Winners - Staff Achievement Awards 2024

We are delighted to share the winners of the BCUHB Achievement Awards 2024.

The evening of celebration, funded entirely by sponsorship and ticket sales, was held on Friday 27th September at Venue Cymru where 400 members of staff, volunteers and sponsors were in attendance.

The winners of the Achievement Awards 2024 are detailed below.

Extra mile award

Extra mile award for Glan Clwyd Parkinson’s Disease champion.

A Clinical Healthcare Scientist’s dedication to caring for people living with Parkinson’s Disease has been recognised at the Health Board’s annual achievement awards.

Congratulations to Professor Peter Hobson, a who won the Extra Mile Award for his significant contribution to enhancing the care of patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Peter began his career at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd as a research officer in the late 1990s. He has since become a principal healthcare scientist and Professor of clinical healthcare services, thanks to his hard work and dedication to patient care. Peter set up the register for patients with the disease in North Wales.

Throughout his career he has played a crucial role in conducting cognitive assessments for patients and guiding trainees in statistics. He recently spearheaded work with colleagues in renal services, demonstrating the benefits of comprehensive assessments for patients being considered for dialysis.

Peter was described as “the pillar of Parkinson’s Disease services” by his colleagues, and was lauded for sacrificing his academic pursuits to fulfil clinical needs. His excellent clinical acumen, warm smile, timely humour and engaging personality have earned him numerous accolades from patients and caregivers alike.

Prof Peter Hobson said: “This is not just for me, it’s for the whole team. I thank them more than anyone else, and of course the patients.

“They are the most important thing at the end of the day. It’s also really important the organisation recognises the work people do and to celebrate it.”

Nick Napier-Andrews, Strategic Partnership Lead for award sponsor ID Medical, said: “We’ve supported this award for a number of years now. I’m always heartened by the stories of NHS staff going above and beyond to make a difference for their colleagues and patients here within Betsi Cadwaladr.

“Huge congratulations to Peter, a worthy winner of the Extra Mile Award.”

*The Achievement Awards principal sponsor is Centerprise International. For more than 40 years, Centerprise International has been dedicated to providing innovative, tailored IT solutions customers across both the public and private sectors.

Centerprise International Chief Executive Jez Nash said: “We’re proud to again be supporting the Health Board’s Achievement Awards, and hearing the magnificent accounts of efforts of NHS staff from across North Wales making a difference for their colleagues and people they care for.

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated and in particular to the ten category winners.”

Research, transformation, improvement and innovation award

Ysbyty Gwynedd Trauma Team scoop award for improving patient record documentation.

Ysbyty Gwynedd’s Trauma and Orthopaedic Team have received an award for improving the process of managing trauma patients in the hospital.

With support from Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Agustin Soler, Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Faisal Mohammed created ‘The LIST’ – a trauma management and handover tool using Microsoft Sharepoint.

Their efforts were recognised at this year’s Betsi Cadwaladr Achievement Awards where the team were named winners of the Research, Transformation, Improvement and Innovation Award. 

The List is an ingenious, free tool that has received recognition from the Bevan Commission. Faisal has been awarded a Bevan Fellowship as this work aligns with the principles of prudent healthcare.

Work is now underway with colleagues in Information Technology to help create independent software based on the List, which is tailor-made for specialties which can communicate with master patient data.

Karen Evans, Directorate General Manager for Surgery, Anaesthetics and Critical Care at Ysbyty Gwynedd, who nominated the team for the award, said: “The LIST has the benefits of improving communication, is sustainable, saves money, improves patient record documentation and is accessible.”

Dylan Southern, of award sponsor Star Units Ltd, said: “All three finalists demonstrated innovative and creative ideas which are making demonstrable improvements to NHS services for the North Wales population. It was a pleasure to be there on the awards night to hear about the impressive improvement work going on across the region.

“Star Units send our congratulations to all three finalists, and Trauma and Orthopaedic team in particular for winning this award.”

The principal sponsor of the Achievement Awards is Centerprise International. For more than 40 years, Centerprise International has been dedicated to providing innovative, tailored IT solutions customers across both the public and private sectors.  

Centerprise International CEO Jez Nash said, “We’re proud to again be supporting the Health Board’s Achievement Awards, and hearing the magnificent accounts of efforts of NHS staff from across North Wales making a difference for their colleagues and people they care for.

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated and in particular to the ten award category winners.”

Leadership award

Pharmacy leading light wins Leadership Award.

A long-serving North Wales pharmacist has been recognised for her leadership qualities at the Health Board’s annual achievement awards.

