Voting Opens as Our Health Heroes Shortlist is Announced

A record number of healthcare workers and employers who are going the extra mile have been shortlisted at the 3rd annual:- 'Our Health Heroes' awards. Organised by:- Skills for Health, National Skills Academy for Health and headline sponsor:- Health Education England, the awards celebrate the unsung healthcare heroes from across the UK, including those working in the NHS, who go above and beyond in their roles every day.

Healthcare professionals submitted almost 500 nominations in the following categories:- 'Integrated Team of the Year;' 'Staff Retention and Wellbeing Employer of the Year;' 'workforce Planning Team of the Year;' 'Apprentice of the Year;' 'Clinical Support Worker of the Year' and 'Operational Services Support Worker of the Year.'

While members of the public submitted over 40 nominations for the newly established Lifetime Achievement Award #NHS70.

Regional winners for the 'Clinical Support Worker of the Year' and 'Operational Services Support Worker of the Year' awards have now been put forward to a public vote to claim the national trophy. Also up for the public vote are 3 finalists in the 'Apprentice of the Year' category, for which there is a bronze, silver and gold award.

John Rogers, Chief Executive at Skills for Health, said:- "For the 3rd year running I've been taken aback by the number of nominations we have received for the Our Health Heroes awards. We would like to thank not only the public for their continued support, but also our fantastic sponsors, who have helped us to expand the awards again this year with the introduction of 2 further categories. These will ensure that even more people are recognised for their contribution to our amazing healthcare service. All of our finalists are outstanding in their field and are thoroughly deserving of their places in the shortlist. The calibre of nominations we received this year was sky high; each one demonstrated excellence in patient care, teamwork or staff retention, meaning our judges had a really difficult task! I'm very much looking forward to meeting all the finalists in November and celebrating the national winners."

The shortlisting panel included representatives from Skills for Health, the National Skills Academy for Health and headline sponsor Health Education England. It also included category sponsors:- NHS England, NHS Improvement, UNISON and Health Education England; North, which is made up of the:- South Yorkshire Regional Excellence Centre, the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Excellence Centre and the Humber, Coast and Vale Excellence Centre.

Kirk Lower, National Lead for Apprenticeships and Widening Participation for Health Education England (HEE,) said:- "Support workers and apprentices are a key part of the healthcare workforce and, through our Talent for Care programme, HEE supports employers with their workforce supply. This is achieved via school engagement, volunteering, work experience, pre-employment activity, apprenticeships and access to higher education and the registered professions. As the main sponsor for Our Health Heroes 2018, we congratulate everyone who is on the shortlist; it is clear from the high standard of nominations that both apprentices and support workers continue to play a vital role in delivering safe and compassionate care for all."

Voting is now open via the Skills for Health website to cast your vote, before Thursday, 8 November 2018.

All finalists have been invited to the Our Health Heroes Awards ceremony, where the winners will be presented with their awards, on Friday, 23 November 2018, at London's OXO Tower.

Our Health Heroes 2018 finalists and winners...

Integrated Team of the Year for 2018 winners:-

► Newcastle Regional Sleep Team from Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Staff Retention and Wellbeing Employer of the Year winner; sponsored by NHS Improvement:-

► Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Kingston upon Thames.

Operational Services Support Worker of the Year regional winners; sponsored by UNISON:-

► Eastern and East Midlands: Rebecca Chapman, Antenatal and Newborn Screening Failsafe Officer at Northampton General Hospital.

► Greater London: Jiwan Ghumman, Business Support Officer at Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare Trust NHS.

► North and North West: Kirstie Lee, Management Secretary at East Cheshire NHS Trust.

► Scotland and Northern Ireland: Margaret Canavan, Ward Housekeeper at Belfast City Hospital.

► South of England: Matthew Watts, Head of News at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

► Wales: Laura Newcombe, Administration Officer/PA at Hywel Dda University Health Board.

► West Midlands: Nigel Breeze, a painter at Princess Royal Hospital.

► Yorkshire and Humber: Elaine King, Volunteer Services Manager at Wakefield Hospital.

Clinical Support Worker of the Year regional winners:-

► Karen Ellames, Children's Therapy Support Worker from the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust.

► Eugene Majola, Senior Support Worker and an ambulance driver at Douglas Angus Care Ltd in Hertfordshire.

