One Bay Way Staff Awards 2024 winners revealed

The first recipients of the newly-rebranded One Way Bay Staff Awards have been announced, with over 6,800 staff votes helping determine the winners.

You can find out who has won each of the 15 categories below, along with those who have been highly commended.

The One Bay Way Staff Awards recognise the many fantastic projects, ideas, leadership developments and improvements to patient care over the past 12 months.

One Bay Way Staff Awards 2024: Winners and highly commended

Always Improving Award

Winner: Developing a system to ensure continual service improvements for families in SBUHB

Info: This is a collaborative project undertaken by the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Team (pictured) – based in Neath Port Talbot Hospital - which includes a new screening process to improve its services for young patients and their families.

Service demand and the population needs for children, young people (C&YP) and their families is continually changing. The team has made value-based changes to ensure person centred care is received as soon as possible, which has been reflected in positive outcomes from C&YP, families, teachers and those closest to the service. The effectiveness and quality within the service has been used as a benchmark for C&YP services across Wales.

Highly commended: Bridgend COPD Team; Morriston HCAI Improvement Team; Modernisation of Inherited Cardiac Conditions Services.

 

Caring for Each Other Award

Winner: Occupational Health and Staff Wellbeing – Steps to Wellbeing sessions

Info: In January 2024, the Occupational Health and Staff Wellbeing Service, Occupational Therapists and support staff delivered ‘Steps To Wellbeing’ sessions.

The sessions helped improve the health and wellbeing of staff, covering topics such as stress, anxiety management and sleep.

Highly commended: Eddie Trott; Wellbeing in Radiotherapy; School Nursing and Looked After Children Team Wellbeing

 

Working Together Award

Winner: Working across boundaries to improve wellbeing for Children and Young People

Info: The Neath Port Talbot Children's Centre Team have worked across boundaries to improve wellbeing for children and young people. School experience and outcomes directly relate to long-term health with dysregulation affecting behaviours. Emotional, physiological and psychological wellbeing affects learning and development.

Collaboration and co-production across health and local authority boundaries has improved wellbeing outcomes, reduced health expenditure and maximised access for support along with aiding pupils' engagement and behaviour in school.

Highly commended: Collaborative Newly Diagnosed Information Sessions for people with Multiple Sclerosis; Penderi Cluster - Health and Wellbeing Events; The Sexual Health Outreach Team

 

Clinician of the Year Award

Winner: Angharad Ladd

Info: Angharad is an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner and leads community based clinical intervention for patients with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Angharad holds an impressive portfolio of clinical leadership, education and international research. Her clinical skills are of an exceptional standard but additionally she supports the learning and development of others, drives international research and development within this area and dedicates her role to better health outcomes for patients with COPD.

Highly commended: Community Learning Disability Nursing team; Sian Thomas

 

Commitment to Research & Development Award

Winner: Developing tools to support patients and staff in Radiology

Info: The Healthcare Systems Engineer team developed a tool to quantify the demand and true capacity of Radiology MRI and CT modalities to support the service in effectively and efficiently planning their service to reduce their backlog following Covid-19 and reduce waiting times for all patients - including those on cancer pathways.

Highly commended: Transforming Research and Development in Occupational Therapy; Swansea Bay UHB Diabetes Prevention Programme

 

Delivering our Partnership Compact Award

Winner: Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Multi-Disciplinary Team

Info: The Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Multi Disciplinary Team provides optimum antimicrobial therapy to patients within their own homes or outpatient setting. Working collaboratively with relevant healthcare professionals, they discharge patients promptly or avoid hospital admission with early interventions. The team also proactively manage any arising issues which reduces the risk of readmission whilst improving patient outcomes.

Highly commended: Working together to develop and deliver Our Partnership Compact

 

Excellence in Equality, Diversity & Belonging Award

Joint winners: Engaging BAME Nurses in higher banding positions, retention of newly recruited international staff (Omobola Akinade); Neurodiversity Staff Network - celebrating different minds

Info: Practice Development Nurse Omobola Akinade joined the health board after leaving her native Nigeria in 2005. Recognised for leadership and advocacy, she effectively promotes inclusivity and support among her colleagues, enhancing community spirit and team cohesion within the health board. She has also spoken up against racism in the workplace, helped higher-level positions become more diverse and been an instrumental figure for overseas nurses who have left home to work in Swansea Bay.

