Annual Staff Awards 2026

The Ageing Well Team’s care home outreach service is nominated for the Outstanding Patient Care Award in recognition of the exceptional care, compassion, and support they provide to some of our most vulnerable patients.

The team goes above and beyond to deliver personalised, dignified care, visiting patients in care homes to provide timely reviews in familiar surroundings. They place patients and families at the centre of decision-making, ensuring wishes, preferences, and priorities are understood and respected. Their work around meaningful ReSPECT conversations and care planning helps patients make informed choices while reducing unnecessary and distressing hospital admissions.

The Ageing Well Team works closely with care home staff, GPs, families, and multidisciplinary teams, providing guidance, education, and reassurance that improves the quality and consistency of care. Their proactive approach helps improve outcomes, promotes equity of access, and supports more people to receive appropriate care in their care home setting.

Through compassionate, patient-centred care and strong partnership working, the team embodies the very best of the NHS and is highly deserving of recognition.

Lediona Vela is nominated for this award in recognition of her exceptional commitment to patient-centred care and the positive impact she has on colleagues, patients, and the wider community.

Patient care is at the heart of everything Lediona does. She is passionate about ensuring patients receive timely, compassionate, and high-quality care, always putting their needs first. Through service improvements and innovation, she has helped enhance the patient journey, leading to better experiences, improved communication, and greater confidence in care and treatment.

Lediona is equally committed to supporting those around her. She fosters a positive and inclusive working environment, encourages collaboration across multidisciplinary teams, and generously shares her knowledge through mentoring and coaching. Her approachable nature and willingness to help others have strengthened team morale and staff wellbeing.

She has also worked to improve access to services and reduce health inequalities through strong partnership working and community engagement. Alongside these achievements, Lediona has improved efficiency and promoted best practice, ensuring resources are used effectively while maintaining excellent standards of care. 

The Emergency Department, Major Trauma and wider Southmead Hospital team are nominated for their outstanding work in transforming how healthcare responds to interpersonal violence. Recognising violence as a public health issue, they have looked beyond treating injuries to focus on prevention, early intervention, and long-term recovery.

Over the past 18 months, the team has brought together clinicians, trauma specialists, safeguarding professionals, researchers, community partners, and people with lived experience to create an innovative, collaborative programme. Their work has secured funding for the South West’s first in-hospital Violence Reduction Unit, improved violence-related data recording from 10% to 97%, and strengthened support pathways for people affected by violence.

At the heart of this work is a commitment to supporting patients during a critical "reachable moment", offering compassionate, trauma-informed care and access to specialist support. By building strong partnerships across Bristol and influencing practice across the region, the team is helping to reduce harm, improve outcomes, and create safer communities for future generations. 

Charlie consistently delivers outstanding, compassionate care that has a profound impact on people living with and beyond cancer. Through empathy, reassurance, and expert occupational therapy support, she helps patients feel understood, validated, and empowered, reducing isolation and increasing confidence in their recovery. Patient feedback highlights her ability to instil hope, improve emotional wellbeing, and support meaningful outcomes, including helping individuals return to work and re-engage in activities that matter most to them.

Beyond direct patient care, Charlie has transformed the outpatient OT Macmillan service through collaborative working, exceptional patient education, and a strong focus on inclusivity and emotional safety. She is a valued and supportive colleague who fosters positivity, resilience, and teamwork, while actively sharing knowledge and championing service improvement. Passionate about improving accessibility for under-represented ethnic communities, Charlie continually drives innovation that enhances patient and staff experiences. Her commitment to personalised care, equality, and excellence makes a lasting contribution to patients, colleagues, and the wider NHS service.

Marsha consistently delivers exemplary, patient-centred care to some of the most vulnerable and complex neurosurgical patients, including those recovering from traumatic brain injuries and polytrauma. She is an invaluable member of the multidisciplinary team, demonstrating exceptional flexibility, collaboration, and commitment to supporting rehabilitation goals. Marsha builds strong relationships with patients and their families, taking time to understand each individual’s preferences, needs, and circumstances. Her detailed knowledge of patients enables seamless communication and continuity of care across the team.

She has a remarkable ability to de-escalate challenging behaviours, engage patients who may initially be reluctant to participate, and motivate them throughout their recovery journey. Marsha extends rehabilitation beyond formal therapy sessions by encouraging independence and facilitating meaningful activities, including regular access to fresh air and social engagement. She consistently ensures patients’ physical, emotional, and social needs are met, creating a supportive environment that promotes wellbeing, dignity, and recovery. Her compassionate, proactive approach makes a significant difference to patient outcomes and experience.

Nalin consistently delivers exceptional patient care through his compassion, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to putting patients first. He takes time to listen, reassure, and support patients and their families, ensuring they feel valued, informed, and cared for during vulnerable and challenging times. His empathetic approach helps ease anxiety, build confidence, and create positive experiences for those in his care.

Committed to delivering safe, high-quality care, Nalin is attentive, proactive, and quick to identify concerns, ensuring patients receive the right support at the right time. Patients and families regularly express gratitude for his kindness, approachable manner, and the reassurance he provides.

Nalin is also a highly respected and supportive colleague who works collaboratively across teams to achieve the best possible outcomes. He willingly shares knowledge, supports others during busy periods, and fosters a positive working environment. Passionate about equitable, personalised care and the efficient use of resources, Nalin consistently goes above and beyond, making a meaningful difference to patients, colleagues, and the wider service. 

Charlotte is nominated for her exceptional contribution to patient experience and the positive impact she has on patients, colleagues, and the wider service.

Charlotte consistently goes above and beyond to ensure every patient feels heard, respected, and supported. She is passionate about providing compassionate, inclusive, and person-centred care, always looking for ways to improve communication and reduce barriers. By learning sign language, she has transformed interactions with hearing-impaired patients, helping them feel understood and involved in their care. She has also developed tailored resources and approaches to support patients from diverse backgrounds, ensuring care is personalised and culturally sensitive.

Charlotte’s commitment extends beyond patient care. She actively supports colleagues through inclusive initiatives, practical problem-solving, and by sourcing accessibility tools such as colour overlays to improve engagement and wellbeing. She is a strong advocate for dignity, equality, and understanding, creating positive experiences for both patients and staff.

Through her kindness, innovation, and dedication, Charlotte has made a lasting difference, improving patient experience while fostering a supportive and inclusive culture across the service.

Dawn Hird is nominated for the Patient Experience Award in recognition of the exceptional compassion, leadership, and personalised care she brings to every aspect of her work.

With nearly 40 years of experience in theatres and anaesthetics, Dawn combines outstanding clinical knowledge with a deeply personal approach to patient care. She understands that small adjustments can make a significant difference, particularly for patients with learning disabilities, communication needs, or additional anxieties. Whether working closely with families, adapting theatre processes, or simply ensuring a patient hears their favourite music before surgery, Dawn always focuses on what will help each individual feel safe, respected, and supported.

Dawn’s impact extends beyond individual patients. She develops and mentors colleagues, champions staff wellbeing, and has played an important role in initiatives such as the Theatres Wellbeing Festival and the development of the Bristol Surgical Centre.

What makes Dawn truly special is her ability to balance major strategic leadership with genuine attention to the human details that matter most. She consistently puts people first and makes a lasting difference to patients and colleagues alike.

Owen is nominated for the Patient Experience Award in recognition of the exceptional compassion, kindness, and person-centred care he provides every day.

Working across the Emergency Department and hospital wards, Owen consistently goes beyond the expectations of his role to make a genuine difference to patients and their families. He understands that hospital can be a frightening and isolating place, and he takes time to see the person behind the patient. Whether accompanying someone to the hospital shop, taking them outside for fresh air, or simply sitting and listening, Owen helps patients feel valued, respected, and supported.

He is a passionate advocate who ensures patients’ wishes, concerns, and goals are heard and acted upon. Through his empathy, excellent communication, and unwavering commitment to dignity and independence, he helps reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing during difficult times.

Colleagues, patients, and relatives regularly praise Owen’s positivity, enthusiasm, and compassion. Through both small acts of kindness and strong patient advocacy, he creates lasting positive experiences and makes a remarkable difference every day.

