Awards for dedicated hospital staff

The care and dedication shown by staff across Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was celebrated during the Trust’s fifth annual Wow! Awards Ceremony.

100 winners from Royal Hampshire County Hospital, in Winchester, Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, and Andover War Memorial Hospital were selected to attend a special ceremony at Holiday Inn Winchester on 6th February.

The critical care team at Winchester hospital won the Surgical Services Division Award for their care of a patient with a life-threatening stomach condition.

Mary Meeks, clinical matron for critical care, said: “We all remember this patient well because it was a complicated case and he was with us in intensive care for around three months. “He needed very intensive treatment and care and the whole team was involved in looking after him. It was a proper team effort and I am really proud of all of them.”

There were two winners of The Chairman’s Award. Physiotherapist Rebecca Hawkins claimed the individual award, with E1 Ward at Basingstoke taking the team prize.

Rebecca, who is based at Basingstoke and Alton Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre, in Alton, was rewarded for the “friendly and uplifting” way she cared for a patient with angina, having a “profound, positive impact” on his life.

Rebecca said: “I did not expect this at all and am a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing. We’ve received a few Wow! nominations as a team, but this was the one that made me quite emotional because it was so personal.”

The entire team on E1 Ward, including doctors, nurses, cleaning staff and porters, won for the way they nursed a very ill woman back to health over the course of seven weeks. The nomination came from the patient’s husband, who was also grateful for the compassion shown towards him by staff on the ward.

Also among the winners were community midwives Lucy Edwards and Kathryn Weymouth.