Sue Murphy, who has given invaluable service to the NHS for over 30 years, was named winner of the Leadership Award at the annual awards ceremony, held at Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Sue was recognised for her leadership efforts across education and training for pharmacy, working as a dedicated leader to up-skill Health Board and social care staff.

Sue is a true compassionate leader and is patient focused, open and honest, kind and ready to help, committed to her team's development and motivates others to go beyond the call of duty.

Alison Hughes, who collected the award on behalf of Sue on the night due to Sue taking a well-earned holiday said:

“We are all very proud that Sue has won this award. It is a pleasure to work with her.

“Sue has been with us for over 30 years and has led on multiple pharmacy projects, education and training. She has been a director of pharmacy for the West area of the Health Board.”

Dr Olwen Williams, Associate Director of Clinical Leadership for sponsors Health Education and Improvement Wales, said: “Effective, compassionate and supportive leadership is central to how we can continue to improve services for our patients and the experience of NHS workers across Wales.

“I was delighted to hear three fantastic examples of leadership from the Health Board showcasing those values. Congratulations in particular to Sue for being named the winner of this award.”

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated and in particular to the ten category winners.”

Volunteer award

Anglesey volunteer wins award for going the extra mile to improve the lives of people living with long term health conditions.

A passionate volunteer has been recognised with a special award for going above and beyond for helping improve the lives of adults living with long term health conditions.

Helen Williams is one of the Health Board’s Education Programmes for Patients (EPP) Cymru volunteer tutors and delivers self-management courses to adults living with long term conditions and carers across North Wales.

Elois Davis, Self Care Officer Co-ordinator, who nominated Helen for the award said: “Helen is very passionate about our service and the positive impact it has on people’s lives. She is a fantastic advocate, frequently talking to healthcare professionals and people she meets about the courses and the difference they made to her in her life.

“She can often be heard sharing her experience of being a volunteer tutor with course participants, encouraging them to follow in her footsteps. One of her passions is increasing our volunteer pool to enable us to be able to deliver more courses across north Wales and to have a greater Welsh language provision.

“Helen has given up over 250 hours of her time. She selflessly supports each and every member of the team, both volunteers and staff, and all of her course participants in whichever way she can. Helen always provides open and honest feedback regarding all aspects of her involvement in our service, which aids improvements, both locally and for EPP Cymru nationally.”

Tricia Marsh, of award sponsors Rowlands Pharmacy, said: “Volunteers are at the heart of communities across Wales, and make a magnificent contribution to supporting patients and colleagues working within our NHS.

"We were delighted to support this award to celebrate not just the efforts of those shortlisted, but everyone who makes a voluntary contribution to services provided by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

“Congratulations to Helen on winning this award.”

The principal sponsor of the Achievement Awards was Centerprise International. For more than 40 years, Centerprise International has been dedicated to providing innovative, tailored IT solutions customers across both the public and private sectors.

Centerprise International CEO Jez Nash said: “We’re proud to again be supporting the Health Board’s Achievement Awards, and hearing the magnificent accounts of efforts of NHS staff from across North Wales making a difference for their colleagues and people they care for.

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated this evening, and in particular to the ten category winners.”

Partnership award

Anglesey child support programme’s partnership approach celebrated.

Colleagues working in partnership on an innovative programme keeping children and young people on Anglesey healthy has bagged a prestigious Health Board award.

The PIPYN (Pwysa Iach Plant Yng Nghymru) team, which leads a programme to promote healthy eating and lifestyles, was named winner of the Partnership Award at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Achievement Awards.

The team works to support access to healthy and affordable food, active travel, and supporting families to make healthy lifestyle choices.

The PIPYN team has established a productive working partnership between a number of organisations and Health Board services.

Objectives include improving Anglesey’s primary-aged children’s access to healthy food whilst at school, supporting their nutritional needs and promoting healthy weight and have adopted a whole-systems approach to tackling childhood overweight and obesity.  

West Area Head of Dietetics for the Health Board Harriet Williams, who nominated the team, said: “We’re a little bit shocked to have won! We were up against some really stiff competition that have done some really good work.

“Partnership working is vital - we cannot do anything without our partners. We couldn’t make the inroads we have on child obesity without them.

“Our partners come from within the NHS, Local Authorities, third sector and commercial – it’s about all of them coming together to help us make things possible. The recognition of this work is hugely important.

“It’s Anwen from our team’s 40th year in the NHS so this is really, really special for her!”

Professor Joe Yates, Vice Chancellor of award sponsor Wrexham University, said: “Collaboration and co-production are essential to delivering effective, people-centred NHS services.