Hayley Smith, Neuromuscular Specialist Nurse, is nominated for the Patient Experience Award in recognition of her exceptional dedication to children and families living with neuromuscular conditions across the South West. Over many years, she has been at the forefront of developing and safely delivering innovative disease-modifying treatments for conditions such as SMA and DMD, creating robust tracking systems and patient information resources to support families. She consistently goes above and beyond, remaining accessible to patients and taking regional responsibility for key safety initiatives, including steroid prescribing.

Hayley has also led the development of specialist nursing practice, creating a training programme now being implemented nationally. Her expertise, commitment, and compassionate care have been instrumental in transforming outcomes for the neuromuscular population, which has historically been underserved. Through her leadership, patient experience, safety, and survival outcomes have significantly improved. Her contribution exemplifies the NHS values of supporting people, improving patient care, delivering population health benefits, and providing outstanding value to the public purse. 

The Mendip Homebirth Team are nominated for the Patient Experience Award in recognition of their exceptional commitment to delivering compassionate, personalised care to women and families choosing to give birth at home. The team provides continuity of care from late pregnancy through to the postnatal period, ensuring women feel supported, listened to, and empowered to make informed decisions about their care.

Through strong teamwork, open communication, and a determination not to compromise on quality, the team has developed a highly valued service within a challenging maternity system. They are experts in community-based care, balancing personalised support with robust risk assessment to ensure women receive safe and timely care, whether at home or in hospital.

The team places great importance on maternity mental health, taking time to understand concerns and build trusting relationships. Consistently positive feedback from families highlights their professionalism, kindness, and respect, demonstrating the significant and lasting impact they have on patient experience and outcomes.

The PALS and Complaints Team are nominated for the Patient Experience Award in recognition of the remarkable transformation I have witnessed over the past two years. Despite significant staff turnover, the team has worked together with determination and resilience to eliminate a longstanding complaints backlog, leading to a substantial improvement in the quality and timeliness of responses. This achievement has had a direct and positive impact on patient experience, ensuring concerns are addressed more quickly and effectively.

What stands out most is the team's unwavering commitment to patients, families, and carers. Through telephone conversations and written communication, they consistently treat every concern with empathy, professionalism, and respect, often supporting individuals who are distressed or frustrated. They work hard to keep patients informed throughout the complaints process, helping people feel listened to, valued, and supported. I have also seen the team grow in strength, supporting one another and colleagues across the Trust while remaining focused on delivering excellent patient care and experience. 

Anoushka is nominated for the exceptional care and compassion she showed me during my elective Caesarean section at St Michael's Hospital. After two previous traumatic birth experiences, I approached this birth with significant anxiety, but from the moment I met Anoushka, she made me feel genuinely heard, understood and supported. She took time to listen to my concerns, never made me feel rushed, and showed remarkable empathy throughout the entire experience.

While her professionalism was outstanding, it was her kindness and humanity that made such a lasting difference. She understood how important this birth was for me and helped transform what could have been a difficult experience into a positive, healing one. As this was my final baby, being able to close this chapter with feelings of joy and peace means more than I can express. I will always be grateful for the role Anoushka played in welcoming my daughter into the world.

Jaison consistently provides exceptional, compassionate care and has made a profound difference to patients and families during some of their most challenging times. Supporting patients with complex and advanced conditions, he demonstrates outstanding skill, dedication, and intuition, ensuring individual needs are understood and met with dignity and sensitivity. One family highlighted the exceptional care he provided to their mother during admissions to Cheddar Ward while living with advanced cancer, praising his ability to provide comfort when others struggled to do so.

Jaison’s calm, caring approach inspires confidence and trust, giving reassurance to both patients and their loved ones. He works tirelessly, always putting the patient first and responding to needs with humility, kindness, and professionalism. His ability to understand what patients require, often without being asked, reflects his deep commitment to person-centred care. Through his compassion, expertise, and unwavering support, Jaison consistently delivers a high standard of care and has a lasting positive impact on the experiences of patients and families alike.

Molly is nominated for the extraordinary compassion, kindness, and support she gave to our son, Finley, and our family throughout our PICU journey.

Molly went far beyond the expectations of her role, creating precious memories that we will cherish forever. After I mentioned wanting some handprints, I came in the next morning to find a beautiful piece of artwork made using Finley’s handprints, footprints, and even ECG leads. Alongside this, she created keepsakes for our NICU diary that mean the world to us. These thoughtful gestures brought comfort and joy during the most difficult time of our lives.

Molly became a constant source of support, reassurance, and friendship. We laughed together, shared tears, and built a bond that helped us through unimaginable circumstances. She was there for us right until the end, helping us say goodbye to Finley with dignity, kindness, and compassion.

What I will always remember is how much Molly genuinely cared. She made us feel supported, understood, and never alone, and the memories she helped create will stay with us forever.

Aileen has provided exceptional continuity of care as a specialist nurse for over 20 years, building a trusted and supportive relationship with her patient. She consistently listens with compassion, ensuring patients never feel rushed and always feel heard, understood, and valued. Her responsive approach enables her to resolve issues quickly and effectively, while providing reassurance and expert guidance through the challenges of living with a long-term condition.

Through decades of dedicated support, Aileen has helped her patient navigate the ups and downs of their illness, offering both clinical expertise and emotional encouragement. Her deep understanding of individual needs, combined with her commitment to personalised care, has had a lasting positive impact on the patient’s wellbeing and quality of life.

Aileen’s dedication, professionalism, and unwavering compassion exemplify outstanding patient care. The trust and confidence she inspires through her long-term commitment make her a highly valued specialist nurse and a truly deserving candidate for recognition. 

Ricardo has made an extraordinary difference to patients and families through his kindness, dedication, and consistently high standards of care. Ricardo has become my little boys favourite person in the hospital over the past 3 years of treatment on Lighthouse. While ensuring the ward is always clean, safe, and welcoming, Ricardo regularly goes above and beyond his role by offering practical support, greeting families warmly, helping with prams, and taking time to make patients feel comfortable and cared for.

His thoughtful, personal approach includes remembering individual preferences, such as favourite snacks, and responding to requests with genuine kindness and enthusiasm. These small but meaningful acts have a significant impact on the patient and family experience, creating a sense of familiarity, comfort, and reassurance during challenging times. Ricardo’s commitment, warmth, and willingness to exceed expectations make him an exceptional member of the team and a highly deserving candidate for recognition. 

Sophie is nominated for the exceptional care she provided to both my baby and me during our time on NICU. Although we have only been looked after by her a few times, she has made a lasting impression through her compassion, professionalism and dedication. Sophie always made me feel heard and respected, not only as my baby's mum but also as a person with my own needs and concerns.

When my baby unexpectedly became unwell, Sophie was quick-thinking, knowledgeable and incredibly efficient, ensuring every concern was investigated promptly while coordinating seamlessly with the wider multidisciplinary team. Despite managing such a complex situation, she regularly checked in with me, listened to my thoughts and kept me involved in decisions about my baby's care.

Sophie consistently provides reassurance and confidence through her warm, friendly and professional approach. She goes above and beyond for families and helps make the challenges of the NICU journey far easier to navigate. She truly deserves recognition for her outstanding care. 

Jess is nominated for the Unsung Hero Award in recognition of the extraordinary impact she has made within the Cognitive Disorders Team. Through her dedication, innovation and expertise, she has transformed the Neuropsychology service, improving patient access, strengthening multidisciplinary working and reducing waiting times from 6 to 8 months to around 3 months.

What makes Jess particularly deserving of this recognition is that so much of her contribution happens quietly behind the scenes. She has created a supportive and inclusive culture, investing significant time in mentoring colleagues, promoting professional development and prioritising staff wellbeing. Her kindness, encouragement and willingness to support others have had a profound effect on team morale and growth.

Jess has also championed patient-centred care, developing initiatives that improve assessment quality, reduce unnecessary referrals and empower patients and carers through education and support. Her leadership, compassion and commitment have improved outcomes for patients, colleagues and the wider service, all without seeking recognition for herself.

