Thornbury Hospital, a Yate district nurse, a residential home team and an operational manager for South Gloucestershire children’s health services were among the winners at the annual staff celebration held by Sirona care & health.
Rebecca Thomas, Hospital Ward Manager, picked up the Special Recognition and Thanks Award on behalf of the organisation after it achieved “Outstanding” for care in a recent Care Quality Commission inspection and an overall rating of “Good”.
Staff from all sections of Sirona were recognised at the ceremony from front line to corporate teams all who demonstrated going above and beyond to help those in need of care and support.
Jenny Theed, Director of Operations and Nursing for Sirona, told staff: ““When the CQC inspectors visited Sirona they were looking for good as the standard; what they found was outstanding care across the board.
“I want to say thank you to each and every one of you for the enormous contribution you make to Sirona and for the difference you make to the lives of so many people. I am asking Rebecca to collect the award on behalf of everyone; but the staff at Thornbury Hospital were praised for the way they ensure that every patient is cared for as an individual with compassion and dignity.
“They mentioned how a member of staff at the hospital who, while caring for someone at the end of thie rlife, heard all about their love of the smell of fish and chips and then promptly purchased these for all on the ward helping to evoke past positive memories.”
Held at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, the not-for-profit social enterprise’s ceremony recognised those who have gone above and beyond their duties time and time again with winners nominated by the public, their colleagues or Sirona’s Board and Senior Leadership Team. The event is held to coincide with Sirona’s birthday.
Sirona care & health provides community health and care services in South Gloucestershire, Bristol and residential homes and Extra Care facilities in Bath and North East Somerset.
The awards presented were based on the chandelier at the Science Park created by Bristol artist Luke Jerram which features Crookes Radiometers.
Yate district nurse team leader Helen Gowen won the Personal Development Award while Deana Taylor, operational manager for Community Children’s Health Services in South Gloucestershire won the leadership award.
Staff at on our of our residential homes who not only cared for a great grandfather moving away from his family for the first time but also supported his relatives won the “I Think They Deserve It” award at the Sirona Awards for Excellence. Caroline Fry made the nomination and you can watch her here explaining why she wanted the staff to be celebrated.
Sirona Chairman Simon Knighton said: “This award is always a very special award because the nominations come from the very people we are here to support.
“Every nomination told a touching story of the difference our staff make to the lives of so many people – both those they directly support and their families and loved ones.”
The winner – Combe Lea Community Resource Centre in Midsomer Norton – was nominated by different generations of the same family for the support given to a 93-year-old resident.
His grand-daughter said: “Thank you Combe Lea for your caring, individual love for my gramp over the past 19 months. He is so happy there.”
Janet Rowse, Sirona’s Chief Executive, told staff: “I cannot begin to describe how much I love this annual event. It demonstrates everything that is core to Sirona – kinship, support, recognition and saying thank you. In the midst of our really busy day to day work it is all too easy to take each other for granted and to not notice those extra little, and sometimes not so little, things that people do to make life easier and smoother for all of us.
“Although there are always winners, the winners represent all of our staff who are living our ethos in their words and actions and I thank each and every one of them for this commitment.”
The night also featured the world premiere of the song “More Than That” written by Sirona’s strategic lead for social care Simon Allen with fellow artist Sam Eason. It was produced by Stuart Bruce, who was behind the famous charity single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ for World Mental Health Day.
Winners and Highly Commended
Colleague of the Year: Winner Jill Ford, a nurse from the out of hours and extended care nursing team at Cossham Hospital; Highly Commended: Sandra Hawkins, district nurse team leader in Hanham.
Leadership Award: Winner Deana Taylor, Community Children’s Health Services Operational Manager in South Gloucestershire; Highly Commended: Tracey Lewis, District Nurse, Filton; Corinne Robinson, who runs the Community Respiratory Service across South Gloucestershire and Alison Quinn, who manages the physiotherapy and podiatry services.
Personal Development Award: Winner: Helen Gowen, District Nurse Team Leader in Yate, Highly Commended: Travis Kitchen, management accountant.
Chief Executive’s Award for Taking it Personally: Winner Emily Denham, service manager for services for people with Learning Difficulties; Highly Commended Marcia Hunter, activity coordinator at Charlton House in Keynsham; Natasha Lees and Sandra Hawkins, nursing team leaders at Hanham.
Team of the Year: Winners: The Family Nurse Partnership which offers support to children and families across South Gloucestershire and the Sirona HR Team; Highly Commended: the EMIS Implementation and Support Team from the Sirona IT Department; Greenacres Extra Care Team in Bath; the Kingswood District Nursing Team and the Sirona Governance Team.
I Think They Deserve It Award (public nominations): Winner Combe Lea Community Resource Centre, Midsomer Norton; Highly Commended: St John’s Court Extra Care, Bath.
Special Recognition and Thanks: Project Management, Estates, IT, HR and Finance and Payroll teams for the safe and smooth transfer of services in Bath and North East Somerset and maintaining high quality corporate services to support front line workers during the same time; in addition the move to Sirona’s new headquarters at Kingswood Civic Centre from St Martin’s Hospital, Bath, of more than 120 people was recognised.
Head of Children’s Services Chrissie Hardman for her passion, experience, expertise and determination to make things better for children and young people and her work for the Community Children’s Health Partnership across Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
A recognition award was presented to Thornbury Hospital ward manager Rebecca Thomas on behalf of the organisation for achieving a “Good” rating overall from the CQC and “Outstanding” for the care provided.
Chairman Simon Knighton was also presented with an award as the night was his last award ceremony as chairman of the organisation as he retires in March 2018.
