Last Thursday 2 July we celebrated the first group of NBT Hero Award winners since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The winners joined Andrea Young, Chief Executive, and Simon Wood, Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Planning, in the Pavilion for a socially distanced and rather emotional edition of the traditional Hero Tea ceremony.
The awards are a way for staff to recognise their colleagues who have gone above and beyond in their job role, whether that’s providing exceptional and compassionate patient care or going the extra mile to help their colleague.
However, given the challenges of the last few months, this edition of the awards had extra special meaning. Andrea delivered a heartfelt thank you to staff for their bravery and dedication throughout the pandemic and for playing their role in keeping patients, the public and each other safe. Andrea then read each winner’s nomination aloud and personally thanked them for their individual contribution.
The awards and ceremony are funded by Southmead Hospital Charity, with lunch bags taking the place of the traditional afternoon tea this time around in order to meet COVID-19 infection control standards!
Read the full nominations for July’s winners below:
Andrew McGreal (HCA, ICU)
nominated by Jane Godden (Receptionist, ICU)
Drew simply personifies an NBT Hero, always going the extra mile with patient care. Just recently he organised for one of our patients to be able to speak with their family, finding a location where they were separated by a window to abide by the COVID distancing guidelines. He has worked hard to gain the trust of both his colleagues and the patients, often caring for a patient on his own, which in ICU shows how well he is thought of. You can tell just by the way he speaks to you that he is a team player (another defining quality of an NBT Hero). Drew always remains calm, is never condescending in his manner and always takes the time to explain guidance and procedures. The other thing he is really good at is making you feel happier after time in his company, because of his constant smiley demeanour.
Angela Green (Emergency Care Assistant, ED)
nominated by Fiona Murphy (Doctor, ED)
Ange works tirelessly for our Emergency Department in so many ways. She has reconfigured the different working areas multiple times during the COVID pandemic making many improvements along the way.
She has also made a huge difference to our outside area, purchasing and planting up pots at the ambulance entrance and seating area and watering these with the utmost dedication. She even comes from home to do this on the days she is not working. It has made the area really nice for staff to have a break in the fresh air and her efforts are hugely appreciated.
Thank you Angela.
Ann Gilbert (Move Maker)
nominated by Lynda Ford (Volunteer)
Ann is a Volunteer working as a Move Maker. She has been here nearly every week day during the lockdown, leading the Volunteers in the ED department which she was one of the instigators for in this role. She is always helpful to all patients and staff and will go the extra mile for anyone. She has also been very busy working on the scrub bag and hearts projects. I think she deserves recognition for all her hard work, which she has done since she started in 2018. Well done Ann you are a real hero.
Charlotte Brain (Physiotherapist)
nominated by Alison Pimm (Physiotherapist)
During a challenging time working on a complex care ward with large numbers of patients with COVID-19, I feel Charlotte has shown a real depth of kindness and support for her patients and colleagues.
Charlotte went out of her way to help a COVID positive patient have the best 100th birthday possible. I know Charlotte had spent time talking to her patient about her wishes for her birthday and then went out of her way to get a bottle of her favourite tipple, sherry. The patient had an amazing birthday on the ward with cake and a glass of sherry.
Charlotte has also been a real support for redeployed outpatient physiotherapy staff who temporarily joined our team, and on occasion, in the absence of myself and the other team leads, stepped up to coordinate the team during these more challenging days.
I think this highlights that even though we are in times of difficulty and unusual circumstances, human compassion wins every time. Well done Charlotte!
Chloe Foote (Rota Coordinator, General Surgery)
nominated by Hugo Cohen (CT1, General Surgery)
and Michael Okocha (ST3 Doctor)
Hugo Cohen says:
Chloe is fantastic! She works tirelessly to keep the rota compliant and also to allow us all to have study leave and time off when we need it. Throughout the COVID 19 response she has rewritten the rota countless times, often with short notice due to changing situations with mega teams and staff illness. She is always cheerful and approachable and even sends out messages of support to the juniors and offers herself as a point of contact for those struggling. Chloe has had to arrange cover for gaps at short notice including for nights and weekends often outside her own working hours. I am confident that I speak for all the general surgery juniors when I say that we truly appreciate everything that she has done for us and that she thoroughly deserves an NBT Hero award!
Michael Okocha says:
I would like to nominate Chloe Foote for an NBT Hero award. It is rare that a single individual has the ability to change the morale of a whole department. Chloe has been an incredible light to the whole department, keeping us upbeat when study leave was unavailable and lockdown meant missing time with loved ones. In addition to making things run much more smoothly over the last two years, Chloe has been a source of support for the juniors that rotate through the department, signposting trainees to support and even going above and beyond calling trainees in her off time to make sure that they are coping and well.