Prasanth is nominated for the exceptional contribution he makes to the Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance Faster Diagnosis Team. Through his consistent dedication, expertise and innovative approach, he has significantly improved cancer pathways, patient experience and team performance across the region.

One of his most notable achievements was his pivotal role in the nationally adopted Days Matter programme, which delivered a 20% improvement in urology cancer performance and helped patients receive diagnoses and treatment more quickly. His work has also supported improvements in prostate cancer diagnostics, data quality and the implementation of less invasive diagnostic approaches.

What stands out most is the way Prasanth achieves all of this with humility, kindness and unwavering reliability. He works tirelessly behind the scenes, supporting colleagues across organisations, solving problems proactively and helping others manage demanding workloads. Within our team, he is the backbone of many of our successes, fostering collaboration, wellbeing and productivity. His quiet leadership, commitment and inspirational attitude make him truly deserving of recognition. 

Tanya is nominated for the Unsung Hero Award in recognition of the incredible contribution she makes behind the scenes every day. Tanya combines extensive clinical experience with evidence-based knowledge and is always willing to share her expertise in a calm, approachable and supportive way. She creates an environment where colleagues feel valued, encouraged and confident to develop their skills.

A huge part of Tanya’s impact comes through her commitment to staff education. She carefully maintains training records, leads personalised annual learning reviews and ensures staff have the opportunities and support they need to grow and succeed. Her dedication helps create a skilled, knowledgeable and resilient workforce.

Tanya also plays a vital role in connecting teams across Weston ICU, the Practice Education Facilitator network and specialist ICU services, ensuring the unit remains up to date with best practice and new developments.

Although she never seeks recognition, Tanya’s dedication, humility and commitment have a lasting impact on staff, patients and the wider organisation, making her truly deserving of this award. 

Kinga is nominated for the Unsung Hero Award in recognition of her exceptional contribution to theatre services and patient care. Since joining the department, she has transformed the management and availability of surgical instrument sets, ensuring procedures run smoothly and efficiently. Kinga is highly approachable, supportive, and consistently goes above and beyond her role, responding quickly to urgent requests, coordinating across departments, and resolving supply challenges that could impact theatre operations.

What makes her contribution particularly remarkable is that much of her work takes place behind the scenes. She regularly attends theatres in person to rectify issues with instrument sets and ensure everything required for surgery is available. Through meticulous stock management, forward planning, and attention to detail, she helps prevent delays and cancellations, supporting timely access to surgical care for patients.

Kinga’s dedication, professionalism, and stewardship of NHS resources have a significant impact on both patient care and service efficiency, making her a truly deserving Unsung Hero. 

Zita Gough is nominated for the Unsung Hero Award in recognition of her extraordinary 50-year nursing career and unwavering dedication to patients, colleagues, and the wider community. Throughout her career, particularly within Sexual Health Services, Zita has been a trusted source of support, wisdom, and stability, quietly making a significant difference without seeking recognition.

She has consistently embodied the Trust’s values of being Supportive, Respectful, Innovative, and Collaborative, providing compassionate care while mentoring and inspiring countless colleagues. Her kindness, professionalism, and extensive experience have helped guide teams through periods of change and challenge, creating a positive and supportive working environment.

Zita’s impact extends across all aspects of the Trust, improving patient care, strengthening staff development, supporting community health, and ensuring responsible use of resources. As she approaches retirement, it is fitting to recognise her remarkable contribution, lasting legacy, and the immeasurable impact she has had on patients, colleagues, and services over five decades.

Ann Clark is a highly deserving nominee for the Compassionate Award, having dedicated more than 45 years of outstanding service to North Bristol Trust. Throughout her career in Women’s and Children’s Services, Ann has consistently demonstrated exceptional kindness, empathy, and commitment to supporting women, babies, and families during some of the most important and vulnerable moments of their lives. She regularly goes above and beyond, working extra shifts and providing reassurance, comfort, and patient-centred care with warmth and compassion.

Ann is a valued and trusted colleague whose positivity, humour, and wealth of experience create a supportive and inclusive environment for staff and patients alike. She willingly supports colleagues, mentors new team members, and helps ensure services run smoothly during busy periods. Her loyalty, resilience, and ability to adapt over four decades of service are truly remarkable.

Through her dedication to quality care, teamwork, sustainability, and responsible use of resources, Ann has made a lasting impact on countless families and colleagues, embodying the very best of North Bristol Trust.

Grace consistently demonstrates the NHS values through her compassion, professionalism, and dedication to improving the lives of others. She provides exceptional support to patients during some of their most vulnerable moments, particularly those facing life-changing diagnoses, ensuring they feel heard, valued, and treated with dignity. Her empathetic, non-judgemental approach enables patients to share complex concerns, helping deliver truly holistic, person-centred care.

Alongside her clinical expertise, Grace is a supportive and inclusive colleague who fosters a positive team culture. She freely shares her knowledge, supports staff wellbeing, and works tirelessly to help new team members feel welcome, valued, and confident in their roles.

Beyond the workplace, Grace volunteers at a Bristol shelter, supporting vulnerable individuals by helping provide essential services and assistance during periods of extreme weather. Through her commitment to patients, colleagues, and the wider community, Grace embodies the principle that everyone counts and makes a lasting difference every day.

Hannah is nominated for the exceptional kindness, compassion and support she shows to both patients and colleagues every day. At the heart of everything Hannah does is a genuine commitment to helping others. She constantly looks for ways to support the wellbeing of the team, whether through regular wellbeing updates, organising social events, baking for colleagues, or offering thoughtful gestures such as flowers to those who are struggling.

Hannah is always willing to listen and provide support during challenging times, creating a caring and supportive environment for everyone around her. She also goes above and beyond for patients and their families, often working beyond her hours to ensure they receive the help they need and never giving up until a solution is found.

Her thoughtfulness extends to colleagues too, helping with appointment preparation and even making coffee for those on busy days. Hannah’s kindness, dedication and commitment to both patient care and responsible use of resources make her an outstanding representative of NHS values and someone I am proud to work with. 

Iona Marechal is nominated for the Compassionate Colleague Award. Iona consistently provides exceptional emotional support and empathy to colleagues, acting as a calm and reliable presence during stressful periods. She has a natural ability to recognise when someone is struggling and always takes the time to check in, listen, and offer practical support.

Iona fosters a welcoming, respectful environment where every team member feels valued and included, strengthening our shared sense of belonging. Her kindness and compassion are evident in her daily interactions, and she leads by example, creating a positive and supportive culture for everyone around her.

Through her commitment to colleague wellbeing, Iona helps build a resilient and cohesive team, enabling staff to provide the highest standard of care to patients. Her collaborative approach, strong communication, and genuine concern for others reduce stress, promote teamwork, and reflect the values of our organisation. Iona’s unwavering support for her colleagues makes her truly deserving of this recognition.

Amanda is an exceptional Ward Sister whose compassionate, supportive, and inclusive leadership has made a lasting impact on staff, patients, and colleagues. With over 40 years of nursing service, she consistently creates a positive environment where staff feel valued, supported, and motivated. She leads with kindness, professionalism, and integrity, providing reassurance to patients and families while fostering strong teamwork across the organisation. Amanda’s dedication to staff wellbeing, patient care, and service excellence has earned her widespread respect and loyalty. Through her leadership, she has built a stable, motivated workforce, supported high-quality patient care, and served as an inspiring role model. Her unwavering commitment and genuine care for others make her a highly deserving nominee.

Sarah is the heart of her team, consistently demonstrating compassion, kindness, and unwavering support for colleagues. Through her work supporting assessments, facilitating study days, managing rotas, and promoting staff wellbeing, she creates a positive and psychologically safe environment where people feel valued and respected. Her approachable nature, commitment to teamwork, and dedication to education strengthen both the workforce and the care delivered across the Trust. Sarah’s influence extends far beyond her immediate team, fostering confidence, resilience, and a culture of collaboration. She regularly goes above and beyond to support others, encourage healthy work-life balance, and ensure colleagues feel heard and included. By embodying empathy, respect, and professionalism in everything she does, Sarah makes a lasting difference to those around her. Her quiet leadership, generosity, and commitment to developing others make her an outstanding role model and a truly deserving recipient of the Compassionate Colleague Award.