► Shiddik Ahmed, Healthcare Support Worker at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

► Amy Chambers, Senior Care Assistant at Birkdale Park Nursing Home in Southport.

► Donna Finnigan, Associate Practitioner at Monkwearmouth Hospital, Sunderland.

► Wilnor Tennant, Activity Co-ordinator at Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast.

► Christine Duncanson, Clinical Support Worker from Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

► Lauretta Langley, Healthcare Support Worker from Frimley Park Hospital in Portsmouth.

► Ellan Corner, Assistant Practitioner at Devon Partnership Trust.

► Lindsey Gill, Healthcare Support Worker at Neath Port Talbot Hospital in Wales.

► Steve Dawson, Healthcare Assistant at Midland Eye in Solihull.

► Maxine Housley, Clinical Support Worker at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

Apprentice of the Year finalists; sponsored by the Yorkshire and Humber Excellence Centres; South Yorkshire Region Excellence Centre, West Yorkshire and Harrogate; Excellence Centre and Humber, Coast and Vale Excellence Centre:-

► Adam Cramp, a Nursing Degree Apprentice at Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire.

► Andrew Daffern, Talent for Care Apprentice at Coventry and Warwick Partnership NHS Trust.

► Badar Anwer, Digital Communications Assistant at Birmingham and Solihull NHS Foundation Trust.

workforce Planning Team of the Year finalists; sponsored by NHS England:-

► The Enhanced Nursing Care team from Lister Hospital.

► The Research and Development Clinical Delivery Team from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire.

► The Rotating Paramedic Programme by Health Education England.

Lifetime Achievement finalists; sponsored by Skills for Health and National Skills Academy for Health:-

► Helen King, a family support worker at Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital.

► Malcolm Aiston, Managing Director at Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Group.

► Joan Jenkins, receptionist at Ysbyty Cwm Cynon.

Charity brings free Information Day to Liverpool to support tinnitus sufferers in the North West

THE British Tinnitus Association are coming to the North West bringing the next in their series of free Tinnitus Information Days to Liverpool. With an estimated 150,000 people with tinnitus in Liverpool and Merseyside, and with 15,000 of them finding tinnitus severely affects their quality of life, the event is set to attract a large audience. The Tinnitus Information Day will be held at the Liverpool Marriott Hotel City Centre, on Saturday, 17 November 2018.

The day will feature presentations from renowned tinnitus experts Tony Kay (Aintree University Hospital) and Dominic Bray (Southport and Ormskirk Hospital) as well as the opportunity to sample taster sessions including mindfulness, tai chi and yoga which can help with managing tinnitus.

Tony Kay, Head of Audiology Services at Aintree University Hospital, said:- "As a health care professional managing individuals with tinnitus for over 30 years, I'm delighted that the British Tinnitus Association has chosen Liverpool for 1 if its free Tinnitus Information Days. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of good quality information and support to enable individuals to live well with their tinnitus. I'm certain that people attending the day will feel empowered and realise that they are not alone."

As the UK's only charity solely dedicated to supporting people with tinnitus the programme aims to reduce stress, confusion, isolation, improve wellbeing and help people to cope with their condition.

David Stockdale, Chief Executive of the BTA, said:- "There are an estimated 232,000 people living with tinnitus in Liverpool and Merseyside alone, and for 10% of them it will have a serious impact on their quality of life. Through our Tinnitus Information Day, we hope that as many of these people as possible will benefit from increased knowledge of tinnitus and how to manage the condition as well as from improved local support."

Comments from participants of previous Tinnitus Information Days include:-

►  "The day was way beyond my expectations. I will concentrate on having the best life I can."

►  "I wish I could have heard all this 20 years ago."

►  "I would absolutely recommend this day to anyone I know suffering with tinnitus."

►  "I Didn't realise there is so much help out there."

The Tinnitus Information Day will take place at the at the Liverpool Marriott City Centre, One Queens Square, L1 1RH from 9:30am to 3pm. Places are free but limited and attendees must register before the event via:- Tinnitus.Org.UK to secure your place. Alternatively, please contact Elliott Green on:- 0114 260 9933.  You can also send them an email via:- Elliott@Tinnitus.Org.UK.

To see a video about  what happens at an Information Day, click on this YouTube LINK and what the footage shot in Nottingham, back in 2017.

The BTA needs to raise ₤800,000 each year to continue their UK wide support. Donations can be made via:- Tinnitus.Org.UK/Donate.