhD
Member (AM) in the General Division of The Order of Australia 
For significant service to community nutritional health, and to tertiary education.

In the 1970s, Australia had a very high incidence of permanent yet preventable brain damage in alcoholics (known as the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome), thought but not then proven to be due to thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. Virtually single-handedly, Dr Beverly Wood planned and executed a research program that documented the extent of the problem and showed how it could be readily prevented.

Through her persistent advocacy, she was able to convince government that all flour must be fortified with thiamine, a step that was legislated in 1991. Since then, the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome has almost disappeared in Australia. While undertaking this project, she held the demanding full-time role of Chief Dietician at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.

Dr Brendan Francis Murphy
Companion (AC) in the General Division of The Order of Australia 
For eminent service to medical administration and community health, particularly as Chief Medical Officer, and to nephrology, to research and innovation, and to professional organisations.

Prior to his appointment as Secretary of the Federal Department of Health Dr Murphy was the Chief Medical Officer for the Australian Government and prior to this, the Chief Executive Officer of Austin Health in Victoria.

He was formerly Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Director of Nephrology at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, and sat on the Boards of the Centenary Institute, Health Workforce Australia, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. He is also a former president of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology.

Mrs Shillar Sibanda
Medal (OAM) in the General Division of The Order of Australia 
For service to the African community of Victoria.

Mrs Sibanda, who works as a clinical coordinator, has been a registered nurse since 2006 and has worked as a psychiatric nurse at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and a forensic psychiatrist nurse at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.

Mrs Sibanda’s  other notable awards and recognition include the Premier's Volunteer Championship award, the Chairman’s Award from the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards Australia and Africa Day Australia’s Multicultural Award for Excellence. She is a founding member of the Nelson Mandela Day Australia and a chairperson for Hand 2 Hand Sincedane Charity, which helps to rebuild schools in Zimbabwe.

Mr Gary John Taylor
Australian Corrections Medal (ACM)

Mr Gary Taylor commenced his career in 1994 as a Custodial Officer. In the 27 years that he has served the Department of Justice, he has proven to be a driven officer who always strives to improve frontline custodial practices, particularly regarding facilitating the provision of healthcare to prisoners in the care of Corrections Victoria.

Mr Taylor's role as Senior Prison Officer at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne holding cells involves a high degree of autonomy and personal accountability. In an unofficial capacity, he has assumed the role of liaison point for medical providers and the prisons administered by Correction Victoria. His tireless and innovative approach to his role has ensured that some of the state's most vulnerable prisoners have access to appropriate medical care when they need it most.