Dave is nominated for Volunteer of the Year in recognition of his remarkable dedication and the positive impact he has had on our team over the past several years. What began as a short-term commitment to support a flu vaccination programme quickly became something much more, and Dave has since become an indispensable part of the team.

Dave is often the first person through the door each day, preparing equipment, setting up workspaces and ensuring everything is ready before others arrive. He is always looking out for colleagues, offering practical support and small acts of kindness that make a real difference. Patients and staff alike know him as the warm, friendly face who welcomes them and helps them feel at ease.

Beyond his daily role, Dave has supported health checks, fit testing, uniform distribution and community events, always willing to help wherever needed. He asks for nothing in return, yet his generosity, reliability and commitment have become invaluable to the team. Dave is truly deserving of this recognition.

Feedback Volunteers are nominated for the remarkable contribution they have made to improving patient experience and ensuring the voices of patients, carers and families are heard. Since November 2023, they have carried out more than 720 Patient Conversations, creating safe and supportive opportunities for people to share their experiences while receiving care.

Their compassion, professionalism and commitment have helped patients feel listened to, valued and involved, particularly those who may otherwise struggle to have their voices heard. Through specialist training and close collaboration with clinical teams, they have gathered insights that have led to meaningful improvements in care, communication and service delivery.

The volunteers play a vital role in turning feedback into action, supporting both immediate improvements and longer-term learning across the Trust. Their work has contributed to a significant increase in patients reporting that they were asked for their views and has strengthened a culture of patient-centred care. Their dedication has made a lasting difference to patients, staff and services, making them truly deserving of this recognition.

Suresh is nominated for the outstanding contribution he has made as a volunteer over the past two years. He is a valued and dependable member of the team whose kindness, compassion and positive attitude make a real difference to both patients and staff. Despite balancing volunteering alongside work and study, he rarely misses a session and consistently goes above and beyond.

Drawing on his personal experience of supporting his father who lived with dementia, Suresh connects naturally with patients, particularly older people, treating them with dignity, patience and understanding. His calm and caring approach helps patients feel comfortable, respected and supported during their hospital stay.

Suresh's dedication extends beyond individual patient interactions. Through more than 130 hours of volunteering, he has enhanced patient experience, supported ward staff and contributed to a more inclusive and compassionate environment. His warmth, reliability and commitment embody NHS values, and his impact on patients, colleagues and the wider community makes him truly deserving of this recognition.

Kathryn is an exceptional advocate for the charity, championing its work across Weston and the wider Trust. As a charity-funded Activity Coordinator, she consistently goes above and beyond to highlight the positive impact of charitable funding, sharing stories, feedback, and outcomes that demonstrate to supporters how their donations improve patient care and experience. She actively recognises and promotes the charity’s contribution to her work, acting as a passionate ambassador whenever possible.

Kathryn engages patients, families, colleagues, and visitors with the charity, helping to strengthen understanding and support for its role within the Trust. Her commitment to improving patient experience is evident in everything she does, and her enthusiasm, dedication, and collaborative approach have significantly raised the charity’s profile and showcased its impact. Through her advocacy, partnership, and unwavering commitment to patient wellbeing, Katharyn has become one of the charity’s most valued supporters, making a lasting difference to both patients and the organisation. She is highly deserving of this nomination.

The BRHC Burns Multidisciplinary Team are nominated for their exceptional response to a surge in major burn cases last year. Working under immense pressure and in highly complex, emotionally demanding circumstances, the team consistently delivered safe, timely, and life-changing care to patients and their families.

Through outstanding teamwork, clinical expertise, resilience, and compassion, they maintained the highest standards of treatment and support throughout a particularly challenging period. Their commitment to excellence ensured that patients received the specialist care they needed when they needed it most.

The team demonstrated remarkable leadership and collaboration across services. The consultant team, while also supporting the NBT site, worked tirelessly to ensure the NBT Burns Unit remained open despite significant pressures at BRHC. Their dedication, professionalism, and ability to work together effectively set an example for colleagues across the organisation.

We are incredibly grateful for their efforts, and they are truly deserving of recognition as Team of the Year.

The ePrescribe CMM Project team successfully delivered the Trust’s largest digital clinical transformation, replacing inpatient paper prescribing with a fully electronic prescribing and medicines administration system. This achievement was made possible through exceptional collaboration between pharmacy, IT, nursing, and medical teams, who worked together to create a shared vision and co-design safe, user-friendly workflows with frontline clinicians.

Through workshops, testing, and continuous feedback, the team digitised more than 60 paper drug charts and configured over 3,000 medicines, protocols, and infusions, creating standardised and safer medicines management processes across the Trust. Innovative features, including paediatric safeguards, clinical tasks, safety alerts, and the bespoke Drug Build Tool, were implemented from day one to improve patient safety and efficiency.

We are incredibly proud of what we achieved together. Delivered on time and to a high standard, the project demonstrates how teamwork, innovation, and strong clinical leadership can create lasting benefits for patients, staff, and the organisation. 

The Southmead Hospital Vascular Access Team is nominated, as they celebrate a decade of delivering outstanding, patient-centred care. Since 2016, the service has grown significantly, with device insertions increasing by over 150% and more than 6,000 PICCs placed, reflecting both rising demand and the team’s expertise.

Through specialist vascular access device placement, ultrasound-guided cannulation, and blood sampling, the team ensures patients receive timely diagnosis and treatment while improving their overall experience. Their work enables complex treatments to be delivered safely at home through NHS at Home and Home Parenteral Nutrition pathways, reducing reliance on hospital care.

Collaboration is at the heart of everything they do. Working closely with colleagues across the Trust, Primary Care, Sirona, CAMHS, Prison Healthcare, and other services, they provide specialist support, education, and leadership across diverse settings. Their commitment to innovation, partnership working, and clinical excellence continues to improve care for patients while supporting colleagues and making best use of NHS resources. 

This team has demonstrated exceptional resilience, adaptability, and commitment to patient care during a particularly challenging year. Despite operational pressures from sharing facilities with STAU and the use of recovery areas for escalation, they have maintained a welcoming, efficient, and high-quality service, consistently reflected in positive patient feedback.

Putting patients at the centre of everything they do, the team supports individuals undergoing complex and potentially life-changing procedures, ensuring compassionate care and a positive experience. They have continued to innovate, introducing a new self-referral CP block service to improve access to pain management support and repeat procedures. In addition, they developed a comprehensive pre-assessment process designed to reduce DNA rates and same-day cancellations, improving list utilisation, efficiency, and value for money.

The team has remained focused on collaboration, wellbeing, and continuous improvement, even through periods of organisational change. Their dedication to improving accessibility, patient outcomes, workforce engagement, and service efficiency demonstrates a strong commitment to the Trust’s values and the effective use of NHS resources. 

The Autoimmunity Team at Southmead Immunology Laboratory has demonstrated exceptional teamwork, resilience, and professionalism while delivering one of the department’s largest service transformations. Over the past year, the team successfully implemented advanced laboratory technologies, consolidated specialist autoimmunity services from three hospitals, and introduced major diagnostic and IT system changes, all while maintaining uninterrupted, high-quality patient care.

Despite test activity doubling from approximately 90,000 to 180,000 tests annually, the team consistently met turnaround targets and ensured accurate, reliable diagnostic results. Their collaborative approach brought together scientists, clinicians, IT specialists, and partner organisations to create a more efficient, sustainable regional service supporting over 2.2 million people.

The transformation has improved patient pathways, strengthened regional collaboration, enhanced equitable access to specialist testing, and created a centre of excellence for autoimmune diagnostics. Through service consolidation, modern technology, and improved use of resources, the team has delivered significant operational and financial benefits while maintaining patient safety and service quality. Their achievements exemplify excellence in innovation, collaboration, and patient-focused care. 

