A University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) director credited with transforming maternity services and a team helping to maintain the mobility of patients have been shortlisted for two Nursing Times Awards.
Sarah Jamieson, Director of Midwifery, has been shortlisted for the Midwife of the Year title in recognition of her leadership and service improvement.
Meanwhile, a team of diversional therapists offering bespoke activities on the Royal Stoke University Hospital’s older adult wards have been shortlisted in the Care of Older People category.
Ann Marie Riley, Chief Nurse at UHNM said: “Through her outstanding leadership, Sarah has transformed maternity services at UHNM, utilising improvement methodology to enhance performance indicators and implementing workstreams to boost morale and culture within the maternity team.
“She leads with care and compassion, creating a thriving environment for her staff which is reflected in our fantastic recruitment and retention rates. Sarah has created an environment where staff feel able to safely challenge and are supported to drive improvements that they believe will improve patient outcomes and experience.”
The team of diversional therapists have been working alongside nursing teams on the older adults inpatient wards to assist with planning and promoting patient activities, to engage patients and encourage patients to maintain mobility.
Activities are tailored on patient requirements and play an active role in reconditioning patients and advocates UHNM’s ‘Sit Up, Get Dressed, Keep Moving’ campaign.
Speaking about her nomination, Lee-ann Boardman, Matron for Older Adults at UHNM, said: “In the first three months of the project, patient falls across the older adult wards reduced by 64 per-cent, and there has been a dramatic fall in the number of reports of violent and aggressive patients.
“I’m so proud of our team of seven diversional therapists, who have exceeded our expectations and things can only grow and get better. I feel they were the missing piece of our jigsaw, putting patients at the heart of everything, making sure they are supported, mobile and of course happy.”
The diversional therapists have been shortlisted alongside the Green Wellbeing Project at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, headquartered in Stafford.
The same team is also a finalist in the Sustainability in Nursing and Midwifery category.
Meanwhile, Staffordshire Training Hub’s Gill Boast is in with a shot of becoming Nurse of the Year at the same awards.
