On Friday 11 November, we held our Annual Staff Awards, and it was a fantastic evening of joy and celebration with examples of some of the wonderful work that has taken place over the last year by our incredible staff and volunteers.
With 300 people in attendance, representing all our divisions and directorates, the evening allowed us to share inspirational stories of innovation, compassion, and amazing team work displayed by you all. The categories enabled us to shine a light on some of the wonderful work taking place in our community, examples of how we are respecting our environment, as well as celebrating our rising stars and inspirational leaders. You are all an inspiration to me, and I felt very proud to reflect on these amazing achievements alongside you.
The event was kindly funded by our corporate sponsors, who were there to join in the celebrations in the fabulous venue at Concorde, Aerospace.
You can read more about our winners below.
We make a difference in our community
Shahporan Masjid Southmead Maternity Inclusion improves Life Experiences (Team SMIiLE) - This project has built trust and hope between our local community and our NHS. Project SMiLE took the maternity team out of our hospital buildings and into the heart of our population; working together with community leaders and 40 different nationalities, to reduce health inequalities for mothers and their families at this life-changing time of birth.
Pictured right, Team SMiLE.
We transform services
Ward 26B - Ward 26B have undergone a complete transformation from a fully medical ward to providing post elective surgery care. They have been a vital part of reducing the waiting list for elective surgery over the last year, admitting and discharging an average of 300 patients per month – 3,600 more than in previous years. They have also recently started taking post-surgery Cystectomy patients who would otherwise have gone to ICU, freeing up more ICU beds for critically ill patients.
The team have undertaken this transformation with dedication and a willingness to learn, many colleagues having to learn completely new specialised skills, and the team continues to support and celebrate one another. They have also continued to take on further changes and transformation, implementing innovative ideas and trials from elsewhere in the trust, as well as working flexibly to assist their wider department in adapting to trust wide changes and improving hospital flow.
Pictured right, Ward 26B.
We support NBT
Volunteer Musicians - NBT is incredibly fortunate to play host to a magnificent team of over 70 highly skilled volunteer musicians. This amazing group of auditioned, trained, and supported volunteers, transforms the experience of people passing through the Brunel building by gifting the hospital community over 700 hours of fantastic live music every year.
As well as their performances in the atrium, many of the volunteers will visit wards and perform at special events, including Christmas day and Brunel 10 celebrations. Volunteers include professional musicians, medical students, former patients, and NBT staff, all choosing to gift us their precious time in an effort to make the hospital a nicer place to be. I cannot think of a team more deserving of this award.
Pictured right, Volunteer Musicians.
We carry out research and innovation
Mary Alvarez - During the last 5 years Mary, as well as supporting her team, developing them to step out of their comfort zones but has led two regionally and nationally important projects.
Mary has worked with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to provide new evidence based guidance for researchers working in the field of Obstetrics.
Her cross speciality collaborations have also helped ensure her work is influencing and changing the advice provided by the RCOG. Mary has also secured funding from the Clinical Research Network to establish a research outreach program presenting at community antenatal classes across BNSSG.
Mary’s work, focusing on empowering people is inspirational and a demonstration that it is not only the multi-million pound grants which can make the greatest impact.
Pictured right, Mary Alvarez.
We make improvements to our patients experience
Alcohol and Drug Recovery Care Team - The purpose of the Drug Care Team at NBT is to provide directed, inspirational leadership and support to NBT staff to improve the standards of care delivered to a complex, often misunderstood patient group. The team embraces Trust values by providing safe, effective, and compassionate care, delivered with kindness and respect. By nurturing a culture of shared decision making. The Drug Care Team remains patient focused and holistic at every point of contact.
Some examples of what the team does include, intervention and opportunities to reduce drug related harm, a Trust wide MDT approach, specialist prescribing in the secondary care setting, dynamic links with community services for referral and signposting, and Care Flow narrative and data reporting for the team developed by business intelligence.
It is clear that NBT should be proud that we are able to provide this service for our patients – it is clear the impact it is having, and the success of the team and the service will continue to thrive due to the compassionate leadership displayed by Sally.
Pictured right, Alcohol and Drug Recovery Care Team.
We respect our environment
NBT Stoma Team - The Stoma Team have been working collaboratively over the past few years to drive sustainability improvements within the Stoma Care Speciality. Stoma Product Wastage is a huge issue, as the extensive equipment needed to secure and care for a stoma pouch are prescribed personal items, so cannot be reused when a patient’s stoma is reversed or they sadly pass away. The Stoma team have linked up with overseas charities who take this equipment, which would otherwise end up in landfill, to countries such as Ghana where there are patients in desperate need of this vital medical equipment.
The team are also looking to reduce wastage at source by switching prescribing from GPs, who often have limited stoma understanding and over prescribe equipment, to the NBT stoma team, who have the specialist knowledge to ensure patients are prescribed the necessary equipment in appropriate quantities.
The team have also been making efforts to reduce their own waste in the office, and cut down on paper usage by switching to electronic patient messages where possible. They are hugely proud of their achievements in protecting the environment.
Pictured right, NBT Stoma Team.
We are rising stars (clinical)
Sophie Scott - Sophie has shone as an exceptionally strong occupational therapist who we are sure will flourish in her career here at NBT.
Sophie demonstrates she cares deeply for her role as an occupational therapist in all she does for her patients and colleagues. Despite being newly qualified, Sophie reaches out to support fellow colleagues when pressures are high, thinking of those around her at all times.
Sophie advocates for her patients and strives to provide the highest level of patient centred care. During her first year of practice, Sophie has pro-actively sought opportunities to improve our service. This includes completing a service development project with her band 5 peers on reducing falls in the patient bathrooms. Additionally, Sophie has completed her preceptorship.
