Congratulations to John Wheatley on prestigious NATA honour
16 July 2026
The Australasian Sleep Association is delighted to congratulate Professor John Wheatley on being the 2026 recipient of the NATA Alastair Ross Award, recognising his outstanding volunteer contribution to accreditation and quality improvement across Australia's sleep and respiratory services.
Over more than a decade, Professor Wheatley has served as a committee member, Chair of the Sleep Disorders Services Accreditation Advisory Committee, technical assessor and passionate advocate for accreditation. Through this work, he has helped improve laboratory quality, strengthen clinical services and enhance patient outcomes across Australia.
Presented at the Accreditation Matters 2026 Celebration Dinner, the Alastair Ross Award is NATA's highest recognition of volunteer service. It honours individuals whose expertise, leadership and long-term commitment have made a significant and lasting contribution to accreditation, the broader scientific and technical community, and ultimately to better outcomes for the Australian public.
Professor Wheatley has been instrumental in shaping NATA's Sleep Disorders Services accreditation program and has more recently supported the advancement of accreditation within respiratory services. His leadership has helped strengthen accreditation standards, align them with international best practice and ensured that accredited sleep and respiratory services continue to deliver high-quality care.
“We extend our warmest congratulations to John Wheatley on this well-deserved recognition and thank him for his exceptional service to the sleep and respiratory communities,” said ASA CEO, Marcia Balzer
“He was an active and vital member of the ASA’s Clinical Committee throughout the duration of his role as Chair of the Sleep Disorders Services Accreditation Advisory Committee and his wisdom and influence touched on all aspects of the Clinical Committee’s work.
“John’s contribution has had a lasting impact not only on accreditation, but also on the quality and safety of sleep services for patients across Australia.”
Full details: NATA Alastair Ross Award 2026 Recipient Announced - NATA
Alastair Ross AM, Jennifer Evans, Professor John Wheatley and Darina Ross