Staff Awards recognise commitment

Community nurses from East Coast Community Healthcare who ‘went the extra mile’ to ensure the highest quality care for their patients helped to win their team a major accolade at the organisation’s staff awards ceremony.

Members of the Halesworth Community Nursing Service were awarded the title of Clinical Team of the Year at the event held in Norwich at Carrow Road’s Norfolk Lounge. They were recognised for a raft of actions including one nurse giving a patient some of her own bedding because the patient had nothing to put on a hospital bed that was delivered to their home. Another nurse contacted volunteer groups and charities in order to support a terminally ill patient who needed transport to get her to palliative day care and had no family or friends to help.

ECCH chief executive Jonathan Williams said: “This team delivers an outstanding service and shows true commitment to their work, building strong relationships with patients and working together to make a success of their service. I’m so proud of them - and of all our staff – for consistently demonstrating a ‘can do’ attitude and providing the highest possible standards of care. Events like this highlight how many wonderfully skilled and dedicated staff we have. I feel honoured to work with them.”

ECCH provides community health services across Norfolk and Waveney. It is a social enterprise and reinvests its surplus resources to benefit the local community.

Ten awards were presented at the event. The finalists had been nominated by their colleagues and shortlisted by ECCH’s Shareholder Council which represents the 80% of staff who have opted to have a share in the organisation and, therefore, a say in how it is run.

The Innovation Award was presented to the Early Intervention Vehicle (EIV) Team for Great Yarmouth and Waveney which keeps patients at home after a 999 call. ECCH occupational therapists and physiotherapists work alongside senior emergency medical technicians from the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust to provide a one-stop service, assessing the patient, reviewing their medication, making onward referrals for additional health and social support, where necessary, and providing equipment to help them stay safe, such as walking aids or alarms. In its first seven months of operation the EIV is estimated to have saved 370 ambulance attendances, 285 conveyances to hospital, 255 emergency department attendances, 78 unplanned admissions to an acute hospital and 708 bed days.

Clinical Educator Wayne Butler received the award for Delivering Exceptional Care in recognition of his work supporting ECCH’s Infection Prevention and Control Team when they responded to a meningitis outbreak in Halesworth in May.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Continence Specialist Nurse Anne Weale for the passion and commitment she has shown in caring for patients with debilitating and often distressing conditions for nearly 40 years.

The Making a Difference award went to Children’s Speech and Language Therapist Julie Pass for her support for families with children with communication difficulties. This included working with social and education services to find places in complex needs settings for two children whose mother was terminally ill and who had not been able to attend an educational setting for several months.

The Inspirational Leader Award was given to Clinical Physiotherapy Lead Alice Bellamy and Healthy Child Programme Lead Kate Ryczanowski for their enthusiasm and motivation, and their ability to inspire colleagues and act as role models.

The Unsung Hero award went to Ian Oakes from ECCH’s Information and Communications Technology team.

The award for Emerging Talent was won by Speech and Language Therapy administrator Donna Overton.

The Non-Clinical Team of the Year award went to the Nelson Medical Practice in Great Yarmouth.

Senior physiotherapist Tanya Fryer and Patient Liaison Officer Wendy Moore were each awarded the title of ECCH Champion – which recognises staff whose commitment and professionalism make them ambassadors for the organisation.

ECCH Chair Tony Osmanski said: “With all the challenges that we face in the course of our work day to day it’s really important to take time out to celebrate success. These awards are a chance to thank everyone for their ongoing commitment to providing excellent community healthcare. Whether they deliver frontline patient care, support those who do, or are part of the Executive Team, they are contributing to ECCH’s growing reputation as a great community healthcare provider.”

The event was sponsored by James Hallam Insurance Brokers, Ontex and Karomed.