The winners of our Committed to Excellence Awards 2013 were announced at a ceremony hosted by Heart FM’s Breakfast Show host Ed James. Staff were rewarded and recognised for their hard work and dedication to The Dudley Group.

The awards were made possible by our incredibly generous sponsors A&H Construction, Vissap, Geoff Hill Ltd, Summit Healthcare, Mills & Reeve, Whiteleys and Zicam Security. A special thank you goes to our main event sponsor; our PFI partner Interserve.

The event recognised teams and individuals in the hospital and out in the community who go the extra mile.

Opening the ceremony, Chief Executive Paula Clark paid tribute to all those shortlisted.

“These awards recognise dedicated teams and individuals in both clinical and non-clinical areas who exemplify our Trust’s vision and values, and go all out to make The Dudley Group a place where people really do matter.”

Awards were announced in the categories of Excellence in Patient Care, Excellence in Service Improvement, Team Excellence, Unsung Hero – Clinical, Unsung Hero – Non Clinical and this year’s new category Rising Stars.

Rounding off the evening, chairman John Edwards said,

“I think we can all agree that these awards capture a glimpse of what is so fantastic about the people who work in the NHS and in particular how lucky we are to have such a committed and dedicated bunch of people working for us in Dudley.”

The winner

Team Excellence

1st place winner – Leg Ulcer Clinic

A great bunch of girls who constantly help to improve quality of life for their patients. Their fantastic patient satisfaction surveys score 95%.

2nd place winner – Vascular Multi Disciplinary Team

Offering the highest level of courtesy and inspiring the greatest confidence despite the risks involved in vascular procedures. Always striving to achieve the highest standard of care.

3rd place winner – Ward C8

Offering kind, considerate and skilful attention to their patients and always providing nursing care of an exceptional standard.

Excellence in Service Improvement

1st place winner – Midwifery-led Unit Team

Delivering improvements to the environment and using space more efficiently. Offering mums a safe and rewarding birth experience.

2nd place winner – Pre-operative Assessment Service

Making significant improvements to an under utilised service, creating a one-stop shop for patients awaiting surgery.

3rd place winner – Stroke Multi Disciplinary Team

Improving the patient pathway by increasing the number of patients transferred to the stroke ward within four hours of arrival at ED. More patients are now scanned within an hour of arrival.

Unsung Hero – Clinical

1st place winner – Ruth Russell, Play Specialist, Ward C2

Years of devotion and dedication to her job and fundraising for the Children’s Ward. Always putting children and their families at ease during their stay.

2nd place winner – Pauline Forde, Infant Feeding Supporter

A phenomenally kind and compassionate member of staff who offers support to new mums who are trying to begin breast feeding.

3rd place winner – Veronica Kay, Staff Nurse, Interventional Imaging Department

Putting patients at the heart of anything and everything she does, even working extra hours to make sure her lists are finished.

Unsung Hero – Non Clinical

1st place winner – Ed Shovelton, Undergraduate Video Manager

Producing work that is consistently of the highest quality, demonstrating flair and enthusiasm that encourages others who work alongside him.

2nd place winner – Dave Clements, Equipment Technician

Always going the extra mile no matter how busy his day is. Never complaining even when carrying out the time consuming but important job of cleaning and sanitising returned equipment.

3rd place winner – Mike Platt, Siemens IT Department

Fazed by nothing despite the challenges that come his way. Always happy to discuss and explain IT problems in a clear and ‘non techy’ way.

Excellence in Patient Care

1st place winner – Louise Timmins, Sister, Ward A2

An exceptional ability to care for and inspire her magnificent team. In the words of one patient’s relative, “nowt is too much trouble.”

2nd place winner – Nicola Griffiths, Senior Nurse Practitioner

A thoroughly selfless nurse whose compassion and support puts very frightened patients at ease. Patients on the GI Unit call her ‘a real gem’.

3rd place winner – Paul Smith, Higher Clinical Support Worker, Emergency Department

With his outstanding personality and sense of humour, he lightens the distress felt by emergency patients coming to ED and makes an anxious hospital experience a lot more bearable.

Rising Stars

Natalie Williams

A hardworking and professional nurse on the neonatal ward who shows great potential. If there isn’t a job to do, she will find one. She never stops!

Elena Peris-Cross

A remarkable apprentice whose work in the chief executive’s office is exceptional. The maturity she shows makes her a role model for other young people.