Sheffield Clinical Support Worker Wins National Award
An NHS worker at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has been named Clinical Support Worker of the Year in the prestigious Our Health Heroes awards.
On Friday (23rd November), more than 150 guests gathered for the third annual Our Health Heroes awards at the OXO2 venue in London.
Organised by Skills for Health, the National Skills Academy for Health and headline sponsor Health Education England, the awards celebrate the unsung healthcare heroes from across the UK, including those working in the NHS, who go above and beyond in their roles every day.
Among the seven national winners announced during the ceremony was Maxine Housley from Sheffield. Maxine was nominated in the Clinical Support Worker of the Year category by her colleagues for her unwavering care and compassion towards her patients and those coping with stomas in West Africa.
Maxine works within the stoma care department of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. Her high-level skill set in the practical management of open abdominal wounds, abdominal fistulae and challenging stomas means she is often the person other nursing and medical staff approach for guidance.
She has an impressive track record when it comes to achieving a secure clean application of wound managers and other complex devices, which is important not only to a patient’s physical wellbeing, but also to their dignity.
As well as delivering high-quality care to her patients, Maxine is always willing to share her skills and knowledge with other nurses, community nursing teams and doctors from F1 to consultant level.
Maxine has also produced pictorial guides on stoma care for use in low-resource countries and has been instrumental in recycling returned stoma care products, which would otherwise have been thrown away, for use in West Africa.
On being announced as this year’s winner Maxine said: “It feels overwhelming to have won Clinical Support Worker of the Year. It’s such a morale booster to get this recognition, not just for me but for all the staff around me.
“I want to say a big thank you to every single person who voted for me!”
Maxine came to the award ceremony as the Clinical Support Worker of the Year winner for the Yorkshire and Humber region. She was one of 12 regional finalist who were subject to a public vote to decide the national winner.
John Rogers, Chief Executive at Skills for Health, said: “Congratulations to Maxine on being named national winner of the Clinical Support Worker of the Year award.
“Having read through the nomination form which was submitted by a consultant whose patient Maxine cared for, and on hearing more about her ability to overcome any obstacle to get the best outcome for her patients, I can see why the public voted for her to be our national champion.
“Maxine’s ability to see opportunities not only for the improved care of her patients but also for those dealing with the same condition in another country is commendable. She is exactly the sort of person these awards were designed to celebrate and I’m delighted for her.”
Laura Roberts, Regional Director at headline sponsor Health Education England (HEE), said: “These award once again showcase the incredibly high standard of work and the vital role played by both apprentices and support workers. As the main sponsor of Our Health Heroes 2018 we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners.
“Support workers and apprentices are a key part of the healthcare workforce and, through our Talent for Care programme, HEE supports employers with their workforce supply. This is achieved via school engagement, volunteering, work experience, pre-employment activity, apprenticeships and access to higher education and the registered professions.”
For more information about the Our Health Heroes winners visit: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/ohh-2018
Notes for editors:
About Skills for Health
Skills for Health has been working with employers since 2002 and is the Sector Skills Council for the healthcare sector. It is the authoritative voice on workforce skills issues and offers proven solutions and tools, with the expertise and experience to use them effectively. To find out more visit www.skillsforhealth.org.uk.
About the National Skills Academy for Health
The National Skills Academy for Health (NSA Health) works with healthcare employers to help them create a qualified and transferable workforce. Every individual is recognised and valued for the skills they have; and encouraged and enabled to develop the skills they want and need.
To find out more visit https://www.nsahealth.org.uk.
About Health Education England
Health Education England (HEE) exists to support the delivery of excellent healthcare and health improvement to the patients and public of England by ensuring that the workforce of today and tomorrow has the right numbers, skills, values and behaviours, at the right time and in the right place.
About UNISON
UNISON is one of the UK’s largest trade unions, serving more than 1.3 million members who work in a range of public services and utilities.
UNISON’s 12 regions are Eastern, East Midlands, Greater London, Northern, Northern Ireland, North West, Scotland, South East, South West, Wales, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber.
The union’s One Team campaign has been launched to ensure everyone in the NHS is valued, whatever their role. For more information, visit unison.org.uk
About NHS Improvement
NHS Improvement is responsible for overseeing foundation trusts and NHS trusts, as well as independent providers that provide NHS-funded care. It offers the support these providers need to give patients consistently safe, high quality, compassionate care within local health systems that are financially sustainable. By holding providers to account and, where necessary, intervening, NHS Improvement helps the NHS to meet its short-term challenges and secure its future. For more information visit: improvement.nhs.uk
About National Skills Academy for Health and Health Education England – North
The Yorkshire and Humber Excellence Centres (South Yorkshire Region Excellence Centre, West Yorkshire and Harrogate Excellence Centre and Humber, Coast and Vale Excellence Centre) unite employers from the NHS, social care, independent and voluntary sectors with quality assured education and training providers. Together they coordinate, establish and implement high quality skills programmes. This collaborative approach aims to enhance the effectiveness of staff recruitment, development and progression and give healthcare employers a vital, leading role in informing the sector’s skills development provision on both a local and national scale.
For more information on South Yorkshire Region Excellence Centre, please visit www.syrexcellencecentre.co.uk
For more information on West Yorkshire and Harrogate Excellence Centre, please visit www.skillsplatform.org/organisation/west-yorkshire-excellence-centre
For More information on Humber, Coast and Vale Excellence Centre, please visit humbercoastandvale.org.uk/how/workforce/humber-coast-vale-excellence-centre/
