A Business Administration Apprentice from Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has received silver status at a national healthcare awards ceremony.
Tim Muttock won silver in the Apprentice of the Year award category at the national Our Health Heroes Awards.
This annual event is organised by Skills for Health, a not-for-profit organisation committed to the development of an improved and sustainable healthcare workforce across the UK.
Nearly half of the healthcare workforce is made up of support staff who play a vital role in the delivery of patient care, and improving the lives of the communities they serve. The Our Health Heroes Awards are an opportunity to celebrate their contributions.
Tim, who lives locally in Warrington, has played a key role at Bridgewater Community Healthcare in improving internal processes, particularly through his work on the digitisation of staff records.
He has led a major project to transition paper-based employee files to a fully digital system, helping archive nearly 40 boxes of historic records for secure off-site storage. His structuring of the new digital files has improved access and consistency for teams across the Trust. He is now progressing to the next phase of the project, focussing on data cleansing and compliance in line with GDPR requirements.
In addition to his operational contributions, Tim has also supported wider cultural change by raising awareness around neurodivergence in the workplace. Drawing on his own experiences as someone with Asperger’s, he has helped colleagues better understand autism and contributed to building a more inclusive and informed work environment.
Accepting his national silver award status, Tim said:
“I was completely shocked when I heard the news about the award. I was happy enough just to find out that I’d passed my end point assessment earlier in the week.
“The apprenticeship with Bridgewater has enabled me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to work in an office environment, after years of being rejected for similar roles due to lack of such experience.
“I’ve got a permanent administrator job with the NHS now and can finally pursue my ideal career. This award has not only given me extra confidence, it also shows me that my work is appreciated too.”
Paula Woods is Director of People and Organisational Development at the Trust. She added:
“I have seen firsthand how hard Tim works, and I can’t think of anyone who deserves this achievement and recognition more.
“As an inclusive employer, we’re very proud that Tim uses his own experience of autism and neurodivergence to bring to light any personal obstacles he faces within a working environment. His perseverance is an inspiration.”
Supported by NHS England, NHS Employers, NHS Shared Business Services, NHS Race and Health Observatory, SFJ Awards and Integrated Care Journal, Skills for Health’s Our Health Heroes recognises and honours the hard work carried out daily by thousands of staff across the UK.
To find out more visit: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/awards.