Making a Difference - Award Winners

The Gynaecology Assessment Unit at Royal Derby Hospital have been recognised for the support they offered to a patient suffering with acute morning sickness by being presented with June’s Patient Hero Monthly Making a Difference Award.

The patient commended the team’s compassion and understanding and praised them for making them feel comfortable during what was a difficult time.

At the time of writing, the patient was 19 weeks pregnant and had been suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum, which is often referred to as acute morning sickness, meaning they needed almost daily anti-sickness injections to stave off symptoms.

However, the patient also had a phobia of hospitals and needles, making this an upsetting period for them.

The nomination read: “Each nurse, receptionist and doctor I have had the pleasure to meet during this really difficult time has been incredible. I have cried, screamed and refused injections, but these ladies have taken so much time and effort to ensure my baby and I are safe and treated well, to ease my fears and make me feel so comfortable at every moment.

“Even just passing me the tissues and sitting with me for a minute while I cry for no reason. The staff all deserve to win awards for their unrelenting efforts, day in, day out, dealing with hundreds of women who are at their saddest, happiest and scariest moments.”

Presenting the team with the award, Chair Dr Kathy McLean, said: “It’s a wonderful story. It’s lovely to hear of such compassion and care for this patient, as it can be very scary coming to hospital. Well done to the whole team.”

If you would like to nominate a colleague or team for a Monthly Making a Difference Award, please let us know.

There are four monthly Making a Difference Awards categories:

• Chief Executive Award – chosen by Gavin Boyle
• Patient Hero Award – nominated by patients
• Team UHDB Award – you can nominate your team or another team
• Excellent Employee Award – you can nominate your colleagues

You can send a 300 word nomination, along with the name of the team or individual, their job title and where they work, to: uhdb.employeeawards@nhs.net.

A patient who has struggled with hearing loss for a number of years has singled out a Royal Derby Hospital audiologist for praise after he helped improve their quality of life.

Piyush Patel has been named as UHDB’s latest Excellent Employee Award winner in recognition for the “fantastic” contribution he has made to improving this patient’s hearing.

The unnamed patient nominated Piyush for the award, writing: “I have struggled with my hearing for several years and Piyush has been incredibly patient and supportive at every appointment. Despite various attempts at adjusting hearing aids and moulds, I countinued to have difficulty, but he has persevered to find a solution.

“He has genuinely listened to my concerns, as I have tried to explain how my hearing has been affected. For someone who has suffered in terms of quality of life in relation to my deafness, it is very much appreciated to have an audiologist who cares so much about his patients.

“It is a credit to the NHS, that staff who have been under so much pressure over the last year are still so committed to helping people.”

Dr Magnus Harrison, Executive Medical Director and Deputy CEO, surprised Piyush with his award at RDH’s Kings Treatment Centre, and applauded him for the compassion he has shown to his patients.

“This award is just to say thank you very much and please carry on your fantastic work,” said Dr Harrison.

“You have been nominated for our Excellent Employee Award by a patient, who has said that you’ve made such a difference to their lives by helping to find them a solution to their hearing condition. This was a glowing accolade from one of your patients, so thank you very much for that.”

Receiving the award, Piyush said: “I really don’t know what to say! This was a really good surprise and I’m very pleased.”

Jonathan Butler, audiology service manager, was also in attendance and added: “We get thanks from patients from time to time in Audiology but don’t always hit the headlines, so it’s really nice that this has happened. Well done, Piyush, and keep up the good work!”

If you would like to nominate a colleague or team for a Monthly Making a Difference Award, please let us know.

There are four monthly Making a Difference Awards categories:

• Chief Executive Award – chosen by Gavin Boyle
• Patient Hero Award – nominated by patients
• Team UHDB Award – you can nominate your team or another team
• Excellent Employee Award – you can nominate your colleagues

You can send a 300 word nomination, along with the name of the team or individual, their job title and where they work, to uhdb.employeeawards@nhs.net.

Colleagues who have worked in UHDB’s Vaccine Hubs throughout the pandemic have seen the priceless impact they have made to our communities recognised with an incredibly well-deserved award.

Over the last few months, literally hundreds of re-deployed staff from all corners of the Trust have come together to create and then operate the Vaccination Hubs at Royal Derby Hospital and Queen’s Hospital Burton.

Thanks to the commitment shown by both teams, UHDB has managed to administer more than 44,000 Covid-19 vaccines to some of the most clinically vulnerable people in Derbyshire and Staffordshire, UHDB colleagues and other frontline health and social workers.