Info: The Neurodiversity Network supports staff with neurodevelopmental conditions, managers with neurodivergent employees, and those interested in learning about neurodiversity. Launched in March 2024, the network aims to increase awareness, provide a supportive space, signpost to relevant support and encourage staff to address inappropriate behaviour. Led by a core group of volunteers from various roles, the network organises events and fosters a more inclusive workplace, promoting understanding and creating opportunities for neurodivergent staff to thrive and reach their full potential.

Highly commended: Suzanne Jones and Elizabeth Summers

 

Leadership that Lives our Values Award

Winner: Jayne Shevlin

Info: Jayne Shevlin has been labelled a role model and highly adaptable professional nurse by colleagues who work alongside her every day. Jayne has worked for the NHS for 40 years, with 26 of those coming in the Enhanced Care Unit (ECU), of which she is now the ward manager. This year is her final year as she is set to retire. While overseeing the unit evolve from an intensive care unit to high dependency, and then from medical to surgical before becoming the ECU, she has shown great leadership skills, set high standards and proved a real asset to the unit.

Highly commended: Wendy Sunderland-Evans; Liz Stuckey

 

Learner of the Year Award

Winner: Rachel Harford

Info: Rachel is a Specialist Nurse in the Neuro-Inflammatory team at Morriston. She completed a development module as part of her induction training and was named top student in her cohort. This led to her presenting at the Multiple Sclerosis Trust National conference and her assignment being used as an example of good work for other students completing the module.

Highly commended: Jonathan Evans

 

Speaking Up with Compassion Award

Winner: Enhancing Access to Sexual Health Services for Vulnerable Populations (Lorraine O’Leary)

Info: Lorraine O'Leary, Operational Nurse Manager, has advocated for vulnerable populations' sexual health access throughout her 30-plus year career. Her compassionate leadership improved service inclusivity, fostered trust, and empowered clients, embodying values of care, collaboration and continuous improvement. She has addressed accessibility and inclusivity challenges for vulnerable populations, including victims of domestic abuse, sex workers, substance misusers, vulnerable children, asylum seekers, and the homeless. She recognised linguistic and systemic challenges, prompting a comprehensive review and expansion of the outreach service. Lorraine collaborated with stakeholders to provide tailored services such as sexual health screening, contraception, mental health support and harm reduction.

Highly commended: Melissa Benbow

 

Sustainability in Healthcare Award

Winner: Cae Felin Community Supported Agriculture

Info: In 2022, the health board partnered with Cae Felin, a Community Supported Agriculture project, to engage the community, including Brain Injury Unit patients and local schoolchildren. Despite challenges, the partnership has transformed the land, with volunteers – including health board staff - planting 1,500 trees, building beds, and establishing a rainwater system, fostering growth and connection. It is now producing veg boxes, which are purchased through membership schemes.

Highly commended: Dietetics Sustainability Group - Enteral Feeding Plastics Recycling; District Nursing and Community Wound Clinic Service

 

The Arts in Health Award

Winner: Library of Things Project

Info: Recognising the isolation many felt during the pandemic, the Library Services team created a patient book trolley, filled with donated books and other items. This simple yet impactful initiative has transformed hospital stays for countless patients. With generous support from staff, charities, and the community, the trolley has expanded to include radios, large print books, tablets, and even religious texts. Patients have shared how these resources have improved their wellbeing, reduced anxiety, and provided much-needed companionship. 

Highly commended: Collaboration of SBUHB Paediatric Physiotherapy and Welsh National Opera in Young People Post Covid Recovery Pilot; Arts and Creativity in Adult Mental Health

 

The Essential People Award (non-clinical staff)

Winner: Julie Mock

Info: With over 30 years of dedicated service, Occupational Therapist Technician Julie Mock has helped improve the lives of people with learning disabilities.

Her breadth of experience and skill along with her creativity, adaptability and enthusiasm all contribute to ensure each individual's needs are met.

