UHN Excellence Awards celebrate the incredible work of NHS staff, volunteers and fundraisers
In celebration of the fantastic staff, volunteers and fundraisers at Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals, the annual Awards were hosted on Thursday, September 26th, commemorating all of their hard work, dedication, and generosity.
The UHN Excellence Awards 2024 is one of the most important dates for the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire. This year’s event once again celebrated the impactful and outstanding work of the individuals and teams making a difference in the hospitals and beyond.
The winners included a nurse on the Talbot ward who cares for patients with cancer who makes every patient feel like her upmost priority; a Brew Buddy duo who make sure everyone feels valued; and an entire ward team who provide holistic care for both patients and their families, from nutritional support to consistent communication.
As well as this, others who went above and beyond included a member of the Digital Training team who organised a charity ball to support Learning Disability and Autism, ensuring the event was accessible to all.
The event, held at the Mercure Hotel, demonstrated the real sense of community and connection amongst staff, volunteers, and fundraisers.
Richard Mitchell, Joint Chief Executive of University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) and University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL), said: “This year’s annual Excellence Awards highlighted once again the incredible individuals and teams striving to make our hospitals and community settings the best place for our patients to receive care, and the best place for our people to work.
“The nominations showed clear examples of the extraordinary care, compassion and kindness taking place every day in our hospitals and community settings.
“I am so proud and honoured to work alongside these colleagues, and I’d like to congratulate all of our winners and shortlisted nominees.”
The UHN Excellence Awards 2024 were sponsored by Northamptonshire Health Charity which supports NGH, KGH, Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, and community services.
Several local companies also contributed to the success of the event through sponsorship or donating their services, including Trustmarque, Video Inn, the Mercure Hotel, NerveCentre, PicMe Photobooth, R.B Travel, GEM Celebrations and RLS Print and Design Ltd. University Hospitals of Northamptonshire would like to thank them all for their help in making the awards such a special night.
As the hospital looks forward to next year’s awards, they are keen to hear from businesses who would like to sponsor future awards. If you would like to know more about sponsoring the 2025 UHN Excellence Awards, please contact the Communications team ngh-tr.communications@nhs.net
Meet the 2024 winners:
UHN Unsung Hero Award sponsored by Video Inn Production
Winner – Naomi Matczak, Site Management Team.
Part of her nomination reads: “Naomi ensured that my daughter was well and being looked after appropriately, ensuring that we as her parents were happy and engaging relevant members of staff from the ward, to make sure that mistakes were not repeated. Naomi stepped in and mediated the situation beautifully.”
UHN Valuing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Award
Winner – Claire Brown, Occupational Health. Part of her nomination reads:
“Claire has been with the hospital for over 10 years, consistently demonstrating a deep dedication to creating a workplace culture that embraces diversity in all its forms. This is a core value that permeates every aspect of our department. She provides comprehensive training to all employees on diversity and inclusion, fostering a culture of understanding and mutual respect.”
UHN Rising Star Award
Winner – Charlotte Cooper, People Team. Part of her nomination reads:
“Charlotte returned to her role within the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team 9 months ago following a secondment. She wasted no time in establishing herself through engagement with colleagues at all levels within KGH. Charlotte has demonstrated integrity by supporting colleagues from all backgrounds to raise concerns. She focused on efforts to support all 5 Staff Networks, which had dissipated to re-establish themselves and promote inclusion within the hospital.”
UHN Inspirational Volunteer of the Year Award - two winners
Winner – Barry Perrin, Volunteer Services. Part of his nomination reads:
“Barry exemplifies dedication through his numerous volunteer roles. His enthusiasm and willingness to help are unmatched, and he is always the first to step up for any new volunteer role within the service. He has become a mentor to many, offering guidance and support that fosters a welcoming and supportive environment.”