The general surgery department would not be the same without her and we are incredibly thankful for all that she does.
Chris Williams (Consultant, AMU)
nominated by Suzanne Crew (Site Nurse Practitioner)
Chris has gone over and above in his support of the Hospital @ Night (H@N) team throughout all of the pandemic changes; helping to sort out the tower mega teams, arranging for handover continuity, checking bleeps and phones are with the correct people, while supporting the H@N Site Nurse Practitioners to have a comprehensive view of patient and staff safety overnight. He has addressed issues, whether at home or at work, and has worked tirelessly to ensure that the H@N team have a comprehensive understanding of the hospital at night. We could not have got through this trying time without his support.
Cristina dal Maso (Midwife, Percy Phillips Ward)
nominated by Tina Lancastle (Maternity Care Assistant, Percy Phillips Ward)
I witnessed Cristina demonstrate her skills and compassion during a re-admission check-up for baby jaundice. Because of the current situation with COVID-19, new mums were previously unable to have partners or visitors, so they were very vulnerable having just given birth. A new mum arrived on the ward and I sensed she felt extremely worried and tearful. Cristina instantly put her at ease, gave her a complete run through of the procedure and answered any questions the mum had. Cristina spoke in a calm manner and it was lovely to witness a member of staff dealing with what we think of a normal procedure, but possibly a big issue for a new parent, in a kind, knowledgably manner. Cristina is a core member of staff on Percy Phillips and is in charge many shifts a month. Things (usually) run smoothly with Cristina checking on the staff throughout the shift to ensure we are ok, always offering to help colleagues with their work load. Cristina is a pleasure to work with, friendly, smiley and very knowledgeable.
Jayne Davies (Dementia Specialist Nurse)
nominated by Cathryn Wardrop (Case Manager)
I am nominating Jayne for an NBT Hero award as she is always available to assist with complex discharges. Jayne has provided our team with invaluable support during the COVID pandemic to ensure safe and appropriate discharges for a vulnerable group of patients who come into our care. Jayne is a fantastic advocate for our patients who have dementia and ensures that they and their families continue to receive to the support and guidance they need. She provides support to ward staff in providing optimum care. Jayne's workload is high and I am sure it has increased significantly in recent months. However, she is always full of energy and smiles despite working so hard! Thank you Jayne.
Kitt Waring (Clinical Skills Lead)
nominated by Alfred Puerta Casadevall (Clinical Skills Trainer)
Kitt took over the Clinical Skills Team in the second half of 2019, at a time when all other members were moving to other roles within the Trust or retiring. By February 2020, all members of the clinical skills team had changed. Kitt took this very junior team, without much experience in training, and supported us to become the best trainers we could be, giving us the right advice and resources. Not only that, but he also had a very clear view of what direction he wanted to take the team in, changing the way we deliver our training, increasing the amount of training sessions, being more reachable to all staff and increasing our presence in the Brunel building. To top it all off, during the Coronavirus pandemic, Kitt has been leading the team into re-adapting our training, introducing the upskilling training programme to support nurses who were being redeployed to unfamiliar areas and adapting the rest of our teaching into e-learning so that we could deliver shorter practical sessions (with reduced groups to maintain social distancing). Everyone in the Clinical Skills Team and the wider Staff Development team looks up to Kitt and know they can rely on him. He is now going to move on to become the Lead Nurse in Simulation Training for the Trust, and will leave behind a completely changed Clinical Skills Team, with a whole new vision and a clear path to follow.
Lana Ward (Clinical Trials Officer, Clinical Research Centre)
nominated by Liz Goff (Research Administrator)
I would like to nominate Lana Ward for an award because of her help with the CCP Research Study. She has helped to co-ordinate and keep on top of the study and all the paperwork over recent months. She has advised and guided the rest of the research team with the study and any new documents/paperwork/SOPs/amendments coming through. She has done it all whilst being enthusiastic and positive. During this difficult time and everything going on with the coronavirus she has kept everyone mentally and emotionally afloat whilst dealing with her own personal life outside of work. I would like to nominate her without hesitation and feel the rest of the Clinical Research Centre would add to this with full support.
