22 September 2025
Staff at a hospital Trust have been nominating teams and individuals for Moving to Excellence Awards for those who have made a remarkable contribution or shown excellent compassion and dedication in their role.
The Moving to Excellence Awards are held every two months and are open to all staff from The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).
Dozens of nominations were received when the awards were reopened for nominations in July. The winners for August have now been announced.
The SaTH Executive team shortlisted the nominations and picked one winner from each of the five different divisions: Medicine and Emergency Care (MEC), Surgery, Anaesthetics and Cancer, Clinical Support Services, Women and Children’s and Workforce.
These awards highlight individuals and teams who are delivering outstanding care for patients – whether directly or behind the scenes – and those helping to improve performance and patient experience.
The winners were Linda Watkins in Clinical Support Services, Marta Raton, a respiratory advance clinical practitioner, medical secretary Michelle Cowdell, Dr Senthil Sethuraman, a consultant within Women and Children’s and Sally Orrell, a business change lead from the workforce division.
Michelle Cowdell’s nomination read: “As a Medical Secretary in our Haematology department, Michelle consistently demonstrates an exceptional level of dedication, ambition, and a profound commitment to patient care and departmental excellence. Michelle is an indispensable asset, particularly in her support of our medical team.
“Beyond administrative tasks, Michelle possesses a unique and invaluable skill in patient communication and problem-solving. She willingly engages with patients, patiently delving into their concerns to truly understand the root of their anxieties. Her empathetic yet professional approach helps to de-escalate situations and gather crucial information, which she then diligently feeds back to the medical team. This not only resolves patient issues efficiently but also significantly enhances the patient experience.”
Jo Williams, Chief Executive in Common said: “These awards celebrate the brilliant work happening across our hospitals. Whether it’s caring for patients or supporting colleagues, the Moving to Excellence Awards recognise those who go above and beyond. Michelle Cowell is a great example – her dedication, empathy and problem-solving make a real difference to both patients and her colleagues. Congratulations to all the well-deserved winners.”