Winners of the 2024 Cambridge University Hospitals Awards revealed – plus read about all the finalists
The winners of the third annual CUH Awards – recognising the care, commitment and compassion of staff at Cambridge University Hospitals – have been revealed.
Featuring both individuals and teams, the winners work across a host of departments at Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie.
The nine categories included: the chair’s award, the chief executive’s award, the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust award, kind, together, safe and excellent.
The Cambridge Independent was proud to support the awards again this year by asking our readers to nominate to the Public Choice category. This is the one category determined by members of the public and led to a huge array of nominations in which patients and their families told of the amazing care they had received.
All the other categories in the awards were nominated internally.
The winners were unveiled on Thursday, 21 November at a ceremony at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, hosted by Janine Machin.
Editor Paul Brackley said: “We were very pleased to team up with Cambridge University Hospitals once again for the Public Choice Award, giving our readers a chance to nominate dedicated and talented hospital staff.
“It is always humbling to read the nominations and very challenging to select the shortlist, but I extend my congratulations to the worthy winners.”
Together – promoting team work, collaboration and inclusion
Winner: F6 ward team
The F6 ward team shows nothing but love and kindness towards their patients, and to one another.
Caring for older adults is a skill; it takes much patience, resilience and compassion to work within this speciality.
F6 has all of this in abundance. They are kind-hearted, friendly, approachable, and seldom without a smile on their faces.
With the help of Geri-Atric – the giraffe ward mascot – the team adapts well to change and wants new initiatives to succeed.
Students and bank staff always have such positive feedback for the nursing team, feeling welcomed when they work on F6. Thank you F6 for being truly amazing.
The finalists
Mercy Adera, staff nurse
Originally from Kenya, Mercy is a staff nurse within the Rosie Hospital theatres and is passionate about improving healthcare in both the UK and her home country. She is an extremely valuable member of Cambridge Global Health Partnerships (CGHP), working to improve antimicrobial stewardship practices in maternity settings in Kenya and the UK. Mercy recently visited Kenya to co-deliver training in sepsis management and infection prevention control. Mercy is a team player who respects and values the sharing of knowledge and experience.
C9 ward team
This team deserve recognition for their dedication to teenage and young adult (TYA) cancer care, and the effort, expertise and time they take to treat every patient and their carers as individuals. Patients say: “The staff on C9 were so kind and compassionate” and say “it’s like being with family”. Although a small team, C9’s heart is huge. The C9 team is skilled and passionate about the care and management of TYAs with cancer. They have supported each other through difficult times and delivered exceptional care.
Thomas Cook, anatomical pathology technician
Tom is the beating heart of the anatomical pathology technician (APT) team in the mortuary. He gives so much of his time to help other team members thrive, tailoring his training to suit the learner. Tom also trains our porters and community funeral directors, allowing deceased patients to be cared for with the highest level of dignity and respect. He is efficient and conscientious. With bereaved families, he is calm and understanding, providing them with safety and reassurance at such a difficult time.
Neurophysiology team
The clinical neurophysiology team at CUH is a cohesive, considerate and high-achieving team. The care and compassion they share with each other is only surpassed by the care they give patients. Every individual goes the extra mile during every patient encounter. There is a constant flow of improvements to the service and a sense of pride in everything they offer. The team should also be recognised for the outstanding contributions and exceptional commitment to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their colleagues.
Safe – outstanding contribution to patient and staff safety
Winner: Baljinder Matharu, principal clinical scientist
Bal should receive the ‘Safe’ award for her unwavering dedication to patient safety and enhancing the quality of genomic services.
She consistently goes above and beyond, instilling confidence in staff through her emphasis on quality systems. Bal organises the team to participate in quality assessments, training junior staff in technical and analytical accuracy and sustaining the competency of senior staff in genomic techniques and analysis. Bal created an Epic smartphrase to flag and filter out samples that were under investigation, preventing the risk of erroneous results being reported. Bal’s contributions not only improve patient outcomes, they empower the staff she leads to enhance the overall quality and reliability of our genomic services.
The finalists
Lauren Bradbury, clinical nurse specialist
Lauren is committed to the safety of children treated with chest drains and has made a difference in many ways, working with colleagues in the children’s services surgical team. Following a National Patient Safety Alert, she used audit data and QSiS to identify improvements in the process for children requiring chest drains admitted to C3, D2 and PICU. Lauren worked to implement a change in treatment and chest drain competency, and a paediatric chest drain management module was developed, saving bed days and improved patient flow and the patient journey.