Sophie is respectful in all she does. As her team lead, I consistently hear positive feedback about Sophie’s team working and communication skills. She’s also recently taken on the role as practice educator for a student.
Sophie is a highly regarded occupational therapist who has really shone as a “rising star” in her first year of practice. It would be fantastic for her to be commended for her enthusiasm, positive attitude, and strong skill set.
Pictured right, Sophie Scott.
We are rising stars (corporate)
Starn Chan - Starn is a crucial member of the Talent Acquisition Team in NBT and is a well-known and highly regarded member of the NBT family. He’s worked in different roles across the Trust from Facilities to TA, and gets phenomenal feedback everywhere he goes!
He has a “Can do” attitude and will always go the extra mile to solve a problem. He is also great with candidates and attends job fairs regularly. He makes sure the Trust is represented well as a large local employer and he is super organised, professional and credible both internally and externally.
He is an absolute rising star and should be recognised for all his amazing work and achievements. He is also a great example of someone who has worked hard, shown commitment and learnt new skills and his career has progressed considerably within NBT.
Starn is not only incredible in a working environment, he also puts himself out there to support the Trust and colleagues in a personal and supportive way. He took part in Strictly Southmead in 2018 to raise funds for Southmead Hospital Charity, and put himself well out of his comfort zone in the process! He is always there to help others, whenever they need it, whether it involves his current role or not. Starn has also more recently been involved in setting up staff groups to connect people with similar interests, which is testament to his caring, inclusive and collaborative nature.
Pictured right, Starn Chan.
We are rising stars (facilities)
Nicola Ioannoglou - Nicola stepped up to a supervisor role and quickly adapted to difficult situations due to the absence of senior staff. This steep learning curve has been very positive, and she has shown a common-sense approach to problem-solving. Nicola treats everyone equally, giving them the same opportunities to work in different areas of the department. She is always supportive and a good listener to the staff.
She maintains a positive outlook towards the day's business and ensures that the staff have all the information they need. She encourages people to work in areas where they may lack experience to build their confidence.
She has quickly learned new skills and applies them daily. She has a clear understanding of how the department works and the staff requirements to meet service needs. Nicola engages with the staff constructively to minimize any disruption to the service caused by staffing challenges, departmental design issues, and maintenance problems.
Nicola is always eager to suggest new ideas, processes, or ways of doing things in the department. She is very customer-oriented and genuinely cares about the perception and delivery of service.
Pictured right, Nicola Ioannoglou.
We are happiness heroes
Conor Turk - Since Conor started working in our team, the wellbeing and morale boost has been through the roof!
The Medicine Occupational Therapy team has always been an extremely busy team to work in, with high caseloads that are emotionally and physically impactful, but with Conor in the team this has been much easier to manage. Conor puts a smile on everyone's face and always comes up with different ways to elevate people's mood.
He practices gratitude on a regular basis and goes out of his way to ask each member of the team what they are grateful for each week; this has not only made a difference at work, but also in my personal life, as his happiness and positive attitude is infectious. He often asks silly but thought-provoking questions that never fail to make people laugh as well as bring everyone closer.
He is genuinely a little ray of sunshine even when the workload is stressful and overwhelming. Conor also reaches out to other teams; on the wards and within the office spaces he has fostered great working relationships with everyone. As a team lead, I have received an overwhelming number of positive feedback about Conor’s impact on the wellbeing of other people, as well as feedback from patients and their family about how lovely, thoughtful and caring he has been.
Pictured right, Conor Turk.
We are inspirational leaders
Jill Randall - The fact that 28 of the original 100 volunteers are still part of the team after ten years is an incredible achievement and speaks volumes as to the sustained way Jill engages with, and supports, her team. Being a volunteer is a two way relationship which Jill understands perfectly.
Jill Randall has lead, motivated and inspired the Move Makers for ten years. From being asked to set up and run the project to create a team of 100 volunteers for just the first three weeks of the new Brunel building, to receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (the MBE for volunteer groups), Jill has led by example, from the front, for the past 10 years.
It has been said that the Move Makers are a workforce we could not manage without. Well I can’t imagine the Move Makers without Jill Randall. She is without doubt an inspiration to us all.
And
Sanjay Gandhi - For over 15 years Sanjay has been a steadfast supporter of the Trust’s equality work, and chaired the Black Asian Minority Ethnic staff group for some time.
He is delightful to work with, always considerate, kind and extremely knowledgeable. He has nurtured the group to grow and change, championing the issues raised, promoting training and other opportunities. He is perpetually prepared to listen, support and signpost accordingly, and is an amazing and consistent champion committed to the long-term goal to increase career development, mentoring fellow colleagues.
He has worked so hard to remove discriminatory practices for all, aiming to transform our services and practices. He has been an incredible inspiration to many people, and has increased awareness of barriers faced and offering solutions to remove these has generated a greater culture of respect. The group has grown exponentially. He has always been there, with a guiding hand and sagacious advice.
Pictured right, Sanjay Gandhi.
We work as a team
Endoscopy Unit - The Endoscopy Team have not only demonstrated a remarkable willingness to change and improve their service, but every member of the unit, from booking and reception to nursing, portering and Endoscopists, have worked additional hours to reduce the significant waiting times and longest waiting patients.
Improving the inpatient pathway, courtesy calling suspected colon cancer patients pre-procedure and expanding the pre-assessment service, to name a few, shows an eager determination to improve the patients’ experience and access, and maximise the unit’s efficiency. It’s impressive how the team have supported each other and maintained excellent service provision through industrial action, changes of division, transfers of service, and high levels of sickness. It’s highly commendable that the unit is one of the highest performing Endoscopy departments in the country despite the significant changes to the healthcare landscape.
Pictured right, Endoscopy Unit.