The Bristol Laser Centre is nominated for Team of the Year in recognition of its exceptional multidisciplinary collaboration across our Hospital Operating Units. Bringing together dermatologists, plastic surgeons, nurses, administrators, and trainees, the team delivers outstanding care for patients with complex conditions including burns, skin cancer, paediatric birthmarks, severe scarring, and transgender-related concerns. Through seamless cross-site working, shared expertise, and innovative approaches, the Centre achieves measurable improvements in clinical outcomes, patient experience, and quality of life, helping many patients return to normal function. The team is internationally recognised for its research, publications, and leadership in education and training, extending its impact well beyond the local population. Service innovations, including initiatives to enhance patient wellbeing, demonstrate a strong commitment to compassionate, patient-centred care. By maximising resources, reducing reliance on invasive treatments, and continuously driving improvement, the Bristol Laser Centre exemplifies excellence, innovation, and high-performing teamwork.

The Housekeeping Team at Central Health Clinic are an essential part of the service, consistently delivering a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for patients, visitors, and staff. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to high standards support infection prevention, patient safety, and positive patient experiences, particularly for individuals accessing sensitive services who may feel anxious or vulnerable.

Highly respected by colleagues, the team works collaboratively across clinical and non-clinical services, providing reliable support, building strong relationships, and helping services run smoothly and efficiently. Their flexibility, positive attitude, and willingness to go the extra mile contribute significantly to team morale and operational effectiveness.

The team also demonstrates excellent stewardship of resources, minimising waste, protecting facilities, and consistently achieving strong audit results. By maintaining high-quality environments and supporting equitable access to care, they make a visible difference every day. Embodying the Trust’s values of respect, collaboration, support, and innovation, they are truly deserving of recognition for their outstanding contribution. 

The Ultrasound Team consistently demonstrates excellence in patient care, teamwork, and professional dedication, making a significant contribution to patient outcomes and service delivery. Working collaboratively in a supportive and inclusive environment, the team provides high-quality diagnostic imaging that enables timely and accurate clinical decision-making. They are committed to delivering compassionate, person-centred care, ensuring patients feel informed, respected, and reassured, particularly during potentially stressful or uncertain situations.

Despite increasing service demands, the team has maintained exceptional standards of quality, safety, and efficiency while supporting the development of colleagues, students, and trainees through mentoring and knowledge sharing. Their collaborative approach and commitment to innovation have driven continuous improvements in service accessibility, responsiveness, and patient experience.

The team also demonstrates strong stewardship of public resources by maximising capacity, reducing waiting times, embracing digital working, minimising waste, and promoting sustainability. Through professionalism, adaptability, and a shared commitment to excellence, the Ultrasound Team consistently goes above and beyond to deliver outstanding care for patients and the wider community. 

The Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) Team at Weston General Hospital has demonstrated outstanding teamwork, innovation, and resilience, delivering significant improvements in patient care and operational performance. Through strong collaboration with the Medical Day Case Unit during winter pressures, the team created vital escalation capacity while maintaining timely, high-quality care.

Their efforts contributed to a 16% year-on-year increase in activity, improving patient flow, reducing unnecessary admissions, and ensuring more patients received treatment on the same day. The team also successfully relocated to a new unit, managing a complex transition without compromising patient care or service performance.

A key achievement has been the introduction of a frailty SDEC pathway, providing rapid assessment and multidisciplinary support for frail and elderly patients, helping many avoid hospital admission and improving patient outcomes and experience.

By fostering a positive, collaborative culture and embracing innovation, the team has delivered measurable benefits for patients, colleagues, the wider population, and the public purse, making them highly deserving of recognition. 

Elisangela (Elisa) Clarke is nominated for the Excellence in Leadership and Culture Award in recognition of the positive impact she has on her team, colleagues, and the wider Trust. As Catering Manager for the Willow, Birch, and Learning and Research Building cafés, Elisa leads with kindness, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to people.

Elisa creates welcoming, inclusive spaces where both staff and customers feel respected, valued, and supported. She is highly visible and approachable, building strong relationships and fostering a culture where people feel confident to share ideas, raise concerns, and take pride in their work. Her open and honest communication helps build trust and gives her team clarity and confidence.

She is passionate about developing others, taking time to support colleagues, recognise achievements, and encourage growth. Through her people-focused leadership, Elisa has created a motivated and engaged team, contributing to strong morale, retention, and service quality. Her leadership helps strengthen community, wellbeing, and connection across the Trust, making her a truly deserving nominee. 

Karen Lennon and the perioperative education team are nominated for the Excellence in Leadership and Culture Award. Karen recognised that in busy, demanding clinical environments, simply telling staff that support is available is not always enough. She wanted to bring wellbeing directly to colleagues and create opportunities for them to focus on themselves.

Through exceptional leadership, energy and commitment, Karen delivered the Theatres and Anaesthetics Wellbeing Festival, an ambitious programme of more than 30 sessions across 17 topics, attended by over 150 staff. Activities ranged from financial advice, physiotherapy and LGBTQ+ support to mindfulness, yoga, nature walks, Couch to 5K and the Theatres Bake Off.

Karen created something inclusive, practical and welcoming, recognising that wellbeing means different things to different people. More than a festival, she helped colleagues feel valued, strengthened team connections and made wellbeing support visible, accessible and meaningful.

Alex and Michaela are nominated for the Excellence in Leadership and Culture Award in recognition of the outstanding difference they make to colleagues, patients, and the wider organisation. Together, they demonstrate leadership that is compassionate, inclusive, and deeply people focused.

Alex has provided exceptional leadership during periods of consultation, restructuring, and organisational change, guiding teams with honesty, empathy, and transparency. She creates an environment where staff feel valued, heard, and supported, investing time in development, wellbeing, and professional growth while maintaining high standards and strong team morale.

Michaela complements this through her unwavering commitment to supporting others. She established a wellbeing corner for staff, mentors colleagues at all stages of their careers, and generously gives her own time to coach and build confidence. Her compassion extends to patients, often providing companionship and support to those who may feel isolated.

Together, Alex and Michaela have fostered a culture of kindness, trust, development, and inclusion, empowering others to succeed and leaving a lasting positive impact across the organisation. 

Dr Clinton Lobo is nominated for the Excellence in Leadership and Culture Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership of the anaesthetic department over the past four years. Leading one of the Trust’s largest and most specialised clinical workforces, Clinton has created a culture where patient safety, clinical excellence, productivity, staff wellbeing, and financial responsibility work together rather than compete.

Through thoughtful workforce planning and a supportive, inclusive culture, he has maintained a stable department despite national workforce challenges, with no elective operating lists cancelled due to anaesthetist shortages in the last year. He has championed a distributed leadership model, empowering colleagues to lead improvements while strengthening governance and accountability.

Clinton has also delivered significant benefits for patients and the Trust, including over £650,000 in efficiencies and increasing capacity through redesigned anaesthetic reviews, enabling around 1,200 additional patients to be assessed since April. Approachable, compassionate, and collaborative, he inspires trust and shared responsibility while shaping the future of anaesthetic services across Bristol.

Kelly is nominated for the Excellence in Leadership and Culture Award in recognition of the remarkable transformation she has led within the PALS and Complaints Team over the past 22 months. Joining during a challenging period, Kelly inherited a team with over 300 outstanding complaints, high staff turnover, vacancies, and concerns about team culture. Through compassionate, visible, and inclusive leadership, she has successfully rebuilt the team, creating a positive, supportive, and engaged working environment where staff feel valued and recognised.

Kelly has strengthened team relationships through development activities, regular team events, and a culture of celebration and wellbeing. Her leadership has resulted in improved staff engagement, greater stability, and reduced turnover. Most significantly, she has driven substantial improvements in performance, eliminating the complaints backlog and ensuring more timely responses for patients and families. Despite rising demand, she has improved efficiency and delivered financial savings. Kelly’s warmth, integrity, and commitment have created a thriving team culture that directly benefits both staff and patient experience.

Jenny and Jo are nominated for the Excellence in Leadership and Culture Award in recognition of their innovative and compassionate leadership in addressing fatigue and wellbeing within their teams. They have taken a proactive approach by reviewing rostering practices, considering environmental factors such as lighting, noise, and temperature, and promoting healthier break habits to support staff welfare and patient safety.

