RUH celebrates outstanding colleagues at annual awards

Staff, volunteers and teams from across the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH) have been recognised for their exceptional care, compassion and innovation.

The Trust's annual You Matter Awards ceremony highlighted outstanding contributions to patient safety and care, research, digital innovation, sustainability, inclusion, staff wellbeing and partnership working.

The ceremony also honoured colleagues reaching long-service milestones, totalling an extraordinary 2,520 years of combined service to the RUH.

John Palmer, RUH Managing Director, said: "Our awards give us an important opportunity to pause and recognise the talent and commitment that exists across the RUH. The stories celebrated this year show what our colleagues and volunteers achieve for the people we care for, the people they work alongside and our wider communities.

"These awards recognise not only outstanding results, but also the kindness, teamwork, leadership and determination behind them."

Among the winners were the team who introduced the new Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment Clinic at Frome Medical Practice, who received the Working with Our Community Award for bringing care closer to home. This benefits patients who are using drugs to treat or control cancer, and are able to continue their therapy at the satellite clinic in Frome after initial care in Bath.

The BathMat project team received the Research and Innovation Award for developing a product designed to make repositioning patients in intensive care easier and safer. This collaboration with the University of Bath grew from an idea sparked during the COVID-19 pandemic and has progressed through prototype development, grant funding and a multicentre clinical trial.

A new Digital Innovation Award, sponsored by Leapwork, was presented for the Older Persons Assessment Unit's electronic whiteboard project. The team developed a digital approach to give frontline staff clear information at their fingertips and support safe, confident practice in a fast-paced clinical environment.

Another new award, the Service Improvement Award sponsored by Accenture, was jointly presented to two colleagues. Project and Specialist Systems Manager Drew Long was recognised for leading a complex project to bringing the three care organisations in BSW Hospitals Group together onto one digital occupational health platform, helping the teams to deliver a seamless professional service. Deputy Accountable Pharmacist Rebecca Pennie was recognised for developing pharmacist prescribing clinics, helping patients to access care more quickly.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was jointly presented to Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist Fiona Mackay and Capital Projects Clinical Lead Mandy Rumble, recognising the lasting impact of their work over a combined 80 years at the RUH. Fiona designed and implemented the service she works in back in 1996, and has since helped others set up teams across the country. Mandy has had a varied career but with the consistent motivation of leading change and innovation, including introducing the medical nurse practitioner role to the RUH.

Other award winners were:

• Volunteer of the Year Award: Lee Clift, who volunteers in the Friends of the RUH café and shop, and the hospital's pharmacy
• Student of the Year Award: Michael Vanderpump, Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician
• Sustainability Award: Jack Roberts, Energy Manager
• Patient Safety Award: Enoch Doe, Enhanced Care and Support Team Lead
• Wellbeing at Work Award: Intensive Care Professional Nurse Advocate and Wellbeing team
• Kindness and Civility Award: Alexis Buchanan, Biomedical Scientist
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award: Hayley Rossiter, Midwifery Sister
• Rising Star Award: Shireen Bairkdar, Lead Pharmacy Technician for Education and Training
• Leader of the Year Award: Ana Simoes, Senior Sister
• Everyone Matters Annual Award, sponsored by Hunter Healthcare: Karen Collins, Senior Operating Department Practitioner
• Making a Difference Annual Award, sponsored by J4: Louise Wilkie, Dietitian Specialty Practitioner
• Working Together Annual Award, sponsored by Everlight Radiology: Children's Occupational Therapy and Admin team

The event was supported by sponsors JPS, Electrio, Beard, Locum's Nest, Bevan Brittan, ID Medical and RUHX. Individual awards were sponsored by Hunter Healthcare, J4, Everlight Radiology, Accenture and Leapwork.

ENDS

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