“Many congratulations to the PIPYN team for their exemplary work in supporting children and young people. They really have harnessed the power of true partnership working, collaborating effectively with a number of agencies and individuals to achieve agreed community targets. I am delighted to see them commended for their efforts.”

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated this evening, and in particular to the ten category winners.”

Welsh language award

Criccieth GP recognised for efforts to support Welsh language.

A Criccieth GP’s efforts to offer his patients care in Welsh have been recognised after he was named as the recipient of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Welsh Language award at their annual staff achievement awards ceremony.

Originally from South Africa, Dr Darren Cornish has been a GP in Criccieth for five years and has been studying Welsh with the Health Board’s in-house tutor and through an intermediate Welsh course at Nant Gwrtheyrn. He has been reinforcing his learning with the Duolingo app and is a now a proficient and confident Welsh speaker.

Dr Cornish’s support and promotion of the Welsh language is exemplary and his efforts are an excellent example of providing patients with the ‘active offer’ – offering services through the medium of Welsh. Dr Cornish has also proved a positive influence on fellow doctors who wish to learn or improve their Welsh, starting every conversation in Welsh and normalising the use of the language in the surgery.

Meilyr Emrys, Welsh Language Officer at the Health Board who nominated Dr Cornish said: “Darren leads by example and his determination to encourage others to see the importance of being able to provide bilingual services – particularly in a community where most people speak Welsh – is brilliant.”

David Wootton, of award sponsor Qioptiq, said: “We’re proud to support the Welsh Language Award and hear about the efforts of Betsi staff to help people access bilingual services across North Wales.

“Congratulations to Dr Cornish for his outstanding efforts to promote the use of Welsh in his local community – llongyfarchiadau!”

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated this evening, and in particular to the ten category winners.”

Diversity, equality and inclusion award

Sexual Health Nurse wins award for addressing inequalities and promoting inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community.

A Betsi Cadwaladr Sexual Health Nurse has been recognised with an Achievement Award for his efforts in raising awareness of sexual health services and advice to the LGBTQ+ community.

Richard Newton has led innovative work to address inequalities and attends events to pass on sexual health advice and links with LGBTQ+ support groups in North Wales. His efforts have helped improve trust and confidence, resulting in people feeling able to reach out to health services.

Richard’s commitment earned him the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Award at this year’s Staff Achievement Awards, held at Venue Cymru recently.

Jennifer Dowell-Mulloy, Equality and Inclusion Manager, who nominated Richard, said: “Richard is a true inspiration, working for inclusive sexual health services with greater awareness of gender affirming care.

“He has been a key part of co-producing guidance documents for inclusive healthcare for people experiencing homelessness, widening the initial scope of the guidance to include sexual health.

“The award recognises his significant contribution towards supporting and encouraging diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace. Richard has demonstrated excellence in promoting equality and human rights for all, showing compassion and working to eliminate discrimination.”

Richard also established a North Wales Sexual Health Gender Diversity event at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd to promote greater understanding of inclusive sexual health care to staff and stakeholders.

Llais Cymru, the national, independent body to give people a stronger voice in health and social care services, sponsored the award. Regional Director for North Wales, Geoff Ryall-Harvey, said: “It is very important that everyone has parity of access to services and are aware of what is available to them. It also matters that they feel welcome when they access NHS services.

“Congratulations to Richard on his outstanding efforts to ensure that sexual health promotion is inclusive and reaches everyone.”

Centerprise International's CEO Jez Nash said, “We’re proud to again be supporting the Health Board’s Achievement Awards, and hearing the magnificent accounts of efforts of NHS staff from across North Wales making a difference for their colleagues and people they care for.

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated this evening, and in particular to the ten category winners.”

Environmental sustainability award

Green pharmacy champion Stuart recognised at North Wales health awards.

An environmental pioneer has been commended for a carbon reduction project equal to taking a car off the road for more than 1,200 miles.

Congratulations to Pharmacy Technician and Sustainable Transformation Officer at Glan Clwyd Hospital Stuart Firth, winner of the 2024 Environmental Sustainability award at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Achievement Awards.

Nominated for his passion and enthusiasm to progress the decarbonisation agenda, he won the hearts and minds of his fellow pharmacy colleagues to bring them on board his journey of driving a greener future for the Health Board.

Stuart was recognised for innovative practices including reducing the number of single-use plastic bags used to supply prescription medication for outpatients by 100 per cent, and a 42 per cent switch from plastic to paper bags for inpatient medication supply. This work alone equates a carbon reduction equivalent of a 1,235 mile car journey.

He has also introduced a new medicine storage process on many of the wards at Glan Clwyd to reduce medicine waste, replaced plastic pharmaceutical waste bins with cardboard waste bins in the pharmacy and signed up to an insulin pen recycling scheme.