The orthoptic team
The orthoptic team has worked tirelessly to reduce the backlog of patients. All orthoptists pulled together, taking on additional roles as well as working out of hours. Their commitment ensured patient care was not affected, delivering high-quality care. This team went above and beyond, at the same time keeping team morale high. Staff did not give up and deserve high recognition for their dedication and resilience.
Daniel Shortland, resuscitation officer
Dan has implemented projects to improve the knowledge and skills of those caring for deteriorating patients. He leads on the Doris Drops By project, which allows clinical areas to learn and develop in their normal working environment. Dan has reviewed 2,222 calls and instigated training, alleviating fears and anxieties. He has supported community events, improving awareness of community CPR. Dan has also been key to adding public access AEDs to the national database, The Circuit, so the community can use the equipment.
The security team
The security team supports every member of the clinical team to undertake their caring roles in a safer environment, while being subjected to both physical and verbal abuse. They always keep the safety of the patient at the centre. They show empathy and compassion, and maintain the approach of least restrictive interventions through the use of de-escalation techniques. They also work collaboratively with the safeguarding and mental health teams to plan for safer admissions.
Kind – committed to care and compassion
Winner: N2 ward team
Kindness is not just professionalism, kindness is also having the empathy necessary to understand what a particular patient needs and individualising their care.
A colleague said: “I am the sole carer of a frail elderly person with a language barrier who was admitted, confused and delirious, to N2. As healthcare workers we are uniquely skilled in recognising a well-functioning team, who is going above and beyond.
“I want to propose this great team for the award as I observed a harmonically operating, extremely well-led and kind team that remains so 24/7.
“From the ward clerk, Sonia, all the way up to the nurse in charge, Fabio, and spanning everyone from the kitchen staff to the cleaners, from the healthcare assistants to the rest of the nurses and to the ward pharmacist, we are grateful to you all.”
The finalists
Caroline Abbott, radiographic departmental assistant
Caroline approaches her role with great empathy and humility, ensuring patients feel supported throughout their experience in the breast unit. Caroline has worked in the breast unit for 10 years and patients often refer to Caroline’s outstanding support on the day they received devastating news. She has such a welcoming, approachable and professional manner with patients and staff alike, and is a great support to patients, their relatives and friends. Caroline takes time to listen to people’s concerns and worries, and is always on hand to offer non-intrusive, caring support.
Linda Skinner, healthcare support worker
Linda’s nominee said she “is the most caring and compassionate lady I have ever met”, adding: “She genuinely cares for all patients’ wellbeing and wants them to feel as relaxed as possible, regularly going above and beyond to achieve this. In her spare time she crochets ‘worry worms’ for our anxious younger patients, who really enjoy receiving these. She is an amazing conversationalist and manages to find common ground with people from different cultures, backgrounds, race, age or gender. Linda is naturally so loving and caring with her patients, as well as all the members of her team.”
D2 ward team
This ward has seen a huge increase in the number of children who have extended stays and in patients with complex social histories and significant trauma. The team has gone the extra mile to make their patients feel safe, and given the best care in what has often been a very stressful and emotionally laden situation. They ensure the safety of patients, preserve the dignity of children, and maintain the utmost professionalism. Their input has made a difference to these young people by allowing them to feel safe to receive treatment and support, and in some cases to enable them to talk about their trauma.
Digestive diseases team
Due to the sensitive nature of this nomination, it cannot be shared in full, but the judging panel were touched by the kindness and compassion shown by the team.
Excellent – delivering improvement for our patients and each other
Winner: Zoe Carter, ward clerk
Zoe is a ward clerk extraordinaire – highly reliable, consistently goes above and beyond, and always looks for solutions.
She works with the team to ensure the ward maintains infection control and meets accreditation standards.
Zoe worked diligently with ACT to identify ways to upgrade the ward, creating wall displays showcasing staff and ward achievements, and obtaining a space for colleagues to have their breaks.
Zoe stands out as a champion for discharges, working hard to achieve the highest increase in pre-12 discharges, and creating a discharge board to highlight anything that could impact the patient leaving.
Zoe is an invaluable asset to Cambridge University Hospitals and her actions are infused with compassion for people.
