Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Nursing staff on awards shortlist
TAYSIDE nursing staff and teams have been shortlisted for national awards.
NHS Tayside has four finalists in the Royal College of Nursing Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards 2024.
The Care Experienced Young People’s Service is in the running for the children’s nursing and midwifery award, which recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to the care of children and young people, or mothers-to-be and new parents.
The team of nurses and midwives is based in Dundee and provides care, support and advice to children and young people up to the age of 26 who are care experienced.
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service intellectual disability outpatient nursing team is a finalist in the learning disability nursing category.
This award recognises those who have raised the standards of care for their patients and made an outstanding contribution to the care of service users.
The team was created to improve access to assessment and treatment for children and young people with intellectual disabilities.
Since its formation, it has enhanced collaboration between services and organisations, as well as implementing person-centred, evidence-based care.
Healthcare support worker Gemma Walker, an associate practice educator in the practice development team, has made the top three in the nursing support worker of the year award.
This category celebrates those who have made an outstanding contribution to the care of patients or residents in their nursing support worker role.
In her role at Ninewells Hospital, Gemma provides induction, development and skills training to healthcare support workers across various areas.
Denise Harrison, a GP practice nurse at Brechin Health Centre, is in the running for the people’s choice award, the public’s opportunity to thank a nurse, midwife or nursing support worker who has made a difference to their, or a loved one’s, care.
During Storm Babet, she provided care and treatment to people who were moved to hotels owing to severe flooding.
She also set up a bereavement cafe in the health centre for patients who are struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one as a result of her own personal experience of losing her husband to cancer.
NHS Tayside nurse director Claire Pearce said: “I’m absolutely delighted so many of our fantastic nursing and midwifery staff have been shortlisted in these awards.
“These nominations represent a small number of the many incredible nursing staff working across a wide range of services in NHS Tayside, from maternity and children’s services to adult specialties and older people’s services.”