Julie tailors her approach to each person, creating personalized experiences that enrich their lives. Whether it's developing engaging sensory stories or crafting tailored recipes, Julie's creativity knows no bounds.

A well-respected member of the Bridgend Community Learning Disability Team, Julie is regarded as an inspiration, mentor, friend and invaluable asset by her colleagues.

Highly commended: Bethan Davies; International Nurse Recruitment

 

Volunteer of the Year Award

Winner: Sharon Harvey-Lewis

Info: A beacon of hope in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Sharon has supported families facing their most challenging times. Her dedication to help families has proved inspirational - she visits the NICU unit around once a week for a couple of hours and chats to the parents about how they’re feeling and listens to their stories. She has also decorated the parents’ room on the unit, while she helped set up a Baby Chatter group which aids families develop early communication skills with their babies. She is a powerful advocate for parents, sharing her own experiences with raw honesty and compassion.

Highly commended: Neonatal Peer Support Volunteers; Ward Activity Volunteers; Audiology Volunteers

 

Welsh Language Award

Joint winners: Embedding the Welsh Language into the Dietetic Irritable Bowel Syndrome Service; Hannah Thomas 

Info: Launched in 2020, the Dietetic IBS Service, pioneered by Sioned Gallan, has transformed care for Welsh-speaking patients with IBS.

Sioned's passion for Welsh language was instrumental in creating a service delivered entirely in Welsh. Developing Welsh language resources, including information on the low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet, has been key.

By providing support and guidance in patients' native tongue, the service has enhanced communication, improved understanding, and empowered patients to manage their condition effectively. The team has also used Welsh-language questionnaires to gather valuable feedback and refine the service. This innovative approach has not only improved patient care but also demonstrated the power of language in healthcare.

Info: Hannah Thomas is a fluent Welsh speaker and has been instrumental in transforming the Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Service Group into a Welsh language-friendly environment. As a Graduate Management Trainee, she quickly identified a need for improvement and developed a comprehensive action plan.

Hannah's dedication is evident in her work to increase Welsh language skills among staff, improve patient communication, and ensure bilingual services. Her passion for the Welsh language is infectious, and she has inspired colleagues to embrace it.

Through her leadership, a service is being created where patients can access care in their preferred language, and where staff feel empowered to use their Welsh language skills.

The awards has been given a fresh look this year with some categories being revised in line with our ten-year vision to become a High-Quality Organisation.

There were 163 entries submitted this year, with the winners decided by a combination of scoring from a panel and executives along with a staff vote, which attracted 6,803 votes.

Chair, Jan Williams, said: “Our One Bay Way Staff Awards acknowledge the excellence we have within our health board.

“The aim of our awards goes beyond recognising and thanking our finalists, we also aim to inspire future developments and spread the learning from best practice for the benefit of our patients and wider communities.

“Congratulations to all of those nominated and a sincere thank you once again on behalf of the Board to all of our staff, students and volunteers across Swansea Bay University Health Board for all you have done and continue to do.”

Due to the challenging financial situation currently facing the health board and wider NHS, the decision was made not to hold a specific in-person ceremony this year.

However, in-person trophy and certificate presentations will be made across our sites soon.

Interim Chief Executive, Dr Richard Evans, said: “Despite the importance we place on the awards because of their role in recognising staff who have gone above and beyond and the way in which they help us identify and spread best practice, we came to the view that holding an in-person awards ceremony would be inconsistent with our financial position.

“In reflecting back over the past 12 months, it is important to acknowledge the sacrifices and efforts made by everyone - whether they are staff, student or a volunteer, for the delivery of quality healthcare provision. Over the last year and beyond this has meant taking forward significant service change and transformation, in addition to maintaining daily service delivery and coping with the undoubted pressures being experienced.

“I am extremely proud of what has been achieved.

“As always, the calibre of entries from across the health board has been inspiring, and everyone who has been shortlisted should feel proud of their achievement.”

Along with the awards, senior psychologist Dr Nistor Becia has been recognised by receiving an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list for his outstanding work in the health board’s response to supporting refugees from war-torn Ukraine. You can read that story here.