The finalists
Daniel Chappell, clinical projects manager
Dan is known for identifying and treating patients with vertebral fractures. Spine fractures often go unnoticed in CT scans, but CUH has the highest identification rate in the country. Dan has taken a methodical approach to finding the fractures from among 40,000 CT scans done annually. And the team can measure a patient’s bone density from the diagnostic CT scan already done, sparing the patient further scans. Sawston, Royal Papworth and other local hospitals also now benefit from Dan’s techniques.
Vanessa Brebner, senior medical photographer
Vanessa has achieved excellence by being instrumental in planning the new teledermatology service – an outreach service enabling the detection and diagnosis of skin cancers and management plans to be made earlier. Part of a national effort, the service manages the increasing demand on the dermatology department, improves waiting times, reduces unnecessary outpatient attendances, and frees up clinics for other cases.
Lisa Enoch, critical care education lead
Lisa has been instrumental in creating and growing the Uganda SCALE critical care nursing partnership, to develop and share best practice in critical care in both the UK and Uganda. Lisa approaches the global health partnership with such a positive attitude and has built excellent relationships with the Ugandan team, helping to lead, inspire and support others to excel as critical care nurses. Lisa has helped create education opportunities for over 150 Ugandan nurses in the past year.
Dhrumi Patel, lead for non-invasive cardiac physiology
As new lead for the Echo service, Dhrumi has turned it around in terms of delivery, performance, and staff experience. She worked systematically through the issues, discussing staff concerns and ideas to facilitate a team that now feels empowered and determined to make a difference. Her success in improving the department’s morale is evident in a staff survey. Dhrumi also managed several complex projects, including moving IT systems.
Public Choice Award, following nominations from Cambridge Independent readers
Winner: Dr Joo Ern Ang and the Oncology Team
For Dr Ang and the oncology team, the patient comes first. No query is too silly, honesty is always there – even when the news is bad – and when you ask for help they respond.
This is a team delivering the highest standard of care intuitively.
One nominator told us: “Dr Ang and the oncology team have provided exceptional support to my wife. The time, consideration and advice plus care and attention throughout her recovery was simply unbelievable.”
And a patient told us: “The support this team has given me is beyond belief. Dr Ang has been honest, transparent, positive, but more than that despite how busy he is, I never feel that I’m rushed.
“I feel privileged that I am under a world-class pioneering team; it would be so fitting if they won this award.”
The finalists
Melissa Page, midwife
A nominator told us: “Melissa Page was my midwife when our son was sadly born asleep. I cannot thank Melissa enough; she showed such love, empathy and caring for not only me, my son and partner, but also to my family. She is a true gem, an angel, an amazing lady who is a treasure. I really hope Melissa gets recognised for an award as she deserves everything and more, and we are forever thankful to her. Just keep doing everything you do and best of luck.”
Victoria Riddleston, nursery nurse
A nominator said: “During three weeks on the ward with Vicky, when our son had his tracheostomy, she made him smile every day! Vicky works by her values that play and happiness heal. Our son had many tricky procedures and said he wanted to dance, so she surprised him with sensory lighting and music that filled his hospital room and brought so much joy! As a parent, she gave me space to think and breathe – a luxury when you are caring for your child 24/7. Thank you Vicky for bringing joy, play and mess to our son who adored you. You gave him back control through his play, helped us develop a trachy routine and built a lovely connection.”
Thomas Santarius, consultant neurosurgeon
A patient said: “Mr Santarius is the only person who took me seriously with my pineal cyst, completely changing my life. He is a true hero! Dr Tom Santarius is quite frankly an angel! His surgery literally saved my life. He is the most lovely man and the kindest person I’ve ever met. I hope he can continue his research and change the future for many more people. He gave me the surgery I needed, and is also an exceptional listener. Thank you for believing in my symptoms and finding a solution.”
Hannah Philp and Jenny Kemp, paediatric physiotherapy
A nominator told us: “Hannah and Jenny have treated our son since he was born with bilateral talipes. Their diligence, expertise, passion and patient care has helped our son walk, run and play like any other child when we feared he may not achieve these milestones. During regular appointments for treatment and check-ups they are always thorough, reassuring and pay attention to every detail. They have also set up a talipes support group so other parents of children with talipes can meet and share experiences and stories. We will forever be grateful.”