It goes without saying but the success of the Vaccine Hub programme has had a hugely positive impact in helping to protect people in our communities, so the Trust was delighted to be able to honour these colleagues with a Making a Difference Award, which was virtually presented to the teams by CEO Gavin Boyle.   

“I’d just like to acknowledge the absolutely incredible contribution all of these colleagues made in running our Vaccine Hubs so successfully,” said Gavin.

“Through extreme flexibility and by demonstrating a real can-do attitude, you allowed us to administer more than 46,000 jabs to help keep people safe and to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in our communities. This is a truly incredible achievement. You are all an inspiration to our entire organisation.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

After first opening up the Vaccine Hubs at RDH and QHB last December and in January respectively, the hubs were then re-opened once again in March and then April, so that all those who had had their first jab with us were able to have their second dose on site.

Caitlin Richens, Vaccine Hub programme manager, said: “This was such a special experience to be part of. Everyone was so positive and committed, despite the constant changes. This behaviour helped us to deliver such a fabulous vaccine programme, so I’d like to thank everyone for being so amazing.”

Viv Jones, clinical lead for the vaccination programme at QHB, added: “In the NHS, sometimes things seem to move slowly, so to get this all up and running in such a short space of time was amazing. It has made me so proud to work at Team UHDB and within the NHS.”

A UHDB IT team has received some well-deserved recognition for their tireless efforts in helping to introduce a new patient record system into our Emergency Department.

‘Lorenzo’ has gone live in stages over the last few months throughout the A&E at Royal Derby Hospital – replacing the former clinical and administrative system in the department.

The IT Lorenzo team have showcased immense team work and leadership to engage and work alongside the clinical teams in A&E, so that this important change could be made in the midst of the pandemic.

It was therefore our pleasure to be able to award the team with this month’s Making a Difference CEO Award, with Chief Executive Gavin Boyle paying the team a surprise visit to present them with their award.

Receiving the award, Stacey Sutherland, Digital Nurse Specialist, said: “It is nice to be recognised for all the hard work that has gone into supporting our teams, so thank you to everyone who has made that happen.”

Gavin Boyle said: “Introducing a new IT system into a busy clinical area, where quite frankly the work never stops, is always a challenge. This was a terrific piece of team work between the ED clinical team and the IT Lorenzo folk. 

“I think it’s been truly impressive how both clinical and technical teams have worked together to make this as seamless as possible – it’s never without its challenges but thanks to the Lorenzo team who have tried to make sure that clinical colleagues have been as well supported as possible.” 

If you would like to nominate a colleague or team for a Monthly Making a Difference Award, please let us know.

There are four monthly Making a Difference Awards categories:

• Chief Executive Award – chosen by Gavin Boyle
• Patient Hero Award – nominated by patients
• Team UHDB Award – you can nominate your team or another team
• Excellent Employee Award – you can nominate your colleagues

You can send a 300 word nomination along with the name of the team or individual, their job title and where they work, to uhdb.employeeawards@nhs.net.

Dan Walton-Ashmore, Trainee Nursing Associate and Chair of our UHDB LGBTQIA+ network has been awarded the Making a Difference Chief Executive Award by our Chief Executive, Gavin Boyle.

The award, which was presented to Dan earlier this week, recognises his work to promote equality, diversity and inclusion at UHDB.

Gavin Boyle said, “I am really grateful to hear of what Dan has been doing to support our LGBTQIA+ colleagues throughout the Trust. It is amazing that alongside working on the frontline throughout the pandemic, he has also managed to grow the LGBTQIA+ network from a small group of people to over 140 active members.”

As well as growing the network, Dan has also brought around change regarding the use of pronouns amongst colleagues, encouraged staff to share their story as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and has also come forward to share his sad experiences of homophobia to raise awareness on International Day Against Homophobia.
 

Dan said: “Thank you for this recognition for not just myself, but the network as a whole.  I’m so proud of how far the network has come since setting it up earlier this year alongside my Co-Chair, Jimmy. It is thriving. Every person who has joined the network continues to try and make UHDB a better place for our patients, current staff and staff of the future. We have joined forces with other local NHS LGBTQIA+ networks and continue to share ideas.

“If you’re an LGBTQIA+ colleague working at the Trust, come and join us.  We are on a journey of embracing all of our people and communities. UHDB will lead the way one day on staff inclusion and diversity.”

You can join the UHDB LGBTQIA+ network here (opens in new window) >