Stuart said: “I’m completely overwhelmed. This is absolutely wonderful, but it’s reflective of the hard work that so many people are doing for sustainability.

“The number of Sustainability Officers and the Green Groups across Betsi need acknowledging for their work too. Sustainability needs to be front and central to everything we do in NHS Wales.

“The climate crisis is something we have to deal with urgently. The window of opportunity to actually do anything about the climate is closing rapidly. The NHS is a massive organisation so the number of people that we can reach, the number of employees and the people whose lives we touch – that spread effect means we can spread that message about climate change widely.”

Steve Teare, Director of award sponsor Gleeds said: “Sustainability is rightly at the forefront of most of our thoughts at the moment, and it was great to hear the examples of carbon-reducing projects taking place in North Wales.

“Congratulations to Stuart for winning this award for a really innovative and important piece of work.”

The Achievement Awards principal sponsor is Centerprise International. For more than 40 years, Centerprise International has been dedicated to providing innovative, tailored IT solutions customers across both the public and private sectors.

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated this evening, and in particular to the ten category winners.”

Rising star award

Rising star recognised with Health Board achievement award.

Anya Hughes, a Substance Misuse Practitioner at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham has been presented with the Rising Star award at the recent Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board staff achievement awards.

Anya has made an immediate impact in her area of work, on her team and on her patients. She has shown great potential and has excelled in her specialist area of practice, rapidly increasing her knowledge in Hepatitis C. She has worked tirelessly and has overcome many obstacles to enable every prisoner at HMP Berwyn to be offered a blood borne virus test, with more than 95 per cent accepting the offer and those testing positive starting treatment.

This has resulted in HMP Berwyn being able to announce micro-elimination of Hepatitis C.*

Sarah Hulse, Blood Borne Virus Lead Pharmacist who nominated Anya for the award said:

“Anya is always keen to learn and develop her knowledge and skills – quickly getting up to speed with best practice and new technology, for example by introducing point-of-care testing and liver fibroscanning.

“Anya is very enthusiastic and has such a drive to develop herself and the service, inspiring those around her. Despite being so early in her career, due to the successful work she is doing, others are keen to learn from her.

“She has presented at national conferences and contributed to a presentation at the World Hepatitis Summit in Lisbon earlier this year.

“Anya is so hard working and dedicated and has a very promising future.”

Niall Peaker from award category sponsor Bluestones Medical, who presented Anya with the award said:

“We are delighted to support the Health Board’s celebration of the contribution of staff like Anya, who are energetic, committed and innovative. She really is the epitome of a rising star and it’s been an inspiring evening to see these valued colleagues receive the recognition they deserve. Congratulations to Anya and to the other finalists in this hotly-contested category.”

“Huge congratulations to everyone nominated and in particular to the ten category winners.

*100 per cent of prisoners offered a test, with more than 90 per cent accepting the offer and over 90 per cent of those testing positive being started on treatment.

Team award

Bryn y Neuadd Hospital Learning Disability Team scoop Health Board’s Team of the Year award for their patient-centred care.

A team of Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board staff who provide outstanding care for people with complex health needs and learning disabilities have been crowned the Health Board’s Team of the Year at the annual Staff Achievement Awards ceremony.

The Foelas Ward team from Bryn y Neuadd Hospital took home the accolade for their total dedication, innovative thinking and commitment to always putting patients first.

Their actions to go above and beyond their duties to support a young patient undergoing dialysis treatment was commended, as, thanks to them, the patient’s health and wellbeing improved greatly following a successful kidney transplant.

The team is made up of staff from a variety of disciplines, who all work together to use their expertise and experience for the benefit of those they care for.

Matron Tracey Clement, Learning Disability Clinical Site Manager at Bryn y Neuadd Hospital said: “I’m so proud of this team, and they thoroughly deserve this award – not just for their compassion and teamwork, but for how patient-centred they are.

“They went the extra mile to support a patient by setting up and providing dialysis on the ward until the patient became well enough to go on the transplant list. Team members then travelled to and from Liverpool for three weeks to ensure the recovering patient was at ease with their familiar faces following a successful transplant. This patient is now in supported living, attending college and living life to the full.”

Rhys Edwards, of Team of the Year award sponsor MPH Construction, said: “It was a wonderful night and we were inspired to hear the many examples of how great teams can do great things for their patients.

“All of us at MPH Construction offer our huge congratulations to the team from Foelas Ward, Bryn y Neuadd Hospital on their award. It was a real pleasure to see their hard work being recognised and rewarded on the night. Also congratulations to all of those shortlisted as finalists.”