Dedication, innovation and achievements recognised at staff awards
Staff at the region’s mental health trust were honoured for their dedication, innovation and achievements at their annual awards celebration.
More than 630 individual and team nominations were received from peers, stakeholders and members of the public ahead of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundations Trust’s new Safer Kinder, Better Awards event.
On Thursday night (12 December) at Sprowston Manor, near Norwich, 300 colleagues, service users and carers, partners and sponsors celebrated more than 50 finalists as the winners and those who were highly commended were announced, in a celebration hosted by radio presenter Anna Perrott.
Trust chair Zo ë Billingham said: “ The optimism and positivity in the room was something I've never experienced at NSFT before. I felt proud and privileged at the same time.”
She presented two special Chair’s Awards during the evening - to Priscilla Nzounhenda and Trevor Stevens, who were both winners in other categories.
Trevor has been working with the trust on improving communication with carers following the death of his daughter, Tobi, who took her own life while in the care of NSFT. He also won the Participation Award, which was open to service users, carers or volunteers who have given their time freely to make a positive impact on services.
Zoë talked about how she had first met Trevor and had been moved to tears by his story and his desire to work with NSFT on improvements.
His nomination said: “Trevor has offered valuable insight into what could have been done differently for Tobi, sharing first-hand accounts of the emotional toll of blanket policy around information sharing. His input has led to tangible action through the Listening into Action Think Family and Carer Pioneer Team.”
Priscilla was one of two staff members awarded the title of Rising Star, which was designed to recognise an individual who has demonstrated exceptional promise, leadership potential and unwavering dedication in their role.
She was described by non-executive director Tricia Fuller as “tenacious” in her delivery of NSFT’s Listening into Action (LiA) programme, which she took on after moving from a clinical role at the start of this year.
“Priscilla has a deep-rooted desire to making things better for people. The LiA programme would not have been successful without her desire to improve. Our Trust board is in awe of what Priscilla has done and continues to do and the progress she’s made in such a short amount of time,” said Tricia.,
Her nomination said: “She has built a movement across the Trust, supporting people to engage and deliver meaningful staff-led change. As well as providing kind and compassionate guidance to multiple trustwide LiA Pioneer Teams, Priscilla has supported countless individuals too.”
The work has included 150 “quick wins” which have made a difference to people’s working lives and some long-standing issues which have been dealt with “quickly and efficiently”.
Chief executive officer Caroline Donovan praised everyone in the room for their part in the improvements NSFT has made so far. She said: “The awards were a demonstration of the impact our new Trust strategy and improvement plan are having. Our TALK values shone through in so many of the nominations we received – We are a Team, we are Accountable, we Learn and improve, we are Kind, and there is much more that we can deliver together.
“We also celebrated the people and teams at NSFT who had been recognised for their amazing work though external awards and accreditations.”
These included Queen’s Nurse titles awarded to Jenny Walker, Sarah Sanders and Jo-ann Dawson; an MBE for board governance and safety advisor Gary O’Hare; a Silver Award for NSFT’s veterans services from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme ; a gold standard national quality mark for NSFT’s preceptorship programme; a regional award for nurse Helen Jackson in the NHS Parliamentary Awards; a highly-commended award for NSFT’s menopause work in national menopause friendly employer awards and menopause friendly accreditation achieved; accreditation for care for the learning disability and autism service in Suffolk; strategic finance manager Jodi Martin was awarded the National One NHS Finance Outstanding Contribution Award at the Healthcare Finance Management Association Awards; gold award for the Talent for Care team for the standard of its work experience offer.
The full list of awards presented on Thursday were:
Health Inequalities Award:
WINNER:
Adam Smith, Lead Primary Care Network Mental Health Practitioner, Gateway House, Wymondham
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
The Wellbeing Suffolk Socials Team, Mariner House, Ipswich
Jenny Walker, Clinical Lead for Inclusion Health and Homelessness Team City Anchorage, Norwich
Partnership Award:
WINNER:
Perinatal Community Services - Perinatal Team, Lotus & PAIRS
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Family Liaison Officers (FLOs), Secure Services
The Liaison and Diversion team
Unsung Hero Award
WINNER:
Ian Duncan, Senior Clinical Community Support Worker
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Jean Glasgow, Investigation and Improvement Manager
Dawn Abbs, East Suffolk Service Lead
Clinical Team of the Year Award
WINNERS:
The Adult Eating Disorder Service, G Block and Walker Close, Ipswich
CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) Central Norfolk, Mary Chapman House
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Whitlingham Ward, Secure Services
Bury South Child and Family West Suffolk - Specialist CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) G Block, Bury St Edmunds
Participation Award
WINNER:
Trevor Stevens (see story)
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Cath Pickles: Cath has been delivering training to staff on development programmes and to customer services staff.
Hannah Rooks: Hannah has been a service user within the Ipswich Adult CMHT (community mental health team) for a few years.
Haley Gosling Award
WINNER:
Layla Ayache,
Peer Support Worker,
Early Intervention Team for Psychosis (East), Suffolk
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Lucie Bonaccorsi, Senior Peer Support Worker, City Anchorage, Norwich
Dr Bohdan Solomka, ResponsibleClinician/Consultant, Secure Services
Educator of the Year Award
WINNER:
The Physical Health Team, Hellesdon Hospital
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Practice Education Team
Dr Khalifa Elzubeir, Consultant Psychiatrist, IpswichOlderPeople's CMHT (Community Mental Health Team)
Inclusion Award
WINNER:
Inclusion Health & Homelessness Team (Norwich)
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Experts By Experience Group - Learning Disability and Autism Pathway
WalkerClose, Ipswich
Menopause Aware Programme - Menopause Advocates
Corporate Team of the Year
WINNER:
ICTandSaferCare teams
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Clinical Admin team - Chatterton House, King’s Lynn
The Recruitment Team
EVI (Efficiency, Value and Improvement) Award
WINNERS:
Digital Solutions Team - Friends and Family Test Improvements
Rehabilitation in Complex Psychosis Team
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Daniel Smith, Senior Mental Health Nurse, MarinerHouse-Ipswich
Eating Disorders Intensive Support Team (EDITT), The Lighthouse, Hellesdon Hospital
Innovation Award
WINNER:
Cherrie Hubert, Data Technician, Mariner House, Ipswich
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Day Care Service, HMP Norwich, Secure Services
Dr Joanna Baines, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, CFYP Suffolk
TALK Award
WINNER:
Dr Kokila Karunarathne, West Suffolk LD and Autism Team
LiA Quick Win of the Year
THREE WINNERS:
Helping our Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to feel part of the team
Protecting time to boost training compliance
Safeguarding our service users’ physical health
LiA Pioneer Team of the Year
WINNER:
The Enhancing the Quality and Value of Clinical Supervision team
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
The Communicating Effectively ‘Better Staff and Service Directories’ teamThe Ensuring High Quality Appraisals team
Rising Star Award
WINNERS:
Vicky Tingey, Acting Service Director, Chatterton House, King’s Lynn
Priscilla Nzounhenda, Listening into Action Lead
HIGHLY-COMMENDED:
Jodie Butcher, Head of Participation, Involvement and Experience
Richard Nobes, Senior Internal Communications and Engagement Manager
Chloe Taylor - Interim Lead Nurse, Suffolk West and East
Overall Chair award
WINNERS:
Trevor Stevens
Priscilla Nzounhenda
Staff award pictures available for download.
NSFT staff awards 2024.zip [zip] 778KB