This award recognises a health professional who has made a meaningful difference to an individual or community through care and compassion. This award provides an opportunity for patients or support persons to share personal stories.
Jemma Mustey – Finalist
Jemma Mustey has cared for the people of Albany and the Great Southern for 29 years. Starting at Albany Health Campus and later joining Southern Regional Medical Group, she has worked nearly two decades as a practice nurse and as a highly respected Nurse Practitioner for the past 11 years.
Jemma delivers holistic, coordinated care to more than 100 aged-care residents across six facilities, working with multidisciplinary teams to ensure tailored, compassionate support. Her clinical expertise, strong advocacy for vulnerable patients and focus on reducing hospital admissions make her integral to the region’s health system.
Known for her warmth and professionalism, Jemma mentors future Nurse Practitioners and also serves at the Albany After Hours Clinic. Her authenticity, empathy and dedication
Sarah Tomlinson – Finalist
Sarah Tomlinson is more than a podiatrist – her patients describe her as a lifeline across the Kimberley. Based at Broome Hospital, she travels vast distances and uses virtual care to deliver specialist foot and wound services to remote communities. Known for her compassion, honesty and advocacy, Sarah has built deep trust with Aboriginal patients through genuine connection and respect.
Her impact extends beyond treatment. She has saved limbs, restored dignity and renewed independence through persistent advocacy and person-centred care. Families credit her with giving hope in the face of limb threatening conditions. She empowers patients to make informed decisions with clarity and empathy. By sharing her lower limb neurovascular expertise, she strengthens early detection and management region-wide, championing health equity despite limited resources.
Dr Sarah Youngson – Winner
Dr Sarah Youngson is an exceptional rural GP whose leadership, compassion and innovation have transformed youth health in the Warren Blackwood region. For more than a decade, she has delivered inclusive, holistic care that extends beyond the clinic to support young people and their families. Her commitment to paediatric and youth mental health led to the creation of the Kids Colab program, streamlining consultations and significantly reducing waiting times.
In 2024, she secured funding for a GP in Schools initiative at Manjimup Senior High School, improving access and reducing stigma around mental health and LGBTQIA+ inclusion. As founder and Chair of Blackwood Youth Action and Chair of the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Suicide Prevention Network, she has strengthened advocacy, counselling and suicide prevention, fostering safer, more connected communities.
Community Health Professional of the Year is sponsored by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (WA).