Published on: 22 November 2023
Today (22 November 2023) Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust held its HEARTS staff awards ceremony at the Kingsway Hospital, Derby. And there were some impressive winners, including one member of staff who was celebrated for 48 years of continuous service. 
The awards ceremony, which had a winter wonderland theme and was hosted by members of the Trust’s Board of Directors, recognised individual Trust employees and teams who have gone above and beyond the call of duty and performed at a consistently high level over the last year to support patients, carers and fellow colleagues. Over a hundred nominations were received for the awards from both inside and outside the organisation.
One winner was presented with the ‘Derbyshire Healthcare Lifetime Achievement’ award for dedicating 48 years of their career to the NHS, reflecting the Trust values and demonstrating a commitment to providing support and care to patients and staff.
Clive Moore, Estates Technician, accepted this award for his ongoing commitment to the Trust over the years, making the Estates department the fantastic place it is today.
Clive was described by the person who nominated him as “more like a family member than a colleague” to many. Clive was celebrated for being passionate, dedicated and highly enthusiastic about working for the Trust – particularly around fundraising for the Trust’s League of Friends charity and for Rainbow Hospice. Clive has brought in donations of around £38,000 for charity. Clive is well known across the Trust for hosting the League of Friends summer fayre for several years and for performing a magic show as Clive-o the Clown.
Another standout winner was Nick Richards, Project Officer and Lived Patient Experience, who won the ‘Equality and Diversity’ award for going the “extra mile for this programme and above and beyond what his role entails to ensure his work is a success”.
Some of Nick’s work involves providing support for the Making Room for Dignity programme – a government funded programme to build new pioneering mental health hospital facilities to improve safety, privacy and dignity of patients experiencing mental illness.
Nick has been involved in the design decisions of the Making Room for Dignity Project and has involved service users and carers in these design decisions, too. He is described as “the heart of the programme team, making everybody feel welcome with his warm nature and fun”, always going above expectation to ensure those with lived experience are heard. For example, when presenting to more than 100 delegates at the Design in Mental Health conference, Nick promoted not only the programme, but also the voice of lived experience within it.
Another example of Nick’s proactive approach is when he has provided solutions to challenges in the inpatient settings, such as when identifying and sourcing special safety glass and bespoke cabinets so patients’ artwork can be safely displayed on the wards.
The ‘Environment Impact and Green’ award, was awarded to an individual who demonstrates the achievements and progress being made across the Trust to tackle carbon reduction, implement sustainable practices and improve the health of the community. Dr Sarah Hobday, Consultant Paediatrician, has successfully led on the Clean Air project, through the NHS England Healthier Futures Action Fund.
Sarah has been an active lead for this project engaging with school staff, students, parents and carers, alongside partners to promote the ‘No Idling’ campaign to build better awareness and positive behaviour change. Her nomination praised her “green thinking” approach, branding her as “a true green clinician”.
The Healthier Futures Action Fund supports individuals and teams within NHS organisations to kick-start innovative initiatives or ideas that will improve health and patient care, reduce inequalities, and deliver good value, while supporting a more sustainable health service.
The Trust’s Cubley Court and Tissington House Older Adults Inpatient Occupational Therapy Teams were awarded the ‘Quality Improvement and Research Excellence’ award for their outstanding and innovative contribution to research and development and Quality Improvement. The team were nominated for improving the “standardisation, timeliness and efficiency” of the occupational therapy admission process at two of the Trust’s inpatient units, highlighting the importance of patient-centred care through innovative working.
A special award was created for this year’s ceremony to reflect an exceptional team approach to a very unexpected and challenging incident on one of the Trust’s wards this summer, when there was an unexpected fire.
Ward 34 at the Radbourne Unit received this award for the “extraordinary, professional and caring manner in which the team performed to keep all of those in our care safe and calm.” An unplanned fire alarm went off on Ward 34 on 25 August and, when it was clear that this was not a drill, the ward team had to respond to an unprecedented situation.
The award nomination read: “The team responded brilliantly, managing to care for 16 very unwell patients and help them stay calm in a very stressful and potentially traumatising circumstances”.
