Staff Honoured at Annual Celebrating Success Awards

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

The annual event was held as part of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust's (LCHS) Health at Home celebrations at the Princess Royal Sports Arena, Boston, on Wednesday. 

More than 150 guests joined the trust's Annual Public Meeting before honouring the finalists of eight award categories in Celebrating Success. Nominations had been put forward by staff and judged by a panel which included LCHS Chair Elaine Baylis, Jenny Hinchliffe, the trust's Head of Clinical Services for Proactive Care, and Healthwatch Lincolnshire Chief Executive Sarah Fletcher.

For the first time, nominations were also welcomed from the public for the Chair's Award for Going Above and Beyond.

The winners were:

• Outstanding Patient Involvement Award: Abigail Storr and Katie Clements, Children's Therapy Service, Countywide
• Behind the Scenes Award: Carolyne Sleight and Marie Walker, Scotter Ward, John Coupland Hospital, Gainsborough
• Balancing Quality and Finance: South Holland and Welland Case Managers
• Special Recognition Award: Rosie Cave, Out of Hours Service, Stamford 
• Innovation Award (sponsored by 6pm Group): Kirsteen Redmile, Senior Project Manager, Countywide 
• Leadership Award (sponsored by Hempsons): Laura Herrick, Senior HR Business Partner, Lincoln 
• Outstanding Team of the Year (sponsored by Frank Health): Organisational Development Team, Corporate Services 
• Chair's Award for Going Above and Beyond: Louth Cardiac Rehabiliation Team 

Guest speaker David Lomas, who was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen's 90th birthday honours for services to the community in Gainsborough, spoke to guests about his experiences of being involved with local healthcare. Mr Lomas is the founder of the John Coupland Hospital Charities Committee and is now its longest serving member. He has been instrumental in supporting the hospital and raising money to buy equipment which helps to make patients' stays more comfortable. 

Offering his congratulations on the day, he told guests: "I do not think we appreciate you enough, but to those of my generation, you are the tops." 

The afternoon concluded with The Emily Jane Glen Celebration of Volunteers, which saw the trust give a special thank you to volunteers supporting services across Lincolnshire. The volunteers were presented with a LCHS Volunteer pin badge and flowers.

 Elaine Baylis, LCHS Chair, said: "Health at Home is a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect on the past year and to reognise those teams and individuals that are making a real difference to our patients every day. The calibre of our nominations this year gave our judging panel both a real challenge and a great pleasure in highlighting great innovation, leadership and best practice. Thank you to our sponsors, guests, staff who helped make it a truly inspiring and memorable occasion."