The Operational Services Support Workers of the Year and Clinical Support Worker of the Year regional winners have been confirmed in the 2019 Our Health Heroes Awards. These regional winners will now face the public vote to decide the overall national winners. Voting is also open for two further award categories - Outstanding Contribution and Apprentice of the Year.
Organised by Skills for Health and headline sponsor Health Education England (HEE), the awards have been celebrating unsung healthcare heroes from across the UK since 2016.
This year, for the first time, members of the public were able to submit nominations alongside healthcare professionals for their heroes in the following categories:
• Outstanding Contribution
• Clinical Support Worker of the Year
• Operational Services Support Worker of the Year
• Apprentice of the Year
• Staff Wellbeing Employer of the Year
• Workforce Planning Team of the Year
• Integrated Team of the Year
• Learning and Development Project/Team of the Year
Judges were impressed by the quality of more than 880 nominations from across the UK and have already selected their overall winners in the employer and team of the year categories.
John Rogers, Chief Executive at Skills for Health, says: “For the fourth year in a row these awards have struck a chord and it’s been amazing to read through the nomination forms – there are some truly incredible people working within our healthcare sector who deserve to be recognised for their achievements and dedication.
“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to celebrate 12 regional winners in both the clinical and operational services support worker of the year categories. These 24 winners will be included in the national voting process, where we ask members of the public to help us choose an overall national winner in each category.
“I’m very much looking forward to meeting and raising a glass to all of the finalists in November and celebrating the national winners and runners-up.”
The shortlisting panel included representatives from Skills for Health, headline sponsor HEE and category sponsors NHS Employers, UNISON, Kissing it Better and Locum’s Nest.
Laura Roberts, Director of Skills Development and Participation for Health Education England (HEE), says: “As the main sponsor for Our Health Heroes 2019, I’d like to congratulate everyone who is on the shortlist. It is clear from the high standard of nominations that both apprentices and support workers continue to play a vital role in delivering safe and compassionate care for all.
“I’m impressed by how many nominations were received this year, especially as so many of them came from members of the public. It’s great to see there is such an appetite to celebrate the clinical and operational staff who are often in roles considered behind-the-scenes, but who make up more than 40% of the NHS.”
The 34 finalists and winners have been invited to the Our Health Heroes Awards ceremony, where the 24 regional and eight national winners will be presented with their awards, on Wednesday November 20, 2019 at London’s Science Museum.
Our Health Heroes 2019 finalists
Outstanding Contribution finalists – sponsored by NHS Employers:
Sarah Armer, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Christina Ginsburg, Mountbatten Hospice
Janet Callaghan, Manchester Local Care Organisation
Apprentice of the Year finalists – sponsored by UNISON:
Patrick Onyema, North East London NHS Foundation Trust
Ciaran Jones, University Hospital of North Midlands
Sophie Pomroy, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Operational Services Support Worker of the Year regional winners – sponsored by UNISON:
Eastern: Heather Butler, The Corner Stone Practice
East Midlands: Claire Hands, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
Greater London: Annabel Little, St Georges University Hospital
Northern: Dawn Nicholson, HF Trust Ltd
North West: Sarah Woods, Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust
Scotland: Carl Brooks, NHS Orkney
Northern Ireland: Pauline Symington, South Eastern Trust
South East: Tracey Underhill, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
South West: Charlotte Rushton, Northern Devon Healthcare Trust
Wales: Helen Lumber, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
West Midlands: Wayne Ingram, Lovett Care Ltd
Yorkshire and Humber: Reg Ramsden, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
Clinical Support Worker of the Year regional winners:
Eastern: Jackie Fitzsimons, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust
East Midlands: Kelly Stuart, UHL NHS Trust
Greater London: Pauline Urvoy, CNWL Southwest
Northern: Peter Haddow, Northumberland Tyne and Wear
North West: Olivia Gillon, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Scotland: Richard Gray, NHS Lothian’s Harm Reduction Team
Northern Ireland: Katrina Lavery, Southern Health & Social Care Trust
South East: Emma Worrell, Queen Victoria Hospital
South West: Nicolette Mahon, Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital
Wales: Jade Benjamin, CWM Taf Morgannwg UHB
West Midlands: Paul Foster, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Yorkshire and Humber: Janet Pagdanganan, The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Voting is open now via the Skills for Health website (click here) and closes on Friday, October 11.
