Hat-trick award win for maternity staff at NUH
Three members of the midwifery and maternity team at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), have been presented with a Cavell Star Award in recognition of their exceptional care to patients and families.
Aimee Summers, Community Midwife; Kirsty Rodgers, Midwife and Emma Kelley, Transitional Care Worker, have all been awarded prize this month for providing outstanding support to those in their care.
Cavell Star Awards are a national programme for nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants who go above and beyond in their role, and are an important way of thanking our teams for the incredible work they do.
Susan Bateman, Deputy Head of Midwifery in Governance, nominated Aimee for the award after she saved the life of her friend who became seriously-ill at home, weeks after giving birth.
Sue said: “Aimee’s quick actions changed the outcome for this family. Her experience as a midwife and mother were invaluable and we are very thankful to have colleagues like Aimee working at NUH.”
Kate Dutton, aged 29, is a mum-of-two from Keyworth, has been friends with Aimee for the last three years and is the inspiration behind Aimee’s Cavell Star Award win.
She said: “I am entirely grateful for what Aimee did for me on that morning when I collapsed; a simple thank you will never be enough. In my eyes she’s an amazing lady and I am so very glad to have her as a friend. Her heart is so full of good for others and I think it is wonderful that she is being recognised in this way.”
Emma Kelley has worked in NUH’s maternity services as a Transitional care support worker for the last 13 years. Emma cares for mothers with premature babies on the ward, until they are well enough to go home. Emma received a Cavell Star Award because of the support she gave to one family during an extremely traumatic time.
Emma said: “I feel truly proud and amazed to be acknowledged in this way and thank you to all the maternity staff for the work you do to support and care for patients on our wards, during difficult and lighter times.”
Kirsty Rodgers has worked as a midwife on Bonnington ward for the last three years and has supported families in around 150 births at NUH.
Kirsty was also awarded a prestigious Cavell Star Award and is the driving force behind the new ‘Ten @ Ten’ meetings across QMC and City Hospital.
The new meetings mean that each day maternity colleagues get the chance to gather with their peers, to support each other and share their work loads. This was set up in response to staff feedback.
Kirsty said: “I don’t feel I have done anything special, the ‘Ten @ Ten’ meetings happen because to help support colleagues in maternity team. It gives staff the chance to get together and share their thoughts with a cup and tea and warm, buttery-toast. We started these meetings at the end of January and have since seen a real improvement in staff morale.”
Jo Disney-Spiers, Professional Midwifery Associate at NUH, nominated both Kirsty and Emma for their Cavell Star awards. She said: “Both Kirsty and Emma play an important part in the lives of mums and babies on our maternity units and it is no surprise they have both been awarded this prestigious award. These awards are the opportunity we need to celebrate our staff that have, absolutely gone over and above, what is in their job roles. It is these small touches that make the difference for our patients and their families at NUH.”
Sarah Moppett, Deputy Chief Nurse at NUH, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for our maternity team and we are extremely delighted to have three worthy winners of this prestigious national award that celebrates everything that is great about our maternity team and services. It is so important that we recognise the hard work and achievements of our staff at NUH and seeing Aimee, Kirsty and Emma receive the recognition they deserve is fantastic and I hope to see more of our nurses, midwives and healthcare workers celebrated in this way.”