This year, the annual ‘Thank You’ Awards had a special twist, as Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) celebrated 75 years of the National Health Service.
The yearly Awards acknowledge and reward the huge contribution community healthcare staff make to local people.
The event saw colleagues such as our nursing, therapy, dental, doctor and corporate teams recognised for their efforts over the past 12-months.
This year, the ceremony not only marked the contributions of those special individuals and teams who dedicate themselves to the healthcare needs of their communities, but the Trust’s entire workforce, in gratitude for their service, in the NHS’ 75th anniversary year.
BCHFT, which provides high-quality community services in Warrington, Halton and St Helens; as well as dental services in many areas of Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside, paid tribute to its clinicians and corporate staff who have supported the delivery of frontline services in health centres, clinics and patients own homes and the individuals and teams who have helped them to do so.
The full list of winners included:
NHS 75 Award
The entire workforce of Bridgewater Community Healthcare
In this special anniversary year, the NHS is admired globally, and everyone at BCHFT plays a part in that. The Trust Chair, Karen Bliss and CEO, Colin Scales wished to recognise and thank colleagues for the work they do day in, day out. Acting as one big team, this award was accepted on behalf of the BCHFT workforce by one of the newest members of the organisation and a colleague who has served in the NHS for 30 years.
Chair’s Award
Warrington Wheelchair Service
Warrington Wheelchair Service work to provide a safe environment in which people with mobility issues can be assessed and provided with the equipment they need to live a more independent life.
The team consistently go the extra mile for patients, with just one example being the rescue of a stranded patient whose only working wheelchair was in a car boot within a locked garage. Showing heart, tenacity and compassion, the team worked well over their schedule to also ensure the patient’s wheelchair was fixed within just two hours.
Clinical Employee of the Year (kindly supported by Eric Wright Facilities Management)
Kathryn Phillips – Medication Safety Officer
An important role at the Trust, as Medication Officer Kathryn is involved in many work-streams. Described as an advocate for staff and patients alike, as well as an amazing role model, Kathryn is known for her warm, open communication with secondary care teams to greatly improve patient outcomes. Her colleagues describe her as a superhero in disguise, with Bridgewater a better place for having her in it.
Non-Clinical Employee of the Year (kindly supported by CRP Group)
Joan Ward – Multi-Disciplinary Team Case Co-ordinator, Halton Children’s Specialist Services.
Joan brings a wealth of experience to her role at the Trust, with her level of specialist knowledge having helped to secure additional funding. Her team describe her as having excellent forecasting skills, which help them to plan ahead and embrace any challenges that may come their way. Most of all, Joan is known for her special ability to create calm on a day-to-day basis, a quality her colleagues all recognise and welcome.
Clinical Team of the Year (kindly supported by NHS Professionals)
Joint winners – Paediatric Audiology, Halton and Paediatric Bladder and Bowel, Warrington.
Showing true commitment to their patients, the Paediatric Audiology team in Halton have excelled in decision making around how they can deliver a quality service. As part of this, they have even started a Saturday clinic for their patients.
Over in Warrington, the Paediatric Bladder and Bowel team have worked tirelessly to deliver waiting list targets, whilst at the same time providing excellent care to children and their families.
Non-Clinical Team of the Year (kindly supported by Catalyst BI)
Joint winners – The Community Equipment Service and Safeguarding Adults team.
Compassionate and dependable, the Community Equipment Service ensure that patients have the equipment necessary to support their day-to-day living. As such, they are pivotal in supporting patient care across Halton, Warrington and St Helens in Social and Healthcare, Children’s and Adults.
A critical function, the Safeguarding Adults team have made safeguarding a core business across the Trust. Giving professional, high-quality supervision and advice, the team always remain kind and considerate in their work as they deliver safeguarding support and supervision to frontline teams.
Research and Innovation Award
Joint winners – Wendy Gardener, 0-19 Practice Development Lead and Warrington Neuroscience Service.
As the 0-19 Practice Development Lead, Wendy is behind the new, innovative and unique Digital Healthy Weight Care package for children and families in Warrington, which has already been nominated for a national award.
Dedicated to fair access to healthcare for all, the Warrington Neuroscience Service recently successfully applied for funding for two projects which address inequality in Warrington and help develop the services they offer their patients. Both are patient centred, innovative and forward thinking.
Partnership and Collaboration Award (kindly supported by Dentally)
Drive Ability North West
Drive Ability North West support people to who have a medical condition, a disability, or feel older age is affecting their ability to drive, helping them to drive safely and maintain or regain their independence as a driver or a passenger.
They’ve partnered with three police forces, two fire and rescue services and two government agencies to support vulnerable road users, creating outreach centres and increasing patient access to other support networks. This year, they’ve already won a national award for their work with Merseyside Police.
Kindness and Compassion Award (kindly supported by NewZapp)
Oldham Community Dental team
The Oldham Community Dental team demonstrated their commitment to care not just for their patients, but their families, after a moment of crisis which began when a patient’s mother became ill during his treatment. This led the team to support the family through a journey involving numerous support services, all of which, happily, led to a positive outcome.
Speaking about the whole celebration and decision to recognise all staff in this way by awarding a special NHS 75 award, Colin Scales, Bridgewater Chief Executive said:
“The NHS is admired around the world, and we acknowledge that every member of our staff plays a part in that.
“We are proud of the standard of healthcare we deliver. Every year it is always difficult for our Awards judges to choose from such a high calibre of nominations.
“We view the NHS’s 75th year as our opportunity to say a very big thank you to each and every member of staff for everything that they do, for our patients, for each other, through thick and thin, for our communities.
“Our staff work with dedication, care and compassion, often going over and above what is expected to deliver the highest quality healthcare to local people. This special NHS 75 Award not only shows our appreciation of this, but marks this special year for the National Health Service.”
Chosen to receive the NHS 75 Award and representing the scope of Bridgewater staff, were Stefanie Carruthers, who, as a Degree Nurse Apprentice is one of the Trust’s newer recruits and Deborah Murgatroyd, Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist for Drive Ability North West, who has served in the NHS for over thirty years.
The annual Bridgewater ‘Thank You’ Awards were held at Haydock Park Racecourse.
The event is only possible thanks to the kind support of its sponsors, who included: NHS Professionals, Eric Wright Facilities Management, CRP Group, NewZapp, Catalyst BI and Dentally.