Through open dialogue and inclusive leadership, they have created psychologically safe environments where colleagues feel heard, valued, and empowered to discuss challenges often overlooked in healthcare settings. During a period of organisational change and trust merger, they have championed collaboration, unity, and a shared commitment to wellbeing, helping to strengthen culture across teams.

Feedback from colleagues has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting their responsiveness, authenticity, and genuine care for staff. By encouraging staff involvement in improving working practices, they have enhanced engagement, morale, and team cohesion. Their values-driven leadership is creating a sustainable, people-centred culture that benefits both staff and patients. 

Joaquim Duarte is nominated for his exceptional leadership, dedication, and commitment to the organisation’s values. With nearly 20 years of service, Joaquim is a highly respected and knowledgeable facilities manager who consistently goes above and beyond to support colleagues and teams. He is approachable, supportive, and always willing to share his expertise, creating a positive and collaborative working environment.

Joaquim’s leadership contributes directly to high-quality patient care by ensuring safe, efficient, and effective facilities services. He is also a passionate advocate for sustainability and waste management, driving initiatives that reduce environmental impact and support healthier communities. His extensive experience enables him to identify practical, cost-effective solutions that deliver excellent value while maintaining high standards of quality and compliance.

Through his professionalism, commitment to continuous improvement, and dedication to supporting others, Joaquim has made a significant positive impact across the organisation. His leadership benefits staff, patients, the wider community, and the public purse, making him a highly deserving nominee.

Dev and Sanjay are nominated for the Excellence in Leadership and Culture Award in recognition of their outstanding, values-driven leadership and commitment to inclusion, staff wellbeing, and community impact. As co-founders of the NBT4U Network and authors of a 12-point EDI Action Plan, they have championed inclusive recruitment, psychological safety, and workforce development across the merging Trusts and wider BNSSG system.

Their leadership has had a significant impact on staff engagement and career development, including creating opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds through the NHS One-Finance Insight Programme and supporting under-represented groups through sponsorship and mentoring initiatives. Beyond the organisation, they have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving population health through community health hubs, vaccination programmes, and charitable work addressing health inequalities.

Despite balancing demanding executive roles and postgraduate studies, they continue to inspire others through their dedication, innovation, and collaborative approach. Their regional and national contributions make them exceptional role models and highly deserving of recognition.

The Cardiology GCS team are nominated for their outstanding implementation of Zio Patch technology, which has transformed cardiac monitoring across BNSSG. Through strong collaboration between NBT, UHBW, and clinical, operational, digital, and procurement teams, they introduced an innovative, evidence-based solution that improves both patient experience and diagnostic outcomes.

By replacing traditional monitoring equipment with a simple, wearable device that enables longer-duration monitoring, the team has made cardiac diagnostics more comfortable, convenient, and effective for patients, increasing the likelihood of detecting intermittent heart rhythm abnormalities.

The project required significant pathway redesign, stakeholder engagement, and cross-organisational partnership working to ensure successful adoption across both trusts. As a result, patients benefit from improved access to diagnostics, staff from streamlined processes and stronger collaboration, and the wider health system from earlier diagnosis and more efficient use of resources.

The team’s vision, persistence, and collaborative leadership have turned innovation into meaningful improvements in care, experience, and efficiency, creating a model that can be replicated more widely. 

The Bristol Community Emergency Medicine Service (CEMS) is nominated for its innovative and patient-centred approach to emergency care. Through a unique partnership between Emergency Medicine and South Western Ambulance Service, the team brings senior clinical decision-making directly to patients in the community, ensuring people receive the right care in the right place.

Over the past two years, CEMS has assessed 3,846 patients, with 59% safely treated at home, avoiding unnecessary hospital attendances and admissions. By providing rapid access to senior clinical advice and alternative referral pathways, the team has transformed patient journeys while supporting ambulance crews and reducing pressure on urgent care services.

Under Simon’s leadership, CEMS has demonstrated the power of collaboration, innovation, and determination. The service has improved patient experience, saved thousands of hospital bed days, and delivered significant financial benefits for the wider healthcare system. We are incredibly proud of the impact CEMS has made for patients, staff, and the community, making them truly deserving of recognition.

The End of Life Discharge Team, whose impact in just four months has been truly remarkable. Created to help patients reach their preferred place of care at the end of life, Lou, Holly and Pete have supported more than 90 patients, reducing average hospital stays by over nine days per person and saving 885 bed days.

Their work ensures patients can spend precious time with loved ones in the place they choose, while providing compassionate support during an incredibly difficult period. The team has reduced the number of patients dying in hospital while awaiting discharge from 35% to 20% and has received heartfelt thanks from patients and families for their excellent communication and care.

By coordinating funding, equipment, community services and sensitive conversations, they have also eased the burden on ward teams and improved hospital flow. This small pilot team has delivered extraordinary benefits for patients, staff and the Trust, and we are incredibly hopeful their success will secure a permanent future.

The AVM Team has demonstrated exceptional innovation in creating a pioneering stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) service that has transformed access to specialist care across the South West. Following the Bristol Gamma Knife Centre's successful NHS England bid to become one of only four All-Tier SRS treatment sites, the team worked collaboratively across three hospitals to design and implement an entirely new AVM treatment pathway. Their achievement was further strengthened by the introduction of the first NHS England-commissioned frameless AVM imaging pathway at an All-Tier site, significantly improving the patient experience by reducing anxiety, discomfort and treatment burden while maintaining clinical precision. The team's collaborative approach brought together clinicians, physicists, radiographers, nurses, administrators and managers to overcome complex challenges and deliver a seamless service. As a result, more patients can access specialist treatment closer to home, staff benefit from simpler and more efficient workflows, and the Trust has expanded a sustainable commissioned service. Their work is improving lives today while setting a new standard for AVM care nationally. 

Amy Davey, alongside Misha, Clair and Suzan, has built the Bristol 3D Medical Centre into one of the UK's most innovative healthcare facilities, transforming patient care through the integration of advanced technology, education and clinical expertise. Under Amy's leadership, the Centre became the first NHS facility to bring together 3D scanning, digital design and 3D printing in one service, supporting patients across Bristol, the South West and beyond. Their work demonstrates how innovation can make a real difference, from creating bespoke devices that help patients regain confidence and independence to improving surgical planning, prosthetics and reconstruction. Collaboration is central to the team's success, bringing together clinicians, researchers, educators and industry partners to develop practical solutions to genuine healthcare challenges. The impact is evident across patient outcomes, staff development and service efficiency, including a 50% increase in capacity for prosthetic and reconstructive work. Together, they are improving lives today while helping shape the future of NHS healthcare.

The City & Weston Critical Care Sustainability MDT is nominated for its outstanding work embedding sustainability into everyday practice across GICU, CICU, and Weston ICU. Through exceptional multidisciplinary collaboration, the team has delivered innovative, practical changes that reduce environmental impact while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and care.

Bringing together colleagues from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, infection prevention, therapies, procurement, housekeeping, and waste management, the team has made sustainability part of routine clinical decision-making. Their initiatives include the successful “Gloves Off” campaign, improved waste segregation and recycling, reusable equipment programmes, energy-saving measures, and more sustainable prescribing practices.

These efforts have achieved measurable results, including a 30% reduction in glove use, significant carbon savings, reduced waste, and improved resource efficiency. At the same time, they have supported staff engagement, maintained excellent patient care, and delivered financial value. The team’s commitment, innovation, and collaborative approach demonstrate how sustainable healthcare can create meaningful benefits for patients, staff, the wider community, and the NHS.

The Paediatric Neurosurgical Team is nominated for their outstanding commitment to sustainable healthcare. By reviewing neurosurgical instrument sets and consumables used in vagal nerve stimulator procedures, the team challenged long-standing practices and developed a more efficient, environmentally friendly approach without compromising patient safety or clinical outcomes.

Working collaboratively across surgery, theatres, and sterile services, they reduced unnecessary instrument sterilisation, introduced dedicated procedure-specific sets, and eliminated avoidable single-use consumables. These changes have delivered measurable reductions in waste, carbon emissions, staff workload, and costs, while improving efficiency and workflow for theatre teams.

