12 July 2021

Individuals and teams from across Trust that runs Shropshire’s acute hospitals have been honoured at its first ever virtual awards ceremony.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) Awards took place online on Friday to celebrate the achievements of staff from across the organisation, including those who have gone above and beyond in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Winners ranged from frontline clinical staff to cleanliness teams and behind-the-scenes services.

The awards were cancelled last year because of the pandemic and this year were moved online to allow as many people as possible to take part.

Screens were erected in the restaurants at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford so that staff could watch on-site, while others joined from their own homes.

A total of 23 awards were presented.

Among the awards were a critical care nurse who trained more than 500 colleagues from across SaTH and the wider health system to help in critical care at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic; one of the Trust’s youngest volunteers, who put herself forward to help during the pandemic and showed great dedication; and a public recognition award for a matron who was described by the wife of a patient as her ‘lifeline’ when she couldn’t visit because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Louise Barnett, Chief Executive at SaTH, said: “There has been a lot of really good work carried out at SaTH over the last year. We know we have challenges and we still have work to do, but it is really important that we celebrate the great people we have across our organisation and in our communities and the work they are doing.

“The Awards are a fantastic opportunity for us to highlight these achievements.

“I would like to say a huge congratulations not only to the winners, but to everybody who was nominated. We received hundreds of nominations across the categories and selecting the eventual winners was a very difficult task.

“Everyone should be incredibly proud of how hard they have worked both individually and together as teams, particularly over the last 12 months, to support our community.

“It is particularly fitting that one of the award winners was nominated by, and voted for, members of the public, because they are the reason we do what we do.

“I would like to thank our communities, who have supported us, and continue to do so. We could not continue to do what we do without you.”

Winners of the awards were:

Values Awards

  • Partnering: Frailty Team, PRH
  • Ambitious: Radiotherapy Team
  • Caring: Sara Moore, Ward 6 Coronary Care Unit (CCU)
  • Trusted: Ayaz Vantra, Paediatrics

COVID-19 Awards

  • Clinical Award (Team): Ward 32 (RSH) and Ward 17 (PRH)
  • Clinical Award (Individual): is Heather Rushworth, Critical Care
  • Non-clinical Award (Team): Estates
  • Non-clinical Award (Individual): Kath Titley, Health & Safety Team Manager and Paula Davies (Head of Procurement)
  • Leadership/People Award: Rebecca Houlston, Centre Manager for Emergency Care

Patient and Partners Awards

  • Quality Improvement Award: Dr Banchhita Sahu, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
  • Innovation Award: Cancer Care Navigators
  • Volunteer of the Year: Anna Welsh
  • Community Support & Fundraising Award: Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, led by Angie Wallace
  • Community Partner Award: Macmillan Cancer Support, Lingen Davies Cancer Fund and League of Friends of RSH

Learning and Development Awards

  • Learning and Development Award (Individual): Nancy Moreton, Clinical Practice Educator
  • Learning and Development Award (Team): International Nursing Team
  • Clinical Rising Star: Amy Louise Pattison, Ward 17
  • Non-Clinical Rising Star: Kayleigh Williams, International Nursing Co-ordinator

Public Recognition Award (in partnership with the Shropshire Star): Gill Joseph, Matron for Ward 25, Day Surgery Short Stay and Outpatients at RSH.

Chair’s Award: Critical Care Team, Theatres, Endoscopy, Day Surgery Unit and Mutual Aid

Chief Executive’s Award (individual): Moira Kaye, Consultant Clinical Scientist, Microbiology

Chief Executive’s Award (team): Cleanliness Team

Lifetime Achievement Award: Bruce Summers, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon