- Awards and Honours
- 3 min read
We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of numerous members of the Monash Health community who have been recognised in the 2026 Australia Day Honours.
Their efforts typify Monash Health’s commitment to delivering, and supporting the delivery of, innovative and compassionate care beyond the hospital, and tomorrow’s care, today. These members of our community have demonstrated leadership and excellence in healthcare, benefaction, and community service.
Dipak Sanghvi AM
Dipak Sanghvi AM, who served as Monash Health’s Board Chair from 2018 until June 2025, has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division for significant service to community health through governance and board roles. Dipak arrived in Australia in 1976 from India and opened his first pharmacy in Victoria in 1979.
Dipak was also chair of Monash Health’s Aboriginal Health Strategic Partnership Committee and the Remuneration Committee, and a member of the Community Advisory Committee.
Professor Peter William Holmes AM
The late Professor Peter William Holmes AM has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division for significant service to medicine as a respiratory physician, clinician, and teacher.
Professor Williams was a respiratory physician at Monash Health from 1990 to 2019, and held a slew of titles throughout his long tenure at Monash Health, notably an Honorary Associate Professor at Monash Lung and Sleep from 2018 to 2019, Director of the Clinical Trials Unit from 2016 to 2019, Consultant Respiratory and Sleep Physician from 2016 to 2018, and Deputy Director of the Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Research Unit from 1991 to 2016.
We also recognise recipient Beverley Anne Edwards OAM, an intensive care unit employee at Monash Medical Centre, who received an (Honorary) Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for service to the community of the Cardinia region, and Barry William Janes AM, a Monash Health Foundation board member and benefactor, who was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division, for significant service to the arts and to philanthropic initiatives.
Monash Health Consumer Adviser for Quality and Safety, and National Standards committees, Danny Elbaum has been awarded an Ambulance Services Medal for distinguished services as a member of an Australian Ambulance Service.
Additionally, Dr Paul David Kremer, a clinical academic under psychology and health at Monash Medical Centre, has been appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division for significant service to the built environment. Mun Han Regina Leung-Huning, who served as a registered nurse at Northern Health and Monash Health from 1978 to 2008, has been appointed Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division, for service to the community of Whittlesea.
These national accolades highlight the incredible past and present work of teams across Monash Health in pursuit of caring for the community, improving lives, and innovating healthcare.
Congratulations to all the recipients of the 2026 Australia Day Honours for their vital contributions to our communities and beyond.
We acknowledge that 26 January is not a day of celebration for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For some, it is a day of mourning and reflection, and we recognise the hurt and impact this date may carry.
We ask all employees to be mindful and respectful when acknowledging this date, particularly when working with or alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues, patients and community.
We remain committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, employees, and community members at all times throughout the year.