Mark Powell, Chief Executive at Derbyshire Healthcare, congratulated colleagues who were successfully named as winners and finalists, as well as all those who were nominated.
Mark said: “Derbyshire Healthcare colleagues continue to amaze me with their dedication and determination, so it is only right that we celebrate them today.
“I have been really impressed by the number of talented colleagues we have at our Trust, so much so that we have had to create additional award categories this year to support the excellence shown across the board.
“The colleagues who have both won and been nominated for a HEARTS award really embrace our core standards, going above and beyond in everything they do.
“Thank you and well done to all who were nominated this year and a huge congratulations to our winners for their achievements – you should all be extremely proud!”
A full list of winners from our HEARTS Awards are:
- Clinical Team of the Year Award – For teams that have risen to the challenge of working in ever changing circumstances and have delivered compassionate care to patients. WINNER – Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Participation Team
- Non-Clinical/ Corporate Team of the Year Award – For working tirelessly, facing challenging issues and working effectively for the wider benefit of the Trust and patients. WINNER – Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Team (EPRR)
- Rising Star Award – This award celebrates outstanding performance within the organisation and celebrates growing talent at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. This person will be new to the NHS or their profession and have made exceptional contributions to their team and service. WINNER – Natalie Sweeney, Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Inspirational Leader Award – For showing real care and compassion for colleagues, always finding time to listen to concerns, remaining available and open to discussion and offering support and guidance. WINNER – Emily Jepson, Occupational Therapist
- Derbyshire Healthcare Lifetime Achievement Award – To celebrate NHS75, this award is to honour a member of the Trust who has dedicated at least 25 years of their career to the NHS. They will truly reflect the Trust values and will have demonstrated a commitment to providing support and care to patients and staff. WINNER – Clive, Estates Technician
- Outstanding Care and Compassion Award – This award is for an individual who goes that extra mile to ensure their service is caring and compassionate and makes a difference to the lives of patients, service users, carers and staff. WINNER – Mark Lilleyman, Nurse Specialist/Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Eating Disorders service
- Environmental Impact/Green Award – This award is for a team or individual who can demonstrate the achievements and progress being made across the Trust to tackle carbon reduction, implement sustainable practices and improve the health of the community. WINNER – Dr Sarah Hobday, Consultant Paediatrician
- Quality Improvement/ Research Excellence Award – This award will go to a team which can demonstrate an outstanding and innovative contribution to research and development and Quality Improvement. WINNER – Cubley Court and Tissington House Older Adults Inpatient Occupational Therapy Teams
- Equality and Diversity Award – This award recognises an individual that has made significant contributions in promoting equality and inclusion for patients and communities and for colleagues in the workplace. WINNER – Nick, Project Officer and Lived Patient Experience
- Making a Difference Award – For making a positive difference to the lives of the people we serve day to day by taking initiative without being prompted, demonstrating exceptional reliability and a willingness to help, and embodying our values: Respect, Honesty, People First and Do your Best. WINNER – Brett Durant, Receptionist, High Peak and North Dales Older Adult Community Mental Health Team
- Chief Executive Award – This award was created for this year’s ceremony to reflect an exceptional team approach to a very unexpected and challenging incident on one of the Trust’s wards this summer. WINNER – Ward 34, Radbourne Unit
Award nominations had been considered by a judging panel made up of Chief Executive – Mark Powell, Acting Director of People and Inclusion – Rebecca Oakley, Interim Assistant Director of Clinical Professional Practice – Kyri Gregoriou, and EQUAL forum member – Les Ralph.
Awards were presented at today’s ceremony by:
- Chief Executive – Mark Powell
- Interim Director of Operations – Lee Doyle
- Medical Director – Arun Chidambaram
- Lead Governor – Susan Ryan
- Deputy Lead Governor – Hazel Parkyn
- Trust Chair – Selina Ullah
- Acting Director of People and Inclusion – Rebecca Oakley
- Interim Assistant Director of Clinical Professional Practice – Kyri Gregoriou
- EQUAL forum member – Les Ralph
