Staff celebrated at virtual awards ceremony

Outstanding teams and individuals working in NHS community services across Lincolnshire have been recognised for their dedication at this year's Celebrating Success Awards.

We held their staff awards ceremony virtually, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

LCHS is proud of its staff and volunteers, whose dedication and commitment to delivering outstanding care makes a huge difference in the communities we serve.

The organisation recognises and commends these achievements through the Celebrating Success Awards.

A record 152 entries were received for teams and individuals from across Lincolnshire for the 11 categories and this year, for the first-time patients and carers were invited to vote.

The award categories are closely aligned to the values that were developed with LCHS staff, which are articulated through the LCHS Way: we listen, we care, we act and we improve.

Among the winners was Gemma Adams, a registered nurse associate and student nurse. Gemma works on Gloucester Ward at Skegness Hospital and she was said to be an is an inspiration for anyone wanting to develop their NHS career. Gemma began as a healthcare support worker then became a nurse associate and is now working towards becoming a registered nurse. Throughout all this study alongside her day job, Gemma has a hugely complex and significant caring role at home, which appears to never phase her. Gemma always provides consistent, high quality care in her role and regularly goes above and beyond what is expected of her, especially to support other teams.

She has recently started some research around the use of neck braces in clinical settings which has been inspired by her personal experiences.

Gemma said: “I am proud to receive this award and would like to thank my LCHS colleagues for the support. I would also like to thank the apprenticeship team as without this I wouldn’t be able to do my nursing.”

Community Nursing Teams won the COVID Hero Award Clinical after their tireless work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The community nurses were often battling personal issues due to COVID-19 as well as the additional work pressure and increased numbers of palliative and complex patients. They changed the way they worked, to ensure a safe service, trained new and redeployed colleagues, worked late most days to ensure patients were seen and even stayed away from family at Christmas so they could work.

As all NHS staff still do, they faced added pressures of wearing masks, aprons and gloves in the heatwaves and were seen standing in the snow adding personal protective equipment by their cars, before going out to visit patients.

Max Cumberpatch, community nursing matron said, “I am incredibly proud of our community nurses. They were and are truly amazing, working in difficult situations, supporting each other and continuing to give high quality care despite all the pressures.

“It is wonderful for them to receive this award to recognise their dedication and commitment.”

The final award of the night was the Chair’s award, won by the staff on Scarbrough Ward, at Skegness Hospital. The team worked hard to reunite an elderly couple who were both in palliative care but in different hospitals and their family were trying to be in two places at once to be with them.

The gentleman was transferred to Skegness Hospital, just in time for the couple’s 70^th and last wedding anniversary. They celebrated together having cake with their family.

The team then moved the couple into the same room so they could be together as they reached the end of their lives. Their daughter could be there for both her parents at the same time, as she sat between their beds and held their hands. Eventually, her parents peacefully passed away and reunited over the rainbow.

Nicola Parker the ward manager said: “It was heart-warming and very emotional to help reunite this lovely couple. The team all pulled together to make sure the couple were reunited and everyone had to act quickly, from the physio to the pharmacist to make this happened in time.

“Everyone showed excellent team spirit and how the patients are our priority putting them first and going that extra mile for this family.”

Elaine Baylis, LCHS Chair, said: "We would like to congratulate all finalists and this year's ceremony, as always, was clear evidence of how many teams and individuals embody the LCHS Way and our values in their work.

“Shortlisting and deciding winners this year was particularly difficult, not only due to the record number of nominations but also because so many staff members stepped up during the pandemic to support our patients and colleagues.

“Celebrating Success is a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect and to recognise some of those teams and individuals who are making a real difference to our patients every day.

“Thank you to our sponsors and staff that helped make it a truly inspiring and memorable occasion."  

Winners will receive trophies, which will be presented when it’s safe to do so and finalists will have their certificates posted this year.

The 2021 winners were:

Patient Involvement and Experience Award: Abigail Storr, Professional Advisor Children’s Occupational Therapy Service

Inclusion, Equality and Diversity Award
Winner: Musiiwa Takavarasha, Assertive In Reach Practitioner
Highly commended - Lesley Wilkins, Secretary

Innovation Award: Cardiac Rehabilitaion Team

Leadership Award: Lee Gifford, Apprenticeship Lead

Unsung Hero Award Clinical: Gemma Adams, Registered nurse associate and student nurse

Unsung Hero Award Non-Clinical: Rachel Thackray, Quality Assurance Manager – Urgent Care

Team of the Year Award Clinical: Clinical Assessment Service
Highly commended - Neighbourhood Teams in Lincoln and Gainsborough

Team of the Year Award Non-Clinical: Transformation Team

Covid Hero Award Clinical: Community Nursing Teams

Covid Hero Award Non-Clinical: Felicity Elkington, Lead Business Partner – Operations

Chair’s Award: Scarbrough Ward, Skegness Hospital