Innovative Angela makes shortlist for nurse award
A Stornoway specialist nurse has been shortlisted for one of the highest accolades in her profession, writes Fiona Scott.
Angela Woodley, who specialises in dermatology at the Western Isles Hospital, was nominated for the RCNi Nurse Awards 2020 in the category Innovations in your Specialty Award for her commitment to a service redesign delivered last year.
Qualifying as a nurse 30 years ago, Angela began her employment with NHS Western Isles in 2006, first working on Erisort Ward for five years, before working simultaneously as part-time dermatology liaison nurse, occupational health nurse and as a call centre nursing advisor with NHS 24.
‘I am honestly astounded at not only being nominated, but to have been shortlisted for this award,’ she said.
As the dermatology service lead, Angela vets all referrals, performs complex diagnostics, delivers multiple complex therapies and initiates medication and treatment plans.
Under her lead, waiting time breaches for urgent referrals to the service have gone from 55 per cent to zero. In addition, weekly rather than monthly clinics are improving outcomes for patients with suspected cancer, and all patients are put on a treatment plan within a week of referral. Her patient satisfaction questionnaires are all positive, with patients reporting that they feel listened to, appropriately treated and reassured. Her use of tele-dermatology has allowed for further education of nurses and referring GPs as all results are fed back with images and comments, thus reducing future referrals.
Angela, who was nominated for the award by Iain Trayner,
NHS Western Isles Technology Enabled Care (TEC) project manager, added: ‘I couldn’t have achieved the service redesign without the support of Iain and the rest of the TEC Team – they have the ‘know how’ to make things happen.
‘With further support from the Western Isles Health Board, Drs Pete Greenstock and Kate Dawson, the dermatology service continues to develop. In addition, the team at the Western Isles Hospital’s Outpatients Department (my ‘work family’) have always been so supportive and encouraging, having more faith in me than I do!’
Since the announcement of being shortlisted, Angela has already been tweeted congratulations by Sandra Lawton OBE, Queen’s Nurse and Nurse Consultant Dermatology, the British Dermatological Nursing Society and Psoriasis. org which she described as ‘an absolute thrill’.
William Findlay, NHS Western Isles Nurse/AHP director and chief operating officer, said: ‘We are very proud of Angela’s achievements.
‘She has transformed a limited dermatology service into one that is outstanding and person-centred through clinical leadership, co-designing improvements with patients, and using technology from the United States for our remote islands.
‘In addition, Angela has engaged to a level above and beyond her position. She has undertaken advanced training (Masters level) in Dermatology and has now completed her second year with a distinction award.
‘She has become an accomplished, advanced independent practitioner in dermatology who can now better serve our local community.’