Winner – Emily Cronin and Karen McTaggart-Herron, Volunteer Services. Part of their nomination reads:
“Each week they go out twice a week on the Brew Buddy and they encapsulate everything a volunteer should be. Nothing is too much for either of them. You hear staff talking about the two of them, saying how they brighten their day up each time they see them. Emily & Karen are Brew Buddy, and they deserve this recognition for the wonderful work that they do.”
UHN Research, Innovation, and Improvement Award
Winner – Hasan Alsararatee, SDEC. Part of his nomination reads:
“Hasan Alsararatee has demonstrated excellence in research and innovation through his numerous contributions, resulting in improved practice, better outcomes, and more efficient working methods at NGH. His dedication to research and innovation has not only advanced clinical practice at NGH but has also contributed significantly to the global body of knowledge.”
UHN Patient Choice Award- two winners
Winner – Karen Frost, Emergency Department
Part of her nomination reads: “Karen has made a massive impact on my son’s views about receiving care at NGH. Despite the obvious department pressures, Karen took the time to listen to my concerns and views and took the time to read his hospital passport and provide outstanding care. We had a seemingly uneventful visit that could have gone a totally different way had it not been for the care provided by Karen.”
Winner – Salam Musa, The Treatment Centre, Breast Care
Part of his nomination reads: “Mr Musa deserves this nomination as he is the most caring, kind, and considerate man. He has made a huge difference to many lives, including mine. Everyone who comes into contact with him would say the same. Nothing is ever a problem. An absolute angel in disguise. He has done wonders in making the breast unit so successful.”
Northamptonshire Health Charity Fundraiser of the Year Award sponsored by Northamptonshire Health Charity
Winner – Amber Moore, Digital Training Team.
Part of her nomination reads: “Amber Moore recently held the Learning Disability and Autism Charity Ball in aid of Northamptonshire Health Charity! From securing a stunning venue to curating a delightful menu and arranging top-tier entertainment, every detail reflected her commitment to excellence. She has made a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by autism and learning disabilities.”
UHN Patient Safety Award
Winner- Harm Free Care Team
Part of their nomination reads: “The Harm Free Care Team introduced a framework providing a structured approach to assurance, learning, and improvement with the aim of reducing incidence of harm resulting from falls and pressure ulcers. This has comprehensive benefits that go beyond the immediate health outcomes for individuals, impacting the wider healthcare system, its efficiency, and its sustainability.”
UHN Inspirational Team of the Year Award
Winner – Brampton ward
Part of their nomination reads: “Brampton Ward is one of the hospitals care of the elderly wards and as such cares for some of our most vulnerable and frail patients. They are a caring, compassionate and skilled team that always strive to meet their patients’ needs in the most responsive way, be it providing bespoke nutritional support for vulnerable patients, improve communication for relatives and families, or improve staff expertise and retention.”
UHN Leader of the Year Award Winner – Preshma Percy, Harm Free Care Team.
Part of her nomination reads: “As the Tissue Viability Lead, Preshma has demonstrated unparalleled leadership, profoundly influencing clinical practice and significantly improving patient outcomes within our organisation. Her contributions have not only advanced the field of tissue viability but also inspired a culture of excellence and compassion that will benefit our organisation for years to come.”
UHN Patient Experience Award sponsored by Trustmarque
Winner – Louise Harris, Talbot Butler Oncology
Part of her nomination reads: “Lou has shown nothing but respect and given my husband so much care and kindness. She truly does care for him, and it is because she is there that I can sleep at night, knowing how well she is looking after him. Despite having other patients, just as poorly, you feel like my husband is her priority and I will never be able to thank her enough. Lou Harris is an inspiration, and the NHS is extremely lucky to have her.”
UHN Chair’s Outstanding Contribution Award
Winner – Volunteer Services Team
Part of their nomination reads: “The Volunteer Services team look after approximately 680 volunteers across UHN in over 20 different roles. They provide daily support for them and constantly manage competing demands for the volunteer time and resource. As well as managing the service day to day, the team have made a huge impact locally on supporting people to gain new life experiences, work experience and making volunteering accessible.”
Posted on Thursday 3rd October 2024