10th annual Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust staff award ceremony

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust staff celebrated ten years of staff awards at a special ceremony at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre on Monday 20th October 2014.

The evening was hosted by TV personality Sian Williams with entertainment provided by the Bucks Health Choir.

Eleven individuals and teams were rewarded for going the extra mile and making a real difference to patient care and experience.

Winners included Elizabeth Cole, matron at the National Spinal Injuries Centre, who took first prize for the patient’s choice award. Her nominator described her as : ‘Super-duper- super‘, ‘an impeccable professional‘ and ‘cool and approachable‘.

Lifetime achievement award winners, Healthcare Assistant Ann MacKenzie and Nursing Sister Jenny Carro, were recognised for their combined 89 years of service.

Chief executive Anne Eden presented her own special award to the critical team, together with headline sponsor Stuart McCurry from engineering firm Stuart McCurry and Partners. She praised the special efforts made by the team who : ‘Seem to understand exactly what [patients] are going through, offering ‘critical care in action’‘. She also recognised the special efforts the team had made to enable a very sick patient to go home for a special occasion.

According to one relative, the critical care offered by the team to his wife was : ‘nothing other than kind, caring, thorough and patient… I was afforded every consideration and consultation during my daily visits.‘

Going the extra mile winner Staff Nurse Vivienne Pearce was praised for the Christmas hampers she made for patients in the community who would be spending the festive season alone.

The charity Scannappeal, which has raised over £11m for life-saving equipment at the Trust’s hospitals, received a special accolade for its work.

Concluding the ceremony, Chair Hattie Llewelyn-Davies said: ‘The same words keep coming up – like ‘humbling’ and ‘above and beyond’. We do some fantastic things, which is what is so great about the NHS – and you personify it. Keep doing what you do so brilliantly.‘

The award winners were :

• Healthcare professional of the year : Marion Walker – occupational therapist, Amersham Hospital.
• Healthcare team of the year : Early Supported Discharge – stroke team, Wycombe Hospital.
• Exceptional contribution to quality : Faith Button – assistant director, information.
• Outstanding Contribution : Jo Jones – Blueprint Teaching Service.
• Team of the year : Paediatric dietetic team.
• Support services ambassador : Pam Higgins – Sodexo, SMH.
• Volunteer of the year : John Killman – volunteer woodwork support worker.
• Lifetime achievement : Ann MacKenzie – healthcare assistant , spinal outpatients, shared with Jenny Carro – sister ward 10.
• Patients’ Choice : Elizabeth Cole – matron, National Spinal Injuries Centre.
• Going the extra mile : Vivienne Pearce – community staff nurse.
• Chief executive’s award : Trust critical care team.
• Special Award to Scannappeal.

The event was made possible thanks to the Charitable Funds Committee, Stuart McCurry & Partners, Medirest, Sodexo & Enterprise Healthcare, Blair Electrical, Capsticks Solicitors, Liftec Lifts Ltd.