Linda Madge (Safeguarding Officer)
nominated by Roxanne Ross (PALS and Complaints Officer)
I have had the pleasure of working with Linda 1 day a week while I was helping out in bereavement services. She is not only one of the nicest people I’ve met, but she is also incredible hard-working. From going to wards and retrieving belongings to return to bereaved relatives, to contacting families who had unfortunately been bereaved, she has done it all with compassion and class. It has been a privilege working with Linda and I will miss working with her once things go back to normal.
Man Kit Ng (Domestic)
nominated by Simon Hall (Doctor, Urology)
Thoughtful, considerate and thorough in her role and brings a smile to the ward and those around. Despite being understaffed she works hard to ensure standards are kept. This is particularly noted in the current environment of COVID-19 to make sure work surfaces are clean and hygienic. An unsung hero!
Marianne Carter (Ward Manager, Elgar Enablement Unit)
nominated by Samantha Cox (Ward Administrator, Elgar Enablement Unit)
I would like to nominate Marianne as she is an exceptionally hard worker with anything that is thrown her way! She goes above and beyond her duties and I think she should be recognised for all the hard work she does not just for the staff on the ward but for NBT. She really is an inspiration to us all! It hasn’t been an easy year for anyone, but Marianne has remained calm and collected throughout and has really lifted the team’s spirits, no matter what we are faced with. It can’t be easy having half her team split up and redeployed elsewhere with the uncertainty of how long they will be away for, but Marianne knows her team will always stick by her, as she has always looked after us. Thank you Marianne.
Mark Young (Housekeeper, 32B)
nominated by Megan Thomas (HCA, 32B)
Mark only recently joined the ward on 32b but every day he has been giving 100% and more to help patients and assist staff in giving the best possible care. He lifts the mood on the ward which is so important at a time when we are all going through changes and uncertain times. He is always smiling and cheering everyone up and I believe he needs to be recognised for his amazing spirit. Mark we are happy to have you on the team!
Michelle Campbell-Rodriguez (Staff Nurse, 7B)
nominated by Megan Crook and Gayna Scott-Angel (Nurse Practitioners, Mental Health Liaison Team)
We would like to nominate Michelle on behalf of the liaison team, as she has worked tirelessly with one of our service users to give them the care they need. She has gone above and beyond to support and reassure a scared and confused individual, using her intuition and compassion to help them understand what is happening. She has taken extra time and space in the face of risk to work collaboratively with this individual, and as such has been successful in giving this individual life sustaining medication and food needed to get him better. We wanted to highlight this outstanding compassion that Michelle has shown to this individual in such a challenging time.
Michelle Jordan (Staff Nurse, Gate 36 Outpatients)
nominated by Jennie Jones (Senior HCA)
Shelley has been a diamond in these trying times. We had our Matron and Band 7 go off ill at the same time, which was stressful, but Shelley stepped up and took on the role of both and did a wonderful job. She was always checking on our health and mental wellbeing, as well as running the whole of the department. She checked on us several times a day and was always available if we needed a talk. Shelley is a wonderful asset to outpatients. I think she deserves this award for going above and beyond in her duties; working extra days, long days and always having a smile for everyone.
Nirosha DeZoysa (Consultant Anaesthetist)
nominated by Karen Brown (Divisional Operations Director, ASCR)
I would like to nominate Nirosha DeZoysa for a Hero award. Throughout the pandemic there have been many examples of teams working together across divisions and Nirosha is an excellent example of this , but more so given her determination and demonstration of going above and beyond.
The distribution and availability of PPE has been one of the most stressful things to manage during the pandemic. In early April , the Anaesthetic department supported by Rebecca Smith purchased a number of respirators for the high users of PPE thus reducing the demand for Theatres and enabling support to other areas of the Trust. Nirosha led the risk assessment of the respirators and all of the fit testing requirements.
Whilst the overall availability of PPE stabilised we were then challenged with another issue : availability of a particular type of mask which became a national shortage.
Building on the respirators purchased , Nirosha set about securing 288 respirators independently from "Bovis Homes" to support other anaesthetic colleagues and surgeons operating in the department. This was all achieved in one day. This is a significant order and achievement which truly demonstrates going above and beyond her role as a Consultant Anaesthetist.
Rebecca Smith lead of PPE Bronze Cell captured this essence in her email saying:
You’re an absolute legend Nirosha, thank you so much for all the work you have done to help. You’ve gone miles over and above.
Rebecca Smith (Deputy Director of Research and Head of Research & Innovation)
nominated by Karen Brown (Divisional Operations Director, ASCR)
I want to nominate Rebecca Smith for a Hero award. It is incredible the way that Becca has moved from her day time post in Research into what I think has been one of the most crucial roles required to support NBT in its COVID-19 response, leading the PPE cell. She has been absolutely amazing.