The Chair’s Award
Winner: Ward D2 and supporting teams
This award is presented to the entire team on ward D2 and the range of supporting clinical and corporate teams, including nursing, medical, play specialists, safeguarding, security, medico-legal and psychology colleagues, who worked together over an extended period of time in difficult circumstances to care for a patient with highly complex needs.
They supported this young person with huge kindness and compassion while managing with great care the wider impact on patients and staff.
This is an outstanding example of CUH teams working effectively and collaboratively in the best interests of our patients and truly living our trust values.
The You Made a Difference programme recognises the incredible contribution teams and individuals across CUH make. Since 2009, 500 teams and individuals have received a You Made a Difference award.
Having handed out so many of these over the years, a special You Made a Difference was awarded to Mike More, trust chair, for the incredible contribution he has made at CUH since joining in 2013. Roland Sinker, chief executive, handed him the award.
Mike was initially a non-executive director and then became trust chair in 2016. He will leave CUH at the end of December.
The Chief Executive’s Award
Winner: Pharmacy Team
This year’s Chief Executive’s Award goes to the trust’s pharmacy team in recognition of their outstanding work in supporting clinical teams across our hospitals.
The pharmacy team is responsible for the procurement and distribution of medicines and the informed, safe and cost-effective use of those medicines within CUH. Pharmacy dispenses over 55,000 items each month at Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie Hospitals.
Over a number of years, and under the leadership of Sarah Pacey, the outgoing chief pharmacist, the team has demonstrated a strong focus on improvement and transformation of its services in order to enhance patient safety, outcomes and experience. There has been a particular focus on automation, including through the use of pharmacy robots, digitalisation and workforce transformation.
Particular examples of the team’s improvement focus include the establishment of Homecare services so that patients do not have to wait for their medicines and can have them delivered to their own homes, the implementation of barcode medicines administration to significantly improve patient safety, improving the safe storage and tracking of controlled medicines across our hospitals, strengthening antimicrobial stewardship and training, and supporting a wide range of research projects and activities across CUH and the University of Cambridge.
The pharmacy team exemplifies the improvement and innovation mindset that we need to achieve across our services to help us tackle the challenges we face and to build the care models of the future.
The Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust Award
Winner: Martyn Grass, security officer
Martyn and his team support the hospitals 24/7 every day of the year, keeping staff and patients safe.
He is passionate about the care young children have within A&E and is also an ambassador for the care of members of the public attending A&E with mental health issues.
He has gone above and beyond to raise awareness of ACT and raise as much as possible, including organising for 10 members of the security team to take part in a skydive.
He really has spread the word of ACT, reaching out to secondary schools and local companies, and so far has raised £3,686.
The finalists
Claire Gilby, operational performance manager
Claire has gone above and beyond to support ACT, including reaching out to members of her team to support fundraising events, and reaching out to ACT for contacts, which has led to many donations and fundraising events. Thanks to Claire, ACT has recently received donations of £25,000 from one contact and a further £20,000 from a very grateful patient. Claire also supported ACT as a guest speaker at the July Thank You event; she was an inspiration to many.
Kirsty Sparrow, senior sister
Kirsty Sparrow is a senior sister in the Oncology Day Unit at CUH who undertook the Jurassic Coast Challenge in 2023 to raise funds for ACT, in particular the new cancer hospital. Kirsty said: “We are in the process of planning the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital – a really exciting development for the future of cancer care in our region. I have decided to fundraise for ACT/CCRH to contribute to things not covered by our main funding, but will be used in the creation of an uplifting environment .”
Geeta Woodworth, medical secretary
Geeta is a wonderful lady and so passionate about supporting ACT. Each year she gathers mistletoe and makes mistletoe bunches and displays which she sells at local venues, care homes and shops, even including Interflora. Each year Geeta regularly raises £400-£500 which is a fantastic regular income for ACT. She is a wonderful lady and said that she felt like royalty when she received her Thank You letter and certificate.
The Cambridge Breast Unit Team
The Cambridge Breast Clinic is raising awareness of ACT through their collection tins and has asked for a swipe machine for their reception area to raise funds. This is the only department that has requested this form of fundraising. Last year they raised £2,325, including funds they had raised within the team. Two members of the team also visited Ely Golf Club for a presentation about the Cambridge Breast Unit. Many of the ladies at the club have been treated for breast cancer and we are now their charity of the year.
You can read about the 2023 winners here.
