Big thank you from Lisburn.com

Success for locals at Nurse of the Year Awards

(L-R): Matthew Marshall, Carol Patton who won the Transforming Care with Technology Award and Janice Smyth, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland.

(L-R): Matthew Marshall, Carol Patton who won the Transforming Care with Technology Award and Janice Smyth, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland.

(L-R): Ann Marie O'Neill, Chair, RCN Northern Ireland Board, Elizabeth Henderson OBE, winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award and Charles Ensor, Boerhinger Ingelheim.

(L-R): Ann Marie O'Neill, Chair, RCN Northern Ireland Board, Elizabeth Henderson OBE, winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award and Charles Ensor, Boerhinger Ingelheim.

NO fewer than five local nurses have received awards at the RCN Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Awards. Organised by the Royal College of Nursing, this is the sixteenth year of the awards, which took place at the Culloden Hotel.

Elizabeth Henderson OBE from Drumbeg was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Boerhinger Ingelheim. Elizabeth is Nurse Director of the Northern Ireland Cancer Network and received the award for her exemplary leadership of, and contribution to, cancer nursing in Northern Ireland.

Carol Patton, from Aghalee, won the Transforming Care with Technology Award, sponsored by TF3 consortium.

(L-R): Dr Andrew McCormick, DHSSPS, Martin Creed and Deborah Boyle who were runner-up in the Bamford Vision Award, and Janice Smyth, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland.

(L-R): Dr Andrew McCormick, DHSSPS, Martin Creed and Deborah Boyle who were runner-up in the Bamford Vision Award, and Janice Smyth, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland.

A British Heart Foundation heart failure specialist nurse based in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Carol won the award for her use of remote tele-monitoring to improve care and reduce hospital admissions.

The judges were impressed by how the use of tele-monitoring has enhanced the relationship between staff, patients and their families. Martin Creed from Crumlin and Deborah Boyle from Dromore were runners-up in the Bamford Vision Award for mental health and learning disability, sponsored by the DHSSPS.

Martin and Deborah are clinical nurse specialists who work in the Belfast Trust. They were nominated for their involvement .in developing the Northern Ireland Mental Health and Deafness Service which provides an innovative and specialist mental health service to people who are profoundly deaf.

Helen Johnson was runner-up in the Public Health Award sponsored by the Public Health Agency and HSC Board.

Helen is a Travel Nurse Specialist based at Lisburn Health Centre and was recognised for her work in promoting safer travel health. The judging panel commended Helens passion, enthusiasm and expertise, as well as her ability to seize opportunities to improve and develop the service she provides.

(L-R): Ronnie Orr, Public Health Agency, Helen Johnson, runner-up in the Public Health Award and Janice Smyth, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland.

(L-R): Ronnie Orr, Public Health Agency, Helen Johnson, runner-up in the Public Health Award and Janice Smyth, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland.

RCN Northern Ireland Director Janice Smyth congratulated all of the nurses on their achievements.
"Despite continuing challenges and . increased pressure on the health service, I am extremely encouraged by the excellence and innovation shown by nurses from across Northern Ireland, who are committed to improving services and care for patients.

"These awards demonstrate how nurses are in the perfect position to identify the need for change in hospitals and the community to bring about a more efficient and better service for the people of Northern Ireland.

It is wonderful to see the talent that exists both within the profession and our nursing students, who are the nurses of the future."

The overall title of RCN Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year 2012 went to Claire Galloway. Claire, who is clinical lead nurse for sexual health with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, fought off competition from five other finalists to receive the award for transforming and modernising the trust's sexual health service, improving its performance, and increasing patients' access to it. She was presented with the accolade by Health Minister Edwin Poots.

Ulster Star
22/06/2012