The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust is proud to announce that one of our colleagues has received a prestigious award from the chief nursing officer for NHS England.
Lisa Birch, who works at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, as a healthcare clinical support worker [HCSW], received the award for her commitment to outstanding patient care.
The annual Chief Nursing Officer awards and Chief Midwifery Officer awards were launched in 2019 by Dame Ruth May. They are a national award scheme where staff from across the NHS in England are encouraged to nominate their colleagues in a variety of categories. The awards recognise the contributions of nurses, midwives, healthcare support workers (HCSWs), and maternity support workers (MSWs) who consistently demonstrate NHS values in their roles, and to shine a light on the incredible work they do every day.
There are several categories that nominations can be submitted for including ‘respect and dignity’ and ‘improving lives’ for HSCWs and MSWs. Lisa was awarded in the ‘working together for patients’ category, highlighting her commitment to providing an outstanding level of patient care.
Lisa works on the Critical Care Unit at Russells Hall Hospital and has done so, for more than 15 years. Her manager Stacey Ashwood, lead nurse for the Critical Care Unit, nominated her for the award and told us she did so because of the way Lisa supports new starters on the unit including other clinical support workers and nursing students, and for the compassion she shows to patients who are end of life and their families.
Martina Morris, chief nurse for The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I was delighted to present Lisa with this national award for her dedication and hard work. We’re really proud of her and lucky to have her here in our Trust, making a difference to patients and staff every day.”
Lisa had no idea she had won the award, or that she had even been nominated for it, until the chief nurse for the Trust arrived at the Critical Care Unit to present it to her.
Lisa told us: “I had no idea about this at all, it’s a bit overwhelming to be honest. I’m not normally stuck for things to say or left speechless, but this is an amazing achievement for me.
“I can’t believe that Stacey took the time to nominate me for this award, never in a million years did I think this would happen to me. I love my job on the Critical Care Unit and I am so passionate about it. I love everyone in the team who works on the unit; what an amazing day!”
To find out more about the Chief Nursing Officer awards click here.
