Last night Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust announced the overall winners of the inaugural Team NUH Awards.
The nine winners were revealed during a live television studio style broadcast watched by a virtual audience of over 400.
Over the past year, the Trust has celebrated excellence in patient care, innovation and leadership with 28 award winners and over 530 shortlisted nominees across nine award categories, with judging and mini ceremonies taking place three times over the last 12 months. Last night’s ceremony brought all previous winners together to crown an overall winner in each award category.
NUH has almost 17,000 staff which means a lot of people in a variety of job roles; all contributing to keeping our big, busy, acute hospitals running every day of the year.
To recognise and reward all the incredible hard work and achievements of its staff and volunteers, last year the Trust relaunched their staff recognition programme as the Team NUH Awards.
Speaking just before the live award ceremony last night NUH Chair, Eric Morton, said: “The Team NUH Awards have highlighted just a fraction of the incredible work that goes on at Nottingham University Hospitals, day in, day out.
“On behalf of the whole Executive team, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been nominated for a Team NUH Award – our winners, highly commended and those who received a nomination.
“We know that the professionalism, care, dedication and ability to inspire evident in every single award nomination is reflected right across our Trust, in every service, ward and team. It’s an honour and a privilege to be a part of this celebration of our fantastic people and teams tonight”.
The hotly anticipated live ceremony, hosted by Eric and Acting Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer Rupert Egginton, announced the overall award winners across nine categories, which align to the Trust’s values. The first letter of each value spelling out TEAM NUH.
A Public Award and Volunteer of the Year Award completed the line-up.
The overall winners are:
- Trust Award – Ayleen Forfar, Macmillan Cancer Support Officer
- Empower Award – Covid-19 Microbiology Team
- Ambitious Award – Olga Gooch and Deanna Kelly, Cleaning Service Assistants in the Rapid Response Cleaning Team
- Mindful Award – Arthur Shivas, Chaplain
- Nurturing Award – Eleanor Mandac, Ward Sister
- United Award – Matt Bodell, Hospital@Night Coordinator and Nurse
- Honest Award – Clare Cooper, Patient and Family Liaison Officer
- Public Award – Laura Bennett, Children’s Burns and Plastics Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Volunteer of the Year Award – Alex Lane, Youth Service Volunteer
The Ambitious Award was won by Olga Gooch and Deanna Kelly, Cleaning Service Assistants in the Rapid Response Cleaning Team. Olga said: “We are so proud that cleaning services have been recognised tonight, and we’re both very honoured to accept this award”.
Deanna added: “We can’t thank our coordinators, and managers Millie and Pat, enough for supporting us and believing in us enough to nominate us for this award”.
Alex Norris, MP for Nottingham North who announced Olga and Deanna’s win, said: “It’s clear from their nomination during these challenging times that Olga and Deanna have gone above and beyond for patients and staff. They’ve inspired others and their nomination says that they ‘fought like lions’ throughout the pandemic, never complaining, uniting teams and helping new starters to build their confidence. Well done to Olga and Deanna, and everyone else nominated for an award tonight”.
Laura Bennett, Children’s Burns and Plastics Clinical Nurse Specialist was crowned overall winner of the Public Award for her work with William, a little boy who had both legs amputated, and the picture book she produced to help William come to terms with his amputations and subsequent treatment.
Accepting her award at the live ceremony an emotional Laura said: “This award is so special to me, and William is a very special little boy to me. Working with William and his family has been a real privilege, and I’d like to thank the family for taking the time to nominate me”.
“And a special mention to ‘Stinky Ted’. Although he was very pesky, and stinky, without him I don’t think we could have got through some of the more difficult dressing changes with William. Thanks also to my fantastic colleagues in the Burns and Plastics Team. This award reflects on all of us, including the wider Childrens hospital team”.
In other categories, the Covid-19 Microbiology Team were praised by Professor Stephen Ryder, Clinical Director, Research & Innovation at NUH for “rising to the challenge and responding in the best possible way to meet the needs of patients, our communities and of Team NUH”. Professor Ryder added that it was pleasing to recognise the “contribution that our scientists have made throughout the pandemic and I hope your win will inspire more people to develop a career in healthcare science.”
Ward Sister Eleanor Mandac won the Nurture category, having received multiple nominations, “highlighting how inspiring she is to the team and how much she embodies great leadership”. One of Eleanor’s nominators said: “she supports and encourages all her staff, and acknowledges the small things we do that make a massive difference.”
The psychological impact of the pandemic, particularly on the mental wellbeing of hospital staff, has been well documented. Overall winner of the Mindful Award, NUH Chaplain Arthur Shivas, was commended for his work to support NHS staff and was described as a “lifeline to lots of individuals who have struggled with the impacts of covid-19” by category sponsor, Health Assured.
“Arthur’s compassion, care and wicked sense of humour has had such a wonderful impact on so many staff patients and their families. He’s always thinking about others and how he can make people laugh in some of their darkest of times.”
“We are exceptionally pleased for all of the winners and we wish to congratulate them once again on their incredible achievements. Our awards ceremony was made possible by our fantastic sponsors, who we wish to thank for their generosity and support.”