She is always very calm, approachable and responsive to the demands that the PPE cell has sent her way . Leading the team, she has established data sets to evidence accurate information on PPE availability which have been absolutely crucial in keeping our staff safe. She has sought out alternative suppliers and made crucial links across BNSSG to the benefit of NBT. In response to the changing circumstances and levels of supply I personally have had regular contact with her in supporting our theatre requirements and it is always a most professional interaction.
I am absolutely in awe of the way in which she has seamlessly delivered this most challenging of tasks and always with a smile.
Robert Brown (Pharmacist)
nominated by Sara Perkins (Pharmacist)
Robert consistently goes the extra mile, with a smile, and with a real understanding of people. He volunteered for a secondment with the Perform team and then acted as a Perform coach within the Pharmacy team. He was then asked to act up as a team leader as secondment cover for maternity leave. Unfortunately, further staffing shortages within the team meant that the three team leaders quickly became just Robert, but despite this, he continued to provide amazing leadership. During the COVID outbreak, Robert was once again asked to lead one of our mega teams under a completely new team structure working a totally different work pattern. Through it all Robert has been a welcome source of encouragement, steady communication, and calm leadership. His incredible people skills mean that he is often the first person that people turn to with stresses or difficulties, both professionally and personally, as they know he will maintain their confidence and calmly support them. He is an absolute unsung hero of our department and we would be lost without him.
Scott Grier (Consultant, ICU)
nominated by John Bell (Advanced Clinical Practitioner, ICU)
Dr Grier has worked exceptionally hard over the last 6 months to set up and then deliver a working adult ICU transfer team for the region.
Initially this service, hosted by NBT at the Nightingale hospital, was set up to support the Nightingale with movements into and out of the site in a safe and efficient manner. Crucially The South West Critical Care Network (SWCCN) Transfer Team is a novel service, truly multidisciplinary in nature and pulling in staff from around the region with their own unique skill sets and expertise. It is the embodiment of the critical care network’s ethos of working together to improve patient care, safety and efficiency of service delivery.
We hope that Dr Grier's passion for improving patient outcomes, through setting up and now delivering a revolutionary transfer team for the region, is recognised as an outstanding achievement of and is supported going forwards as an accepted commissioned service that is seen as being vital for all inter-hospital transfers of adult ICU patients (around the Severn region) on behalf of SWCCN and its hosting trust NBT.
Simon Cann (Endoscopy Decontamination Technician)
nominated by Bridgette Brown (Production Coordinator)
Simon joined our endoscopy team in January of this year and has fitted in really well. He was recently redeployed to R&D to assist them during these difficult times. He welcomed the challenge and is enjoying the change. Whilst at home Simon decided that he wanted to do something for charities. He decided to sell some of his CDs and split any profits between NICU and MIND, and managed to raise just over £300! I think he has done really well in firstly moving from his comfort zone to help others and secondly raising money for important charities. Simon we definitely think you’re a hero!
Simon Godwin (Site Nurse Practitioner, Hospital at Night)
nominated by Suzanne Crew (Site Nurse Practitioner)
Over the past few months, Simon has worked tirelessly to support his team, despite his wife being very unwell with COVID at one point. He has volunteered for shifts, even when he should have been at home with his family, provided help and support to the Hospital @ Night team, and been a rock to us all. Simon is always happy to work extra shifts, to cover sickness and absence, and can be seen working most nights for a few hours at least! He is definitely a hero to the H@N team, and it would be lovely if this could be recognised.
Zoe Stone (Physiotherapy Clinical Specialist, ICU)
nominated by Kerry Hunt (Physiotherapy Clinical Lead)
Zoe has worked incredibly hard throughout the COVID 19 pandemic to radically prepare the Physiotherapy department for changes during this challenging situation. She has put in extra hours to ensure that staff rotas are modified, enhanced staff training to both ICU trained and non-existing ICU members of the team as well as becoming a mask FIT tester to help ensure staff have the appropriate PPE. Throughout this whole period of time she has continued to provide excellent clinical support to her team dealing with daily information changes and supporting the other team leads in preparing their own teams for the changes ahead. Personally as a complex care physiotherapy team leader I have felt very well supported by Zoe in giving clear information if we have had questions about the pandemic and how best to support our team. She has truly demonstrated great leadership skills and we are very lucky to have her within our department.