Nursing Times Awards 2023 winners revealed
A prison nurse who uses his skills to also help people sleeping rough, a learning disability nursing project that was adopted by police due its success, and a programme at a major NHS trust to improve the diversity of its leadership are among the winners of the 2023 Nursing Times Awards.
At a sparkling ceremony tonight in London, trophies were handed out across 24 categories – including three new ones – recognising the brightest and most influential nursing and midwifery talent across the UK.
Eric Teague-Hellon
Taking home the overarching Nurse of the Year award was retired Army nursing officer Eric Teague-Hellon, who is now the primary care team leader with Practice Plus Group at HMP Stafford.
He has worked to improve support in his area for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has also set up a charity to provide medical outreach to people experiencing homelessness.
The judges were unanimous in choosing Mr Teague-Hellon as the winner, despite strong competition.
They said: “Eric has built a legacy for vulnerable groups of individuals, supporting them to re-enter society.
“Using his lived experience he supports the veteran community, prisoners and the homeless by bringing together health, prison, police, local authority and third sector services to make a difference when it matters the most. He is a credit to the nursing profession.”
The also-coveted Chief Nursing Officers’ Award for Lifetime Achievement went this year to Greg Padmore-Dix, executive nurse director and deputy chief executive at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.
The four UK CNOs, who jointly decide on the winner of this award, described Mr Padmore-Dix as a “visible, compassionate and kind leader” who was “always willing to go above and beyond”.
“Once again, the standard of entries has been extremely high this year”
Steve Ford
A nurse for more than 30 years, Mr Padmore-Dix has spent 12 years in executive director roles and the CNOs said he “remains humble in style and connected to his workforce”.
Meanwhile, the Ann Shuttleworth Rising Star Award was given to Farrah Amjad, blended roles facilitator in the community district nursing team at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust.
Judges said Ms Amjad was a “natural leader and innovative educator with a clear vision for the development of the workforce to empower care staff in providing high standards of care”.
The Team of the Year prize went to staff in the acute oncology service at North Devon District Hospital, part of Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
The judges said they were “highly impressed by the passion and expertise of the team at the Royal Devon and the difference their work made to their patients’ journeys”.
“The team have innovated amazingly to allow nurses to develop their careers in the face of many challenges, whilst being inclusive, democratic and valuing the contribution of all their team members,” they added.
The inaugural winners of three new categories for the Nursing Times Awards were also announced this evening, including the Dame Elizabeth Anionwu Award for Inclusivity in Nursing and Midwifery.
The team behind the Kofoworola Abeni Pratt Fellowship
This inclusivity award went to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust for its Kofoworola Abeni Pratt Fellowship, which aims to address the gap in senior leaders who identify as being from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background.
The nurse-led project was praised for having “implemented change that led to a shift in organisational inclusivity, equity and a firm commitment to anti-racism”.
The other new categories were Midwife of the Year, which was awarded to Laura Walton from King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Nursing in Primary Care, which went to the team behind the Nurses on Tour scheme, whereby student nurses help deliver health checks to communities while gaining experience in primary care.
There were also awards handed out to celebrate excellence in other nursing fields including the Learning Disabilities Nursing award, which was given to Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) Scotland for its ‘Think COULD’ animation project.
The animation film was developed by eight community learning disability nurses undertaking the QNIS leadership programme and aimed to improve knowledge within the justice system about how to better recognise and support people with learning disabilities.
The judges described the project as a “real gamechanger” and added: “This work is positively impacting on the knowledge and attitudes of a range of health, social care and forensic professionals working in the criminal justice system.
“Its success is reflected in the way it has been incorporated into National Police Scotland training and the widespread ministerial support received.”
Commenting on this year’s event, Steve Ford, editor of Nursing Times, said: “The Nursing Times Awards represent an annual celebration of all that is good about nursing and midwifery, showcasing the innovation, energy and dedication of nurses and midwives across the UK.
“Once again, the standard of entries has been extremely high this year and to be shortlisted, let alone win a category, is a great achievement that marks out individuals and teams as truly exceptional in their area of work.
“I hope that our awards can go some small way to recognising the effort and skill shown by nursing and midwifery staff, whatever their specialty or setting and despite the enormous challenges they continue to face. Congratulations to all our winners for 2023.”
The full list of winners:
Ann Shuttleworth Rising Star Award – Farrah Amjad, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Care of Older People – Eye Envoys, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Chief Nursing Officers’ Award for Lifetime Achievement – Greg Padmore-Dix, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Children’s Services – A wish to die at home – making this possible for children, DHU Healthcare, Nottingham Children’s Hospital and University Hospitals Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Clinical Research Nursing (Sponsored by the National Institute for Health and Care Research) – Stroke trial tracker, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Continence Promotion and Care – Bowel support service, Your Healthcare Community Interest Company
Critical and Emergency Care Nursing – Introducing the pause after a death on the critical care unit, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
Dame Elizabeth Anionwu Award for Inclusivity in Nursing and Midwifery (Sponsored by London South Bank University) – Kofoworola Abeni Pratt Fellowship, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
HRH The Prince of Wales Award for Integrated Approaches to Care (Sponsored by Nuffield Health) – Operation Provide, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Infection Prevention and Control – Development of a water safety training and assurance package within a haemato-oncology unit – a nurse-led initiative, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Ingrid Fuchs Award for Cancer Nursing (Sponsored by HCA Healthcare UK) – Nurse-led initiative in improving prostate cancer pathway, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Learning Disabilities Nursing – QNIS learning disability animation, The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland
Midwife of the Year – Laura Walton, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Nurse Leader of the Year (Sponsored by NHS Professionals) – Richard Jones, NHS Practitioner Health
Nurse of the Year – Eric Teague-Hellon, Practice Plus Group
Nursing in Mental Health – Reduction in violence and aggression – reinforcing appropriate behaviours, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Nursing in Primary Care – Nurses On Tour: student-led health roadshows, NHS England and Newcastle GP Services
Nursing in Social Care (Sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care) – Hear Well, Care UK
Nursing in the Community – Dementia Palliative Care Team, Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust
Patient Safety Improvement – A collaborative model of meningococcal vaccination response monitoring for patients receiving complement inhibition, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Public Health Nursing – Health visiting direct referral to Citizens Advice, Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust
Team of the Year (Sponsored by Unison) – Acute oncology service at North Devon District Hospital, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Technology and Data in Nursing – Creation of a digital neonatal parent passport, North West Neonatal Operational Delivery Network
Theatre and Surgical Nursing – Dignifying surgery for a person with dementia and skin cancer, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