The project demonstrates the power of multidisciplinary collaboration and innovation to create meaningful improvements for patients, staff, and the wider organisation. It has maintained high-quality care, supported NHS Net Zero ambitions, and made better use of resources and public funds. Most importantly, the team has created a practical, scalable model that could be adopted across other surgical specialties, multiplying both environmental and financial benefits in the future.

The Urology Theatres Team is nominated for transforming a significant environmental challenge into a practical improvement in everyday surgical care. Recognising the large volumes of waste and manual handling generated by high-volume procedures, the team challenged traditional processes and worked together to develop and embed a more sustainable solution across their operating service.

Through innovation, collaboration, and determination, they successfully redesigned workflows, trained colleagues, and integrated the new approach into three operating lists every working day. Over the past year, this has prevented more than 57 tonnes of landfill waste and reduced carbon emissions by over 13.5 tonnes of CO₂e, while also improving efficiency and making theatres safer for staff.

Importantly, these changes have reduced manual handling risks, decreased reliance on disposable products, and freed up valuable time to focus on patient care. The team’s commitment to sustainability demonstrates how frontline staff can deliver meaningful environmental benefits while enhancing patient care, supporting colleagues, and making better use of NHS resources.

Amelia is nominated for her outstanding leadership in driving sustainability across the Trust. Building on successful initiatives within the Children’s Hospital, she has inspired and enabled 11 staff across NBT and UHBW to undertake the Sustainable Healthcare Apprenticeship, significantly expanding sustainability projects and collaboration across hospital divisions.

Amelia’s determination transformed sustainability from individual ideas into lasting organisational change. She established sustainability groups, championed the apprenticeship programme, and encouraged colleagues to embed sustainable practices into everyday work. Her own projects, including the rationalisation of surgical sets, have reduced waste, improved efficiency, lowered costs, and decreased carbon emissions while maintaining high standards of patient care.

Beyond delivering measurable environmental and operational benefits, Amelia has empowered others to lead their own improvement projects, creating a lasting culture of sustainability. Balancing this work alongside her role as a Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist, she has demonstrated exceptional commitment, leadership, and innovation, making a significant contribution to both the Trust and wider NHS sustainability goals. 

Julie-Anne has made an outstanding contribution to sustainability within the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, with initiatives that have since been adopted across the Children’s Hospital and beyond. Through innovation, collaboration, and determination, she has delivered projects that improve environmental sustainability while generating significant financial savings for the Trust.

She is passionate about creating a more sustainable NHS that delivers excellent patient care while reducing environmental impact for future generations. Julie-Anne works closely with colleagues across disciplines, sharing knowledge, supporting sustainability initiatives, and acting as a vital link with pharmacy services.

Her achievements include introducing reusable pharmacy transport bags, creating a pharmacy returns system that has saved up to £11,000 in a single month, and supporting medication optimisation projects that save up to £18,000 annually. These initiatives have been successfully expanded across the hospital, delivering substantial benefits for patients, staff, and the public purse. Julie-Anne’s creativity, leadership, and commitment make her a truly deserving nominee.

The partnership between the local Deaf Community and Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is nominated for its outstanding work in improving access, inclusion, and healthcare experiences for Deaf people. Over the past year, colleagues from Patient Experience, Outpatients, and IM&T have worked closely with Deaf representatives and the Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People (CfD) to address longstanding communication barriers and create meaningful, lasting change.

Together, they introduced a BSL interpreter confirmation service through DrDoctor, giving Deaf patients reassurance that communication support will be available and reducing anxiety around appointments. The partnership has also co-produced BSL video resources, strengthened community involvement through the Community Participation Group, and launched a Deaf Connectors network to champion accessibility across the Trust.

Staff development has been a key success, with BSL training increasing confidence and understanding of Deaf culture and communication needs. Through genuine co-production, innovation, and partnership working, this initiative has reduced inequalities, strengthened trust, and significantly improved healthcare accessibility for Deaf patients.

This nomination recognises an outstanding partnership led by Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and colleagues across BNSSG, working together to improve equity and access to cancer services for underserved communities. Through innovative, co-produced projects, the team has tackled some of the most significant inequalities in cancer care.

Their Reasonable Adjustments in Cancer Care programme engaged patients and carers to better understand barriers faced by people with disabilities and long-term conditions, leading to a nationally available training programme that has significantly increased staff confidence in delivering personalised, accessible care. The team also amplified the voices of underserved communities through the Power in Our Voices project, working with Black women to identify and address barriers to cancer care.

Alongside multilingual resources, enhanced personalised support, and more equitable care coordination, these initiatives are improving experiences and outcomes for patients who have historically faced challenges accessing services. Driven by the leadership of Hannah Little and Ruth Hendy, and honouring the legacy of Jon Banks, this work demonstrates how collaboration, research, and a commitment to equity can deliver lasting and far-reaching improvements in cancer care. 

Our Staff Health and Vaccination Team is nominated for the Health Equity and Community Impact Award. Through their passion, commitment, and innovative approach, they have transformed preventative healthcare across our Trust and beyond, bringing health checks, vaccinations, and screening directly to the people who need them most.

The team has taken healthcare to colleagues wherever they work, offering flexible appointments on wards, in departments, and during evenings and weekends to ensure shift workers are not left behind. Their welcoming, inclusive approach has helped identify serious health conditions early, with many staff describing the interventions as life-changing. At the same time, they have increased staff flu vaccination uptake and supported healthier lifestyles across the workforce.

Their impact extends far beyond the Trust. Through partnerships with the BBC, local employers, community organisations, and targeted outreach events, they have reached thousands of people in underserved communities. By improving access, reducing inequalities, and detecting health issues earlier, the team has delivered lasting benefits for our people, our communities, and the wider NHS.

Cathy has made an exceptional contribution to reducing health inequalities and transforming Parkinson’s care in Weston. Recognising significant gaps in access to specialist services, she worked collaboratively with Parkinson’s UK, primary care networks, community services, and patient groups to redesign care around local needs. Her efforts increased clinic capacity by 50%, reopened services to new referrals, and delivered nearly 300 additional outpatient appointments, ensuring more patients can access timely specialist support closer to home.

Passionate about equitable care, Cathy introduced domiciliary visits for housebound patients and established improved communication pathways between primary and secondary care, enhancing access to advice and reducing delays. She is widely praised for her compassionate, patient-centred approach, empowering patients and improving their experience of care.

Beyond direct patient care, Cathy has strengthened the wider workforce through education, mentorship, and leadership across multidisciplinary teams. Her innovative, sustainable approach has improved outcomes, reduced inequalities, and created a lasting positive impact for people living with Parkinson’s across Weston. 

Jennifer Kerridge has demonstrated outstanding leadership and innovation in tackling health inequalities through the creation of the High Impact User Service. Recognising that frequent healthcare users often experience complex challenges, including poor mental health, social exclusion, housing difficulties, and financial hardship, she developed a coordinated, person-centred approach that brings together healthcare, community, academic, and voluntary sector partners.

Through exceptional collaboration and stakeholder engagement, Jennifer secured funding for two permanent roles, a High Impact User Coordinator and Service Administrator, as well as a two-year Health Sherpa role and a direct referral pathway to Citizens Advice. These initiatives provide sustainable support that addresses both health needs and wider determinants of wellbeing.

Her work has strengthened system-wide partnerships, improved access to services for vulnerable individuals, and created innovative pathways beyond traditional healthcare settings. Jennifer’s leadership has also identified emerging community needs, leading to new projects supporting children and young people. Her vision, determination, and commitment have delivered lasting improvements in equity, inclusion, and community wellbeing.

Francesca Nunn, John Kirby and Morgan Kettle are nominated for their outstanding leadership in transforming Urology’s elective pathway. Through collaboration, innovation, and a relentless focus on improvement, they have redesigned how the specialty plans, prepares, and delivers surgery, creating a more efficient and patient-centred service.

Faced with longstanding challenges around theatre utilisation and late scheduling, they introduced stronger operational planning, multidisciplinary scheduling meetings, improved pre-operative assessment processes, and a more proactive approach to booking and list management. They also strengthened administrative capability and improved how theatre capacity is used.

