The South-Bristol based Community Care and Wellbeing worker was recognised for her rehabilitation work with patient Peter Dawson.
Peter Dawson was discharged after a month-long hospital admission following a serious fall and long-lie. Alongside his referral for support and rehab at home he was also referred to a BS3 Community Care & Wellbeing Worker (who is jointly supported, mentored and trained by Sirona and local charity BS3 Community Development). The service offers much-needed help and support to people returning home from hospital.
“I’ve never come across support like this”
Photo: Julie Sharma CEO Sirona, Roisin Francis, Mary Lewis Chief Nurse Sirona, The accessibility team who also won an award
When Peter came home from hospital last December, he felt vulnerable, nervous and unsure how he’d manage, especially as his Parkinson’s had become more difficult to live with. Everything felt overwhelming. Then he met Roisin.
“From the moment she first visited, Roisin was incredible. She didn’t just tell me what would happen, she sat down, made me feel at ease and really got to know me. We talked about what help I already had since coming home from hospital and worked together to come up with some initial practical goals: such as applying for a Blue Badge, following up on my OT assessment, arranging equipment, completing my Bristol City Council finance assessment, and helping me rebuild confidence getting out and about again.”
“It felt inclusive — not like me and them.”
“Roisin made everything feel straightforward. She explained what support and resources were available and how she could help me access it. Nothing was too much trouble. Simple things like making phone calls or filling in forms, which have become very difficult for me because of Parkinson’s, suddenly became manageable with her supporting and advocating for me. Talking on the phone now makes me very anxious – I worry about whether people will be patient with how I speak. Roisin took that stress away. It felt kind of like she was doing the heavy lifting so I could use my energy for the things that matter.
Honestly, I don’t think I could have managed without her support when I got home. We could do with a hundred Roisins – so everyone could have the benefit.
All the way through, I’ve never felt abandoned or left to struggle. Roisin has gone above and beyond. She’s full of knowledge, but more than that, she genuinely cares”.
“I feel very lucky.”
“Roisin’s support hasn’t just been about health or mobility – it’s helped me feel empowered in other areas of life too.”
Peter is now being referred to a specialist clinic in London for focused ultrasound treatment for Parkinson’s. “Honestly, I don’t think I would have had the confidence or energy to pursue it without Roisin’s support over these past six months. While in some ways I feel less able than I once did, in many ways I feel more confident – because now I have the right support around me. I know that if anything ever happened to me again, I wouldn’t be left alone like I was last year.
“It’s like having a friend.”
“Roisin has made her support really accessible – we mainly communicate by text, which works best for me. Whenever I’ve needed to communicate something, I can message her, and she always replies quickly. Because she works for both Sirona and BS3 Community she has been able to help me access the right support quickly and easily. She has a wonderful personality, a great sense of humour, and we have genuinely interesting conversations. She treats me like a person, not just a client.”
“I think Roisin deserves this award more than anyone. She’s changed my life for the better, and I feel incredibly grateful.”
Speaking at the awards ceremony Interim CEO Julie Sharma said “Roisin embodies the values of Sirona that help us improve outcomes for all. From providing a safe, high-quality, easy to access service through to really understanding Peter’s needs and putting him at the heart of everything she does. I’m delighted to hand over this well-deserved award.”
Simon Hankins, CEO of BS3 Community added
“We are immensely proud of Roisin and the profound impact of her work with Peter and other people. This recognition reflects not only her exceptional dedication and professionalism, but also the strength and value of the partnership between BS3 Community Development and Sirona care & health. The BS3 Community Neighbourhood Support Service exemplifies how collaboration between community health services and the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise sector can deliver holistic, person-centred care that empowers individuals, enhances wellbeing, adds significant value to the work of both organisations and saves the ‘system’ money. We are honoured that this integrated way of working is being acknowledged as a vital asset within the community health care offer that Sirona provides in the BS3 postcode area of South Bristol”.
The Sirona Excellence Awards is an annual celebration and recognition of more than 4,500 staff across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. The “I Think They Deserve It” Award is particularly coveted as it is nominated by the general public. The awards ceremony is held at Ashton Gate in October.
For more information contact Jools Granville, jools.granville@nhs.net