The results have been remarkable. Urology has achieved a 70% reduction in unbooked theatre time, significantly reduced underutilised lists and short-notice cancellations, and, for the first time, consistently booked over 100 patients at least a week in advance. As a result, 135 more patients have been treated than at the same point the previous year.

Their work has improved patient access, reduced uncertainty, supported staff, and maximised existing resources, demonstrating the power of strong leadership and teamwork.

Lorraine and Rosie are nominated for their exceptional contribution to BFT. Time and again, they are the people colleagues turn to when faced with complex legal, contractual, and commercial challenges. Their expertise, pragmatism, and unwavering support enable teams across the organisation to move forward with confidence, removing barriers and helping services deliver successfully.

What makes Lorraine and Rosie so highly regarded is not only their knowledge, but their collaborative and solutions-focused approach. They empower colleagues to make informed decisions, build confidence, and consistently go above and beyond to support others. Their influence can be seen across countless services, from Community Diagnostic Centres and Pharmacy to Teleradiology, PET-CT services, and the Trust’s estate, helping ensure patients receive timely, high-quality care.

Working largely behind the scenes, they are outstanding stewards of NHS resources, protecting public funds through expert negotiation and contract management. Trusted, respected, and valued by all who work with them, Lorraine and Rosie are true unsung heroes whose impact is felt across the entire organisation. 

Louise is nominated for her exceptional leadership in developing the SWIFTIEE (South West Initiative for Traumatic Intracranial Event Evaluation) pathway, an innovative programme transforming care for patients with minor traumatic brain injuries across the South West. By introducing a structured risk-based approach, Louise has enabled eligible patients to recover safely at home rather than being routinely admitted to hospital, while maintaining outstanding standards of clinical oversight and patient safety.

A key strength of the pathway is Louise's personal commitment to patient care. She provides virtual follow-up for every patient, identifying those at risk of complications and arranging direct referrals to specialist services when needed. Patients consistently describe the service as reassuring and supportive.

Working collaboratively across 12 Trusts and 7 ICBs, Louise has addressed significant inequalities in follow-up care and created a consistent regional pathway. In just six months, SWIFTIEE has avoided unnecessary admissions, released over 200 bed days, delivered substantial cost savings, and attracted national interest as a scalable model for safer, more efficient, and patient-centred care. 

The Domestic Services team consistently delivers outstanding value and efficiency through innovation, compassionate leadership, and a commitment to high-quality patient care. They continually review and improve ways of working, reducing sickness absence, strengthening team resilience, and creating a more sustainable workforce. By reviewing shift patterns, reducing reliance on temporary staffing, and sharing expertise across the Trust, they have achieved significant operational and financial benefits while supporting staff wellbeing.

The team proactively works with subcontractors to raise standards, identify cost-effective solutions, and ensure the best use of resources. Their expertise also reduces the need for external support, delivering further savings. At the heart of their work is a dedication to maintaining clean, safe environments that are critical to infection prevention, patient safety, and positive patient experiences. Through their focus on people, patients, population health, and responsible use of public resources, the team consistently demonstrates excellence, delivering measurable benefits for the Trust while embodying its values every day. 

Emma has made a significant impact on service improvement, productivity, and efficiency through her expertise in quality improvement, data analysis, and coaching. Supporting the Cath Lab’s A3 project, she introduced effective use of SPC charts and 5S methodologies, transforming how data is collected, analysed, and used to drive decision-making. Her guidance enabled the team to improve utilisation from 68% to 85%, increase weekly activity, reduce equipment downtime, improve lab start times, and decrease same-day elective cancellations.

Emma’s positive, engaging approach helped secure team participation and identify opportunities to improve storage, stock control, and operational processes. As a skilled trainer and mentor, she empowered colleagues to lead projects independently, building lasting capability and confidence within the team. Her coaching style encouraged data-driven thinking, resulting in more informed decision-making and proactive management of risks and performance. Through her knowledge, enthusiasm, and commitment to continuous improvement, Emma has delivered measurable benefits for patients, staff, and the wider service while creating a culture of sustainable improvement. 

Becky has made an exceptional contribution to improving value, efficiency, and workforce sustainability across the division. Despite working in a Band 4 role, she has transformed medical staffing through proactive rota management, workforce planning, and sickness monitoring, contributing to a 15% reduction in sickness absence and reducing reliance on costly locum cover. Her work has improved workforce resilience, safer staffing levels, and service continuity, directly benefiting patient care.

Becky is highly regarded by junior doctors and consultants alike, with outstanding feedback praising her organisation, fairness, responsiveness, and unwavering support. She consistently goes above and beyond to resolve staffing issues, facilitate leave requests, and maintain effective communication, significantly enhancing staff wellbeing and morale. During periods of industrial action, she played a pivotal role in coordinating complex strike rotas, ensuring services remained safe and operational. Her innovative systems and processes have delivered measurable financial and operational benefits and have been so successful that they have informed the development of a dedicated Medical Workforce Manager role. 

The SSIS team, particularly Jenna and Yvonne, have driven significant service improvements through innovation, resilience, and collaboration. Over the past three years, they have successfully transformed the surveillance service into a fully paperless system and led the implementation of a DrDoctor digital follow-up pathway. Replacing time-consuming 30-day post-surgery telephone calls with automated patient questionnaires has improved patient engagement, made feedback more accessible, and enabled earlier identification of surgical site infections, ensuring concerns are escalated promptly to the appropriate clinical teams.

The team worked closely with IT colleagues and external partners to develop an effective, cost-efficient solution, avoiding the expense of alternative systems while improving efficiency. The time saved has allowed the service to expand surveillance support to more surgical specialties and focus on quality improvement initiatives. Their work provides valuable data to support infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, and improved patient pathways. By reducing the impact of surgical site infections on patients and the Trust, the team has delivered substantial benefits for patients, staff, and healthcare resources.

The Arts Teams across both hospital operating units have shown how creativity can bring connection, comfort, and joy to patients, families, and staff. Through programmes including live music, dance, creative writing workshops, and art exhibitions, they have transformed hospital environments into more welcoming and positive spaces.

Working closely with charitable partners, the teams consistently go above and beyond to maximise the impact of arts in healthcare. They not only deliver inspiring projects but also actively support fundraising efforts that sustain and grow these programmes, from community events and charity challenges to awareness campaigns and advocacy.

Their collaborative approach has strengthened partnerships across the newly merged organisation, creating a shared vision for the role of arts and culture in patient care. They are passionate champions for both creativity and charitable support, always looking for new ways to improve experiences for patients and staff. Their enthusiasm, innovation, and commitment have made a profound difference across our hospitals and demonstrate the power of partnership in enhancing healthcare.

Emma is nominated for her extraordinary dedication to supporting NICU patients and families through her fundraising for Cots for Tots. Alongside her full-time role as a NICU sister, Emma runs a weekly fundraising stall at St Michael’s Hospital and has now raised an incredible £60,000, a remarkable achievement that continues to grow.

Emma’s commitment goes far beyond running the stall. She spends countless hours collecting donations, coordinating with volunteers and the charity, organising stock, and helping deliver special celebrations for families on the unit through knitted gifts and themed contributions throughout the year.

The funds Emma raises have a direct and lasting impact on babies and their families. They help provide vital equipment, family accommodation, bonding resources, diaries, books, and other items that enhance care and support during some of the most challenging times in families’ lives. Emma’s kindness, dedication, and tireless efforts have made a real difference to countless families, and her contribution to the NICU community is truly exceptional. 

Linda is a passionate advocate for older people, consistently championing the need for high-quality, compassionate care. She has a unique ability to help others understand how seemingly small initiatives, such as gardening sessions, can have a profound impact on patients and families during difficult times. Beyond her clinical work, she has been an invaluable supporter of the charity, speaking at events, sharing powerful stories, and providing compelling evidence of impact that helps secure funding and support. Her enthusiasm has inspired others to get involved, including introducing a supporter who became both a donor and volunteer. Through her dedication, advocacy, and ability to connect people with the charity’s mission, she has made a lasting difference to older patients, their families, and the wider community.